Nadal will only play French Open if he can 'compete well'

Rafael Nadal said he will only play at the upcoming French Open if he feels “capable enough to compete well”

Rafael Nadal said on April 24 he will only play at the upcoming French Open if he feels "capable enough to compete well".

The 14-time Roland Garros champion conceded that if the action in Paris were to kick off today, he would not be able to participate but vowed to keep fighting for the chance to play at his most successful tournament one last time.

"I don't know what's going to happen in the next three weeks. I will keep fighting and doing the things I believe I have to do so I can try to play in Paris, and if I can play, I play, if I can't, I can't," the former world number one told reporters at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.

"I will not play in Paris if I am the way I am now. If Paris were today, I wouldn't take to the court. That's the reality. I will only play in Paris if I feel capable enough to compete well."

Nadal returned to tennis in Brisbane in January after spending almost an entire year on the sidelines nursing a psoas injury. But his comeback was short-lived as he sustained a muscle problem in Australia and has competed in just five matches so far this season.

The Spaniard kicked off his clay campaign in Barcelona last week, where he lost in the second round and is set to face 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch in his Madrid opener on Thursday.

"I don't think I'm ready to play at my 100 percent but I'm prepared to go out and play tomorrow. It's important for me to play one last time here in Madrid, for me it means a lot," said the 37-year-old Nadal.