Coronavirus: Rafael Nadal 'very pessimistic' about tennis returning

Madrid, April 27: World number two Rafael Nadal said he is "very pessimistic" about tennis returning amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The ATP Tour has been suspended until at least July 13 due to the COVID-19 crisis, which has killed more than 206,990 people globally.

Nadal - who reached the Australian Open quarter-finals this year - last took to the court when he won the Mexican Open in February and the 19-time grand slam champion is not optimistic about playing again soon.

"From my point of view, I'm very pessimistic that the circuit can resume a normal activity," Nadal said in a virtual chat via the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET).

"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."

Nadal, 33, added: "We have had a very tough month and a half, with many irreparable losses as well as others that are less important that will still bring great suffering to society, I hope only for a few months, at the economic level.

"Many people are going to lose their jobs. These are sad moments when you see so many people dying."