Rafael Nadal close to unbeatable if he reaches French Open 2nd week, believes Serena Williams' ex-coach

Renowned tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes Rafael Nadal is still the No. 1 pick to win the 2023 French Open.

The Spaniard has been away from the men's tour since suffering an unfortunate hip injury in Melbourne at the start of the year. He was expected to return during the ongoing clay swing, but is still prioritizing his recovery and all-round fitness.

However, Mouratoglou, who has coached the likes of Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Holger Rune, believes Nadal will be the heavy favorite to capture the crown at the 2023 French Open.

He justified his opinion by stating that the Spaniard is almost unplayable if he reaches the second week in Paris, as evidenced by the 14-time winner's exploits in Roland Garros over the years.

Nobody has done what he has done on clay, nobody has ever done what he has done at Roland Garros. This has been his tournament for so long now. We know that round after round, match after match, he's building his tennis and he's building his physical strength."

"When he reaches the second week of the tournament, he's not unbeatable because nobody is, but Nadal is close to that. So even if he hasn't played any tournaments leading up to Roland Garros, I still believe he has to be considered as one of the favorites," Patrick Mouratoglou said in a video he posted on social media.

The Frenchman not only envisioned Nadal's potential journey but also analyzed the chances of other competitors on the ATP Tour, picking Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz as the next favorites for the title.

"There is a favourite which will be Rafa, there is a second favourite which will be Novak Djokovic and there is a third favourite which will be Carlos Alcaraz," Patrick Mouratoglou said.

Rafael Nadal will show a "spectacular level" at the French Open, says Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz thinks Rafael Nadal has a great chance to win the French Open

World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz also believes that Rafael Nadal will be back to his best at the 2023 French Open. The teenager is currently competing at the Madrid Open and is through to the semifinals, where he'll be battling it out against Borna Coric for a place in the final on Friday.

Alcaraz spoke about his compatriot's chances at the Clay Major in a recent press conference and believes that the 22-time Grand Slam champion won't take too long before finding his top form in Paris.

"Although he has not played since Australia, a man who has won a tournament 14 times will always be difficult to beat in that tournament, even if he comes without match rhythm"

"Tennis requires that competitive rhythm, but Rafa is Rafa, even if he arrives without many matches, he will surely show a spectacular level," Carlos Alcaraz said.