When it comes to Grand Slam events for the season, Rafael Nadal’s best chance of success has always come on his favored clay courts at the French Open.
However, after picking up a hip injury at the Australian Open, which is set to sideline him for up to eight weeks, Nadal’s preparations for Roland-Garros in May have taken a hit.
Disappointing Start To 2023
Having won the Australian Open for the second time in his career last season, there was plenty of expectation on what Nadal could achieve in Melbourne this year. Considered one of the title contenders in the tennis betting at +957 before the first Grand Slam of 2023, the Spanish star crashed out in the second round with a 6-4 6-4 7-5 defeat by American Mackenzie McDonald. The early exit of Nadal saw his rival Novak Djokovic’s odds shorten to -275 in the Australian Open bets, while also seeing the 36-year-old’s title defense at Melbourne Park come to an abrupt end.
During the clash with McDonald, it was clear Nadal was in some discomfort in his hip and was forced to have a medical timeout towards the end of the second set. It was only after Nadal had suffered the defeat in the second round that the seriousness of the injury was realized. An MRI scan revealed the 22-time Grand Slam champion suffered a tear in his left psoas muscle and that he would have to be out of action for six to eight weeks. Losing at a Grand Slam event such as the Australian Open is one thing for Nadal but yet another injury to see him sidelined for weeks ahead of the French Open is another.
Recovery The Focus Before Paris
All being well with his recovery after the Melbourne defeat, Nadal will hope to be back to fitness in time for the first Masters competition of the year at Indian Wells. The annual tournament in California is one the most prestigious on the ATP circuit and Nadal will be eager to build up some match fitness and form at Indian Wells in March. The clay court season starts the following month in April and that’s where Nadal will be building towards the main event of the French Open.
Nadal’s reputation as the ‘King of Clay’ precedes him ahead of the French Open, having won the Grand Slam event on 14 previous occasions. The 36-year-old’s speed and physicality has made him a dominant force at Roland-Garros since he managed to win the competition for the first time all the way back in 2005. Nadal has been forced to deal with a host of injury issues over recent seasons and this latest hip injury problem will be another to overcome. With his experience and a good management team behind him, Nadal should still find himself fit and ready to go for the start of the French Open.
The Australian Open was a disappointing start to 2023 for Nadal but the 14-time French Open champion should still be the man to beat when the highly-anticipated Grand Slam at Roland-Garros comes around.
