By Even after claiming his best win on a tennis court for close to a year-and-a-half, Rafael Nadal refused to ease the uncertainty surrounding his prospects of appearing at the French Open. After all he has been through in recent months, the 37-year-old Spaniard knows better than anyone the dangers of getting too far ahead of himself when it comes to his ageing body.
No doubt that Nadal’s 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 victory over Alex de Minaur, the world No 11 from Australia, in the second round of the Madrid Open on Saturday was a major step forward in his stuttering comeback from hip surgery last year. The last time he beat an opponent of this calibre was in November 2022 when saw off Norway’s Casper Ruud
