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via Imago

via Imago

The 2024 tennis pre-season had one name on everyone’s minds, Rafael Nadal. With the King of Clay set to make a return to competitive tennis, his build-up to the Australian Open seemed healthy, with strong Brisbane International performances. However, another injury saw him pull out of Melbourne. But for Nadal fans, there might be positive news just yet.

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According to Laura Robson from Eurosport, prominent tennis coaches revealed Rafael Nadal may be planning a return at an ATP 250 event taking place in Doha. This makes his recovery period much sooner than most expected. If true, the King of Clay’s return would only be a short wait after the end of the Australian Open.

READ MORE: Rafael Nadal’s Face Lights up in Delight by Sheer Mention of His Son in Endearing Moment at the Brisbane International

While there is no official confirmation from the Nadal camp, what has fans convinced are Nadal’s 2023 plans. Before being interrupted by injuries at the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal planned on participating in Dubai and Doha.

Rafael Nadal can return from injury sooner than expected

Nadal’s muscle tear was one of the most disappointing pieces of news to come ahead of the Australian Open. After over a year on the sidelines, the positive signs he showed during the Brisbane International brought a ray of hope for fans. However, his third match loss, followed by the injury announcement left fans disheartened.

If the news about his return to the ATP 250 tournament in February is true, there will be big moves in the tournaments to come. Most prominently, it would mean Nadal’s return at Roland Garros becomes a much better probability because between the French Open and ATP 250 Qatar is roughly 3 months, leaving him with plenty of match practice.

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What makes it even more enticing is the Nadal-Alcaraz exhibition match taking place. The clash of two Spanish titans against the backdrop of the Las Vegas strip has tennis fans jumping in excitement.

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The timeline for his return in February falls in line with updates provided by the Nadal camp. The muscle tear is less severe than thought at first inspection. This return seems like the perfect time for the King of Clay to ready himself to get back to winning ways. With the target set firmly on dominating clay courts, Nadal will have plenty of time to get a lot of match time under his belt. It might just be enough for him to take on challengers at Roland Garros and bag another major.

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