Former world number one
Boris Becker believes that Spain’s
legendary tennis player
Rafael Nadal must play in the
Australian Open in order
to have a realistic chance of winning the French Open next year.
The 37-year-old is currently spending time on the sidelines
as he continues his recovery from an injury sustained earlier in the year.
It was because of this reason Nadal ended up missing three
out of the four Grand Slams this year.
Six-time Grand Slam winner Becker, while talking to
Eurosport as quoted by Daily Express, stated that the best chance for the Spaniard
to win at Roland Garros goes through the Australian Open.
“[Nadal] won’t play his best tennis right away, but he has
to play Australia,” he said. “It is a must for him to perform on clay in April —
physically, mentally, playfully. “His big goal when he comes back is not
Melbourne, but Roland Garros.
“It will be a long, rocky road back. The young wild ones
don't sleep. They don't say, ‘Nadal, it's nice that you came. We'll let you win
now’.
“Nadal should go back on the court and play well. As far as
I'm concerned, he can win big tournaments again.”
Nadal is often described
as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s singles tennis in the
Open era, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles in his career.
