‘When you put Rafa Nadal and Roland Garros in the same sentence, Rafa’s the favourite’
Rafael Nadal is likely to use the Australian Open as “a little bit of a stepping stone” for his double challenge at Roland Garros in 2024 with Tim Henman saying he will be favourite in Paris.
After nearly a full calendar year on the sidelines due to a hip injury, Nadal will make his long-awaited comeback at the start of the 2024 season.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner’s last competitive match was at the 2023 Australian Open where he injured his hip and although many are keen to see the Spaniard return with a bang, it is very much a case of wait and see.
Henman believes Nadal will use the hard-court swing at the beginning of the year to build fitness and confidence for the clay-court season with the French Open and Olympics no doubt his main aims.
“I think it is unlikely [he will win the Australian Open]. I think also add to the fact that Rafa’s great on hard courts. He’s just at a ridiculously different level on clay courts. So I think the hard courts is probably a little bit of a stepping stone,” he told Eurosport.
“He’s got to get out there, he’s got to get in the tournament environments, he’s got to be competing in longer matches, dealing with adversity and all the different elements that he hasn’t done for a long, long time. And that’s not easy to come back into tournament play like that.
“However, if he can stay injury free and play tournaments at the beginning of the year, to a certain extent, I feel like his comeback really starts once he gets on the clay courts and we will have had an opportunity to see where he’s at, how is his fitness, how is his movement, how is his body, how does he recover after matches?
“I think then when we get to [see him] play, then we can say if there is a chance of Rafa adding to his Grand Slam tally. It’d be amazing if he won any tournament on the tour because it’s not easy to do.
“But again, Rafa’s not there to come back and make quarters and semis in a couple of events. He wants to win the biggest titles. And so, I think the early part of next year will tell us a lot as to whether Rafa is going to be a contender.”
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Nadal will be gunning for a record-extending 15th Grand Slam on clay while the Paris Olympics will also be hosted at Roland Garros from late July until mid-August.
Former British No 1 Henman admits it is hard to look past Nadal for any title at Roland Garros, including the Olympics although there are doubts over whether or not he will play due to his low ranking following his injury-enforced absence.
“I think when you put Rafa Nadal and Roland Garros in the same sentence, Rafa’s just the favourite,” he told Eurosport. “If he was playing paddle tennis and you said, ‘Oh, where is it?’ They’d say it’s at Roland Garros and you would say Rafa’s the favourite.
“You could make a case for the Grand Slams with the best of five. He’s so difficult to beat on clay, first and foremost. But then when you’ve got to win three sets, not just two sets, so few people have been able to do it.
“You wonder whether in the Olympics because it’s best of three, then it takes a little bit less out of him, whether that aids his recovery.
“But look, with his record, and I’m sure the confidence that he gains when he walks through the gates at Roland Garros, he’s going to want to be at the Grand Slam and at the Olympics, and I’d love to see him win one of those or both of those. It would be an incredible story.”
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