There he is again – Rafael Nadal is back on the tennis court. In the coming year, the Mallorcan wants to play for the big titles again. The big question is: what is the left foot doing?
“He is back!” In bold letters, the organizers of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship announce the news that tennis fans all over the world have been waiting for so longingly.
Rafael Nadal makes his comeback at the invitation tournament in Abu Dhabi after the 35-year-old Mallorcan had to pause for more than four months due to a complicated foot injury. Nadal was last on the field at the beginning of August at the ATP tournament in Washington, after a loss to South African Lloyd Harris, he ended his season prematurely – the pain in his left foot was too severe.
More than a quarter of a year off
No Wimbledon, no Olympia, no US Open, no Laver Cup, no ATP Finals: the list of highlights that Nadal missed this year is long. Only two tournament victories are recorded in his statistics for the past season, in Barcelona and Rome on his favorite surface sand. Both Australian Open was already over in the quarterfinals, with the French Open, the most important event of the year for Nadal, there was a bitter defeat in the semi-finals against the Serbian Novak Djokovic. Even then, Nadal didn’t seem fit.
Now, after a break of more than three months, Nadal wants to know again. As the first from the prominent injured trio Roger Federer and Dominic Thiem reports the Spaniard back. “I’m delighted to be here again and to be on the pitch,” said Nadal in Abu Dhabi. He had previously trained at his own Rafa Nadal Academy in Kuwait.
The first pictures of Nadal’s training sessions around the world on social media look positive. Nadal moves well and, as always, makes a well-trained impression. But whether the foot really holds will be shown for the first time when Nadal in Abu Dhabi after a bye to kick off either Andy Murray or Dan Evans.
Nadal himself dampened the euphoria about himself. “To be honest, my expectations are very low. It was a really difficult time for me,” said Nadal. “I just hope that it gets better every day and that I can play at a level that I’m used to.”
Nadal still has real sporting goals
With the return to the tournament business, Nadal is already a big step further than his long-standing rival Federer. The 40-year-old Swiss is still a long way from a comeback, and Federer will probably not be expected until the lawn season in summer. “At my age, a few months do not matter either,” said Federer, for whom it is only a matter of saying goodbye to a brilliant career.
Nadal, on the other hand, still has real sporting goals and wants to play for the title in the big tournaments again. Although he has now also recognized that it will probably be Djokovic who of the big three will have won the most Grand Slam titles in the end. But Nadal does not want to leave the field to the Serbian world number one without a fight. Which is why he worked hard for his return. “When I’m healthy, I still have the fire in me to fight for the greatest goals,” said Nadal.
After the tournament in Abu Dhabi, Nadal will go to Australia early, where he will take part in a first preparatory tournament for the Australian Open (January 17th to 30th) in Melbourne from January 3rd. At the latest in Melbourne you will see whether Nadal can find his way back to old strength.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 211216-99-406668 / 4 (dpa)
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