Rafael Nadal 'very pessimistic' tennis season will return to normal anytime soon

Professional circuit has been suspended since the start of March and will not return until at least the end of July

Winner of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2019 Rafael Nadal, right, with runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas. All photos by Chris Whiteoak / The National

Rafael Nadal celebrates with the MWTC trophy following his 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Abu Dhabi final.

Rafael Nadal shakes hands with Stefanos Tsitsipas following his 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 victory at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City.

Rafael Nadal celebrates.

Rafael Nadal waits for the trophy presentation.

Rafael Nadal plays a shot during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship final against Stefanos Tsitsipas. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National

Stefanos Tsitsipas towels himself off during the final.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Reporter: Jon Turner: Fans with giant rackets during the final between Rafael Nadal v Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Saturday, December 21st, 2019. Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Rafael Nadal plays a shot.

A Stefanos Tsitsipas fan clutches the Greek flag during the final against Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal in action.

Stefanos Tsitsipas returns a shot to Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal walks back to the base line.

Stefanos Tsitsipas in action.

Rafael Nadal plays a shot.

Stefanos Tsitsipas stretches at the net to return a shot.

Rafael Nadal plays a shot.

Fans celebrate during the MWTC final at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.

Stefanos Tsitsipas serves during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship final against Rafael Nadal. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National

Rafael Nadal serves to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Stefanos Tsitsipas towels himself down in between points.

Rafael Nadal in action.

Stefanos Tsitsipas returns a shot to Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal plays a shot during the final.

Stefanos Tsitsipas serves during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship final against Rafael Nadal. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National

Rafael Nadal plays a shot to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Fans watch the final between Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Rafael Nadal plays a shot.

Stefanos Tsitsipas returns a shot to Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal plays a shot to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Stefanos Tsitsipas plays a shot.

Novak Djokovic in between points during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship third-place play-off against Karen Khachanov at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi. Djokovic won the match 7-5, 6-3. All photos by Chris Whiteoak

Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the third place play-off.

Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the third place play-off.

Novak Djokovic prepares to return a serve.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot to Karen Khachanov.

Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov embrace at the end of the match.

Fans watch the third place play-off between Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot.

Fans watch the third place play-off between Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov.

Novak Djokovic in between games during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship third-place play-off against Karen Khachanov at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi. Djokovic won the match 7-5, 6-3. All photos by Chris Whiteoak

Karen Khachanov plays a shot during the third place play-off against Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot.

The sun sets during the third place play-off between Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot.

General view of the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot to Karen Khachanov during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship third-place play-off at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi. All photos by Chris Whiteoak

Karen Khachanov serves to Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot to Karen Khachanov.

A young girl sits on a tennis hammock at The National newspaper's booth at Zayed Sports City.

Karen Khachanov plays a shot.

Tennis fans arrive at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed SPorts City in Abu Dhabi.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot.

Fans watch the third place play-off between Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.

Karen Khachanov during the third place play-off against Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic plays a shot.

Tennis fans arrive at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed SPorts City in Abu Dhabi.

A female tennis fan tosses a ball up on the lawn before the third place play-off between Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov.

A young girl sits on a tennis hammock at The National newspaper's booth at Zayed Sports City.

Tennis fans arrive at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed SPorts City in Abu Dhabi.

Fans watch the third place play-off between Novak Djokovic and Karen Khachanov at the International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.

Men's world No 2 Rafael Nadal has admitted he is "very pessimistic" that the tennis season will return to normal any time soon because of the risks involved with constant travel during the coronavirus pandemic.

Professional tennis has been halted since the start of March and will not be returning until at least the end of July. The lockdown has therefore caused the cancellation of numerous tournaments, most notably Wimbledon for the first time since the Second World War.

Meanwhile, the French Open - where Nadal is the defending and 11-time champion - has been rescheduled to September from its original May-June dates.

"From my point of view, I'm very pessimistic that the circuit can resume normal activity," Nadal said in an online chat organised by the Spanish Tennis Federation.

"In tennis, you need to travel every week, stay in hotels, go to different countries.

"Even if we play without an audience, to organise any event you need a lot of people involved, which cannot be ignored. At an international level I see a serious problem."

The coronavirus outbreak has decimated the world sports calendar, forcing the postponement of the Olympic Games and football's European Championships and Copa America among many other events.

"We have already said many times we are in a very difficult moment, for everyone," Nadal, 33, said.

"Step by step it looks like things are slightly less bad, but we've been through one-and-a-half very tough months, lots of irreparable losses and other losses that are less important, but without doubt will cause suffering in society in the following months.

"I hope it will be months not years because it's also an economic issue as well. Lots of people are going to lose their jobs. These are sad moments when you see so many people dying."

Nadal  said that even when tennis does resume the players will need to recover their fitness levels.

"It will be a very tough job to regain fitness and you will need lots of discipline and lots of suffering," he said. "The sooner we can resume activity the better. From the point of view about going back to competitions, I'm pessimistic.

"But there are many other things more important than tennis."