Rafael Nadal remains optimistic about his participation at Roland Garros from May 26 to June 9. In a recent interview with France TVSports, the Spaniard explained his decision to compete in the upcoming Grand Slam on clay, scheduled to begin with the draw on May 23.
Nadal was determined: “I’m going to play the tournament thinking I can be at my best, 100%. And if 100% is not enough to even win a match, I’ll accept it. But I don’t want to enter the court thinking I have no options. If there is a 0.01% possibility, I want to explore it.” He also stated his preference to preserve positive memories rather than face the certainty of defeat: “If there is no chance, I’d rather keep all the happy memories.”
Reflecting on his recent experiences, Nadal noted, “I don’t want to feel at Roland Garros the way I felt in Madrid or Barcelona.” His performance at the Foro Italico included a three-set win over qualifier Zizou Bergs, ranked 108th, and four games against Hubert Hurkacz.
Nadal missed the last French Open due to an iliopsoas injury sustained at the 2023 Australian Open, which sidelined him for the season. Despite this, his exceptional track record at Roland Garros, with 112 wins out of 115 matches, fuels his motivation to compete again.
For the first time since his debut in 2005, Nadal will not be one of the 32-seeded players, potentially facing top-10 players like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, or Jannik Sinner from the first round.
Regarding retirement, Nadal has not confirmed any plans to retire this season. His comments suggest uncertainty about the future: “I thought 2024 was going to be my last year, but I never said 100% that it would be. I don’t know what can happen.”
