Rafael Nadal says Carlos Alcaraz is better than he was at the same age as he tipped his compatriot for ‘an incredible career.’

The two Spaniards will face off against each other in a special exhibition, The Netflix Slam, in Las Vegas in early March, and they have already played each other in Masters events too.

While Nadal is coming to the end of his career, Alcaraz is just starting his, meaning Spanish tennis can move seamlessly from era to the next.

But, as far as Nadal is concerned, Alcaraz is already ahead of where he was at a similar age, remarkable as that will sound to anyone who watched the King of Clay’s emergence on the ATP Tour.

“He’s a great kid,” Nadal told La Sexta. “A very complete tennis player at his age, with very few weaknesses.

“At his age I had a worse serve, a worse volley, a worse backhand, I had many things worse than him at his age.

“He has things very clear, from what I read at the press conference. He has a lot of ambition.

“At his age I would never have thought of something like wanting to face the best in the final. I think he has all the ingredients to have an incredible career.”

How does Carlos Alcaraz compare to Rafael Nadal?

Alcaraz has had to put up with being called ‘the new Rafael Nadal’ from even before he set foot inside an ATP Tour main draw.

Their games are not all that similar in truth, but they seem to both have that same warrior-like mentality.

They have had similar breakouts too. Nadal won his second major just a month or so before his 20^th birthday, while Alcaraz won his second major a month or so after his.

Crucially, though, while Nadal’s first Grand Slam titles were both on clay, Alcaraz is already a multi-surface major winner. Interestingly, clay is the one surface on which he hasn’t won a Grand Slam yet.

They have played each other three times, with Nadal winning two of them. The last time, they met, though, Alcaraz not only won but beat Nadal on clay. It was at the Madrid Masters and he also then beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-final before winning the title.

READ NEXT: Rafael Nadal refutes accusations he has ‘sold out’ to Saudi Arabia sportswashing

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Rafael Nadal has provided a major update on his immediate future, with the 22-time Grand Slam champion heavily suggesting that 2024 is going to be his ‘last year’ on the ATP Tour.

Nadal has spent the majority of the past year on the injury sidelines, having picked up a serious tear to his psoas muscle at the 2023 Australian Open.

After undergoing arthroscopic surgery and falling to his lowest rank since 2002, Nadal returned to action at the Brisbane International last month.

The 37-year-old won his opening two matches at the ATP 250 event, before being beaten by Jordan Thompson in the quarter-finals.

It was in this match that Nadal later revealed he had obtained a ‘minor tear’ in a muscle, but reassured fans that it was nowhere near as serious as the one he had picked up a year before.

Nadal consequently withdrew from the Australian Open, but was set to return to the matchcourt next week in Doha, although he has since withdrawn after revealing he is ‘not ready’.

And when speaking to Cope, Nadal has spoken about how his schedule has altered compared to what he was hoping for, “What I want to play and what I am going to play is very different. What I wanted my calendar to be is not going to be. It will be what it can be.”

The former No.1 continued, “My hope is to play the dirt [clay] season in acceptable conditions and today’s decision is aimed at that. I’m talking about being healthy, not being competitive.

“There are many very exciting tournaments on land and I hope to visit Madrid. I will play what I can within my reality and within an objective vision that I cannot lose sight of that I want to play Roland Garros. I will assume the minimum risks to be able to play Roland Garros in an optimal way.”

Nadal has heavily suggested that this year will be his last and reiterated that once again, but says he will make an official announcement before his most dominant Grand Slam.

“This is going to be my last year but I don’t confirm it 100%,” revealed Nadal. “I will go day by day. I’ll say it before Roland Garros. I give myself a few months of caution. You know that things can happen, so I can’t define things months in advance after a year without competing.”

I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly. Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win… pic.twitter.com/U4GUvIITcr

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) February 14, 2024

The now ranked No.646 has won Roland Garros a record 14 times, and while he has admitted it will be ‘very difficult’ to claim a 15th he has not shut down the idea, “Today it is impossible for me to answer you, today it is very difficult to think that I can win Roland Garros, but I am excited to be able to arrive and enjoy playing Roland Garros. If I thought I had zero chance of winning, I would be doing other things.”

