In what could be his last French Open, 14-times champion Rafa Nadal faces a tough task to avoid it all ending in a first-round exit when he plays Alexander Zverev on Monday.

Nadal had already announced that this could be the final season of his career but on his arrival in Paris the Spaniard said he could not yet be sure that he was ready to close the door on Roland Garros.

After missing last year's tournament through injury, Nadal will be keen to make the most of his return, as will his fans, but standing in his way is fourth-seeded German Zverev, fresh from his triumph at the Italian Open.

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"It's not ideal the first match, because I feel competitive to have this match later in the tournament, but it's how it is," Nadal said. "I need to be ready since the beginning. Let's see."

The meeting will bring back contrasting memories for both players of the last time they met, in a French Open semi-final in 2022, when Nadal went on to win yet another title in Paris, the last of his 22 Grand Slam victories.

Zverev was forced to retire from that match with an ankle injury. He underwent surgery and ended up missing the rest of the season with another injury, but he returned last year to reach his third consecutive French Open semi-final.

With some of the other top players such as Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, struggling with injuries of late, this could be Zverev's chance to finally win a Grand Slam.

The German might not have wanted to meet Nadal so early in the tournament but he was happy to have the chance to take him on again.

"I really wanted to play him here. I did not want to play him in the first round. I wanted to play him in the semi-finals, finals, a later stage of the tournament," Zverev said. "But at the end of the day, he's not seeded, it is how it is, and I think we're both prepared for a tough battle."

World number two Sinner makes his return to action after sitting out the Italian Open following a hip injury at the Madrid Open, and takes on American Christopher Eubanks.

Iga Swiatek begins her title defence against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean, and the Polish world number one comes to Paris on the back of title wins in Madrid and Rome.

American third seed Coco Gauff plays 21-year-old qualifier Julia Avdeeva, with the Russian making her Grand Slam debut.

In what could be his last French Open, 14-times champion Rafa Nadal faces a tough task to avoid it all ending in a first-round exit when he plays Alexander Zverev on Monday.

In what could be his last French Open, 14-times champion Rafa Nadal faces a tough task to avoid it all ending in a first-round exit when he plays Alexander Zverev on Monday. Nadal had already announced that this could be the final season of his career but on his arrival in Paris the Spaniard said he could not yet be sure that he was ready to close the door on Roland Garros. After missing last year's tournament through injury, Nadal will be keen to make the most of his return, as will his fans, but standing in his way is fourth-seeded German Zverev, fresh from his triumph at the Italian Open. ALSO READ: Tennis: Andy Murray bids adieu to French Open with first-round loss to Wawrinka "It's not ideal the first match, because I feel competitive to have this match later in the tournament, but it's how it is," Nadal said. "I need to be ready since the beginning. Let's see." The meeting will bring back contrasting memories for both players of the last time they met, in a French Open semi-final in 2022, when Nadal went on to win yet another title in Paris, the last of his 22 Grand Slam victories. Zverev was forced to retire from that match with an ankle injury. He underwent surgery and ended up missing the rest of the season with another injury, but he returned last year to reach his third consecutive French Open semi-final. With some of the other top players such as Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, struggling with injuries of late, this could be Zverev's chance to finally win a Grand Slam. The German might not have wanted to meet Nadal so early in the tournament but he was happy to have the chance to take him on again. "I really wanted to play him here. I did not want to play him in the first round. I wanted to play him in the semi-finals, finals, a later stage of the tournament," Zverev said. "But at the end of the day, he's not seeded, it is how it is, and I think we're both prepared for a tough battle." World number two Sinner makes his return to action after sitting out the Italian Open following a hip injury at the Madrid Open, and takes on American Christopher Eubanks. Iga Swiatek begins her title defence against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean, and the Polish world number one comes to Paris on the back of title wins in Madrid and Rome. American third seed Coco Gauff plays 21-year-old qualifier Julia Avdeeva, with the Russian making her Grand Slam debut.

