"If Rafael Nadal can sneak 2 tournaments in, he’s got to be in the top 5 favorites at Roland Garros" - Andy Roddick 

Ahead of Rafael Nadal's potential return at the 2024 Barcelona Open, Andy Roddick claimed that the Spaniard has a strong chance of being one of the top 5 favorites at the 2024 French Open if he competes in two tournaments before the Grand Slam.

Rafael Nadal had a short comeback this season after missing most of the 2023 season due to a hip injury. The Spaniard returned to the court at the 2024 Brisbane International but unfortunately suffered a muscle tear during the tournament, forcing him to be sidelined from the next tournaments.

With his retirement seemingly on the horizon, fans are speculating if the Spaniard would like to go out by winning the French Open title, a Grand Slam which he has won 14 times.

Nonetheless, fans are hopeful of Rafael Nadal's return to court as he was recently spotted practicing on the clay courts in Barcelona, sparking speculation about his participation in the Barcelona Open which will be held from April 13 to April 21.

Recently while speaking on Tennis Channel, former World No.1 Andy Roddick was asked to weigh in on the likelihood of Nadal reaching the Roland Garros final versus Andy Murray, who is also recovering from ankle injuries sustained at the 2024 Miami Open, making it to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.

Roddick stated that if the former World No. 1 can play in two tournaments before the French Open, the 22-time Grand Slam champion could be a strong contender for a top-five finish at the clay court Grand Slam.

“Yeah, I think we’re talking about health, right? If Rafa is healthy and can sneak two tournaments in, he’s got to be in the top five favorites at Roland Garros still," Roddick said (at 0:24).

Andy Roddick revealed that his reasoning for favoring Nadal over Andy Murray was rooted in the uncertainty surrounding the extent of Murray's injury and his return timeline.

"I know it sounds crazy to some, but I do believe that we don’t know [Andy] Murray coming off his ankle injury, what it’s going to be like. So that you’re dealing with that before you’re dealing with the actual format. But he hasn’t been in a quarterfinal for a long time. So I hope that happens for Andy. Love Andy, but I think I’d go with Rafa as well,” he added.

"Rafael Nadal wants to say goodbye at the place that he's won 14 times" - Andy Roddick on Spaniard potentially retiring after French Open 2024

French Open 2022

In a recent episode of Served with Andy Roddick podcast, Roddick said that he feels Rafael Nadal will want to say goodbye to tennis after playing at Roland Garros, a tournament he has a a record 14 times.

"Obviously, you want that goodbye at Roland Garros; it would suck if he [Rafael Nadal] can't get that. I got to think, like, if he's practicing but not serving well, I still got to think he's going to throw that out there in Roland Garros," Roddick said (at 19:15).

Since sustaining an injury at the 2024 Brisbane International, the Spaniard has withdrawn from several tournaments, including the Australian Open 2024, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, and the ongoing Monte-Carlo Masters among others.

While acknowledging Nadal's need to prioritize his health, Roddick emphasized his hope to see the 22-time Grand Slam champion compete at the French Open somehow.

"I mean, if he can walk out there and at least play even if it's not great, like, I get that Monte Carlo, if I can't play 100%, I'm not playing. I guess I get it in Madrid. I get it in Rome. I don't think that line of thought holds water; he wants to say goodbye at the place that he's won 14 times," he added.