Rafael Nadal of Spain arrives for a public look within the Queen Avenue Mall forward of the Brisbane Worldwide tennis match in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Picture/Tertius Pickard)
Rafael Nadal mentioned Friday he was “feeling good” however performed down any likelihood of successful tournaments within the close to future as he returns from a close to year-long harm absence.
The 37-year-old has not performed since a second-round loss on the Australian Open this yr, present process two rounds of hip surgical procedure on the lengthy street again.
It raised fears his profession might be over, however he’ll once more grace the courts on the Brisbane Worldwide beginning on Sunday forward of the Australian Open in Melbourne.
“I’m feeling good,” the Spaniard, who has beforehand indicated it might be his farewell season, mentioned at a promotional occasion within the metropolis.
“I can’t complain. I really feel a lot better immediately than what I anticipated one month in the past, however for me, it’s not possible to consider successful tournaments immediately.
“What’s potential is to benefit from the comeback to the courtroom.
“I don’t anticipate a lot, actually,” he added. “The one factor that I anticipate is to have the ability to go on courtroom, to really feel myself aggressive and to provide my greatest.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion frolicked at his academy in Kuwait this month searching for temperatures and circumstances just like these he’ll encounter in Australia.
However his degree of coaching has been restricted and he admitted it could be “a troublesome course of at first”.
“It’s not like I’ve been practising with good depth for the final six months. I simply have been practising for the final month in an excellent depth,” he mentioned.
“Nothing is not possible. However for me, simply being here’s a victory, and I hope that I’ll have an opportunity to take pleasure in, and the gang too.”
A two-time Australian Open champion, in 2009 and 2022, Nadal has slipped behind outdated rival Novak Djokovic within the all-time listing of Grand Slam singles titles, because the Serb gained three this yr in his absence to take his tally to a document 24.
Nadal mentioned at this stage of his profession “I can not have tremendous long-term targets as a result of I don’t see myself taking part in for a brilliant very long time”.
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“However in my thoughts, I’m going to attempt to give myself the chance to be an increasing number of aggressive because the season retains going.”