Rafael Nadal faces Zverev in tough opener in what could be his last French Open

Andy Murray said he was "proud" after his French Open career ended Sunday with a first-round defeat by 2015 champion and fellow three-time Grand Slam title winner Stan Wawrinka.

Murray, the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2016, lost 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in his last singles appearance at the tournament before retiring later this year.

The 37-year-old had already announced he plans to call time on his career in the summer with Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics as the two high-profile events left on his schedule.

On Sunday, he left to a standing ovation from the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier and Murray returned the gesture by applauding the fans.

As well as his run to the final eight years ago, when he lost to Novak Djokovic, Murray reached the semi-finals four times and the last eight twice.

"Most players would sign up for the results I've had here," he said. "In a different time maybe the results would have been a bit different.

"I had great memories... It was not an easy surface for me. But I always showed up and put in some strong performances, considering. It was a good run here over the years."

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It was Murray's first appearance at Roland Garros since losing to Wawrinka in the first round four years ago and only his second since a dramatic semi-final defeat by the Swiss in 2017.

The Briton has struggled in recent months with an ankle injury but opted not to have surgery in a bid to play a last French Open.

"Sometimes now when you do have an injury it just takes a little bit longer for your body to get used to the intensity of the matches and stuff," added Murray, who said he would next play at the grass-court event in Stuttgart, which starts the week after Roland Garros.

"My body isn't what it was, you know, 10 years ago. I'm fully aware of that.

"It takes a lot of time and effort to get it in a position to go out there and compete.

"It's not always perfect. But it is what it is and I still enjoy giving a go and trying to get myself out there and be as competitive as possible."

Wawrinka, who has now defeated Murray three times in four meetings in Paris, described his opponent as an "amazing champion".

The Swiss veteran goes on to face either Cameron Norrie of Britain or Russia's Pavel Kotov for a place in the third round.

Wawrinka became only the third man over the age of 39 to win a match at the French Open since 1980.

"He achieved everything a player could achieve in tennis," Wawrinka said of Murray, against whom he trails 13-10 in their head-to-head record. "He's an amazing champion, amazing guy. I think he has a lot of fans, a lot of people start playing tennis because of him. I respect him a lot.

"I enjoyed playing him a lot last 20 years. We played so many times, so many big battles. Hopefully he's going to keep going a little bit."

Andy Murray said he was "proud" after his French Open career ended Sunday with a first-round defeat by 2015 champion and fellow three-time Grand Slam title winner Stan Wawrinka.

Andy Murray said he was "proud" after his French Open career ended Sunday with a first-round defeat by 2015 champion and fellow three-time Grand Slam title winner Stan Wawrinka. Murray, the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2016, lost 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in his last singles appearance at the tournament before retiring later this year. The 37-year-old had already announced he plans to call time on his career in the summer with Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics as the two high-profile events left on his schedule. On Sunday, he left to a standing ovation from the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier and Murray returned the gesture by applauding the fans. As well as his run to the final eight years ago, when he lost to Novak Djokovic, Murray reached the semi-finals four times and the last eight twice. "Most players would sign up for the results I've had here," he said. "In a different time maybe the results would have been a bit different. "I had great memories... It was not an easy surface for me. But I always showed up and put in some strong performances, considering. It was a good run here over the years." ALSO READ: French Open 2024: Carlos Alcaraz makes winning start at Roland Garros It was Murray's first appearance at Roland Garros since losing to Wawrinka in the first round four years ago and only his second since a dramatic semi-final defeat by the Swiss in 2017. The Briton has struggled in recent months with an ankle injury but opted not to have surgery in a bid to play a last French Open. "Sometimes now when you do have an injury it just takes a little bit longer for your body to get used to the intensity of the matches and stuff," added Murray, who said he would next play at the grass-court event in Stuttgart, which starts the week after Roland Garros. "My body isn't what it was, you know, 10 years ago. I'm fully aware of that. "It takes a lot of time and effort to get it in a position to go out there and compete. "It's not always perfect. But it is what it is and I still enjoy giving a go and trying to get myself out there and be as competitive as possible." Wawrinka, who has now defeated Murray three times in four meetings in Paris, described his opponent as an "amazing champion". The Swiss veteran goes on to face either Cameron Norrie of Britain or Russia's Pavel Kotov for a place in the third round. Wawrinka became only the third man over the age of 39 to win a match at the French Open since 1980. "He achieved everything a player could achieve in tennis," Wawrinka said of Murray, against whom he trails 13-10 in their head-to-head record. "He's an amazing champion, amazing guy. I think he has a lot of fans, a lot of people start playing tennis because of him. I respect him a lot. "I enjoyed playing him a lot last 20 years. We played so many times, so many big battles. Hopefully he's going to keep going a little bit."

