Rome (AFP)

It's finally back to school for Rafael Nadal: after six months, the world No. 2 returns to competition on clay, his favorite surface, at the Masters 1000 in Rome which begins on Monday, with the spirit turned towards Roland-Garros.

"The Foro Italico (the Roman stadium, editor's note) is always a special place for me and it will be even more so this year", underlined Nadal, who has already been training for a few days on Roman clay to prepare his best. back after this "very long" break due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The last tournament played - and won - by "Rafa" dates back to the end of February in Acapulco.

Professional tennis was shut down from March to early August.

Then the Mallorcan gave up the post-Covid-19 American tour - Cincinnati then US Open in New York - because of uncertain sanitary conditions and the "madness" of the new schedule.

By resuming on his favorite surface, Nadal spares the brutal hard / clay transition that awaits the participants of the US Open, two weeks before Roland Garros (September 27-October 11).

In Paris, he will aim for an unprecedented thirteenth victory - and a twentieth in a Grand Slam to join Roger Federer at the top, absent until 2021 due to a double operation on his right knee.

- Full-bodied start for "Rafa" -

In Rome, "Rafa" finds another of his gardens, where he has already won nine times (record), the last of which was last year against his other historic rival, Novak Djokovic.

Exempted from the 1st round, he will be able to quickly measure his form with a full-bodied 2nd round planned against his compatriot Pablo Carreno (27th), who has just reached the semi-finals of the US Open (as such he is also exempt from the first match).

"Djoko", four-time winner in Rome, for his part will return to the courts after his spectacular disqualification for a gesture of humor in the round of 16 of the US Open.

Instead of a victory he felt was promised, the world No.1 left New York with his head down after - unintentionally - hitting a ball directly at a linesman.

Fifteen of the twenty best worlds are expected in Rome, but with several notable absentees in the Top 10: besides Federer (N.4), the US Open finalists Dominic Thiem (N.3) and Alexander Zverev (N.3) are missing. .7), as well as Daniil Medveded (N.5), semi-finalist in New York.

The women's tournament will again be deprived of its world No. 1, the Australian Ashleigh Barty, who has given up returning to the circuit, both in the United States and in Europe, due to the health situation. and a preparation disrupted by the impossibility of certain trips to Australia.

- Halep in N.1 -

Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, semi-finalists and US Open winners respectively, won't be there either.

But the N.2 Simona Halep, absent in the United States, will be present as the N.1 seed, like several other players who had given up on the US Open: Elina Svitolina (5th), Kiki Bertens (7th) and Belinda Bencic (10th).

The Czech Karolina Pliskova (3rd), defending champion in Rome, will defend her well, after her surprise elimination in the second round of the US Open.

As in New York, the tournament is played without an audience.

To the chagrin of the organizers who denounced an "injustice" compared to other stadiums which have partially opened in Italy and compared to Roland-Garros, which will open with a reduced tonnage.

The players will have to stay in the two dedicated hotels when they are not at the Foro Italico.

With PCR testing every four days for men and every five days for women.

Benoît Paire, excluded from the US Open after his positive test for the new coronavirus, then confined to his New York hotel room, is ready to resume.

The French (23rd) will be opposed in the first round to the Italian Jannik Sinner (74th).

The French Adrian Mannarino (39th), negative but placed in isolation in the United States after having been in close contact with Paire, is also expected in Rome, where he must meet the Canadian Milos Raonic (18th) in the first round.

© 2020 AFP