French Open chief refuses to budge on Rafael Nadal question after being taught a 'lesson'

French Open tournament director and retired former world No 1 Amelia Mauresmo has refused to comment on Rafael Nadal's chances at the tournament amid his injury woes. The two-time Grand Slam champion said she had learned her "lesson" after doubting his hopes in 2020, when he won his then-record equalling 20th Major title.

Nadal was one of the early favourites for the French Open at the start of the season, when he returned from a six-month injury layoff to win a record 21st Major title in Australia, as well as two more trophies in Melbourne and Acapulco. But after his chronic foot injury caused him more pain in his recent third-round exit from the Rome Masters, his chances in Paris were thrown into doubt.

The 13-time champion now sits behind last year's winner Novak Djokovic and 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the bookies' favourites, but Mauresmo has refused to answer questions about his chances of winning the title. Speaking on the latest issue with his Mueller-Weiss Syndrome, a chronic pain in the mid-section of the foot, she said: "Nadal knows himself very well. He has been playing most of his career with this [injury] and he managed it well obviously.

The French Open tournament director pointed out how rapidly the issue came on at the Italian Open, with Nadal leading 6-1 before losing in three to Denis Shapovalov. Mauresmo commented that he was already looking better in his practices on Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris. "In Rome, we saw that it could come over and grow very quickly even during a match," she continued.

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"I can't predict the future. Looking at the practices, he seems okay, but a tournament is another story." Although Nadal's recent