Sania Mirza warns 'tough and challenging' task lies ahead of Rafael Nadal

• Tennis News
• Rafael Nadal

Sania Mirza thinks a tough and challenging task lies ahead of Rafael Nadal, who is hoping to make a successful return and go out with a bang in 2024. Nadal, who is turning 37 in a couple of days, has been out since the Australian Open after sustaining an injury to his psoas muscle.

10 days ago, Nadal announced his French Open withdrawal and said 2024 would probably be his final season on the Tour. "It's going be tough as he has been out for months. Obviously, it must have been extremely serious it must be, especially considering that he decided to skip French Open.

Coming back from any injury can be challenging. But having said that, he is also a genius and he is Rafael Nadal so you can't bet against him. It's going be challenging but he is one of those who likes challenges. He loves challenging himself.

He could've chosen the easier way by saying that I can't do it. He really doesn't need to but he took the tougher route. He'll come back and we are really looking forward to it," Mirza told NDTV.

Mirza thinks a tough task is ahead of Nadal

For 2024, Nadal hopes to be healthy and compete for the biggest titles in his last tournaments.

Specifically, Nadal's big goal will be to win the 2024 French Open and Paris Olympics. Nadal, who is known as one of the biggest competitors in tennis history, is refusing to simply go out without giving himself at least one more shot.

“What maintains things alive first is (having), enough force to say that I didn’t deserve to finish like that. To be back, competing at the highest professional level would be a satisfaction to finish the way I intend to.

I’m aware that it’s not (like this at) the moment. But I’m also aware on the fact that it’s worth a last effort, it’s my philosophy, I keep it and I will fight for it. If the body responds, I will do things worth a lot of efforts," Nadal said.