French Open 2023: Will Rafael Nadal play at Roland Garros? Next match and schedule for defending champion

The French Open begins on May 28 but there were doubts long before tournament week about whether Rafael Nadal would be in Paris to defend his title.

Nadal is a 14-time champion at Roland-Garros and has earned the title as the 'King of Clay' for his exploits on the red stuff.

But none of that makes him immune to the rigours of elite sport and the 36-year-old is the subject of mounting injury worries.

Is the Spaniard set to miss the French Open for the first time since 2004?

MORE: Who are the seeds for the men's singles?

Will Rafael Nadal play in the French Open?

In a press conference three days before the start of the 2023 French Open, Nadal described it as "impossible" for him to take part in the latest edition of the tournament.

"I didn't make the decision," he added. "My body made the decision."

BREAKING: Rafa Nadal’s last season may be in 2024, but he can’t say 100%.

“My ambition is to try to stop to give myself an opportunity to enjoy next year. It’s probably gonna be my last year on the tour. I can’t say 100%.”

A true matador with a relentless heart. pic.twitter.com/5Gq7UsVoBp

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 18, 2023

Nadal's fitness woes stem back to the start of the year, when he was dumped out of the second round of the Australian Open and later revealed to be struggling with a hip problem.

His recovery from that issue has not gone smoothly and Nadal has not yet managed to enjoy a warm-up tournament on clay, which is not a situation he has found himself in heading to any previous French Open.

Rumours that Nadal may not have been ready to take part in the second grand slam of the year intensified after it was revealed he turned down a wildcard invite to play at an event in Bordeaux. He still has not played a competitive match since Melbourne in January.

Rafael Nadal next French Open match, schedule

The draw for the 2023 tournament is scheduled to take place May 25, but Nadal will not be involved following his withdrawal.

Nadal's absence from the 2023 tournament marks the first time he has not featured at the Paris grand slam since 2004.

The veteran won the French Open for the fifth time in six years in 2022, beating Casper Ruud in straight sets in the final.

How many times has Rafael Nadal won the French Open? 

Nadal's record at the French Open is formidable, having made himself at home there with a title win on his first visit in 2005.

That triumph sparked a run of four in a row, with Roger Federer finally breaking his dominance in 2009. Nadal's response was emphatic as he then reeled off another five in a row.

After the relative drought of consecutive years in which he failed to lift the trophy (in 2015 and 2016) he won five of the next six to take his overall tally to 14, some eight clear of the next-best mark in the Open Era.

How has Rafael Nadal performed in 2023 so far?

It has been a tough year for Nadal, whose appearances in the headlines have mostly been alongside the words "withdraws from".

Earlier this month, he confirmed he would not compete in the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, saying in a statement: "You all know how much it hurts me to miss another of the tournaments that has been so important to me, both professionally and personally, because of all the affection and support of the Italian fans.

"Despite having noticed an improvement in the last few days, it has been many months since I've been able to train at a high level and the adaptation process takes time. All that is left for me to do is accept it and keep working. Best wishes to everyone."

With so much time spent on the sidelines, his win-loss record this season is a meagre 1-3.