Spain’s Rafael Nadal uses his towel as he trains at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, May 25, 2024 in Paris. The
Spain’s Rafael Nadal arrives for a training session at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, May 25, 2024 in Paris. The French Open tennis tournament starts Sunday May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal trains at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, May 25, 2024 in Paris. The French Open tennis tournament starts Sunday May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal looks up during a training session at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, May 25, 2024 in Paris. The French Open tennis tournament starts Sunday May 26, 2024. (AP
Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
FILE -Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates winning the first set against Germany’s Alexander Zverev during their semifinal match at the French Open tennis tournament in Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Friday, June 3, 2022. Rafael Nadal is in the French Open field, after all, and the 14-time champion was set up for a challenging first-round matchup in Thursday’s, May 23, 2024, draw against Alexander Zverev. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE – Spain’s Rafael Nadal kisses the trophy as he celebrates winning his 10th French Open title against Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka at Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France, Sunday, June 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena,
Spain’s Rafael Nadal uses his towel as he trains at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, May 25, 2024 in Paris. The French Open tennis tournament starts Sunday May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)ASSOCIATED PRESSMore
PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal smiled. He joked. He sounded upbeat. He’s been playing well and feeling better in
practice. He is eager to get going at Roland Garros after dealing for so long with hip and abdominal problems.
Oh, and then there’s this little tidbit he dropped during a pre-tournament news conference Saturday: This French Open might not turn out to be the 14-time champion’s last appearance, after all, at his favorite event, one he called “magical.”
Because of his age — he turns 38 on June 3 — and his injuries, not to mention past statements about figuring 2024 would be his last year on tour, everyone from other players to fans to the media has been assuming it will be his farewell appearance at the French
Asked whether that’s accurate, Nadal grinned and replied: “Don’t assume that.”
“It’s a big, big chance that it’s going to be my last Roland Garros,” Nadal said. “But if I have to tell you it’s 100% my last Roland Garros? Sorry, but I will not. Because I cannot predict what’s going on.”
The Spaniard missed much of the last two seasons because of health problems, including hip surgery that forced him to sit out the French Open a year ago, his first absence there since he made his debut as a teenager. He is just 7-4 in 2024, and he expressed a bit of doubt after a lopsided loss at the Italian Open two weeks ago — he called it a “disaster” on Saturday — as to whether he would even enter the clay-court tournament in Paris at all.
But he did show up and has been training in front of loud, supportive crowds this week. Because his ranking is so low after such little activity — once No. 1, he is No. 276 currently — Nadal did not get the benefit of a seeding and was drawn to face No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in a showdown that will be the focus on Monday, Day 2 of the tournament.
