Rafael Nadal: 'The rib has been very...'

• Tennis News
• Rafael Nadal

The 2022 of the world number one Novak Djokovic has so far not met expectations. The dispute with the organizers of the Australian Open saw the Serbian come out totally defeated and Nole's decision not to carry out the vaccine for Covid-19 brought new consequences to the Balkan champion.

Several tournaments have excluded the number one and the absence from the playing fields thus led to a delay in the condition of the tennis player. Last week Nole reached the final in the ATP tournament in Belgrade, but was defeated in the clash with the Russian Top Ten Andrey Rublev.

Nole still appeared to be 'distant relative' of that tennis player who dominated last year. Next week Nole will play the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid. The Serbian champion has a rather prohibitive schedule. After the Bye the tennis player should probably make his debut against the French Gael Monfils, a very insidious opponent, especially at his debut in the tournament.

Novak's draw towards the final is represented by various unknowns: in the Round of 16 Nole probably awaits the Canadian Denis Shapovalov, quite favorite in his draw compared to Dominic Thiem and Andy Murray, both still out of condition.

Only after the scoreboard promises to be hellish with the possible clash in the quarter-finals against the Norwegian Casper Ruud, an always tough opponent on this surface and above all a possible semifinal against the eternal rival Rafael Nadal or against the rising star of world tennis Carlos Alcaraz.

Rafa Nadal suffered an injury

Rafael Nadal has provided an update on the rib injury that has kept him sidelined since Indian Wells. "I arrived very tight, I've trained very little. The rib has been very disabling, and I haven't been able to do practically anything," Nadal said.

"I have Roland-Garros in mind, and I'm aware that this tournament in Madrid is difficult." Having missed the first few weeks of the European claycourt season, Nadal will hope for deep runs in Madrid and Rome ahead of a record-extending 14th title in Paris.

He spoke of the importance of heading into the French Open "well and healthy." "The important thing is to arrive in Paris well and healthy. I think that three weeks of preparation are enough to arrive well and healthy," he said.

Rafael Nadal is the King of Clay for good reason. As far as statistics go, he is definitely the most accomplished player on the red dirt with his records practically untouchable by any of the active players in the ATP circuit right now.