Will we see Rafael Nadal again at Roland-Garros? Since 2005, the Spaniard has been used to celebrating his birthday every June 3 on his blessed land, where he has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam tournaments, the last last year at the expense of Norwegian Casper Ruud in the final. But, barring a huge surprise, the Mallorcan will not blow out its 37 candles at Porte d’Auteuil.
According to several Spanish media, of which brandhe will announce his package at a press conference, this Thursday at 4 p.m., from his academy in the Balearic Islands, ten days before the start of the Paris tournament.
Absent from the courts for four months
Reduced for years by various injuries, Nadal has not played in competition since his dry defeat, in three sets, in the second round of the Australian Open, on January 18 against the modest American Mackenzie McDonald, then 65th in the world. .
It has now been four months since the corecordman of the number of Majors (joined in Melbourne this year by Novak Djokovic) has been trying to treat a recalcitrant psoas injury. In vain, since he accumulates packages tournament after tournament, and would not have presented any reference this year if he had appeared on the Philippe-Chatrier court, from May 28. Beyond his absence at Roland-Garros, his future on the courts is dotted.
A very open tournament for once
With the more than probable package of his undisputed king and the poor form of Novak Djokovic, the Parisian Major promises to be very open for once. Carlos Alcaraz, who will recover the crown of world No. 1 from the head of the Serb next Monday, looks like the main favorite. But the young compatriot of Nadal rather inexplicably fell this week in Rome, from the 3rd round, against the anonymous Hungarian Fábián Marozsán (135th in the world).