Rafael Nadal’s aspirations for the 2024 Australian Open were thwarted by an injury during his comeback tournament in Brisbane. The 37-year-old Spaniard, recovering from surgery on the psoas tendon in his left hip, faced a setback with a micro tear on a muscle during his quarter-final loss to Jordan Thompson.
Nadal, expressing disappointment, stated, “Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level.” Despite the setback, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley remains optimistic, revealing that Nadal might return to the court as early as February and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing in the 2025 Australian Open.
Tiley conveyed, “He will be ready hopefully in February… He didn’t say no. His reaction was, ‘If I’m playing, feeling good and not injured, I’ll be back.'”
Nadal is keeping his options open for the next steps in his career, and if the projected return in February holds, he might participate in events preceding the Indian Wells and Miami Masters next month.
Considering the possibility of Rafael Nadal’s return at the Monte Carlo Masters in April, a swifter comeback is preferable, especially if we are observing the potential conclusion of his iconic career.
Editors pick
