Rafael Nadal: David Ferrer backs Spanish tennis legend to play into 2025 if he avoids injury

David Ferrer believes that Rafael Nadal will keep playing tennis into next year if he stays fit.

Nadal made a return to competitive tennis after almost a year on the sidelines with a hip injury at the Brisbane International in January.

He reached the quarter-finals but then had to withdraw from the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, due to a separate hip problem that developed during a defeat against Jordan Thompson in Brisbane.

His last match before that had been at the 2023 Australian Open, with the Spaniard going under the knife last summer.

Nadal had been expected to play at last week’s Qatar Open but he had not yet recovered to full fitness.

He is currently scheduled to play against his compatriot, Carlos Alcaraz, in an exhibition match on March 3, while the Indian Wells Masters starts three days later.

Despite his struggles, Ferrer believes that there are reasons to think Nadal could stay on court for a long time to come.

“Knowing Rafa a little or a lot, if he does not have physical injuries, I am convinced that he will be competitive.

“It was already shown in the first week of the year in Brisbane that he was at a very high level without barely competing. If he doesn’t have any injuries, he will be competitive and if he is competitive, he will continue for another year.”

However, Ferrer would not back Nadal as the favourite for Roland-Garros, despite Nadal typically being the leading men’s candidate for French Open glory for much of the last two decades.

“Now it’s difficult to say because I haven’t seen him compete. If I watch him play for three weeks to see how he feels and his tennis level, I may have a different perception or I may adjust more to reality,” he continued.

Discussing the exhibition between Nadal and Alcaraz, Ferrer said he was keen to see his fellow Spaniards face off.

“I hope it will be a match of intensity, with good rhythm, that they play well,” he said.

“Knowing Rafa, I think he is going to care about that match, competing at the highest level because then comes Indian Wells. For him it is important to feel good in tennis and he is going to measure himself with nothing more and nothing less than Carlos Alcaraz.

“For Carlos, it is also important because he has not played much and it will serve him well for Indian Wells and Miami. As a spectator, I would pay a ticket to see it.”