“Nadal will be competitive, I have no doubt” – training partner Gasquet

After a year away from tennis, Rafael Nadal returns soon, and someone who’s seen him in action recently says he looks in good form

Rafael Nadal practising at the Australian Open in January 2023 (Zuma/Panoramic)

Carrie Dunn

December 20, 2023

Richard Gasquet spent some time training with the returning Rafael Nadal this month – and if anyone thinks the Spaniard is only coming back to the tour to make his farewells, they are mistaken.

That’s according to the Frenchman, who told L’Equipe (in quotes translated by Tennis Majors): “He told me that it took a while for him to come back, but I felt that he was no longer in pain. He will play well this year (in 2024). At first it takes time. But he will be competitive, I have no doubt.

“I don’t know if it will be in Australia, in March, in April… He will win matches, there is no doubt! In any case, he does big three-hour [training] sessions. That’s what you need to do, play as much as possible.”

Gasquet: Nadal is giving himself the chance to play at the highest level again

And Gasquet isn’t ruling out a decent Grand Slam run for Nadal on the Paris clay.

“It’s complicated to know if he’s going to win Roland-Garros again. I’ve no idea. But he will give himself the chance to go very far. This kind of thing happens day after day, week after week. He saw that he was starting to play well again in Kuwait these past days, the same there. You don’t know where this will lead. Nobody knows it, he himself doesn’t know it. What I know is that he is giving himself the chance to play at the highest level again.”

He also says that Nadal’s return is an inspiration for everyone on the tour.

“It’s great for tennis. It’s Nadal! There is no one like him on the circuit anymore.”