Can Nadal and Murray summon up final feats on clay?

Time ticking for ex-world Nols as they head to French Open

- Matt Majendie

TIME, and the wear and tear of years on tour have finally caught up with Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

Both have made it clear that this season will be their last. When that point comes for each remains to be seen, but Murray has hinted it will be on the clay of Roland Garros come this summer’s Olympic Games in the men’s doubles.

For him, this year’s French Open serves a dual purpose. He has played it just once in the past six editions and was duly knocked out in the opening round. This is his chance to say goodbye to an event where he was a former finalist on the clay in Paris and made the semi-finals on four other occasions.

He faces another with a creaking body in Stan Wawrinka, 39, himself a former French Open winner, in the opening round, one of the few players on tour actually older than 37-year-old Murray.

But it is in the doubles where he believes he has genuine aspirations, playing with fellow Briton Dan Evans in something of a rehearsal for Murray potentially playing at the Paris Games before hanging up his racket.