Is Rafael Nadal's French Open start questionable?
Rafael Nadal , number two in the tennis world rankings, leaves his participation in the French Open in Paris (from September 27th) open after he has renounced the US Open in New York (from August 31).
by SID / red
last edit: Aug 05, 2020, 04:23 pm
The Spaniard said on Tuesday during a virtual press conference from Mallorca that he would make his decision in the case of Roland Garros based on the current effects of the corona pandemic. The tennis circus has been inactive since March, when the combined men-and-women event in Indian Wells had to be canceled.
"I will prepare for the clay court season in Europe and when the time comes we will see how the situation is in Europe and whether everything is under control or not and after that I will make my decision," said Nadal. The clay court season in Europe is scheduled to start in the second week of the US Open from September 7th to 13th with the Generali Open in Kitzbühel, after which the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome could be one week from the original date on September 20th. September will be preferred. This shift would certainly also be in Nadal's opinion. Then the world number two would have a few days break between Rome and the French Open.
Djokovic has not yet made up his mind
Nadal is defending champion in New York and Paris. In Roland Garros, where he is the record winner with twelve titles, he has been at the start since 2005. In the past two years he won the final against Dominic Thiem in Paris. In New York in 2019 the left-hander defeated Daniil Medvedev in five sets in the final.
With 19 titles in the four Grand Slams so far, Rafael Nadal needs one more to catch up with record holder Roger Federer . Federer will no longer appear this year due to an injury. Novak Djokovic currently holds 17 major titles. And according to Serbian media reports, he will only make a definitive decision in the coming days whether he will compete in the US Open.