Rafael Nadal harbors doubts around 2024 Roland Garros after Rome defeat

ROME, Italy—Rafael Nadal explained feeling a lack of mental clarity on the tennis court after a 6-1, 6-3 defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, and admitted to feeling doubtful about his ability to compete at Roland Garros.

“You can see today on the court how difficult is,” he said when asked if he could confirm his plan to enter an event he has won 14 times. “That's the answer, no? Yeah, that's an option that can happens today and you need to accept.

“Now is two ways,” he continued. “Probably one is to say, ‘Okay, I am not ready, I am not playing enough well.’ Then is the moment to take a decision in terms of not playing Roland Garros. Another is [to] accept how I am today and work the proper way to try to be in a different way in two weeks.”

A 10-time champion in Rome, Nadal had expressed a strong desire to leave everything on the court over the next few weeks after feeling he had played conservatively at the start of his comeback in Barcelona and Madrid, where he lost in the second and fourth round, respectively.

After surviving three sets against Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs, Nadal started strong against Hurkacz but was soon overwhelmed by the No. 7 seed, who only allowed him one point on serve in the second set.

“I felt more ready than what I showed,” Nadal said in his post-match press conference. “That's give me a bad feeling because feeling myself better not being able to show myself on court.

“Too many doubts. Too many questions in all ways, in different matters on the game. That's it.”

Now is two ways: Probably one is to say, ‘Okay, I am not ready, I am not playing enough well.’ Then is the moment to take a decision in terms of not playing Roland Garros. Another is [to] accept how I am today and work the proper way to try to be in a different way in two weeks. Rafael Nadal

Nadal, who has heavily suggested he would retire at the end of this season, had planned to play a full slate of tournaments in 2024 after missing most of last season due to a hip injury, but an abdominal issue picked up at the Brisbane International forced him out of the Australian Open. He later pulled out of the BNP Paribas Open following an exhibition match with Carlos Alcaraz, and his planned start to the clay-court season was delayed when he withdrew from the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

Still, once the 37-year-old returned in Barcelona, it appeared evident that he would make every effort to play at least one last Roland Garros, particularly after he committed to competing at Laver Cup in September.

“The decision, as you can imagine, is not clear in my mind today,” Nadal nonetheless admitted on Saturday. “But if I have to say what's my feeling and if my mind is closer one way or the other way, I going to say be in Roland Garros and try my best.

“Physically I have some issues, but not probably yet enough to say not playing in the most important event of my tennis career. Let's see what's going on, how I feel myself mentally tomorrow, after tomorrow, and in one week. If I feel ready, I going to try to be there and fight for the things that I have been fighting the last 15 years, if now seems impossible.”