WORRIED Rafa Nadal has written off the chances of playing the French Open this autumn, claiming: 2020 is practically lost.
Tennis is on hold until mid-July following the cancellation of Wimbledon, the biggest event to be axed amid the COVID-19 crisis.
The French Open – which Nadal has won a record-breaking 12 times – has moved from May to a proposed date of September 27.
Yet France remains in strict lockdown and many countries have international travel bans in place.
And the world No.2 does not expect to play competitive tennis until 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Spaniard, 33, said: “I hope we can return before the end of the year but unfortunately, I don’t think so.
“I would take being ready for 2021. I’m more concerned with the Australian Open than what happens later this year.
“I see 2020 as practically lost.”
On whether he would choose playing the US Open in August or his beloved French Open on clay in Paris – the two major titles he holds – Nadal said it was all “hypothetical”.
The 19-time Grand Slam winner added: “I don’t think it will be like that.
“My feeling and I say it sadly, I won’t lie to you, is that we’re losing a year of our lives.
“And at 33, 34 years old, that is more valuable than at 20 when you have a lot more ahead.”
