World No 10 Taylor Fritz says it’s “fairly loopy” figuring out that Rafael Nadal is about to be unseeded in tournaments and that he may very well be anyone’s first-round opponent. Nadal, who has been ranked at No 1 on the planet quite a few instances, has plummeted to No 663 on the planet.

On Friday, Nadal introduced that he shall be coming again to professional tennis on the Brisbane Worldwide within the first week of the 2024 season. Nadal hasn’t performed since this 12 months’s Australian Open and Fritz expects the Spaniard to be a bit rusty at the beginning of his return.

Nevertheless, Fritz warns that Nadal is at all times a harmful rival.

Fritz on Nadal being unseeded: Fairly loopy

“I imply, I anticipated that, it’s Rafa. I don’t suppose that he was ever going to simply retire and never give it one other go, so I undoubtedly, after the period of time he’s had off, I anticipated him to come back again to begin the 12 months.

So I believe that it’s excellent news for tennis as a complete. I believe that perhaps it’s going to be robust. Perhaps he is perhaps a bit of bit rusty. I believe it’s going to be fairly loopy having him in attracts the place he’s going to be unseeded.

So anyone can play Rafa within the first spherical, so it’s going to be fairly loopy. He’s Rafa, so I believe even when he’s going to be perhaps a bit of rusty coming again or it takes a while, he’s nonetheless going to be taking part in very well and he’s nonetheless going to be robust for lots of fellows to play early and attracts as effectively simply due to him being unseeded,” Fritz mentioned, by way of Eurosport.

In the meantime, Fritz has had 4 conferences in opposition to Nadal. After dropping to Nadal within the 2020 Acapulco remaining, Fritz upset the Spaniard within the 2022 Indian Wells remaining for his Masters title. Fritz then suffered a five-set defeat to Nadal at 2022 Wimbledon however managed to beat on the Spaniard on the ATP Finals later that 12 months.