Rafael Nadal will only play at the French Open next month if he is fully healthy.

Nadal has endured an injury-ravaged 2023 campaign so far, having only played four matches the whole calendar year. His last match was a second-round exit at the Australian Open in January where a hip injury contributed to his exit.

The Spaniard has still not returned to action from that injury even though the initial prognosis was eight weeks at the most.

And although he is expected to return at the Madrid Open next week and play the Italian Open leading up to Roland Garros which takes place May 28, his uncle Toni insists his nephew will only feature at 100 percent health — unlike at the Australian Open.

“I spoke with him on Saturday. And he will only come back if he is in good condition, 100%,” Toni Nadal said on RMC’s Bartoli Time (via Tennis 365). “He knows that otherwise it will not be good for him. He played the Australian Open without being on top. I think he wants to feel very good.

“He would like to arrive at Roland Garros with confidence and a good physical condition. For now, we have to wait. But he still has the mind to try to win another time.”

Nadal only competed in five games prior to winning the French Open last year. And so, just like Daniil Medvedev stated, Toni Nadal, too, believes the 22-time Grand Slam winner should have no problem winning a potential 15th French Open title.

“I have said many times about Rafa that even if he does not arrive in very good conditions, when he enters the Philippe Chatrier Court, everything changes,” he added. “He needs a few not-too-difficult matches to ramp up. I know Zverev, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Rune, Rublev are very strong.

“But with his mind, I also know that Rafa can win. I want to think the same this year.”