Tennis: Andy Murray bids adieu to French Open with first-round loss to Wawrinka

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his 19-year French Open career with the likelihood of adding to his 14 titles greatly diminished before he leaves behind a record and reputation unlikely ever to be matched.

The great Spaniard, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, won his first title at Roland Garros as a teenager in 2005. A week on Monday, he will celebrate his 38th birthday.

A former world number one, who is now at 276 in the world, Nadal has only played 15 matches since January last year as a hip injury and then a muscle tear were added to a depressing litany of physical ailments which have forced him to miss 12 Grand Slam tournaments in his career.

Unseeded this year, his farewell to arms may be brief after he was drawn to face world number four Alexander Zverev in the first round with the match set for Monday.

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"I'm going to play the tournament thinking that I can give my all, 100 percent," explained Nadal after a second-round exit in Rome.

"And if 100 percent is not enough to win a match, I'll accept that. But I don't want to step onto court knowing that I have no chance. If there's a 0.01 percent chance, I want to explore that and give it a go."

As well as 14 titles in Paris, Nadal can boast a record of 112 wins and just three losses, two of which came against career-long rival Novak Djokovic.

He is also held in remarkably high esteem.

At his first training session on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros on Monday an estimated 6,000 people turned up to watch, many chanting his name.

Fellow Grand Slam winners Stan Wawrinka and Daniil Medvedev practised with Nadal this week.

Wawrinka said Nadal was as "strong as ever" while Medvedev admitted he was "happy not to be facing" the Spanish star.

Zverev has only beaten Nadal once in six clay-court meetings.

When they met in Paris in 2022, the German was forced to retire from their semi-final after sustaining a serious ankle injury.

"In my mind, I'm going to play peak Rafa Nadal. That's what I expect him to be. I expect him to be at his absolute best," said Zverev, who arrives in Paris having won the prestigious Rome Open title.

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his 19-year French Open career with the likelihood of adding to his 14 titles greatly diminished before he leaves behind a record and reputation unlikely ever to be matched.

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his 19-year French Open career with the likelihood of adding to his 14 titles greatly diminished before he leaves behind a record and reputation unlikely ever to be matched. The great Spaniard, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, won his first title at Roland Garros as a teenager in 2005. A week on Monday, he will celebrate his 38th birthday. A former world number one, who is now at 276 in the world, Nadal has only played 15 matches since January last year as a hip injury and then a muscle tear were added to a depressing litany of physical ailments which have forced him to miss 12 Grand Slam tournaments in his career. Unseeded this year, his farewell to arms may be brief after he was drawn to face world number four Alexander Zverev in the first round with the match set for Monday. ALSO READ: Novak Djokovic falls to Czech Tomas Machac in Geneva semis in build-up to French Open "I'm going to play the tournament thinking that I can give my all, 100 percent," explained Nadal after a second-round exit in Rome. "And if 100 percent is not enough to win a match, I'll accept that. But I don't want to step onto court knowing that I have no chance. If there's a 0.01 percent chance, I want to explore that and give it a go." As well as 14 titles in Paris, Nadal can boast a record of 112 wins and just three losses, two of which came against career-long rival Novak Djokovic. He is also held in remarkably high esteem. At his first training session on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros on Monday an estimated 6,000 people turned up to watch, many chanting his name. Fellow Grand Slam winners Stan Wawrinka and Daniil Medvedev practised with Nadal this week. Wawrinka said Nadal was as "strong as ever" while Medvedev admitted he was "happy not to be facing" the Spanish star. Zverev has only beaten Nadal once in six clay-court meetings. When they met in Paris in 2022, the German was forced to retire from their semi-final after sustaining a serious ankle injury. "In my mind, I'm going to play peak Rafa Nadal. That's what I expect him to be. I expect him to be at his absolute best," said Zverev, who arrives in Paris having won the prestigious Rome Open title.

