Nadal will have to do better against Hurkacz: "I have to lose the fear I had".

Which Rafael Nadal will be on court this Saturday? The Majorcan, visibly getting better and better physically, has put in some very uneven performances since his return to competition. Unaccustomed to this, the Spaniard must now come to terms with his chronic inconsistency.

Although this is likely to be his last professional season, 'Rafa' is still hoping to add a few prestigious successes to his immense career. To do so, he'll be facing a tough test this Saturday (not before 1pm), as he prepares to take on Hubert Hurkacz (9th in the world). Although his opponent is not a surface specialist, this match could well be a baptism of fire for the Spaniard, who will need to respond from the outset if he is to win against the best server on the circuit (385 aces served this season, 1st in the rankings).

Interviewed in a press conference ahead of this eagerly-awaited duel, the King of Ochre explains that he needs to regain his confidence and play without fear: "It's difficult because I'm trying to take things step by step, improving every day, but there comes a time when I have to give 100%. I have to lose the fear I had. In Brisbane, I had a small tear where I injured myself, for which I had to undergo surgery. They had to remove a significant part of my psoas tendon and strengthen the area more than before. It takes time for the hip to get used to the new configuration. I've made progress over the last few weeks, but now I have to move forward. I have to see how things evolve. If I can adapt to everything. The French Open is three weeks away and I need to push my body to get ready for what's coming."

Going into a little more detail, the current 305th player in the world explains that at some point he's going to have to try to play his heart out to prove to himself that he's still capable: "I still have problems, the question is whether they limit me or not. In a way, they limit me, but I have to try not to. I have to get rid of this fear of breaking up. Once this transition period is over, I have to force myself and prove myself. If I break, I break. Bad luck. That's the goal for this week. The reality is that matches like this help the body to adapt to the demanding levels set by the circuit. If I come out of these matches alive, that's always good news. Tennis-wise, I need to do things a lot better. I think I'm capable of playing a lot better than I did today. I feel closer to the level I want to reach in training, but then I have to put it into practice in matches, and that costs me. Day by day, I have a positive view of the situation."

So, this Roman tournament looks set to be a decisive moment in the Majorcan's season - and career.