Rafael Nadal may have bowed out in Madrid at just the Round of 16, but it still marked an admirable display from the legendary veteran.
After all, just a week earlier he had been dumped out in Barcelona with unfortunate ease, as Alex de Minaur simply had too much for him.
Well, he would exorcise those demons almost instantly, and now seems poised to threaten in Rome once again before the French Open returns.
Nobody is expecting him to win these huge events, but there is hope for at least an admirable showing.
Andrea Petkovic warns pundits against making Rafael Nadal mistake
Speaking on Racquet’s Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, Andrea Petkovic sought to briefly comb over Nadal’s return to action in Madrid.
In what is expected to be his final foray in his home tournament, it was understandably an emotional affair following his exit at the hands of Jiri Lehecka.
He fought hard, but simply did not have the requisite physicality to trouble the young Czech Republic player.
But that being said, Petkovic could see the progress, and in turn warned against writing the Spaniard off ahead of Roland Garros.
She stated: ‘It was like really a goosebumps moment. I have to say just tennis-wise he was already playing like five levels better than in Barcelona.
‘I’m not saying he’s the Rafa that won 14 French Opens, but that was a huge step ahead for him. In Barcelona, not that I was worried, we all knew he was still struggling, but you could see what he was struggling with, and now already you could see a big step ahead.
‘Let’s see how he performs in Rome and then he has a few more weeks until Roland Garros. You should never underestimate a champion like that. We did that multiple times, we underestimated Roger [Federer]. He came back.’
Never ever write off anyone in the big three
To write off any of the ‘big three’, who have consistently been at the apex of the sport for over two decades now, is supremely naive.
They simply have too much talent to ever be denied, and only once their bodies have completely given up can they truly be considered finished.
Federer called time on his glittering career as a 41-year-old, and Nadal seems set to do the same at 37.
But that does not mean that he is still not a threat to everyone, especially on clay, and especially at Roland Garros.
Magical things have happened at the French Open when he has played, and with this set to be his last dance, perhaps he could enjoy that late renaissance just as Djokovic is still doing, and just as Federer did before his retirement.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
