Tennis great Rafael Nadal dropped out of the ATP top 10 for the first time since 2005 as he Continues to regain his fitness. The Spaniard has not played competitively since the Australian Open and was forced to skip Indian Wells last week as he recovers from a hip injury, meaning he is now down to world No.13.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has spent 912 weeks in the top 10 – a record for the men’s game. Current world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was just a year old when Nadal broke into the top 10.
However, Nadal’s stay outside the top rankings could be short-lived, with the 36-year-old aiming to return in time for the clay court season. He has posted a series of photos and videos on social media in recent weeks, showing him practicing on clay courts.
Current Men’s Singles ATP Rankings
Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic
Stephanos Tsitsipas
Casper Rudd
Daniil Medvedev
Happy Auger – also
Andrei Rublev
Holger Rune
Hubert Hurkaz
Taylor Fritz
If fit, Nadal is likely to be the favorite for the French Open, which starts on May 28, and he will focus on his return to the warm-up event in Monte Carlo next month.
Current world No. 4 Kasper Rudd says he would not be surprised if Nadal wins his 15th title at Roland Garros this year despite all his injury problems.
“These days probably the only thing on his mind is staying fit, staying healthy and getting ready for Roland Garros,” Rudd told Eurosport.
Nadal’s current injury is the latest in a long list of injuries that have hampered him throughout his career, with his fitness problems becoming more frequent over the past two years. It is a testament to his grit and determination that he is still performing at the highest level and is feared.
