Paul Rouget: published on Friday April 09, 2021 at 6:14 p.m.
Absent since the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal is already training on the Rock for the Monaco Masters 1000, which he hopes to win for the 12th time next week.
We had not seen him since the Australian Open, the only tournament he played in 2021. Rafael Nadal stopped in the quarter-finals in Melbourne, losing in five sets to Stefanos Tsitsipas ( 3-6, 2-6, 7-6[4], 6-4, 7-5). Since then he had to dwithdrawing from Rotterdam, Acapulco, Dubai and Miami due to back problems. But the Mallorcan is now ready to attack the season on clay. And he is already hard at work in Monte-Carlo, for the tournament which takes place behind closed doors from April 10 to 18.
71 wins for 5 defeats on the Rock
A Monegasque Masters 1000 of which Nadal holds the record for victories (11), with a last trophy gleaned in 2018. During the last contested edition, in 2019, since that of 2020 was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, he had eliminated in the last four by the future winner Fabio Fognini (6-4, 6-2). And he has an impressive record of 71 wins for 5 defeats on the Rocher since its first appearance in 2003.
Arrived Thursday, he lodged in the official hotel of the tournament, while ATP again authorizes players to reside in private homes. Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Zverev, who own a property in Monaco, will so they can take the opportunity to sleep in their bed. Note that in addition to Nadal, third in the ATP ranking, seven other Top 10 players will be present in the Principality. Only Dominic Thiem (n ° 4) and Roger Federer (n ° 7) will thus miss the call. A Swiss who must return to ocher at the beginning of May, on the occasion of the Madrid tournament. History to prepare at best Roland-Garros, where Nadal will aim for a 14th crown. ––
