Spanish legend Rafael Nadal sent shockwaves across the tennis world when he announced his withdrawal from the French Open this year. He underwent a major hip surgery in early June, which sidelined him for the rest of the season. To make matters worse for his fans, Nadal even hinted that the following year might be his last on the tour. Being the great champion and unrivaled warrior that he is, the tennis world has all its hopes pinned on the Spaniard to make yet another spectacular return to the court.

But even if he manages to make a return to the tour, can we expect him to be at his very best? Fellow Spaniard and close friend Feliciano Lopez has his reservations. Lopez, who himself retired from the sport in June, shared his views regarding the highly anticipated return of Rafael Nadal next season in a recent interview. Here is what he had to say.

Feliciano Lopez sheds light on what fans can expect from Rafael Nadal next season

After a 25-year career on the court, 41-year-old Feliciano Lopez retired from tennis last month at the Mallorca Championships. His long-time friend Rafael Nadal was there to cheer him up in his farewell tournament. Being compatriots, their camaraderie goes back a long way. In a recent interview with CLAY, Lopez weighed in on the much-awaited return of Rafael Nadal.

Although he believed that Nadal will come back to the court at his competitive best, he expressed concerns about whether the King of Clay will be able to reach the level that all are accustomed to seeing him in.

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“He is fine and his recovery is going well. Knowing Rafa and watching his career, it’s hard for me to see him enter a tennis court without feeling competitive. If everything goes well, in 2024 we will see him playing well. At what level? It’s difficult to know because it’s a big question mark. It’s been a long time, after the injury at Wimbledon 2022 he played very little. But he has all the rest of the year to recover”, he said. Just like him, millions of tennis fans are eagerly waiting for a successful recovery of the Spanish icon.

With the 22-time grand slam champion’s absence from the tour, there is another Spaniard, named Carlos Alcaraz, who has risen the ranks and established his dominance on the tennis court.

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Twenty-year-old Alcaraz is being touted as the one standing in the way of Nadal as he looks to make a triumphant return to the court, in the words of the legend’s famous uncle, Toni Nadal.

Toni Nadal wary of Carlos Alcaraz threat ahead of nephew’s return next season

Recently crowned Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has constantly found himself being compared to Rafael Nadal ever since he burst onto the scene. Many tennis pundits consider him to be the rightful successor to carry forward the legacy of Nadal, who Alcaraz idolized growing up.

Looking at the blistering form of world number 1 Alcaraz at the moment, Toni Nadal felt that the 20-year-old may pose a serious challenge to his nephew once he returns to the tour next season, as he revealed in a recent interview with Marca. “Rafa is fine, on vacation, wanting to jump on the court in 2024. Let’s hope that Alcaraz will let us win something then”, he said.

Much like Feliciano Lopez and Toni Nadal, the entire tennis world is looking forward to a triumphant return of the great Rafael Nadal on the tour. Given his incredible competitive spirit and unmatched resilience, fans are aware that a majestic return may very well be on the cards!

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