Video: “Not 100% certain this is my last French Open”: Rafael Nadal hints at 2025 return

Rafael Nadal, known as the “King of Clay,” has hinted at a potential return to the French Open next year as he gears up for the 2024 event starting on Sunday, May 26. The 14-time French Open champion has been battling a muscle injury for over a year and is likely nearing retirement at the end of this tennis season. Nadal’s campaign at the French Open 2024 will begin on Monday, May 27, against Olympic champion Alexander Zverev.

**Nadal Hints at Possible Return to Roland Garros**

“There is a good chance that it will be my last French Open, but I cannot say that I am 100% certain it will be the last,” said Nadal.

“I have gone through a long recovery process. Now I’m better than a month ago. So, in a way, I don’t want to close the door 100%. I love tennis, I travel with my family, and we are all happy,” added Nadal.

Currently ranked 276th in the world, Nadal is set to play in only his fifth tournament since January 2023. Given his injury struggles and advancing age, many predict this could be his final French Open. Nadal will turn 38 on June 3 and is finding it increasingly challenging to compete at the highest level.

His task at this year’s French Open became tougher with the release of the draw on Thursday. He will face fourth seed Zverev, making him the underdog for the first time in over two decades at Roland Garros. Despite his remarkable record of just four losses and 14 titles in Paris, Monday’s match marks a rare occasion where Nadal is not the favorite.

If this season indeed marks the end of Nadal’s illustrious career, he will retire with 22 Grand Slam titles, second only to Novak Djokovic for the most Grand Slam wins by a male player. Throughout his career, Nadal also secured two Australian Open titles and two Wimbledon titles, maintaining his dominance for nearly two decades.