Noted tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes Rafael Nadal can win Roland Garros in 2025 despite his early exit this year.
This year, Nadal experienced a first-round defeat at Roland Garros, something that had never happened before. He faced Alexander Zverev, who eventually made it to the finals.
Zverev proved too strong for Nadal, winning in three sets. Despite this, there were moments when Nadal looked good. The indoor and humid conditions didn’t favor him either .
Mouratoglou analyzed the match on Instagram and shared his thoughts:
> “Everybody thought, oh, that’s the last match of Rafa or it’s clear now that he cannot compete at that level; all these statements are completely wrong. I saw the opposite. I saw someone who’s now feeling great because he knows he can still compete at that level. I think this match against Zverev made him feel that he can compete at the highest level.”
> “Of course, he lost it, he lost in three sets. But considering the short time that he had to practice, considering the lack of competition that he has, the quality of the tennis he was able to produce – not consistently the whole match, that’s why he lost; he had a lot of ups and downs which is something that he generally doesn’t have – but the quality of the tennis he was able to play, his movement and everything; I think he feels now that he can compete at the highest level.”
Looking Ahead:
Nadal will soon be back on those courts for the Olympics. If Mouratoglou’s predictions come true, we might see a strong Nadal putting any retirement rumors to rest.
With more practice and preparation leading up to 2025, anything is possible for Nadal. After all, even under unfavorable conditions this year, there were positives.
Fans might think it’s exciting to see what happens next!
> “Don’t forget that the conditions against Zverev were terrible for him. Indoors with high humidity meant no bounce for his spin.”
> “If he’d played outdoors with sun and heat it would have been different too. At the Olympics later on with those conditions he’ll do better and potentially win Roland-Garros next year.”
What do you think? Can Nadal make a comeback?
