Rafael Nadal’s clay-court form is showing signs of improvement, raising hopes for a competitive performance at his potential final French Open. The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who has indicated that this will be his final year on tour, has played only nine matches this year after missing nearly all of 2023 due to a hip injury that required surgery. However, he is coming off his most encouraging performance of the year, having put together three straight wins at the Madrid Open last week before losing in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round. Nadal believes his game is improving and is excited about the possibility of playing well if he continues to work hard and his body cooperates. He acknowledges that his matches are more challenging and unpredictable than in the past, but he embraces this challenge and is eager to remain competitive. Nadal’s first match in the Italian Open, his final big warmup tournament before the French Open, is scheduled for Thursday against Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs. If successful, he will face a potential matchup against top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Nadal has won the Italian Open a record 10 times and cherishes the memories of his first two titles, both five-set victories over Guillermo Coria and Roger Federer in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Nadal believes that the best-of-five format in those matches creates more emotional and dramatic encounters that are fondly remembered by fans.
Rafael Nadal’s Clay-Court Form Shows Promise Ahead of Potential Final French Open
