The return of the “King of Clay” has been left open for the past few months, but it seems that Rafa’s return is near.
The 37-year-old tennis player has been out of action since suffering a hip muscle injury in a loss to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open.
Earlier this year, Nadal announced that he would not attend Roland Garros, where the “King of Clay” was made famous, when he had to undergo major surgery for this injury.
Rafael Nadal announced his intention to return to tennis in 2024 , but there have been doubts about the progress of his recovery from injury during training sessions at his academy in Mallorca.
Currently, Rafa has given the latest update on his condition. He confirmed that he is completely confident to re-enter the football industry.
Consecutive injuries have caused Nadal to no longer be able to maintain his peak form. (Photo: AP)
However, the exact time has not been specifically announced by the Spanish tennis player. He is still leaving open the possibility of returning to Grand Slam competition at the Australian Open after a long absence.
“I was skeptical about whether I could play tennis again. Things have changed from a few weeks ago. Now, I am confident that I will return to the felt ball industry.
Recently, I have had great strides made. I’m not ready to say where I’ll return to play yet. But this is a step forward and it means a lot to me ,” Nadal shared on November 15.
The former world No. 1 is two titles behind great rival Novak Djokovic in the race to end his career with the most Grand Slam championships in contemporary tennis history.
The “King of Clay” confidently returns to the felt ball industry in 2024. (Photo: Getty)
However, he admitted that pursuing greatness with the Serbian tennis player is no longer a feasible goal for himself. Now, Nadal focuses more on core values when returning to competition.
“I know it is difficult to return to top tennis form, but if I don’t compete, all my efforts over the past time will be meaningless.
The effort must be made after a very long career filled with burdensome years. I know I have no chance of winning more Grand Slams than Novak Djokovic, but I will enjoy my time on the court.” , Nadal added.
The return of one of the greatest players in the Open era makes fans around the world extremely excited, especially when Djokovic is showing the expansion of his power with ¾ Grand Slam titles in 2023. .
