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Tennis is finally about to embrace Rafael Nadal again! The timeless champion is ready tocome back on the court after almost an entire year spent in rehabilitation, gym and hard training. And I, who find myself writing this article, am thrilled to say that the Spanish champion announced on Instagram that he will soon reveal where he will return to playing tennis.
Nadal was absent from the match he lost against Meckenzie McDonald in the first round of the Australian Open 2023. That was his last official appearance before the surgery to resolve the injury on his left iliopsoas, which kept him away from the court all year.
Rafa has fallen to 664th position in the ATP rankings. On the occasion of a promotional event for the Clínica Tenis Teknon, the Spaniard also confirmed that he feels much better and that his return is getting ever closer.
The 22-time slam champion never wanted to say anything about recovery times and his possible return to the court, also denying the statement of Australian Open director Craig Tiley about his participation in the Australian Slam in 2024.
Rafael Nadal will come back, but where?
Rafa revealed that his rehabilitation is well underway and the moment of returning to the ATP Tour is approaching. "Until now I didn't know if I would ever play tennis again and now I think I will.
What has changed from a few weeks ago to now is that I now know that I will play tennis again. I didn't know it before, but now, honestly, I know I will because evolution is good. Giant strides have been made lately. I'm not ready to say where yet.
When I know, I'll be the first to say it. I don't know what level I will be able to return to, but I have never lost my enthusiasm. I haven't played for a year and for me personal success, which is more powerful than general success, is maintaining the illusion of playing again.
I know it will be difficult to find a high level of tennis again, but if I didn't have the illusion of being competitive again, I wouldn't have done the work I've done in recent months and the effort it takes after a very long career.
I won't win any more Grand Slams than Djokovic, but I will give myself the chance to have fun again." But then, as I said at the beginning of the article, Nadal wrote a post on Instagram a couple of hours ago that will surely make his millions of fans happy: "I confirmed yesterday I'll be back.
Stay tuned these days when I decide and announce with my team when and where." But where will Nadal play? Participation in the Australian Open could be possible at this point, but beware of surprises. He was thinking: what if Nadal decided to go straight back for the clay swing? It might be a hypothesis that crossed the mind of the Spanish legend, but the reality is that we will find out very soon.