Nadal routed, ponders skipping French Open

ROME — Fifteen days before he is scheduled to play in what will likely be his final French Open, Rafael Nadal is so unsatisfied with his level of tennis that he’s still debating whether or not to go to Roland Garros.

Nadal’s surgically repaired hip and his 37-year-old legs didn’t provide him with the necessary means to be competitive enough on Saturday as ninth-ranked Hubert Hurkacz overwhelmed the 22-time Grand Slam champion on the Spaniard’s beloved clay for a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the third round of the Italian Open.

It was Nadal’s first match against a top-10 player in 1½ years, and he couldn’t have been more disappointed.

“Tough day for me in all ways because I felt more ready than what I showed,” Nadal said. “I am little bit more unpredictable today, not playing enough for the last two years. Too many doubts.”

In terms of games won — just four — it was the most lopsided loss for Nadal on clay in 21 years.

Now Nadal will need to dig deeper on the practice court if wants to be competitive one last time at the French Open, where he is the record 14-time champion.

Nadal said he had two options for Paris.

“One is to say, ‘OK, I am not ready, I am not playing enough well,” Nadal said. “Another is accept how I am today and work the proper way to try to be in a different way in two weeks.

“The decision, as you can

imagine, is not clear in my mind today. But if I have to say what’s my feeling and if my mind is closer one way or the other way, I’m going to say be in Roland Garros and try my best,” Nadal added. “Physically I have some issues, but not probably yet enough to say not playing in the most important event of my tennis career.”

Nadal is still regaining his fitness after missing nearly all of 2023 with a hip injury.

“Let’s see what’s going on, how I feel myself mentally,” Nadal said. “If I feel ready, I going to try to be there and fight for the things that I have been fighting the last 15 years.”

Against the big-serving Hurkacz, Nadal appeared slow at times and lacked the lucidness to finish off points.

Twice in the first set, Nadal missed drop shot attempts to hand Hurkacz breaks of his serve.

Early in the second set, Nadal lacked oomph on a backhand volley, allowing Hurkacz to reply with a forehand up the line that clipped the net and landed in for another break.

On the changeovers, Nadal sat hunched over, sweat dripping from his headband and deep in thought for solutions that he couldn’t find.

The Associated Press Gregorio Borgia Rafael Nadal has no answers for Hubert Hurkacz on Saturday in his most lopsided loss on clay in 21 years.