Tennis: Clay King Rafael Nadal gears up for emotional French Open farewell

Iga Swiatek refused to take victory at the French Open for granted despite romping to a third Rome title when sweeping aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday's final.

World number one Swiatek will be red-hot favourite to successfully defend her Roland Garros crown afer comfortably prevailing on the clay against second-ranked Sabalenka.

In front of a packed centre court crowd Swiatek became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win on the clay surface at Madrid and Rome in the same season.

She can join Williams in a European capital city hat-trick if she wins her fourth French Open title, and third in a row, with the clay-court Grand Slam starting in Paris on May 26.

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"Obviously I am confident. I feel like I'm playing great tennis but that doesn't change the fact that I just want to stay humble," Swiatek told reporters. "Grand Slams are different. There's a different pressure on the court and off the court. Of course, I love to come to Paris and be there. It a great place for me to be and I really enjoy my time there.

"But these are a hard seven matches that you need to win so I don't take anything for granted."

Swiatek won her 12th successive match on clay by besting Belarusian Sabalenka as she did in the recent Madrid final.

The Pole took her winning record over Sabalenka to 8-3 in another hugely impressive display from what has been an almost flawless tournament from the four-time Grand Slam winner, who didn't drop a single set on her way to another championship victory.

Saturday's match was less dramatic than Madrid's three-set thriller as Sabalenka, who has won the two most recent Australian Opens, gave herself too much to do.

Swiatek took the opening set in just 36 minutes in a clinical display of tennis against Sabalenka, who has said repeatedly that Rome is her dream tournament to win.

Going into Saturday's final Swiatek had won 97 percent of her matches in which she went one set ahead since the start of 2022 and Sabalenka didn't help her cause by wasting seven break points over two games in the second set.

After Swiatek broke Sabalenka's serve in game seven it was only a matter of time before she closed out the match and championship.

"I would say the first set I didn't play well at all. I wasn't, I don't know, feeling my game well," Sabalenka told reporters. &nbsp;"In the second set I just tried to stay a little bit more aggressive... I just tried to put her a little bit under pressure.

"I had couple of opportunities to break her serve. Probably if I would take that opportunity, the match would go differently. I didn't use it, so it is how it is."

On Sunday Alexander Zverev bids to win his second Rome title when he faces Nicolas Jarry in the men's final.

Zverev is in his 11th Masters final, equalling Boris Becker's record for the most by a German since the series began in 1990.

Iga Swiatek refused to take victory at the French Open for granted despite romping to a third Rome title when sweeping aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday's final.

