Icon refuses to call time on his RG dream

The lure of Roland Garros is enough to keep Rafael Nadal from officially declaring this will be his last French Open, with the 14-time champion not quite ready to close the door on his most treasured venue.

“It’s a big, big chance that this is going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it’s 100 per cent my last, sorry, but I will not, because I cannot predict what’s going on,” he said on Saturday in Paris.

“I’ve been in the process of recovery from a very difficult injury, almost two years of suffering, a recovering process.

“It seems like I feel better now. My personal feelings are better now than one month and a half ago, without a doubt.”

The most prolific winner in tournament history added: “I don’t want to close 100 per cent the door (for a return in 2025) because of a very simple thing. 

“I’m enjoying playing tennis. Second thing, I am traveling with the family. They are enjoying. I am enjoying  sharing all this process with them.

“And third thing, I was not able to explore yet the proper way (of playing) being in more or less healthy conditions, playing without limitation.

“So give me some time. Maybe in one month and a half I say, okay, it’s enough, I can’t keep going.

“But I cannot guarantee that that’s going to be the last one… but of course it’s a big chance.”