Rafael Nadal’s Return to Clay Confirmed at Tournament He Has Won a Whopping 12 Times

Ever since the word broke out regarding his comeback, Rafael Nadal has been in much news. The Spanish tennis legend has brought back smiles on the faces of his fans after a grim 2023 season. It was a year marred by injuries as Nadal managed to play just a couple of tournaments this season. However, the former World Number 1 is recovering well and will make a comeback early next year. After announcing his return tournament, Nadal has dropped another major update for the upcoming season.

Nadal will return to the court at the Brisbane International which will serve as a warmup for the Australian Open. The Spaniard isn’t taking it lightly and is looking to make it count before he calls time on his illustrious career. As a result, he is set to participate in another famous event.

Rafael Nadal confirms his participation in the Barcelona Open

Earlier today, tennis journalist, Mario Boccardi, took to his official Twitter handle to update about Nadal’s comeback. He revealed that the Spaniard will participate in a renowned clay-court tournament where he has found major success. As a result, Nadal will be brimming with confidence despite his lengthy injury lay-off.

Nadal will participate in the Barcelona Open in his native country. The ATP 500 clay-court tournament will begin on the 15th April, with the finals scheduled on the 21st April. Nadal will be aiming to dig deep in the French Open next year and the Barcelona Open will act as a perfect platform for Nadal to get used to the surface after an injury break.

Additionally, Nadal has won the Barcelona Open a record 12 times. His first victory here came way back in 2005 when he defeated compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero in the summit clash to win the title. While Nadal was a champion here in 2021, he missed the event in 2022 and 2023.

While Nadal has maintained that he is confident of a strong comeback, it wouldn’t be a cakewalk for him after being out for almost 12 months. Additionally, his coach, Carlos Moya, also raised concerns regarding his comeback.

What did Carlos Moya say regarding Nadal’s comeback?

Recently, Moya was involved in an interview where he opened up about Nadal’s comeback. The two are spending quality time on the court to ensure Nadal gets back to speed. However, Moya is still wary of the fitness standards that the game demands.

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Talking about this, he said, “Playing the best of five sets, win, rest, return to court two days later … That’s the doubt I have right now, especially for a Grand Slam. But we have time. If the Australian Open started tomorrow, it would be a real fear.”

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal’s fans will be hoping that their star lifts at least 1 Grand Slam trophy before retirement. Can Nadal find success on his return to the court? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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