"He can win a Grand Slam at any time, he is almost an alien" - Jose Luis Arilla on Rafael Nadal

Former Spanish tennis player Jose Luis Arilla recently discussed Rafael Nadal's chances of adding another Grand Slam under his belt.

The Spaniard defeated Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-set match at the 2022 Australian Open to become the first man to win 21 Grand Slam singles titles. He added another Grand Slam to his record at the French Open a few months later, making himself the owner of the most number of Major titles in men's tennis.

He currently leads Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic with two and one Major titles, respectively. In light of this, Jose Luis Arilla was questioned by the Spanish daily Marca in an interview about whether Rafael Nadal has a chance of winning another Grand Slam title.

According to Arilla, the Mallorcan can most definitely add to his tally, but he must be in peak physical form and have a solid plan in place in order to accomplish it. The Spaniard was also of the opinion that the 22-time Grand Slam champion's best chances would be at the French Open in the future.

"Nadal can win a Grand Slam at any time, but he has to arrive at the tournament in 100% physical condition. You have to plan the calendar with the necessary strength to be able to give your best. He has a very long career, with a lot of effort and injuries. If he plans well, he has the ability, talent and game to win a Grand Slam, preferably Roland Garros," Arilla said.

Arilla praised the 21-time Grand Slam winner profusely and described him as "almost an alien," adding that due to his advanced age, he must do more to remain competitive with the upcoming players.

"He is admirable, almost an alien. Right now, he has to do something more because of age," he said.

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"I would never tell him to stop" - Toni Nadal comments on Rafael Nadal's potential retirement from the sport

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Many are wondering if it's time for 36-year-old Rafael Nadal to call it quits after his arch rival Roger Federer,41, announced his retirement following the 2022 Laver Cup. However, the Spaniard has not made his plans known regarding this.

In light of this, Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni commented on the subject and stated that despite his nephew's injury setbacks, he has never advised him to stop playing tennis and retire. According to him, a player should compete as long as the desire to compete is present.

"Never. I think that, as long as you feel competitive and have the luck to keep winning... What you like is playing tennis, there will be time to stop. Of course, if one is suffering more than necessary, there comes a time when you say you're leaving. But Rafael has not reached this situation," he said.