Nadal is next expected to compete in an Netflix special exhibition match against compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, before returning to official tour action at Indian Wells.

Inside the baseline…

It must have been a very frustrating last year or so for Rafael Nadal, who has spent so much time away from the matchcourt. Especially as when he did return there was a lot of good signs, even in the match that he lost, as he had three match points against Jordan Thompson. Hopefully Nadal can play as much as possible during the clay court swing, as that is the least he deserves for such a legendary career.

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic ‘projects an image worse than what he really is’ claims Rafael Nadal

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Novak Djokovic has been praised as ‘the best in history’ by his biggest rival Rafael Nadal, who has also described the world No.1 as a ‘good person’.

Djokovic declared in a recent interview that himself and Nadal are not friends, but the 24-time Grand Slam champion hopes to build a relationship with the Spaniard after he has retired.

And it seems as though Nadal is in a similar boat, defending Djokovic from critics about his character in a recent interview with El Objetivo, “The image he projects is worse than what he really is. He’s a good person, with his mistakes… but he’s much better than he looks.

“Novak breaks his racket but the next point he’s one hundred per cent, that’s why he’s the most successful player in the history of our sport. The numbers don’t lie, he’s the best in history.”

???? Novak Djokovic is "good person" and "the best in ????????????????????????????", says Rafael Nadal ????️ pic.twitter.com/KTwztaZvHT

— Eurosport (@eurosport) February 15, 2024

Nadal went onto speak about the other about the other member of ‘the big three’, Roger Federer, revealing that they all helped improve one another.

“We have shared most of our career. I arrived very young and he [Federer] was in his prime,” explained Nadal. “We have helped each other a lot, and we have taken a lot away from each other. Not only with Roger, but also with Novak. We knew we couldn’t fail. We had a clear path marked out to know how to improve.”

Nadal has recently confirmed that he is ‘not ready’ to return to action at the Qatar Open next week, and plans to comeback at Indian Wells alongside the aforementioned Djokovic.

I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly. Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win… pic.twitter.com/U4GUvIITcr

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) February 14, 2024

Inside the baseline…

It appears that in more recent times the respect between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal has grown, and while they are far from best friends it is nice to see. It is even more amazing to see a fierce competitor like Nadal describe his biggest rival as ‘the best in history’, however it almost seems as though it is an admission that he knows he will never be able to match Djokovic’s Grand Slam tally at this stage of his career.

READ MORE: ‘I am not ready’ – Rafael Nadal delays return to tennis again

Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer

The ‘big three’ have dominated men’s tennis in the 21st century, winning 66 of the last 82 major singles tournaments.

However, the age old debate is always about who is really the greatest of all time, so we at Tennishead wanted to delve into the numbers:

Novak Djokovic 

Career-high: No.1 (412 weeks*)

ATP titles: 98

Grand Slam titles: 24

ATP Masters 1000 titles: 40

Olympic medals: 1 (Singles Bronze – 2008)

ATP Finals titles: 7 (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022 & 2023)

Davis Cup titles: 1 (2010)

*Currently the ATP No.1

Rafael Nadal 

Career-high: No.1 (209 weeks)

ATP titles: 92

Grand Slam titles: 22

ATP Masters 1000 titles: 36

Olympic medals: 2 (Singles Gold – 2008, Doubles Gold – 2016)

ATP Finals titles: 0 (Best result: Final – 2010 & 2013)

Davis Cup titles: 5 (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2019)

Roger Federer

Career-high: No.1 (310 weeks)

ATP titles: 103

Grand Slam titles: 20

ATP Masters 1000 titles: 28

Olympic medals: 2 (Doubles Gold – 2008, Singles Silver – 2012)

ATP Finals titles: 6 (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010 & 2011)

Davis Cup titles: 1 (2014)

Head-to-head

Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal: 30-29

Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer: 27-23

Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: 16-24

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Rafael Nadal has officially withdrawn from Doha as he continues his attempts to get back to playing regular tennis.

