Thousands of tennis fans gathered at Roland Garros on Wednesday to watch Rafael Nadal train ahead of the start of his 2022 French Open campaign.

He was welcomed by the watching Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world number four, who was runner-up at the tournament in 2021. The 35-year-old Nadal also hit with fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar at the Suzanne Lenglen court.

The 13-time winner in Paris said last week that daily training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him after his defeat to Denis Shapovalov in Rome, a match during which Nadal could be seen limping and grimacing due to a flare-up of his chronic foot condition.

"I'm not injured, I am a player living with an injury. That's it," Nadal told reporters in Italy's capital.

But the world number five looks poised to launch another bid for a Grand Slam title at his favorite clay court, having won his 21st major at the Australian Open earlier this year.

(With input from AP)