Rafael Nadal is days away from playing his first competitive match in a year, and he’s playing down expectations ahead of his return.
Rafael Nadal hasn’t played a competitive tennis match ever since he lost to Mackenzie McDonald at the 2023 Australian Open. It’s been almost a year, but the wait is finally over, as he’ll be on the courts in a few days at the Brisbane International.
He’s been in Australia for a while now practicing, and everything is set for a grand comeback. Will it go smoothly, though? That’s the money question, and nobody really has an answer, not even Nadal.
He’s been cautiously playing down expectations for months now, which might single some doubt within himself. It’s only natural; he hasn’t played in over a year, and his injury isn’t one you’d describe as a light one.
After all, how can he expect anything when he’s yet actually to play a match? That will be the proper test; only then can he think about expectations.
For me, it’s impossible to think about winning tournaments. But what’s really possible, is to try to enjoy the comeback to the courts. I don’t expect much. Honestly, the only thing that I expect is to be able to go on court, to feel competitive and to give my best.
Despite those words, which some might perceive as gloomy, Nadal is actually very excited about his comeback. He’s feeling good and actually much better than what he expected it would feel like, so while it’s going to be a tough process, he’s excited to go through it.
I am feeling good. I can’t complain. I’m feeling much better today than what I expected a month ago. It’s going to be a tough process at the beginning. At the end, it’s one year without being on the tennis court and I just have been practising for the last month in a very good intensity. “I don’t say that nothing is impossible, but just to be here is a victory.
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