Rafael Nadal’s comeback is just days away and it is not just fans who are excited to see him return to competitive tennis, but also his fellow professionals. After nearly a full calendar year on the sidelines due to a hip injury he sustained at last year’s Australian Open, the 22-time Grand Slam winner will make his return at the Brisbane International.
The excitement about the tennis legend’s comeback has certainly increased after the 37-year-old touched down in Australia on Thursday. Nadal and his coaching team have been cautious following his long rehabilitation, but the tennis community is salivating about what has already been described as a heroic comeback.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz was asked about his idol ahead of his exhibition match against Novak Djokovic in Riyadh on Wednesday. And, according to the world No 2, he has been hearing “great things”. “I saw some videos of him practising, he’s 100%,” he said. “I hear from other players that they practised with Rafa in these past weeks and they said that he’s going to return to his good level. His top level.
“I think he’s ready for great things this year as well Then there is Daria Kasatkina, who has made no secret of the fact that she is a big Nadal fan and she expects him to pull off another miracle comeback, although he will need time to regain full fitness.
In an interview with Telegra.ph, Kasatkina said: “I’m already happy that he’ll come back. It’s amazing how he proves it every time. Everyone writes him off, but every time he comes back like a phoenix and wins something. It’s totally unbelievable. As for the prospects, I do not know, because he always needs some time after comebacks.”
She added: “But I’ve heard that Rafa is in very good shape right now — it’s the most important thing. I think it’s already an incredible victory for him that he’ll сome back. If he can show some kind of result already in Australia, it will be very cool. As a fan from the cradle, I want to postpone the cry when your idol ends his career. I’m not in a hurry, I’d like to see more of his matches.” Nadal’s great rival Novak Djokovic also spoke of the Spaniard after his match against Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia.
Many tennis pundits believe Nadal will use the Australian swing to get up to speed again ahead of the clay-court swing with his ultimate aim to win another title at Roland Garros.
Djokovic has no doubt that the Spaniard’s ultimate aim is to win another major. “I always expect him to play at his best, to be honest,” he said.
“Many times they’ve signed him out, they’ve done that with me as well. But we’ve proved them wrong. He’s not the kind of a player who will come back to the tour just to play, let’s say, on a medium level, play a few matches.
“He wants to win titles, he wants to be the best, that’s why he is who he is: a legend of our sport. I’m sure his training and preparation is done with an intention to win a Grand Slam.
