Nadal’s return edging closer
The Spanish player is in Brisbane and has already been practicing with Holger Rune in the tournament facilities, where he will make his return.
The Brisbane tournament is only three days away from getting started, the same time to see Rafa Nadal back in action after overcoming a series of injuries that put his career in jeopardy.
Australia will be the scenario for his long-awaited comeback after getting injured in the Australian Open second-round game against Mackenzie McDonald. The Oceanian country was the starting point for his nightmare, but it will also be the place that will see the Spaniard’s resurgence.
After a precise training regime in his academies in Kuwait and Manacor with players like Arthur Fils, Richard Gasquet, and Emil Ruusuvuori, he arrived in Brisbane to prepare for the tournament, which will start on December 31, although he will make his debut on the night session of January 1 or 2.
Nadal landed in Queensland’s capital alongside all his team members focused on getting the rhythm needed to get back to competition against the best players.
As soon as he arrived in Brisbane, the Spaniard took his rackets and went to the training courts to get ready for one of the first tournaments of the season. His objective is to adapt to the city’s weather conditions as soon as possible and get back into fitness after a long journey. In addition, he was able to practice on the center court with Holger Rune, the event’s No. 1 seed and one of his possible opponents in the first round.
Nadal won’t feel any pressure on his Australian tour, as his main goal is to enjoy playing tennis again. The Spanish player has been very realistic about the possibility of winning in his return and is aware that it will be difficult to get back to the level he used to play before his injury.
Nadal, the brightest star in Brisbane
Despite being inactive for so long, his fans are pumped up, as they see some similarities to his comeback in 2022 when he won the Melbourne 250 ATP tournament and the Australian Open after six months of inactivity due to a foot injury. All eyes will be on Nadal and on his opponent, whose identity will be revealed on Saturday 30 from midnight when the Brisbane tournament draw will take place.
Despite Nadal’s ranking, currently the world No. 670, he is the player that all fans are looking forward to seeing in Brisbane. Big names like Holger Rune, rising stars like Ben Shelton, Grand Slam event winners like Andy Murray, and ATP Finals champions like Grigor Dimitrov have been overshadowed by the return of the Spaniard.
Nadal will also be a big attraction before the start of the tournament, as he will take part in the promotion events that will be held by the organization all over the city. Nadal will talk to Cameron Pearson, the tournament director, in an interview before the competition starts (although the main draw is scheduled to start on December 31) and will sign autographs for the fans.