Rafael Nadal's drop to No. 7 in the world rankings marks the first time the Spaniard is not in the Top 5 since May 2, 2005. The former No. 1 reached the final of Madrid last week, where he lost to Andy Murray. Nadal is in Rome this week, where he reached the final last year. The Spaniard said his priority is staying in the Top 8 for French Open seeding.
"I'm defending 600 points [in Rome]," Nadal said. "If I don't manage to win points, I don't know where I can end up falling to. I'm talking about not leaving the Top 8. I don't know what is the result I need to do in Rome to stay in the Top 8, which in this case would really affect Roland Garros."
Nadal said his drop is not only because of bad play, but also because he missed most of the second half of 2014 due to injury. If he is upset in the first round of Rome and Roland Garros, he could drop out of the Top 10.
"It's also something that we have to realize, all of us, that what's happening during these last years, it's very complicated to be 10 or 11 years without leaving the Top 4," Nadal said. "It's something very, very complicated, especially with a ranking that lasts only one year. And especially being injured as I have been. Whenever I have been playing I have been winning, and that's the truth."