Rafa Nadal returned to action for the first time since January at the Brisbane International on Sunday, losing his doubles match but overall showing no obvious after-effects of the hip injury that ruined his year.
The World No 1, who extended his hardcourt winning streak to 26 matches, will play against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals.
With Novak Djokovic having overtaken his impressive haul of most major titles in men's tennis, Rafael Nadal conceded the Serbian is the best player in history.
'I've never been of the thought that Rafa needs rhythm because he's too good for that. But now the situation is different.'
Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud in the French Open final to win a men's record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title.
A summary of the day's tennis action at Roland Garros.
Nadal touch helps Paolini reach French Open third round
Rafael Nadal said a MRI scan had shown a micro tear on a muscle.
Rafael Nadal withdrew from Indian Wells on Wednesday on the eve of his first-round match.
Novak Djokovic said he is still hoping for a final chapter in their storied rivalry.
Sinner faces defending champ Alcaraz in hotly anticipated French Open final
Novak Djokovic's erratic form, Rafael Nadal's fitness woes and untimely injuries to top-ranked youngsters have set up an uncertain French Open men's tournament
'But it's not something that I really focus on. That's not really my goal.'
Jannik Sinner had to dig deep to get the better of Auger-Aliassime in the second semi-final.
His representative Benito Perez-Barbadillo said the results of the surgery were expected on Saturday.
Although Nadal has revealed that he has seen improvements in his hip injury after trying a new treatment, the question still remains: Will Rafa defend his title at the French Open?
'It has been unforgettable, and I can only say 'thank you'. It has been an incredible journey. It's very difficult, but life and my body have been sending signals to me for a long time.'
Local favourite Thompson saved three match points before prevailing 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 against Nadal, who was playing his first tournament after nearly a year out with a hip injury.
The Monte Carlo Masters begins on Sunday. Nadal has won the event a record 11 times, with his last victory coming in 2018.
'I believe I'm in a different moment, in a separate situation and in an unexplored terrain.'
Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a high-octane final to claim his maiden Wimbledon trophy and fourth Grand Slam crown on Sunday.
Rafael Nadal has not played a competitive match since bowing out in the second round of this year's Australian Open.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic will bid for a record-extending 11th title at Melbourne Park and 25th Grand Slam crown overall.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner swept past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 on Thursday to reach the Cincinnati Open semi-finals, the world number one extending his hardcourt winning streak to 25 matches.
Between them, Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last six Grand Slam titles and their mesmeric clash last month in the longest-ever French Open final is being touted as one of the greatest of all time.
Following a hip surgery, Rafael Nadal's season is all but over.
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz expect Rafael Nadal to be at his competitive best at the Australian Open next month despite a hip injury that wiped out the veteran Spaniard's 2023 season.
Both Caravaggio and Djokovic entered worlds ruled by giants, shattered conventions with defiance, and redefined greatness within the rigid lines of their craft. One with a brush, the other with a racquet but both turned their tools into instruments of disruption. And ultimate greatness.
Andy Murray's match-worn shirt from his historic 2013 Wimbledon triumph could soon adorn the wall of a lucky fan's home, for the right price, after it was put up for auction along with other pieces of sporting memorabilia from the tournament.
'Every time I step onto this court I'm playing for history.'
'A guy asked "Can I have a picture with you, Mr Nadal?"'
A statue to honor British tennis great Andy Murray is in the works with installation at the All England Club in London planned for 2027.
Draper, 23, has won only two matches in three previous visits to Wimbledon. But the past 12 months has seen him evolve from a player regarded as physically fragile to a beast of the courts with the weapons to challenge the very best.
'I believe that tennis or every sport needs rivalries. This could be potentially one of them, but there are amazing players coming up.'
The Serbian's determined performance ensured he became only the second man to win a century of matches at the Parisian Grand Slam
A clash of nerves, brilliance, and next-gen firepower-Alcaraz showed once again he's made for the biggest stages. As the tennis world erupted, legends led the tributes.
Carlos Alcaraz heads to Paris for his French Open title defence having laid down a marker with his victory over world number one Jannik Sinner in Rome
Tsitsipas made short work of Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud as he seized a third Monte Carlo Masters title in four years with a 6-1, 6-4 victory on Sunday.
Play was suspended on court 1 before the 5th set at 10.18pm, 40 minutes before the 11 PM curfew, leaving Fritz and the crowd furious.
Coco Gauff said she will never again make the mistake of doubting Rafael Nadal's chances at French Open
