Stage is set for emotional 'au revoir'

Nadal fights to be fit for final fling at French Open, as injury cloud looms over Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his 19-year French Open career with the likelihood of adding to his 14 titles greatly diminished, before he leaves behind a record and reputation unlikely to ever be matched.

The Spanish great, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, won his first title at Roland Garros in 2005 as a teenager. A week on Monday, he will celebrate his 38th birthday.

A former world No 1, who is now at 276 in the world, Nadal has only played 15 matches since January last year, as a hip injury and then a muscle tear were added to a depressing history of physical ailments which have forced him to miss 12 Grand Slam tournaments in his career.