Nadal dons hard hat to see extension progress at his academy in Mallorca

Nadal had the opportunity to evaluate the quality of the seven new covered clay courts, which appeared close to completion. He also checked in on the progress of the four indoor hard courts and new spaces for fitness training, physiotherapy, psychology, nutrition and sports medicine. 140 students currently attend the Rafa Nadal Academy, where they combine their training with their academic studies.

The Monte Carlos Masters is due to get underway on 11th April and Nadal will be going for a record-extending 12th title. He'll also have an extra week to prepare for the 2021 French Open after it was announced on Thursday that the tournament would be put back seven days in response to a spike in coronavirus cases.

The French Tennis Federation said the decision was taken in order to maximise the chances that the event will be played ''in front of as many spectators as possible'' in a safe environment.

Last year's tournament was pushed back to September because of the health crisis, with crowds limited to 1,000 per day.