Rafael Nadal has only a "thin" chance of avoiding finishing the year without a grand slam for the first time in 11 years, his coach and uncle, Toni, has admitted.
Since winning his debut French Open in 2005, Nadal has gone on to lift at least one of tennis' major prizes every year, amassing 14 in all and winning Wimbledon on two occasions.
However, his second-round defeat to Dustin Brown at SW19 on Thursday means he must win the U.S. Open if he is going to keep that run going in 2015.
And following a season that has been disrupted by injury and included just two minor titles, his uncle and mentor is not hopeful he will be able to turn his season around before September's trip to Flushing Meadows.
"I want to think that it can be done," Toni Nadal told Spain's Cadena Cope radio broadcaster late on Thursday when asked about his nephew's chances at the year's final slam.
"Right now, I am realistic and the chances we have are probably thin, because we have not been able to play well for a long time.
"So it's difficult to think that we will do so at the U.S. Open but I think that it will happen at some point. I am confident there will be a tipping point and he will get his game back.
"He has been playing at a very good level for a long time and there is no clear reason for him to stop being good."
Toni's position as his nephew's coach was questioned by John McEnroe in light of his 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Brown and admitted Nadal's Wimbledon exit was tough to take.
"The opponent scarcely gave him room to get into a rhythm... but at key moments he made too many errors which were not difficult shots," he added.
"In the end, it's a bit of everything and what we have to do is recover as soon as possible."