Stan Wawrinka gives Rafael Nadal French Open verdict as he makes ‘highest level’ prediction

Ewan West 16 May 2024 11:54 AM

Rafael Nadal (ESP) looks over his shoulder

Stan Wawrinka is convinced his old rival Rafael Nadal will play the 2024 French Open providing the Spaniard avoids any significant physical setbacks.

The three-time Grand Slam champion also backed Nadal to return to the “highest level” if he does not get injured in the next few months.

Nadal has not yet confirmed his Roland Garros participation, but suggested he does intend to compete after his Italian Open loss to Hubert Hurkacz last week.

“The decision, as you can imagine, is not clear in my mind today,” he said. “But if I have to say what’s my feeling and if my mind is closer one way or the other way, I going to say be in Roland Garros and try my best.

“Physically I have some issues, but not probably yet enough to say not playing in the most important event of my tennis career.

“Let’s see what’s going on, how I feel myself mentally tomorrow, after tomorrow, and in one week. If I feel ready, I going to try to be there and fight for the things that I have been fighting the last 15 years, if now seems impossible.”

READ MORE: Rafael Nadal’s ‘dream finish’ revealed as Toni Nadal makes retirement admission.

According to reports in the Spanish media, Nadal has decided to play the clay-court Grand Slam and intends to travel to Paris next week to prepare.

The 22-time Major champion, who has been hampered by injury issues in recent seasons, has divulged 2024 will likely be the last year of his remarkable career.

Nadal, 37, has won the French Open on a staggering 14 occasions — the most titles any player has won at a single Grand Slam tournament in tennis history.

Wawrinka, who lost to Nadal in the 2017 French Open final, expressed his confidence that the former world No 1 will play at Roland Garros as he assessed his hopes of returning to the top.

“I think he will play for sure, unless he gets injured. I think he will play, I’m sure that’s the reason why also he played the last few weeks, he wants to play, he wants to play the biggest tournaments,” the former world No 3 told Express Sport.

“So unless he has a big problem physically and he cannot practise anymore, I think he will play.

“Rafa has always been an example of a fighter. He had so many injuries during his career but his rhythm for 20 years to be out, to come back.

“And also I’m looking forward to what he’s going to do and how his body will react because I think, and [from] what I can hear, it’s also his body [that] will decide when he will stop.

“I think if he can get no injuries the next few months, his level will be back at the highest level. So I’m looking forward [to] what’s going to happen.”

Wawrinka, 39, has faced Nadal on 22 occasions and earned three victories, including in the 2014 Australian Open final — where he claimed his maiden major.