Madrid Open tournament director Feliciano Lopez hopes that his friend Rafael Nadal doesn't suffer a similar fate as Roger Federer with injuries.
Nadal returned from injury last year at the Madrid Open playing really well but losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the end. This year, it's not clear if the 22-time Grand Slam champion will compete in the Spanish capital as he previously withdrew from the Barcelona Open.
While some are worried about the way things have been unfolding other are more optimistic about Nadal's season despite the recent bad news. Roland Garros was always going to be the event Nadal targeted the most and there is virtually zero chance he will miss it. Still, as somebody who cares about Nadal's legacy, Lopez is worried.
I worry more as a friend. At the tennis level, obviously I am concerned that he can play again and that he can arrive at Roland Garros prepared, which is the main objective. But it worries me more on a personal level, that a player who has been triumphing all his life is now going through this, so I hope he recovers soon.
Nadal has been spending time on the court and hitting the ball as he admitted in recent interviews to preserve his arm but it seems like the hip is still limiting his movement. As we all know, movement is a crucial part of tennis, especially clay tennis.
We've seen things like his before, injuries taking a long time to recover and maybe never. Lopez watched in disbelief how Federer's career ended due to a knee injury and he firmly hopes that it doesn't happen with Nadal.
It hurts me that he is going through this, just like it happened to Federer, who had to retire without being able to play, playing a half lame doubles match, although it was quite a reason, but I don't think it was what he had dreamed of after all that he has achieved.
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