The football village is grateful to Nadal

Alcaraz said he sent words of encouragement to Nadal, emphasizing the "King of Clay's" absence at Roland Garros this year as an irreparable loss. "I wish next year will be a great year for Nadal to say goodbye as a great champion," the 20-year-old tennis player wrote on his personal page with a photo taken with the idol.

Daniil Medvedev also hopes Nadal returns as soon as possible. The Russian tennis player said: "Nadal is a great athlete, one of the greatest sportsmen in history. I still hope he will return at the Grand Slam."

Medvedev said Roland Garros this year will be more unpredictable without the record 14-time champion. "If Nadal is present, he is definitely the top candidate, even if he is not 100% physically fit," said the Russian tennis player.

Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo predicts the clay Grand Slam will be greatly affected without Nadal. She said: "I and the audience are both disappointed with Nadal's withdrawal. He is a great champion. We will miss Nadal, whose fate is tied to Roland Garros."

Former Nadal's compatriot Alex Corretja said that Roland Garros "lost his soul" in the absence of the greatest player in tournament history. He also predicts Nadal's record of 14 championships will last for many more decades.

Nadal on May 18 announced his withdrawal from Roland Garros because he was not in the best shape. He said he will have to take many more months off and is expected to return only in the Davis Cup team tournament at the end of the season. The 36-year-old also admitted that 2024 could be the last year of his career, when he attends tournaments to say goodbye.

Nadal suffered a hip injury from the Australian Open. He also previously suffered many injuries in the second half of the 2022 season, causing frequent interruptions to the game. During a press conference at his academy, Nadal said he has not been able to train at the desired intensity since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.