Rafa Nadal will announce this Thursday if he plays Roland Garros

Rafa Nadal, last year at Roland Garros.Anadolu Agency (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal will offer a press conference on Thursday to announce whether or not he finally participates in Roland Garros, which starts on the 28th in Paris. The tennis player, who will turn 3 on June 37, will appear before the media at the facilities of his academy in Manacor, at 16:00 p.m., and will clear the questions that exist about his current physical condition. The Mallorcan athlete suffered an injury to the iliac psoas on January 18, when he was playing the second round of the Australian Open and lost to the American Mackenzie McDonald. Since then he tries to re-engage in competition, but so far he has not obtained enough guarantees.

From the environment of Nadal is not confirmed or denied the information advanced by the digital Relay, which on Wednesday said that the champion of 22 majors is still not in a position to play and that, therefore, will not go next week to Roland Garros. The circle of the athlete summons the intervention in Manacor. "Rafa will speak tomorrow and say what he has to say; will give his reasons why he decides one thing or another, "transmits a person close to the tennis player, who since the setback in Melbourne – "a Grade 2 injury of the iliac psoas of his left leg", as specified by the medical report issued the next day – has been discarding one appointment after another from his calendar.

More information

Nadal gives up Rome and focuses on Paris

In principle, the predicted period of absence was between six and eight weeks, but the absence has been extended to four months. Nadal began the recovery process as soon as he returned to Spain, with progressive workloads, physiotherapy and repeated medical consultations, but so far he has not finished finding full guarantees to compete one hundred percent. In this way, the appointments of Doha and Dubai disappeared from his roadmap, and he could not attend the North American tour, Indian Wells and Miami; later he resigned from Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome.

"It has been a few weeks and a few difficult months," he acknowledged after announcing the dismissal of the Spanish capital. "All medical indications have been followed, but somehow the evolution has not been what we were initially told and we are in a situation that is difficult. The injury still hasn't healed and I can't work what I need to compete. I was training, but a few days ago we decided to change course a little bit, do another treatment and see if things improve to try to get to whatever comes. I can't give deadlines," he continued through a video on his social networks.

An unusual situation

After missing the entire preparatory tour on clay, Nadal faces an unusual situation, since he has never landed in the Bois de Boulogne without participating in any previous tournament. The injury in the psoas – muscle that allows to articulate the movement between the hip and the leg – forced him to a race against the clock and the days are running out, while he rushes all his cartridges and has been offering signals through some videos in which he was seen balling. In any case, the proximity of the great Frenchman invites you to make a decision that solves the enigma that flies over.

This season, Nadal has played four matches: two in the United Cup – defeats against Cameron Norrie and Alex de Minaur, in the context of a team competition – and another two in Australia – triumph against Jack Draper and elimination with McDonald. At the moment, the Balearic occupies the 14th rung of the ATP ranking – the first time he is not among the top 10 on the circuit since April 2005 – and in the case of not being able to defend the title obtained at Roland Garros, 14th there, he would lose 2,000 points in his locker. This would mean a drop beyond the world top-100.

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