Rafael Nadal may compete in just his second tournament of an injury-plagued season this week in Barcelona. Despite the Spaniard’s lack of match experience, Stefanos Tsitsipas stated it wouldn’t be shocking to see him push for the title in the title match.
After missing almost a year due to a hip flexor injury, Nadal—who has stated that he plans to retire after the 2024 season—returned to the circuit in Brisbane in January. Since then, he has taken part in no ATP tournaments because of a muscle problem.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from the claycourt competition a few days before it began, citing physical limitations that prevented him from playing. He was set to make another breakthrough at the Monte Carlo Masters this month.
Although there has been no update on Nadal’s condition, Tsitsipas stated that the Spanish player should have no issue recovering his form on his preferred surface. Nadal has won the Barcelona title 12 times. He is scheduled to play Flavio Cobolli on Tuesday.
Tsitsipas stated his remarks about Nadal in a recent interview and said: “Well, I would say that Rafa, regardless of whether he hasn’t played at all or if that’s his first tournament, we all know what Rafa is capable of and how quickly he can adjust to one of his favourite surfaces, which is a clay court. I would not be surprised if we saw Rafa be in the finals of Barcelona, because that is something that he has done over and over again for years and years and years. What he does have is this competitiveness and this fierce tennis when he gets into the momentum that sometimes feels like on the outside perspective like unstoppable.”
He further said: “On the court, things feel different, because you get the feeling of his ball. When you’re watching, you just get a visual sensation, but I have all six sensations enabled and activated when I have to face him. I think he’s the ultimate challenge on clay. Whether he’s playing now at let’s say later stages of his career or the ones before, I think what he has now that he didn’t before is experience, and he for sure knows ways to win points and to prevail in more economic mode than he was before.”
Tsitsipas says he would not be surprised to see Rafa Nadal in the final of Barcelona next week, ‘Whether he hasn’t played at all or if it’s his first tournament, we all know what he’s capable of’
“How curious are you to see the comeback of Rafa Nadal on Tuesday in Barcelona? Do… pic.twitter.com/rvZb6xwFoi
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 14, 2024
Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2024
Now the world no.7, the Greek played his last match on the 14th of April when he defeated world no.6 Casper Ruud 6-1 6-4 in the final in Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters to win his 12th career title.
This season Stefanos has a compiled 17-6 match record. This year, Tsitsipas conquered 1 title in Monte-Carlo.
Stefanos clinched 1 title in 2024 in Monte-Carlo.
Tsitsipas won 12 titles in his career: 1 on hard courts, 5 on clay courts, 5 on indoor courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Rafael Nadal in 2024
Now ranked no.644, Nadal played his last match on the 5th of January when he was defeated by world no.33 Jordan Thompson 5-7 7-6(6) 6-3 in the quarter in Brisbane (draw).
Until now, during this year Rafael has a composed 2-1 win-loss record.
Rafael Nadal will take on the world no.62 Flavio Cobolli in the 1st round. They have never competed against each other so far in top events.
Rafael won 92 titles in his career: 24 on hard courts, 63 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Rafael Nadal fought against each other 9 times. The head to head is 7-2 for Nadal. The last time they played each other, Rafael Nadal won 6-4 6-7(6) 7-5 in the final in Barcelona (Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell) in April 2021.
In the video below you can watch the highlights.