This season was supposed to be Nadal’s big return from injury after a year out with a hip problem, but so far he has managed just a few matches in Brisbane.

He then withdrew from the Australian Open, but quickly got himself on the entry list for Doha, which is due to start next week.

However, he has now delayed his return again.

“I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly,” Rafael Nadal said via his social media channels.

“Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014.

“I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament.”

I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly. Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win… pic.twitter.com/U4GUvIITcr

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) February 14, 2024

What are the key dates for Rafael Nadal comeback?

As Nadal says himself, his next scheduled appearance is the for the exhibition in Las Vegas against Carlos Alcaraz.

The highly anticipated ‘Netflix Slam’ is due to take place at the Mandalay Bay resort on March 3.

That is just three days before Indian Wells, which would suggest Nadal will either play both or neither. Should that go to plan, he will play the Miami Open on March 20 as well.

Of course, this is Rafael Nadal we are talking about, so his big target is the start of clay season.

That gets underway on April 7 with the Monte-Carlo Masters, and you suspect Nadal will not play before then if there is even a slight risk of aggravating an injury.

READ NEXT: Rafael Nadal refutes accusations he has ‘sold out’ to Saudi Arabia sportswashing

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The post ‘I am not ready’ – Rafael Nadal delays return to tennis again appeared first on Tennishead.

Rafael Nadal is supposed to be making his return to the ATP Tour next week in Doha, however the Spaniard has put doubt over that after providing an update on his physical condition.

Nadal had spent almost a year out of action, following tearing his psoas muscle at the 2023 Australian Open, before making his long awaited return at the Brisbane International last month.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion reached the quarter-finals, but faced a setback when suffering a ‘micro tear’ on a muscle during his defeat to Jordan Thompson.

This forced Nadal to withdraw from the first major of the year in Melbourne, but it appeared not to be too serious after he entered the ATP 250 event in the Qatari capital.

Although, it seems as though Nadal’s participation in Doha could now be in doubt, “I have had some discomfort in recent weeks and I am a little bit on the limit. At this point, every blow I take, every injury, is a setback, not only in tennis and physically, but also mentally.”

Nadal has openly admitted that 2024 is likely to be his final season as a professional tennis player, and he has revealed his next goal is to play the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells next month.

“I trust 100% to be in Indian Wells, it is a very special tournament for me,” said the three-time Indian Wells champion. “I don’t know if it will be the last time I am going to play it, so I would like to be in Indian Wells, for sure.

“I would love to be in Doha, but I will see the decision for Doha more at the last minute. I will travel to Indian Wells if there is nothing wrong, for sure.”

The former No.1 concluded, “My priority goal, which is what I said from the beginning, is to get to the clay season as healthy as possible. I want to try to give myself the option to enjoy the clay season.”

I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in 3 months.
Within the sad news for me for not being able to play in front of the amazing Melbourne crowds, this is not very bad news and we all remain positive… pic.twitter.com/FoFrr5AgMZ

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 7, 2024

Inside the baseline…

It is understandable as to why Rafael Nadal is being so cautious about his match play this year, especially after spending so much time on the injury sidelines in 2023. With it looking likely to be his final season on the ATP Tour, Nadal will want to play the biggest tournaments and the events that are most special to him, which is obviously a lot of the clay court swing leading to Roland Garros.

READ MORE: Rafael Nadal refutes accusations he has ‘sold out’ to Saudi Arabia sportswashing

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The post Rafael Nadal reveals he is feeling ‘some discomfort’ ahead of scheduled return appeared first on Tennishead.

Rafael Nadal has dismissed accusations of him ‘selling out’ to sportswashing by becoming an Ambassador for Saudia Arabian tennis.

Saudi Arabia are using their vast wealth to perform what many consider to be a hostile takeover of work sport, with top level golf and boxing already going there and Premier League football club Saudi Arabia also Saudi owned.

Their own football league is also receiving significant funding from the state, allowing them to sign stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane.

It’s all in an effort to distract from the country’s record on human rights issues, and tennis appears to be next on their list.

