Rafael Nadal assured he would return to the tennis court in 2024. “I confirmed yesterday, I’ll be back 😄 Stay tuned these days when I decide and announce with my team when and where 💪🏻😉💪🏻,” he wrote on social media.
As informed by ESPN, Nadal said he is making “good progress” after he took a six-month break due to a concerning injury that resulted in surgery on his iliopsoas in June. Rafa has been out of the court since the Australian Open in January.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion is back in training and looking forward to his return. “I’m at a good stage of my life. Until now I didn’t know if I would play tennis again someday, and now I genuinely believe I will,” Nadal said. “I’m still not ready to say when, but I’m able to train increasingly longer, and the progress is good.”
According to the athlete, he is still in pain. “We know that the pain will never disappear, but I’ve taken a step forward. That’s a lot for me,” he added. “Talking about tennis is another matter altogether, as is the level I’ll be able to play at. But the steps toward trying to play again have been big and positive, which is what we have been fighting for for several months.”
In September, Rafael Nadal sat down with Spanish sports commentator Juanma Castaño for an interview that shed light on his determination to make a triumphant return to the tennis court. “I would love to get back to playing and being competitive. But my dream is not to come back and win Australia, don’t get it twisted,” he said.
Nadal’s plan to return to competitive tennis in 2024 for his last season adds a significant layer of anticipation to his journey.