Ever since Rafael Nadal won his first Grand Slam in 2005, his following has reached the stars. The Spaniard has won 22 Grand Slam titles since then and is still going strong. However, Nadal has been on the worse end of injuries for quite a few years. But his fans still have faith in his abilities and believe that he will be back in his top form soon. One fan who holds this belief is Mary Joe Fernandez, the wife of Roger Federer’s agent.

Rafael Nadal lost his second round bout against Mackenzie McDonald in the Australian Open due to an injury. He updated his fans regarding his health, stating that he sustained the injury in his left leg and that recovery period will take 6-8 weeks. Regarding players at his level, people tend to debate about peak health status.

Mary Fernandez believes Rafael Nadal could win the French Open

In the podcast, Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe, Mary Joe Fernandez broke down the 2023 Australian Open and discussed the remainder of the 2023 season. The former world number four also gave her thoughts on Rafael Nadal. When asked who would be the favorite to lift the Roland Garros trophy, she mentioned the Spaniard without hesitation. She further added that whoever has lifted the trophy fourteen times automatically becomes the favorite in her mind.

“If Rafa’s healthy, I’m still gonna say Rafa. Someone who wins a tournament fourteen times, to me, is the favorite every time they play. Even if they haven’t played all year. So, he becomes a different player on the clay, becomes a different player at the French Open, best of five. That’s the one tournament where I still feel like its gonna be Rafa,” Fernandez said.

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She solidified her belief by mentioning how Nadal didn’t win any clay court tournaments last year, but still won the French Open. According to her, it shows that he will probably be the one to claim the prize. “Until he stops playing, he’ll be the favorite,” she further added.

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After his heartbreaking loss in the Australian Open, Nadal would be looking to make a comeback and win. Will Nadal prove his the ‘King of Clay’ in Paris once again? Give us your thoughts in the comments.