To that end, they have signed up Rafael Nadal, but he refutes any suggestion that is a sign of him ‘selling out’ and more evidence of him giving them a chance to prove they have changed.

“I don’t think Saudi Arabia needs me to wash any images,” Nadal said. “It is a country that has opened up to the world and it is a country with great potential.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been announced in a star-studded lineup for a Saudi Arabian exhibition event, set to take place in October

But, do you think that exhibitions should take place during the tennis season? https://t.co/ybSxKJQrnB

— Tennishead (@tennishead) February 6, 2024

“Therefore, it is logical that the world is beginning to there and the feeling is that everything is bought with money and that now Rafa has also been sold to money. I understand that people think that they, of course they do.

“Are things that need to be improved today [in the region]? Without a doubt. It is a country that is very late in many things and has only recently opened up a bit.

“If the country does not achieve the evolution that I think it has to follow in the next 10-15 years, I will tell you that I was completely wrong.

“I think I’m going to have the freedom to work with the values that I think I have to work with and that are the right ones. If it doesn’t happen, I’ll tell you that I made a mistake.”

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz ‘is mentally light years away from Sinner’ claims former pro

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Carlos Alcaraz has backed compatriot Rafael Nadal’s decision to become an ambassador for the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation (STF), claiming there is ‘no better person’ to help develop the sport in the Middle Eastern country.

Alcaraz is currently in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, and was asked about the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s decision to join forces with the STF.

“I’ve heard people say they’ve been criticising him,” said the Wimbledon champion. “Well, Rafa has decided to be an ambassador, I personally don’t think it’s bad, he has signed up as a tennis ambassador.

“It’s a country that is developing, what better than Rafa getting in there to expand the world of tennis to places where it was never played before. We players are trying to attract more people to watch tennis and there is no better person than Rafa to do that.”

Growth and progress that’s important to see and the STF is working on that.
In a recent visit I saw the interest in both aspects and I want to be part of that role of growing the sport of tennis around the world.
The kids are looking to the future and I saw they are passionate… pic.twitter.com/vF3VaJXazH

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 15, 2024

Part of Nadal’s responsibility as an ambassador for the STF includes visiting the country several times a year and helping develop the junior tennis scene in Saudi Arabia.

However, this move has been criticised by those claiming that it is an example of sportwashing, a term used to describe a nation investing a high amount of money to cover human rights breaches, something that has been highlighted by tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.

As with other sports including golf, football and Formula One, Saudi Arabia appears to be moving more and more into tennis, with the ATP Next Gen Finals being held in the capital of Jeddah until 2027.

Alcaraz has also played in an exhibition match against Novak Djokovic in Jeddah and is set to compete at the ‘Six Kings Slam’ event alongside Nadal and others later this year.

This exhibition event will see all six players receive a reported appearance fee of $1.5million, with the winner earning a potential $6million.

???? The Six Kings Slam line-up:

???????? Rafael Nadal
???????? Novak Djokovic
???????? Carlos Alcaraz
???????? Jannik Sinner
Daniil Medvedev
???????? Holger Rune

The exhibition tournament is due to take place in October in Saudi Arabia. ???????? pic.twitter.com/jOxk8YHyKX

— Eurosport (@eurosport) February 6, 2024

Despite the human rights concerns, Alcaraz appears positive about the future collaboration between Saudi Arabia and tennis, “It’s good for tennis that there are more venues, that the countries where we go and where we play are opening up.

“Arabia is a country that is evolving very fast in all senses, in the world of sport there are a lot of events there. Football, now a lot of tennis. It’s good for sport in general. I don’t know how far we’ll go, but I’m sure it will be evolving.”

Inside the baseline…

It is unsurprising that Carlos Alcaraz is unwilling to criticise Rafael Nadal’s decision, as they are compatriots and the 20-year-old understandably idolises the tennis legend. Alongside that, Alcaraz also has invested interest in Saudi Arabia coming into tennis, with the current world No.2 receiving generous fees for playing in these exhibition events and is likely to want to continue doing so in the future. However, the concerns for sportwashing by Saudi Arabia should be taken seriously, with previous and current breaches against women and LGBTQ+ people.

