‘He Is Serious…’- Former American World No.1 Believes Rafael Nadal Remains a Top Contender at the 2022 US Open

With 22 grand slam titles under his name, Rafael Nadal is back on the court to continue his astounding form in 2022. Although he won the first two Grand Slam tournaments of the season, the Spaniard withdrew from the grass-court major ahead of the semi-finals due to an abdominal injury.

Now, Nadal has decided to make a comeback on the hard court season ahead of the final grand slam of the year. Former US Open champion, Andy Roddick, talked about Nadal’s participation in the Cincinnati Masters and how he will not risk his health ahead of the US Open.

Andy Roddick talks about Rafael Nadal’s health and his participation at the Cincinnati Masters

Former world no.1, Andy Roddick talked about the training stance of Rafael Nadal during his interview. He said, “You know he is serious when he arrives to a tournament almost a week in advance to get used to the conditions in Cincinnati.” He showed faith in Rafa’s practice ahead of the tour.

Roddick said, “At this point, Rafa would not sacrifice being healthy at the US Open to play in Cincy.” He continued, “If he didn’t feel like he could go on and play a healthy match on Wednesday night, so I expect to see Rafa physically healthy.”

READ MORE: ‘Too Valuable to Give Up’- Nick Kyrgios Isn’t in Favor of Letting Jaylen Brown Go

He acknowledged the fact that he has been absent for some time. He said, “The game is a different story not having played since Wimbledon.” However, he believes that the US Open is crucial for the player. He said, “I don’t think he would put the US Open at risk if that was the case.”

Can Rafael Nadal win the US Open 2022?

Rafa has performed tremendously in 2022. The Spanish player performed his best despite struggling with a persistent foot issue that has pestered him ever since his debut on the ATP tour.

Nadal has so far won 22 grand slam titles, the highest in the men’s circuit. He is currently gearing up to win his 23rd title at the US Open to add to his victories at the Australian Open and the French Open earlier this year.

WATCH THIS STORY: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, and Others In The Greatest Comebacks in Tennis

However, his arch-rival Novak Djokovic, who has 21 grand slam titles, is still waiting for some relaxations in the US Covid rulings to play in the US Open. If the relaxations do not come in time, Nadal would have one less challenger for the trophy at Flushing Meadows later this month.