Rafael Nadal: "I wish to meet Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in French Open 2024"
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have withdrawn from the 2024 Italian Open due to injuries. However, Rafael Nadal hopes to meet both the ATP stars at the 2024 French Open.
Italian star Sinner has been in fine form lately and was hoping to play his home tournament. The 22-year-old was troubled by a hip injury during the Madrid Open which forced him to give a walkover to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinal.
Soon after, Sinner announced his withdrawal from the Italian Open as well.
On the other hand, Alcaraz faced a defeat against Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinal in Madrid. The Spaniard's fitness was a concern even before the tournament began.
He withdrew from the Italian Open citing an issue with his arm. This meant that two of the best young ATP stars would miss the tournament in Rome.
Nadal was asked if a solution to prevent such injuries for young players could be fewer tournaments. The Spanish legend disagreed. According to Nadal, injuries are part of the game. The more you push yourself, the more you risk getting injured.
Nadal, who is no stranger to injuries, said that the youngsters can play in Rome another year but the tournament will survive without them. He wished them the best and hoped to see them in Paris.
"I wish him [Jannik Sinner], and Carlos [Alcaraz] of course, all the best and I wish to meet them in Roland Garros," Nadal said during the Italian Open press conference.
Rafael Nadal is excited to begin his 2024 Italian Open campaign
In Italy, Rafael Nadal will be participating in his third clay-court tournament this season.
He reached the second round in Barcelona and the fourth round in Madrid. The Spaniard received an emotional farewell in Madrid after he was defeated by Jiri Lehecka.
The 37-year-old is now in Italy preparing for a tournament he has won a record 10 times. Nadal revealed that he arrived in Italy on Saturday and practiced a few times. He is confident and excited to begin his campaign.
"I'm excited to be playing in Rome. It's a tournament that bring me back to a lot of unforgettable memories for me. Yeah, let's see. Day by day," Nadal said.
Nadal will face Belgian player Zizou Bergs in the first round on May 9, 2024. This will be Bergs's third Masters 1000 main draw participation, with his most recent one coming in Madrid a couple of weeks ago.