READ MORE – Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal announced for Saudi Arabian exhibition

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Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka are among a catalogue of household names who have made their long-awaited return to the tennis tour in 2024.

There were glimpses of optimism during the opening week of the campaign but since then, their comeback plans have not progressed in the way that was hoped for.

Remember the ‘Netflix curse’ of last season? A calamity of early exits and poor results for those involved in the Break Point documentary.

Well, this year, the comeback curse has landed.

Rafa Nadal’s injury woes stall comeback

Nadal’s absence on the ATP Tour was felt throughout 2023.

For tennis fans far and wide, life on tour is agonising enough without Swiss maestro Roger Federer.

Add an 11-month stint on the sidelines for Nadal to the mix and you are sure to exacerbate the state of affairs.

After an anticipated return to action, the crowds who flocked to the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane this January were not disappointed as they set their eyes on the 22-time major winner. It was as if the 37-year-old had never left.

He glided past 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem with ease before despatching Brisbane-born Jason Kubler in clinical fashion, reviving the form that is synonymous with the Nadal of yesteryear.

The bubble was burst, though, in the third round when any chance of a fairytale comeback evaporated into thin air.

The Spaniard blundered three match points en route to defeat to Jordan Thompson, later revealing a ‘micro tear’ in his hip and subsequently withdrawing from the Melbourne grand slam.

It constitutes an additional hurdle in the seemingly limited time he has competing at this level. But for Nadal, there is hope.

Unlike British legend Andy Murray, whose torrid run of form seems to be signalling the beginning of the end of his storybook career, Nadal has shown he is more than capable of competing at the top level.

That is, provided his health holds up.

Naomi Osaka’s parenting priorities

Winning a grand slam in tennis is no easy feat but, over a three year period, Osaka won four.

Shortly after her latest, at the 2021 Australian Open, the Japanese star disclosed that she had been grappling with mental health issues.

As a result, she refused to attend her media duties at the French Open and was subsequently fined $15,000.

Osaka was shedding light on the difficulties that top athletes struggle with – the realities of life on the tennis tour. Yet, she was marginalised even more.

Both WTA and ATP players echoed their support for the then world No.2 who was highlighting an important yet overlooked issue.

Ever since, Osaka was not the same. She was unable to pull a string of matches together like she once could, later revealing her squandering love for the sport.

The announcement of her pregnancy prior to the 2023 season did not come as a huge shock to the tennis world; it indicated a much-needed break.

After 12 months out, and the arrival of her daughter Shai, the 26-year-old former world No.1 felt ready to step foot on the baseline, much to the satisfaction of tennis fans worldwide.

Though things have not gone to plan for the four-time major champion so far. Her level is poles apart from that with which she once graced the court.

Parenting is a refreshing escape from the barmy world of tennis, and will undoubtedly come as a priority for Osaka, but she has not shied away from expressing her desire to reach the top once more – no matter how long it takes.

Emma Raducanu’s stop-start return

Raducanu’s emphatic run to the 2021 US Open is one of the greatest moments to come from sport in recent years.

At just 18 years of age, she become the first qualifier in Open Era history to life a major trophy. Her subsequent journey, however, has been a significantly tougher path to navigate.

Injuries have hampered her performances, that is clear, but critics have also attributed her string of poor form to the pressure that comes with achieving greatness at a young age.

Her latest comeback resumed at the turn of the year after an eight-month hiatus as she recovered from triple surgery – on both wrists and an ankle.

The Brit has since produced promising displays against a varied calibre of opposition. But her return to top-flight tennis has been nothing short of sporadic.

Raducanu’s comeback so far

As her current ranking nears No.300 in the world, Raducanu will have to hope for wildcard entries to tour-level tournaments, but has not dismissed the possibility of returning to the lower leagues in search of a boost of confidence.

Following a bruising defeat to her ‘idol’ Ons Jabeur, it is back to the drawing board for the former world No.10.

In stark contrast to others who are resurfacing, the 21-year-old is still finding her feet on tour and has time on her side.

