Rafael Nadal’s plan to get ready for the Australian Open
The former world No. 1 will follow a work schedule before playing in the first Grand Slam event of the season. Here are the details.
Tennis fans are excited to see Rafa Nadal back on a tennis court and compete again. The 22-time major champion recently announced he would be ready to play in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year and if he doesn’t suffer any major setback, he will be in Melbourne in 2024.
Nadal, who won the tournament in 2009 and 2022, will try to make history yet again and win his third title in Melbourne, although that seems an unlikely scenario given he has been out of action for almost a year.
Nadal, who announced that 2024 will likely be his last year competing, suffered a hip injury that forced him to stay away from the courts during the second round of the Australian Open.
The King of Clay was a heavy favorite against the American MacKenzie McDonald and a routine win was expected for the Spaniard, but his injury changed everything and he ended up losing that game in straight sets.
Nadal will play in Brisbane before the Australian Open
If his agenda doesn’t change, the Spaniard will play in the Brisbane tournament (31 December-7 January), which helps players prepare and get ready for the Australian Open.
Nadal, who has been taking part in intense sessions over the last weeks in his native Manacor, will fly to Kuwait this week alongside his team to keep working on his preparation in similar conditions to those he will find in Australia.
He will train at the Rafa Nadal Academy, in the Sheikh Jaber Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah International Tennis Complex, in Zahra, and after that, he will return to Spain to spend Christmas with his family.
During his stay in Kuwait, Rafa will be able to increase the intensity of his sessions with the 19-year-old rising star Arthur Fils, who proved this year he’s one of the NextGen players to watch.
After that, he will take a plane to Brisbane, where he will spend New Year’s Eve and play in the 250 ATP event. He will take part in the tournament via wild card before flying to Melbourne.