Rafael Nadal could run into business rival Patrick Mouratoglou just two matches into his return to the ATP Tour. The French coach’s pupil, Holger Rune, awaits in the second round if the Spaniard gets past a tough challenge in the opener.

Returning to the tour after two months, Nadal entered the 2024 Indian Wells Masters with his protected ranking. The World No.652 will face another PR user, Milos Raonic, in the first round. The two erstwhile top 5 players will clash in an intriguing match that could prove tricky for Nadal.

If he gets past the Canadian, Rafael Nadal will face Holger Rune, who recently re-hired Patrick Mouratoglou. The Dane got a bye into the second round courtesy of being seeded seventh. Nadal vs Rune will be an interesting battle on the court, but it will have an added off-court layer to it. The 22-time Grand Slam winner and Mouratoglou own the two most high-profile academies in Europe.

Nadal is unsurprisingly the face of his own Rafa Nadal Academy, whereas Rune is Mouratoglou’s most famous student currently. This potential clash could have further implications than just who advances in the 2024 Indian Wells Masters. It is an opportunity for either academy to get the bragging rights over the other. Both institutions have their sets of merits and issues, hence the discussion about which is better is always on.

Mouratoglou and Nadal have an opportunity to showcase the variation in approach and tactics in their ideologies, and subsequently, their academies. This face-off with their biggest business rivals provides a chance for both to boost their organisation’s reach and marketability. Rune, backed by Mouratoglou’s tactics, will engage Nadal in a thrilling encounter on the court. Off of it, it will be a clash to gain an advantage in the race to become the best tennis academy in Europe.

Rafael Nadal and Patrick Mouratoglou share a mixed relationship

Mouratoglou has often shared his thoughts on Nadal’s gameplay and career. He recently said the Spaniard’s iconic forehand was the best in the history of tennis, ranking it above Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and more. The Frenchman evidently holds the former World No.1 with a lot of respect.

However, Patrick Mouratoglou has often gotten into trouble with Rafael Nadal fans for occasionally critiquing the latter. He once termed Nadal a mere clay-court player, while calling Carlos Alcaraz an all-court player. More recently, he suggested that the tennis legend should skip the entire hard court swing upon his return from the injury he suffered in January 2023. He opined that Nadal should directly resume with the clay swing.

Mouratoglou was proven partially right since another injury forced Nadal to skip the Australian Open and subsequent hard-court tournaments. However, the former World No.1 is back to feature in the Indian Wells Masters. In addition to getting the bragging rights for the Rafa Nadal Academy, he also has an opportunity to defeat Mouratoglou’s ward Rune on hard courts and further prove the coach wrong.