Rafael Nadal reminds me a lot of LeBron James and could still win French Open next year, says John McEnroe

Updated 24/05/2023 at 11:02 GMT

Rafael Nadal and LeBron James are two sporting greats who look as though they could be nearing the end of their careers. John McEnroe says he sees parallels between Nadal, 36, and NBA great James, 38. Nadal will not be playing at the French Open and McEnroe thinks his absence adds an "element of uncertainty" to the Grand Slam, which starts in Paris on May 28.

Out of French Open: Nadal drops bombshells ahead of Roland-Garros

John McEnroe has compared Rafael Nadal to NBA great LeBron James and thinks the Spaniard could yet have a "great chance" to win the French Open next year.

Nadal, 36, will not defend his title in Paris as he continues to recover from injury.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t played since the second round of the Australian Open in January, having originally said he expected to be out for up to eight weeks.

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Nadal has said that he expects 2024 to be his last season on tour.

“It’s unfortunate obviously,” said Eurosport expert McEnroe.

“But it does open the door and I think it's inevitable, they say Father Time wins every time, and that's what's happened here.

“I'm sure that Rafa did everything he could to try to play and this is not the way he wants it to end so that's why he's talked about playing next year.

“Whatever Rafa wants to do is something that we should respect and any player…you watch [Andy] Murray play, he's not the same player that he was and not nearly as highly ranked, but he wants to go out on his own terms and I'm sure it'll be the same with Rafa.”

NBA legend James also looks to be nearing the end of his career.

James, 38, is still playing at a high level for the Los Angeles Lakers but cast doubt over his future in the sport following a play-off defeat to the Denver Nuggets.

McEnroe sees similarities with Nadal, who he thinks could still have a chance to win the French Open for a 15th time next year.

“I would never say that he couldn't win at Roland-Garros. Anyone that's done what he's done, as long as he stepped foot on a court would have a great chance.

“He reminds me a lot of Lebron James. LeBron James is a little bit older and is part of a team, but I think he proved he was still a fantastic player.

“But you know, maybe at the end of those [season-end] games he got a little tired because too much was expected from him. And at some point, that's what's gonna happen to Rafa, it happens to everybody, you're going to be asking too much.

Rafael Nadal will not be back in Paris this year

Image credit: Getty Images

“So it's hard to know, at this point. By the time he [Nadal] plays next year, if he plays, he'd be 38 years old during the tournament.”

Nadal’s absence appears to have left world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and two-time Roland-Garros champion Novak Djokovic as the leading contenders in Paris.

McEnroe said: “It definitely adds an element of uncertainty now and makes it a little more difficult...and in certain ways more exciting, because you're going to have someone presumably that hasn't won it before except Novak.”

Asked who he sees as the favourite for the title, McEnroe added: “What I would say is that it would be a tie between Alcaraz and Novak.

“I would put them as the top two, and pretty much the same.”

The French Open starts on May 28.

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Stream the French Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com

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