Rafael Nadal will attend Madrid Open draw ceremony but participation unclear: Reports
Rafael Nadal will travel to Madrid for the draw ceremony of the 2023 Madrid Open but whether he will participate in the Masters 1000 event or not is still up in the air.
According to the latest reports by Diario de Mallorca, the 22-time Grand Slam champion is contractually obligated to be at the draw ceremony of the season's second clay Masters event, which will take place on Sunday (April 23). Even if the Mallorcan withdraws from the competition prior to that, he will travel to the Spanish capital to be part of the draw, as sponsor obligations stipulate that he do so.
However, if he is to pull out, the decision is expected to come on Monday or Tuesday, depending on how he feels after his latest practice sessions on the Madrid Clay. Other than that, there is no concrete information on whether Nadal, a five-time winner at the tournament, has recovered enough to hit the courts competitively.
It is also reported that the southpaw and his team, most notably led by his coach Carlos Moya, visited his doctor - Dr. Angel Ruiz Cotorro - in Barcelona earlier this week to check on the status of his hip injury. Once again, full details of the diagnosis have not yet come to light.
The injury, which he sustained at the Australian Open during a second-round exit at the hands of Mackenzie McDonald, has forced the former World No. 1 to remain on the sidelines since, making him miss the Middle East swing, the Sunshine Double, and the Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open double.
"Rafael Nadal will only come back if he is in good condition, 100%" - Spaniard's uncle Toni
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni recently revealed that his nephew will return to action only when he is 100% ready, and not a moment sooner. Admitting that he played in the Australian Open without full fitness, Toni Nadal declared that the 22-time Grand Slam champion would not make the same mistake again and will try to arrive at the French Open with a "good physique."
“I spoke with him on Saturday. And he will only come back if he is in good condition, 100%. He knows that otherwise it will not be good for him. He played the Australian Open without being on top," he said. "I think he wants to feel very good. He would like to arrive at Roland‐Garros with confidence and a good physique. For now, we have to wait. But he still has the mind to try to win another time."
The Mallorcan has 2,000 ranking points to defend at Roland Garros, having won the tournament last year by beating Casper Ruud in the final.