Carlos Moya casts uncertainty on Rafael Nadal's Roland Garros participation, says 'nothing is decided'

Rafael Nadal's presence at Roland Garros to play his favorite Grand Slam for the last time is an unknown after the Spaniard's elimination from the Rome Masters, and that has become even bigger after the latest words of Carlos Moya, collected by Diario de Mallorca.

Nadal could expect an early elimination in Rome when facing a whole 7th seed as is Hubert Hurkacz. Still, the way it played out, with the Pole completely overpowering Rafa throughout the match, made the Spanish tennis legend wonder if he was truly ready to take on the challenge of competing at the French Open one last time.

"The idea is to be at Roland Garros, but nothing is decided yet. We will try to make progress this week. The goal is to go day by day and see how the next training sessions go. He lacks a little bit of competition rhythm. Everything he can train, will add up," says Moya that the goal of the whole team is that Nadal assess at all times how he is to know with certainty what his form is.

Nadal offered a promising image after his participations at the Barcelona Open and the Madrid Open. He did not go far in either tournament, but before the clay court tour he was not even expected to be able to compete at 100% in any match.

It all comes from a Nadal who always wants more and who enjoys tennis like no one else in the world. This is what Moya mentions below, explaining that Rafa wants to take advantage of every minimal opportunity that comes his way knowing that he won't be able to do it anymore: "He still enjoys competing, it's what he has done all his life. It's something he won't have anymore. The adrenaline of competition is something you will never have and it creates an addiction. I think it happens to all of us, and it is difficult to adapt, and that's where we are. And he's been one of the great competitors in history."

Probably no one expected Rafa Nadal to win tournaments in 2024, after spending a year and a half without playing, and especially after suffering a new injury in January that left him without Australian Open. But that, according to Carlos Moya, is something that Nadal is counting on: "He is competing, the results are not the usual. But he's fine, he's happy. It's not what we are used to, but he also knew it was a very difficult process. He's had a super long career."