The former world number three believes that if Nadal is fit, he will always be a top contender no matter where he plays. According to him, Nadal will continue to be the favorite at the French Open for as long as he continues to compete.
Wawrinka and Nadal have faced each other 22 times, with Wawrinka only managing to win 3 of those matches. They have played against each other in the finals of the Australian Open and the French Open. However, they have not played against each other since the 2019 Paris Masters, where Nadal came out on top.
Nadal made his comeback at the Brisbane International last month after almost a year of absence from tournaments. He reached the quarter-finals but had to withdraw from the 2024 Australian Open due to a hip muscle issue that arose during his match against Jordan Thompson in Brisbane.
Prior to Brisbane, Nadal had not played a singles match since the 2023 Australian Open, where he suffered a hip injury during a match against Mackenzie McDonald. He underwent surgery in June 2023 to treat the psoas muscle in his hip.
Nadal had hoped to make his return at the ATP 250 tournament in Doha this week, but he decided to pull out, stating that he was not yet ready to compete.
The former world number one is expected to return to the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells next month, which will take place from March 3-17.
In an interview with Marca before his appearance at the Rio Open this week, Wawrinka talked about Nadal’s determination to continue playing despite his injury struggles.
According to Wawrinka, Nadal is a great champion who has previously dealt with injuries and managed to come back. He believes that if Nadal is healthy, he will be a threat to everyone and a strong contender for major titles.
Wawrinka also mentioned that Nadal will always be one of the favorites wherever he plays as he has won the French Open numerous times and has a deep understanding of the tournament.
When asked about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in tennis and Nadal’s recent appointment as an ambassador for the country, Wawrinka expressed his optimism. He believes that their investment in tennis, including current and young players, can have positive outcomes. He also praised Nadal as one of the best players in history and highlighted his contributions to the sport through his academies.
According to the Source tennis365.com