Reef Nadal reported that the left foot injury is progressing favorably after the “aggressive” treatment that he underwent in September after he found in the Washington tournament that the pain suffered for months had reached an intolerable level to be competitive. With a chronic illness that already endangered his career at the end of 2005, at the age of 35 he has sought the solution to keep his career alive.
It will reappear in the display of Abu Dhabi, from December 15 to 18, as a step prior to playing an ATP tournament in January, yet to be defined, which is the final test to face the Open de Australia, to be held from January 17 to 30 in Melbourne.
Nadal is sixth in the world rankings, although for the first time since he entered the elite, in 17 seasons, he has not managed to get a place in the ATP Finals that are being played in Turin. Although he could not have disputed them.
The oldest ‘Big 3’, Roger Federer, who turned 40 in August and has dropped to 16th place in the world, does not yet have a date for his return. He continues to pamper his right knee, a nuisance since February 2020. When he underwent surgery, he could not imagine that his leave would last until March 2021 and that he has only been able to play thirteen games, until Wimbledon 2021, to stop again and undergo a third intervention.
The withdrawal has not crossed his mind, the Swiss insisted. “The worst is behind us. It’s a challenge. I have to be patient, but I want to get back to physical preparation and training on the track as quickly as possible,” he said in September.
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He is still in the process of rehabilitation. No return date. This was commented by the Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, friend and coach, facets he shares with the Swiss Severin Luthi. The former tennis player said that “we will see Roger next year, but not exactly when. He is in the rehabilitation phase, recovering little by little. He is not in a hurry.” Spoke to Sky Sport Italy, visiting the ATP Finals in Turin.
He was more explicit about the possibility of competing in Australia. “There are very few possibilities, it does not seem like a real option. He is still recovering and, knowing him, he wants to be sure that he can play for the tournament and be one hundred percent,” he says in statements collected by Eurosport.
Patience on his return, a goodbye to tennis still would not be on the table. “I can guarantee that he wants to play tennis again. When he decides to stop, he will retire, but I don’t think that will happen anytime soon.”
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