Rafael Nadal will always be the favorite for Roland Garros, according to former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka.
There are some things that Nadal and Wawrinka have in common, and it's a pretty good list. They're both Grand Slam champions, they're both Olympic medalists, and they have both won Roland Garros.
Wawrinka has been around for a long time, and he's witnessed Nadal winning the event many times. Having won it as well gives him a good idea of how difficult it actually is, and it's why he'll never pick anybody against the legendary Spaniard.
The sheer number of times Nadal triumphed makes him a 'forever favorite' in Paris for Wawrinka. He spoke about the upcoming major with Marca, noting that a healthy Nadal is the man to beat.
"If he is healthy he will always be one of the favorites wherever he goes. He's missing games. He has won so many times at Roland Garros that he will always be the favorite. There is no one who knows the tournament better."
The comeback of Nadal certainly was one of the biggest storylines at the start of 2024. It started well, with him winning a couple of matches, but then he injured himself and missed the Australian Open.
The comeback was supposed to resume in Qatar, but it won't, so now fans wait for the Indian Wells Open. Wawrinka was impressed with his return this year and sees him as very competitive if he's healthy.
"Rafa is a great champion and he has already been injured before and came back. It doesn't matter what you have earned or how much money you have, if you feel that passion you want to continue."
"In Brisbane, he was playing at a high level before getting injured again. If he is healthy he will be a danger to everyone and a candidate for big titles."
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