"If Rafael Nadal plays tennis again, he will do so competitively; being away with your family & child can help you"

Feliciano Lopez is confident that Rafael Nadal can make a successful comeback to the tour next year, especially given the Spaniard's track record. Having seen up close how competitive the 22-time Grand Slam champion is, Lopez reckons Nadal will return to action if he's capable of playing at his best.

In an interview with CLAY (for Relevo), the 41-year-old touched on Nadal's absence on tour, which is now more than six months long. The Mallorcan last played at the Australian Open, following which an abdominal injury has kept him on the sidelines.

Nadal has missed both the French Open and Wimbledon and is expected to sit out the rest of the year. More concerningly, the former World No. 1 has indicated that 2024 could be his final year as a pro, potentially bringing to an end a career that has lasted over two decades.

Lopez said that the time off could help Nadal see things in a different way and return with added enthusiasm. Lopez believes that time spent with family could help his compatriot rejuvenate himself.

Rafael Nadal is currently on vacation with his wife Maria Isabel Francisca and their first child, who was born last year.

"Of that I am sure, that if Rafa plays tennis again, he will do so competitively," Lopez said. "Sometimes being away from the court helps you to see things in a different way, to return with enthusiasm."

"Because keep in mind that spending 15 or 20 years at that level of demand saturates you mentally," he added. "Being away with your family and with your child can help you."

Feliciano Lopez admitted that it's difficult to predict at what level his compatriot would return after such a long time off the court. He did add, however, that Nadal is physically fine at the moment and that his recovery is going well.

"He is fine, and his recovery is going well," Lopez said. "Knowing Rafa and seeing his career, it is very difficult for me to see him enter a tennis court without feeling competitive. If everything goes well, in 2024 we will see him playing well. At what level?"

"It is difficult to know because it is unknown," he went on. "It's been a long time, after the injury at Wimbledon 2022, he played very little. But he has the rest of the year to recover."

"I have never felt overshadowed by Rafael Nadal's figure" - Feliciano Lopez

Rafael Nadal, Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell - Day 4

Feliciano Lopez also denied that he ever felt "overshadowed" by Rafael Nadal. While Lopez admitted that Nadal garnered a "brutal" attention in the media, he reckons it was natural considering how good his fellow left-hander was.

Lopez, in fact, opined that being so close to Nadal ended up helping him more often than not.

"The truth is that I have never felt overshadowed by his figure. I believe that everyone in life has what they deserve. Rafa is true that he generates brutal attention. It is normal due to how good he is, to what he has done since very early," Feliciano Lopez said.

"It is normal for such a big figure to capture all the attention of the media, of the people. Having shared so much with him has helped me to be a better player and a better person. Having him close you can only learn. The fact that he can affect you more or less through the media does not seem important to me," he added.