Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal has stated that his nephew may retire from tennis at either the French Open or the Madrid Masters. But he was quick to state that Rafael Nadal will continue to play as long as he feels he can still win.

36-year old Rafael Nadal however shows no sign of stopping. He has won a record 14 French Open titles and five Madrid Masters titles. Even Uncle Toni added that he has not yet discussed retirement with the tennis star.

“In Madrid or at Roland Garros. The time will come and he will decide. When you lift a trophy you convince yourself that you still have something to give. It’s hard to retire winning. I think Sampras did it. I haven’t talked about that about Rafa. I don’t know how much It fits him.”

“If he fully recovers, let him keep playing and we’ll see,” Toni Nadal told MARCA Sport.

Will Nadal compete in the French Open?

Rafael Nadal may not be retiring any time soon, but he has had a rough go of it due to a hip injury. He has not played since the Australian Open due to this injury, but fans can expect to see him return to the court at the Monte Carlo Masters in April.

Uncle Toni is confident that Rafael Nadal will reach his targeted level for the French Open and be among the top favorites for the title, along with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. “I think he could be the top favorite with Alcaraz, Djokovic and him. Alcaraz is at a very high level and is in the improvement phase. I think he will be among these three. Between the two rivals I don’t know how to tell you, none,” Toni Nadal said.

Rafael Nadal has won 11 Monte Carlo titles and will be seeking to add to that tally when he returns to competitive action. The Spaniard has won a total of 20 Grand Slam titles in his career, tying him with Roger Federer for the most all-time. However, he has struggled with injuries in recent years, and it remains to be seen how much longer he will continue playing.