Nadal, 36, has not played since July 8 and an abdominal tear that prevented him from playing his semi-final against Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon.
His return to Cincinnati (August 14-21), two weeks before the US Open, could also lead to a return to the top.
Because if Nadal wins the tournament and if Daniil Medvedev, current world number one, fails before the quarter-finals, the Spaniard will find himself for the first time since January 2020 at the top of the world hierarchy.
But if being "number 1 is good (...) staying healthy is the most important thing", said Sunday the one who wants to be able to "end the season where I want to play".
"If that happens (to become No. 1 again, editor's note) because I play very well, then that would mean a lot of things," he nevertheless admitted.
The Spaniard with 22 Grand Slam titles also admitted he still felt pain from his London injury when serving.
"We can't expect to play at an incredible level immediately," he said.
© 2022 AFP