Iga Swiatek refused to take victory at the French Open for granted despite romping to a third Rome title when sweeping aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 in Saturday's final. World number one Swiatek will be red-hot favourite to successfully defend her Roland Garros crown afer comfortably prevailing on the clay against second-ranked Sabalenka. In front of a packed centre court crowd Swiatek became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win on the clay surface at Madrid and Rome in the same season. She can join Williams in a European capital city hat-trick if she wins her fourth French Open title, and third in a row, with the clay-court Grand Slam starting in Paris on May 26. ALSO READ: Boxing: Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to win undisputed world heavyweight championship "Obviously I am confident. I feel like I'm playing great tennis but that doesn't change the fact that I just want to stay humble," Swiatek told reporters. "Grand Slams are different. There's a different pressure on the court and off the court. Of course, I love to come to Paris and be there. It a great place for me to be and I really enjoy my time there. "But these are a hard seven matches that you need to win so I don't take anything for granted." Swiatek won her 12th successive match on clay by besting Belarusian Sabalenka as she did in the recent Madrid final. The Pole took her winning record over Sabalenka to 8-3 in another hugely impressive display from what has been an almost flawless tournament from the four-time Grand Slam winner, who didn't drop a single set on her way to another championship victory. Saturday's match was less dramatic than Madrid's three-set thriller as Sabalenka, who has won the two most recent Australian Opens, gave herself too much to do. Swiatek took the opening set in just 36 minutes in a clinical display of tennis against Sabalenka, who has said repeatedly that Rome is her dream tournament to win. Going into Saturday's final Swiatek had won 97 percent of her matches in which she went one set ahead since the start of 2022 and Sabalenka didn't help her cause by wasting seven break points over two games in the second set. After Swiatek broke Sabalenka's serve in game seven it was only a matter of time before she closed out the match and championship. "I would say the first set I didn't play well at all. I wasn't, I don't know, feeling my game well," Sabalenka told reporters. "In the second set I just tried to stay a little bit more aggressive... I just tried to put her a little bit under pressure. "I had couple of opportunities to break her serve. Probably if I would take that opportunity, the match would go differently. I didn't use it, so it is how it is." On Sunday Alexander Zverev bids to win his second Rome title when he faces Nicolas Jarry in the men's final. Zverev is in his 11th Masters final, equalling Boris Becker's record for the most by a German since the series began in 1990.

‘Unstoppable’ Iga Swiatek staying humble for 2024 French Open after Rome title win over Aryna Sabalenka

Rafael Nadal avenged his defeat to Alex de Minaur from Barcelona with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over the Australian on Saturday to extend his stay in Madrid on his final appearance at his home tournament but admitted he still "needs time" to return to his competitive peak.

Nadal's farewell tour has pitted him against De Minaur twice in as many weeks but this time the result was reversed as the 22-time Grand Slam champion advanced to a third-round meeting with Argentina's Pedro Cachin.

In front of a capacity crowd that included the King of Spain, Felipe VI, French football icon Zinedine Zidane, and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, Nadal dug deep to dismiss the world number 11, despite admitting ahead of the tournament he was still struggling with numerous physical issues.

It was an impressive performance from the 37-year-old but he immediately dismissed the idea it was anywhere near his vintage form.

"No, not yet. It needs time," said Nadal on court. "To play over two hours means a lot to me and the atmosphere here is just a joke.

"Just step by step and let's see how I recover."

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Five-time Madrid champion Nadal said he will not make a decision on playing at the French Open until after Rome which starts next week, and explained the key factor that would determine his participation.

"It's not a thing about losing or winning. It's about going on court there with the feeling that I can fight and I can be competitive," said the record 14-time French Open champion.

"So, if I am not able to go on court and dream, for me it doesn't make sense to go. I prefer to stay with all the amazing memories that I have."

Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a surprise second round exit at the hands of world number 118 Thiago Monteiro.

Tsitsipas, who arrived in the Spanish capital with only one defeat in 11 matches on clay this term, lost 6-4, 6-4 to the Brazilian qualifier in just over 90 minutes.

The Greek world number seven had a first round bye and came into the tournament on the back of a third title triumph in Monte Carlo and a runner-up showing in Barcelona in the previous two weeks.

But the left-handed Monteiro looked more comfortable on court, benefitting from having already won three matches this week, through qualifying and the main draw.

"For sure this is one of the biggest wins of my career," said Monteiro, who is through to the third round at a Masters 1000 event for the first time.

Since the start of 2021, this is just the second time in 11 Masters clay tournaments where Tsitsipas has not made at least the quarter-finals, and the 25-year-old Greek was disappointed by his performance.

"I felt out of rhythm the entire match on my returns. I felt very disbalanced and just my body was going all over the place," said Tsitsipas.

Top seed Jannik Sinner had no such problem in reaching the third round.

