Rafael Nadal has slipped outside of the ATP top 10 rankings for the first time since 2005 but rivals insist he will still be the "man to beat" at the French Open if he is fit.
Injury prevented Nadal from defending his Indian Wells title that concluded last weekend with Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz lifting the title in California and returning to the top of the rankings.
Twenty-two-time Grand Slam champion Nadal sat out Indian Wells as he continues his recovery from a hip issue that prematurely ended his Australian Open title defence in the second round in January.
Unable to defend the 600 points from Indian Wells resulted in Nadal dropping four places to 13th in the rankings, ending his record 912-week stay inside the top 10, which began when current No 1 Alcaraz was not even two years old.
However, with Nadal preparing to return to action at the Monte Carlo Masters next month ahead of the French Open, which he has won a record 14 times, his time outside the top 10 might be short.
World No 4 Casper Ruud, who lost to Nadal in the Roland Garros final last year, said he would not be shocked to see the 36-year-old lift the trophy once again.
"It wouldn't surprise me because he'll probably use these weeks and these months, as he's preparing for exactly Roland Garros," Ruud told Eurosport as part of the Ruud Talk series.
"It doesn't matter if he loses in Monte Carlo or Rome or Madrid. The only thing that's probably on his mind these days is just to be fit, be healthy and be ready for Roland Garros."
Novak Djokovic succeeded Nadal as Australian Open champion and also drew level with his great rival on 22 majors.
The Serb, who turns 36 in May, has shown few signs of slowing down but also missed Indian Wells after he was denied entry into the US because of his Covid-19 vaccination status.
A two-time champion at Roland Garros, Djokovic will be looking to move out on his own as the most successful men's Grand Slam champion in history when the action gets underway in Paris at the end of May.
But for former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, even a Djokovic firing on all cylinders would be an underdog against Nadal on the red clay of Roland Garros.
"For the whole tennis world it would be nice to see one last showdown at Roland Garros," Thiem said, adding that Djokovic would be favourite to win the remaining Grand Slams this year.
"The only tournament is Roland Garros: if Rafa is fit there, it's exactly the opposite. He's the man to beat when he won the tournament 14 times, it's crazy."
