Despite not playing for three months, Rafael Nadal is still the Roland Garros favorite for many of his rivals! Daniil Medvedev picked Nadal as a player to beat in Paris, praising the Spaniard’s 14 titles and calling him the favorite, despite an injury.
Nadal has not played since the Australian Open second round!
The Spaniard experienced a left hip injury against Mackenzie McDonald, struggling to recover and missing seven tournaments in February, March and April. A 22-time Major winner is back on the practice court, although he is still not ready to play competitive matches.
Roland Garros starts in five weeks, and Nadal races against the clock to recover and enter his beloved Major. Rafa debuted in Paris in 2005 and went all the way to become a Major champion a couple of days after turning 19.
The Spaniard started his incredible journey and became the most dominant player at a single Major in history, losing only three matches in Paris and lifting 14 trophies. Rafa came to Paris 12 months ago with dark clouds over his head, experiencing early losses in Madrid and Rome and struggling with a foot injury.
However, he overcame all the obstacles and beat Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud en route to his 14th Parisian trophy.
Daniil Medvedev picked Rafael Nadal as the Roland Garros favorite.
It remains Nadal’s last ATP title, playing only 13 matches since August last year and winning five.
Rafa could not play at his best in the last year’s closing stages, and the start of 2023 brought him nothing good. The Spaniard experienced a massive blow at the Australian Open, failing to chase the title defense and losing too many points.
Rafa left the top-10 group after almost 18 years in March, and we are yet to see his return. Nadal will not rush anything after such a long break, but his fans expect to see him in Rome and Paris. “I’m not in Rafael Nadal’s body and can not speak in his name, but I expect him to play Roland Garros.
Even if he skips Rome, he will be the favorite in Paris; he has won there 14 times. Novak Djokovic is also among the favorites; you can not count him off. If I reach the semi-final, and Rafa and Novak are not there, the draw becomes easier, and anything is possible,” Daniil Medvedev said.
