02:58 PM
Nadal joined by family
Seeing reports that Nadal’s family are in the room awaiting the speech from the 22-time major winner.
More than 4,000 people are watching the live stream on YouTube.
02:53 PM
The greatest player in French Open history
02:47 PM
Not long to go now…
02:39 PM
Will Nadal be at Roland Garros?
Hello and welcome to coverage of a major press conference in tennis as Rafael Nadal reveals whether he will compete at the upcoming French Open.
Nadal is an injury doubt after his slower-than-expected recovery from a hip injury sustained during January’s Australian Open.
The Spaniard has missed the entire clay court season so far and the expectation is that he will confirm he won’t play in Paris.
But could he also announce something else? A withdrawal from Wimbledon? Retirement? We shall see.
Nadal’s powers of recovery are legendary so it would be a massive shock if he decided to walk away from the sport. The press conference will take place at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Mallorca at 3pm.
“If he plays [the French Open] or not and the reasons either way will only be communicated tomorrow,” a statement from the player’s representatives read.
Nadal’s last comments about his injury came when he announced his decision to pull out of the Italian Open.
Nadal said: “Despite having noticed an improvement in recent days, there have been many months without having been able to train at a high level and the re-adaptation process has its time, and I have no choice but to accept it and continue working.”
The 36-year-old hasn’t played anywhere since he lost to Mackie McDonald on January 18, his movement clearly restricted by a bothersome left hip flexor.
An MRI exam the next day revealed the extent of the injury, and his agent Benito Perez-Barbadillo said at the time that Nadal was expected to need up to two months to fully recover. He initially aimed to return at the Monte Carlo Masters in March on his beloved red clay, but he wasn’t able to play there, then subsequently sat out tournament after tournament, decreasing the likelihood that he would be fully fit in time for the French Open.