What about Andy Murray and Dominic Thiem?

The comeback curse also seems to be striking those who have been re-emerging for some time.

Three-time grand slam champion Murray flirted with the idea of retirement in 2019, but has since been on a determined path to disprove his doubters.

Though the Brit might finally succumb this year as his frustration heightens, coinciding with six consecutive defeats.

Despite reaffirming his commitment to the sport and his motivation to succeed, Murray doesn’t seem to be enjoying his tennis.

Similarly, Austrian Thiem finds himself at a crossroads in his fruitful career. Since returning from injury setbacks in 2022, he is a mere shadow of his former self.

Both are deep into their respective comebacks, and the severity of their situations are intensifying.

Regardless of what they decide the next step to be, seeing them suffer is nothing short of heartbreaking for tennis lovers worldwide.

READ MORE – Rafael Nadal and other stars who may be announcing their retirement in 2024

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The post The comeback curse: Why is it all going wrong for the resurfacing stars? appeared first on Tennishead.

Both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been announced in a star-studded lineup for the ‘Six Kings Slam’ exhibition event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Djokovic and Nadal are joined by the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune and newly crowned Australian Open champion, Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic
Nadal
Alcaraz
Sinner
Medvedev
Rune

The 6 stars will meet for the 6 Kings Slam exhibition, scheduled in Saudi Arabia in October 2024.

What a lineup! pic.twitter.com/zrzIK9BMwL

— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) February 6, 2024

This signals Saudi Arabia’s continued attempt to move into tennis, with the ATP Next Gen Finals being held in the capital for the first time last year.

Upon the announcement of the event, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority branded it as a ‘major new tennis tournament’, that will be held on an unknown date in October.

Unlike other exhibition events, this will be held during the tennis season and could clash with Masters 1000 events in Shanghai and Paris.

This news comes only weeks after Nadal was announced as an ambassador for the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation, with the event reportedly originally supposed to be held after the Australian Open, but was moved due to the Spaniard’s injury troubles.

Growth and progress that’s important to see and the STF is working on that.
In a recent visit I saw the interest in both aspects and I want to be part of that role of growing the sport of tennis around the world.
The kids are looking to the future and I saw they are passionate… pic.twitter.com/vF3VaJXazH

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 15, 2024

Nadal had this to say after the exhibition event was confirmed, “After some other tennis players have done so, I am very excited to play for the first time in Riyadh.”

Inside the baseline…

This is certainly an interesting move made by all six players involved, that was likely motivated by large appearance fees offered to them. It was almost an inevitability that tennis would continue to move into Saudi Arabia, with the nation also being rumoured as a potential host for the WTA Finals, but it just seems a bit messy that it could clash with some big season ending tournaments in October. In terms of Rafael Nadal, this is also quite an intriguing move, as it suggests that he still intends to be competing in the latter stages of 2024, despite many thinking he could retire at either Roland Garros or the Olympics.

READ NEXT – ATP Rankings (05/02/24): Bublik bounces as Hijikata is halted

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Rafael Nadal has openly declared that 2024 is likely to be his final season on tour, but who are the Spaniard’s biggest threats to a triumphant ‘last hurrah’ at Roland-Garros?

Nadal is a record 14-time champion at the Paris major, having lost only three of his 115 matches on the French clay over the years.

If you want to be at Roland-Garros this year to see Rafa’s possible last ever appearance and enjoy the full Parisian experience then buy your ticket-inclusive Official Hospitality through our recommended provider Sports Travel & Hospitality Group (STH Group).

The company pride themselves on ‘taking fans to the heart of the action at the iconic Grand Slam tournament in France with luxury ticket-inclusive Official hospitality’, offering world-class cuisine and beverages, top entertainment and unrivalled views, for a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Book your 2024 Roland-Garros tickets and hospitality.

However, after spending nearly a year on the injury sidelines, the former world No.1 is likely to be unseeded in May and could play anyone from the first round of the tournament.

