Nadal eyes French Open return after US Open withdrawal

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The “King of Clay” is ready to return to familiar territory despite withdrawing from the US Open and giving up his title.

Rafael Nadal expressed his desire of playing in the French Open this September and hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic will come to ease in the upcoming weeks.

“I trust it will yes, it is in my mind and I am preparing for it. But we have to wait for events, to see how everything evolves because it is true that in recent weeks the situation seems to have worsened a little. But my hope and my intention would be to be there if conditions allow” said Nadal.

Even though he was the defending champion in the US Open, the Spanish leftie decided to withdraw because of the surging COVID cases, opting to prioritize the health of his team and his family.

Nadal added that the ill-fated Adria Tour Exhibition organized by Novak Djokovic played a part in his decision to withdraw, saying that all tennis tournaments, players, and coaches should learn from what happened.

“I think most of the players want the best for the world and for people. Of course there was a mistake in the tour organized in Serbia and Croatia but mistakes are normal when you face a situation you haven’t faced before,” Nadal added.