Nadal announces return to competition

Former world number one Rafael Nadal is optimistic about his fitness and said he will announce his 2024 schedule in the coming weeks.

"If you want me to say something new, honestly I think I will return to play," Nadal said on the sidelines of an event at the Teknon clinic of his personal doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro in Barcelona on November 15.

Nadal said he had not decided where he would play, but was confident he would announce it in a few weeks. "A month ago I was quite pessimistic about my ability to return to the court. But I am happy with the way things are improving," he said.

Nadal speaks at an event at the Teknon Tennis Clinic on November 15. Photo: EFE — Nadal speaks at an event at the Teknon Tennis Clinic on November 15. Photo: *EFE*

Nadal is not sure at what level he will play again, after nearly a year out with a hip injury. "It seems like everything is going in the right direction," he added. "I will tell you directly when I will be back on the court. I am enjoying the training sessions. It is definitely a step forward for me."

Nadal left open the possibility of hanging up his racket in 2024 when he did an interview with Movistar in October. Many sources in Spain also predicted that the "King of Clay" would retire after the 2024 clay season, focusing on Roland Garros and the Paris Olympics, where he could pair up with his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.

Nadal was excited to announce his intention to return to competition, but stressed that he was not looking for motivation from the Grand Slam race with Novak Djokovic. He said: "I took a year off and still maintained the hope of playing again, that's my success. I think it's very difficult to play at the highest level again. I'm not playing to win more Grand Slams than Djokovic, I'm playing to give myself a chance to enjoy tennis again."

Australian Open CEO Craig Tilley recently made headlines when he hinted that Nadal could return to the Grand Slam early next year. Tilley has said the same about Roger Federer in the past when the Swiss legend was struggling with injury. Nadal denied the reports, saying he had not yet decided where he would return.

The Australian Open is one of Nadal's last two Grand Slams, along with Roland Garros in 2022. According to this week's updated rankings, Nadal has only 45 points left, ranking 664th in the world. However, this ranking does not affect Nadal's chances of participating in the Grand Slam next year, because he will have a ticket thanks to the ATP's ranking protection rules or a wild card.

Vy Anh

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