So we, at Tennishead, have listed the five players that we believe pose the biggest threat to the ‘king of clay’ this year:

Novak Djokovic

It kind of goes without saying that at any tournament and at any stage of his career, Novak Djokovic has and will always be one of the biggest threats to Rafael Nadal.

Although Nadal has an overwhelming head-to-head over Djokovic on clay, the Serbian is actually the only player to beat the 14-time champion twice at Roland-Garros.

The first of these came in 2015, when Nadal was on a 39-match winning streak at the tournament, however Djokovic put an abrupt halt to that in a straight sets quarter-final victory.

Nadal went on a streak again between 2017 and 2020, winning four titles in a row, before meeting Djokovic in the 2021 semi-finals.

Despite winning the first set, the Mallorcan was pegged back by Djokovic and beaten in a four set classic on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The following year, Nadal did get revenge over Djokovic en route to his 14th title in Paris, but Djokovic won his third title at the tournament in the Spaniard’s absence last year.

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Carlos Alcaraz

From someone who has a lot of history at Roland-Garros in Djokovic, to a player with a relatively new history at the tournament, Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz made only his third main draw appearance at the tournament last year, impressing with a semi-final run that ended in a cramp affected defeat to the aforementioned Djokovic.

The 20-year-old has become a constant threat at every tournament he plays in and is certainly not shy of the big occasion, leaving him as a big threat at Roland Garros in 2024.

Although they have only played on three occasions, Alcaraz has the most recent victory over compatriot Rafael Nadal in an encounter on the clay of Madrid.

And it is the clay in his home capital where Alcaraz has thrived the most, claiming the Masters 1000 crown in back-to-back seasons.

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Casper Ruud

Since being one victory away from becoming world No.1 at the 2022 US Open, Casper Ruud has not managed to reach the same heights.

However, the Norwegian has still been able to showcase his clay court prowess and reached a second consecutive Roland-Garros final last year.

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Do you think Casper Ruud will manage to win a Grand Slam after 3 finals lost? pic.twitter.com/BsjHHQd5N2

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This resulted in another straight sets final defeat, but Ruud is undoubtedly one of the strongest clay court players in the world, with nine of his 10 ATP titles coming on the dirt.

Being a Rafael Nadal Academy graduate, Ruud unsurprisingly idolises the 22-time Grand Slam champion and does not appear to have overcome that obstacle yet.

In their two previous meetings, that include the 2022 Roland Garros final, Ruud has not managed to win a single set and won only six games in their three set match on Court Philippe Chatrier two years ago.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas 

Like Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas has slightly fallen down the rankings in recent months, but is always a threat on the clay and was one set away from the Roland-Garros title in 2021.

Not only does the Greek have pedigree at the Paris major, but he also has a rare victory on clay over Rafael Nadal, that took place at the Madrid Masters almost five years ago.

Nadal does combat this with three victories over Tsitsipas on the dirt of his own, but with the Spaniard’s lack of fitness it may be difficult to keep up with the 25-year-old over a best-of-five set format.

However, the Greek will be hoping for a better build-up to Roland Garros in 2024, having not reached a Masters 1000 final on clay for the first time since 2020 last year.

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Alexander Zverev

The final biggest threat to Nadal in this list is Alexander Zverev, who has been a match away from the Roland-Garros final in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

This included a gruelling semi-final with Rafael Nadal in 2022, with the first two sets lasting over three hours before the German tore all three ligaments after rolling his right ankle.

As expected, Nadal has an overwhelming lead in their head-to-head on clay, but Zverev is likely to be very hungry to avenge the trauma of that aforementioned semi-final.

However, with Zverev’s pending court case expected to take place during Roland-Garros his year, his mind may be elsewhere.

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Honourable Mention

There are several other names that we could have added to this list, including Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev, but our honourable mention is Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner.

Despite Sinner not being known for his clay court game, the Italian has reached the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros and won a title on the dirt of Umag back in 2022.

To make sure you don’t miss Rafael Nadal in his possible last ever appearance at Roland-Garros, where he’ll try to win a truly remarkable 15th title, you can guarantee the best tickets along with premium hospitality from our friends at Sports Travel & Hospitality Group (STH Group).

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