Rafael Nadal was in no doubt after bowing out to Hubert Hurkacz in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. With his sights firmly set on Roland Garros, historically his biggest tournament on the calendar, the 22-time Grand Slam champion is making sure he has taken care of even the smallest of details.
His extraordinary efforts reflect the importance of the event for the Spanish star.
“I’m going to play the tournament thinking that I can give my all, 100 per cent,” explained Nadal a few days ago in Rome, when he had already said his goodbyes to the Foro Itálico. “And if 100 per cent is not enough to win a match, I’ll accept that. But I don’t want to step onto court knowing that I have no chance. If there’s a 0.01% chance, I want to explore that and give it a go.”
After several days of training at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, sharing three sessions with Tallon Griekspoor, the 14-time Roland Garros champion travelled to Paris on Monday. One week before the competition kicks off, the Balearic Islander held his first practice session on the Court Philippe-Chatrier, focusing on being competitive in best-of-five matches on clay.
He was greeted warmly by French fans keen to get an early look at the form of the man who has spent 209 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings during his career.
The Mallorcan, who has not played a Grand Slam match since January 2023 (against Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open, where he injured his psoas iliacus muscle), will be taking on a huge fitness challenge in Paris as he searches for the kind of form that will allow him to battle for big results.
Rafa is back on Court Philippe-Chatrier, with a huge crowd to welcome him 🧡#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/JBj5FMrsrN
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 20, 2024
During his career, Nadal has lifted the title 14 times in Paris (from 14 finals). His immaculate, other-worldly record has earned the Spaniard an extraordinary legacy at the tournament and given Roland Garros unique significance in his professional life.
Close to his 38th birthday (on 3 June), and in the midst of what could be the last year of his career, Nadal arrives in Paris ready to fight to the death to be competitive, but he is also ready to feel the love of the people, just as he did in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome, his last events on the European clay swing.
“We have to enjoy the time he has left on court, evaluate it, and be aware that it’s very unlikely that something like that will happen again,” warned Carlos Moyà, one of Nadal’s coaches, during the Mutua Madrid Open. “The adrenaline he’s feeling at the moment... he won’t feel that again and he’s really enjoying it. It’s something that you miss when you stop playing,” he added. “Personally, I’m never on court when he enters or leaves, but I am this year because I like seeing the love he gets from the people when he steps on court. He’s one of the great stars of this sport, he’s about to retire, and it’s really amazing to see that.”
Besides the warmth he enjoys from the fans, which is inevitable given that this could be his last season in the elite, it is impossible not to think of Nadal as a warrior who never gives up until the end, even more so on a court that has meant as much to him as the Court Philippe-Chatrier.
“From the outside, we try to tell him he’s better than he thinks he is,” explained Marc López, another member of his coaching team. “On clay, he always dedicates more time to everything and our job is to make him see that he’s better than he thinks. He’s competitive, improving every day and taking small steps forward so that he can arrive at Roland Garros in the best condition possible, which is the main goal.”
The big challenge has arrived; Roland Garros is just around the corner and the first task for the great champion is to train at 100% over the coming days to give himself the best chance possible and, from Sunday 26 May, to allow him to go out and take on the world in Paris.
- This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es
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