He extended his unbeaten record against fellow Italians to 13-0 by defeating his Davis Cup teammate and good friend Lorenzo Sonego 6-0, 6-3 in just 69 minutes.

Through to the third round in Madrid for the second time in three appearances, the world number two will face Pavel Kotov for a place in the last 16.

Third seed Daniil Medvedev recovered from a set down to squeeze past tricky Italian Matteo Arnaldi 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 and set up a third round against American Sebastian Korda.

Rafael Nadal avenged his defeat to Alex de Minaur from Barcelona with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over the Australian on Saturday to extend his stay in Madrid on his final appearance at his home tournament but admitted he still "needs time" to return to his competitive peak.

Rafael Nadal avenged his defeat to Alex de Minaur from Barcelona with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over the Australian on Saturday to extend his stay in Madrid on his final appearance at his home tournament but admitted he still "needs time" to return to his competitive peak. Nadal's farewell tour has pitted him against De Minaur twice in as many weeks but this time the result was reversed as the 22-time Grand Slam champion advanced to a third-round meeting with Argentina's Pedro Cachin. In front of a capacity crowd that included the King of Spain, Felipe VI, French football icon Zinedine Zidane, and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, Nadal dug deep to dismiss the world number 11, despite admitting ahead of the tournament he was still struggling with numerous physical issues. It was an impressive performance from the 37-year-old but he immediately dismissed the idea it was anywhere near his vintage form. "No, not yet. It needs time," said Nadal on court. "To play over two hours means a lot to me and the atmosphere here is just a joke. "Just step by step and let's see how I recover." ALSO READ: 'Looked never so bright,' says IOC boss Thomas Bach on Olympics future Five-time Madrid champion Nadal said he will not make a decision on playing at the French Open until after Rome which starts next week, and explained the key factor that would determine his participation. "It's not a thing about losing or winning. It's about going on court there with the feeling that I can fight and I can be competitive," said the record 14-time French Open champion. "So, if I am not able to go on court and dream, for me it doesn't make sense to go. I prefer to stay with all the amazing memories that I have." Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a surprise second round exit at the hands of world number 118 Thiago Monteiro. Tsitsipas, who arrived in the Spanish capital with only one defeat in 11 matches on clay this term, lost 6-4, 6-4 to the Brazilian qualifier in just over 90 minutes. The Greek world number seven had a first round bye and came into the tournament on the back of a third title triumph in Monte Carlo and a runner-up showing in Barcelona in the previous two weeks. But the left-handed Monteiro looked more comfortable on court, benefitting from having already won three matches this week, through qualifying and the main draw. "For sure this is one of the biggest wins of my career," said Monteiro, who is through to the third round at a Masters 1000 event for the first time. Since the start of 2021, this is just the second time in 11 Masters clay tournaments where Tsitsipas has not made at least the quarter-finals, and the 25-year-old Greek was disappointed by his performance. "I felt out of rhythm the entire match on my returns. I felt very disbalanced and just my body was going all over the place," said Tsitsipas. Top seed Jannik Sinner had no such problem in reaching the third round. He extended his unbeaten record against fellow Italians to 13-0 by defeating his Davis Cup teammate and good friend Lorenzo Sonego 6-0, 6-3 in just 69 minutes. Through to the third round in Madrid for the second time in three appearances, the world number two will face Pavel Kotov for a place in the last 16. Third seed Daniil Medvedev recovered from a set down to squeeze past tricky Italian Matteo Arnaldi 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 and set up a third round against American Sebastian Korda.

Madrid Open: Rafael Nadal says he's 'far from best' after advancing to third round

Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday he will only play at the upcoming French Open if he feels "capable enough to compete well".

The 14-time Roland Garros champion conceded that if the action in Paris were to kick off today, he would not be able to participate but vowed to keep fighting for the chance to play at his most successful tournament one last time.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next three weeks. I will keep fighting and doing the things I believe I have to do so I can try to play in Paris, and if I can play, I play, if I can’t, I can’t," the former world number one told reporters at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.

