‘His Body Is Very Worn Out’- Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach Patrick Mouratoglou Delivers Gruesome French Open Verdict on Rafael Nadal

The year 2023 has turned out to be a downer for Rafael Nadal till now. In January, the Spaniard hurt his hip in the second-round loss to American Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. Following the injury, Rafa had to announce his withdrawal from various prestigious tournaments such as the Dubai Tennis Championships, Indian Wells Masters, and the Miami Open.

However, the fans of ‘King of Clay’ were expecting to see him at the clay court of the recently concluded Monte Carlo Masters. Unfortunately, Rafa himself shared an official update about his withdrawal from the tournament as he is still recovering from injury.

Despite Rafa’s prolonged absence from the tennis courts, Serena Williams’s ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou strongly believes that Nadal “will be ready” for the French Open in May. He talked about Nadal’s fitness and injury concerns in detail.

Patrick Mouratoglou predicts Rafael Nadal’s return in Roland Garros

During an interview with Eurosport, Mouratoglou talked about the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s potential return to tennis. The coach strongly believes that Nadal would overcome his injury woes. Mouratoglou also reiterated his belief that Nadal would make his comeback in the second Grand Slam of the year. He said, “Rafa has one goal, to win more Grand Slams than anyone else. He knows that his number one chance is the French Open, and I think he told himself that he wanted to arrive in Paris in the best shape possible.”

However, the Frenchman did express his concerns about Nadal’s fitness levels in the long run. Mouratoglou attributed it  to the long list of injuries he picked up throughout his career.

He said, “But it’s harder and harder every year because his body is very worn out, more than other players. He gave 1000% in training and matches. That means that his annual playing time is getting shorter every year.”

Despite undergoing a dismal year, the Spaniard disclosed his thoughts on the Barcelona Open.

Rafael Nadal opened up about the Barcelona Open

Nadal has not played due to a muscle injury in his left leg since experiencing a loss in the second round of the Australian Open. On Instagram, the ‘King of Clay’ officially announced to step back from the upcoming Barcelona Open. However, this is another heartbreak for his fans. He said, “Barcelona is a special tournament for me because it’s my adopted club and because playing at home is always a unique feeling. I’m still not prepared and therefore I’m still in my preparation process for the return to the competition.”

His three-month break from the court meant that Nadal was sidelined from the top 10 leagues of the ATP ranking for the first time since 2005. However, the tennis star expects to make a comeback in the Roland-Garros draw.

Will Nadal make a comeback in the French Open? What do you think? Let us know in the comment section.

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