Rafael Nadal, who plans to return to the courts in January for the tournament in Brisbane (Australia), declared this Wednesday that he only aspired to “be competitive”, almost a year after having played his last match.
“I know it’s a tough tournament, but I hope to be ready to play, I don’t aspire to anything else, just to be competitive,” said the 37-year-old, in a new video posted on his social networks.
Hello everyone. Here’s more information after Friday’s announcement:
???????? It’s been a long year…
???????? Of course there have been many doubts, of course there have been moments that seemed impossible…
???????? I’m ready to go back, I don’t know at what level, I don’t know what to expect, I have no idea,… pic.twitter.com/XAz8EoltDf— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) December 6, 2023
The former world No. 1, who had fallen to 664th rank in the ATP, announced last Friday his return to competition during the ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane (December 31 to January 7), after an almost blank 2023 season due to from a hip injury.
The last match of the Spaniard, winner of 22 Grand Slam tournaments, was his defeat in the second round of the Australian Open last January.
“I think I’m ready to come back, I don’t know at what level, I don’t know what to expect, I have no idea, but I don’t care,” Nadal said.
After the hip operation he underwent, “the horizon changed, the path was difficult” according to the Majorcan. “There were a lot of doubts, there were times when it seemed impossible that this day would come, but I kept the motivation and the hope” of coming back, he added.