"I will not play in Paris if I am the way I am now. If Paris were today, I wouldn’t take to the court. That’s the reality. I will only play in Paris if I feel capable enough to compete well."

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Nadal returned to tennis in Brisbane in January after spending almost an entire year on the sidelines nursing a psoas injury. But his comeback was short-lived as he sustained a muscle problem in Australia and has competed in just five matches so far this season.

<h2>- Not 100% -</h2>

The Spaniard kicked off his clay campaign in Barcelona last week, where he lost in the second round and is set to face 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch in his Madrid opener on Thursday.

"I don’t think I’m ready to play at my 100 per cent but I’m prepared to go out and play tomorrow. It’s important for me to play one last time here in Madrid, for me it means a lot," said the 37-year-old Nadal.

As he attempts to resume his ‘Last Dance’ in Madrid and say goodbye to one of his favourite tournaments on court, rather than on the sidelines, the 22-time major champion admits his farewell tour hasn’t been as enjoyable as he would have hoped.

"A few weeks ago, I didn't know if I will be able to play again on the professional tour, so today I am playing," he added. "It's not perfect, of course not perfect, but at least I am playing and I can enjoy again, especially in the few tournaments that are so emotional for me. I'm able to enjoy the fact that I can say probably good-bye on court."

Nadal says he’s hitting the ball well when he is able to be on court but "it's about more body limitations. I went through a lot of things last year and a half, two years".

"So body feelings are not enough good to feel myself playing with freedom enough in terms of body issues. That's not allowing me to compete the way that I would like to compete."

Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday he will only play at the upcoming French Open if he feels "capable enough to compete well". The 14-time Roland Garros champion conceded that if the action in Paris were to kick off today, he would not be able to participate but vowed to keep fighting for the chance to play at his most successful tournament one last time.

Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday he will only play at the upcoming French Open if he feels "capable enough to compete well". The 14-time Roland Garros champion conceded that if the action in Paris were to kick off today, he would not be able to participate but vowed to keep fighting for the chance to play at his most successful tournament one last time. "I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next three weeks. I will keep fighting and doing the things I believe I have to do so I can try to play in Paris, and if I can play, I play, if I can’t, I can’t," the former world number one told reporters at the Madrid Open on Wednesday. "I will not play in Paris if I am the way I am now. If Paris were today, I wouldn’t take to the court. That’s the reality. I will only play in Paris if I feel capable enough to compete well." ALSO READ: PL: Erling Haaland to miss Brighton game but Guardiola says injury not serious Nadal returned to tennis in Brisbane in January after spending almost an entire year on the sidelines nursing a psoas injury. But his comeback was short-lived as he sustained a muscle problem in Australia and has competed in just five matches so far this season. - Not 100% - The Spaniard kicked off his clay campaign in Barcelona last week, where he lost in the second round and is set to face 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch in his Madrid opener on Thursday. "I don’t think I’m ready to play at my 100 per cent but I’m prepared to go out and play tomorrow. It’s important for me to play one last time here in Madrid, for me it means a lot," said the 37-year-old Nadal. As he attempts to resume his ‘Last Dance’ in Madrid and say goodbye to one of his favourite tournaments on court, rather than on the sidelines, the 22-time major champion admits his farewell tour hasn’t been as enjoyable as he would have hoped. "A few weeks ago, I didn't know if I will be able to play again on the professional tour, so today I am playing," he added. "It's not perfect, of course not perfect, but at least I am playing and I can enjoy again, especially in the few tournaments that are so emotional for me. I'm able to enjoy the fact that I can say probably good-bye on court." Nadal says he’s hitting the ball well when he is able to be on court but "it's about more body limitations. I went through a lot of things last year and a half, two years". "So body feelings are not enough good to feel myself playing with freedom enough in terms of body issues. That's not allowing me to compete the way that I would like to compete."

Rafael Nadal willing to play 2024 French Open but only if he can ‘compete well’

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