This Friday the most anticipated news in the world of tennis was confirmed. Rafa Nadal announced his return to the circuit on the occasion of the Brisbane tournamentfrom December 31 to January 7.
“After a year away from competition, it was time to come back. It’s in Brisbane and it’s the first week of January“, he said in a video he shared on social networks.
This will be the definitive test to attend the Australian Open in the best possible conditionsfrom January 14 to 28. But how will the Manacor player begin this new phase in his career?
After almost a year due to injury, the champion of 22 Grand Slam titles He will start as number 663 in the ATP ranking, a classification that will not prevent him from accessing any draw as he will use the protected rankingthat is, the classification he had at the time he declared himself on long-term sick leave.
In this way, Your rank will actually be number 9, but that won’t help you get seeded in the various tournaments he played in the first nine months (or nine tournaments) after his return.
Nadal won’t have any ‘privileges’, that is Avoiding a first round encounter with players as established as Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner depends on luckwhere he will now top the bill at the Australian Open.
And that is the great goal of the Balearic Islands in its return, to be competitive in big tournaments to close a sports career to mark in a big way. So far, he has confirmed his presence in Brisbane, where he already competed in 2017, making it to the quarterfinals. He beat Alexander Dolgopolov and Mischa Zverev, lost to Milos Raonic. He will be a finalist at the Australian Open, which has always been his priority.
His 22 Grand Slam titles include victories in 2009 and 2022 at Melbourne Park, home of the Open.
Source: La Verdad

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