Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal will return to clay courts again tomorrow, Tuesday, after confirming his participation in the Barcelona Open, and hinting that 2024 will be his last year in competition.
Nadal has suffered many injuries in recent years, and last May he announced his intention to retire at the end of the current season.
But the last round of the 22-time Grand Slam champion did not go as planned, after he was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open last January due to a thigh injury. He also missed the Indiana Wells and Monte Carlo tournaments.
However, Nadal (37 years old) will participate in the Barcelona Open Championship, as there is a stadium bearing his name there, and tomorrow, Tuesday, he will face Italian Flavio Copoli, in his first appearance on clay courts since winning the Roland Garros 2022 title.
Nadal said in a press conference: “I cannot tell you anything about the injury. The list is long and I just want to think about what could happen.”
He added: “I would like to tell you that I feel well enough to be on the field tomorrow, and this is very important to me.”
Nadal continued: “It means a lot to me to be able to play more matches here in Barcelona, a place where I have achieved many successes and many unforgettable moments.”
He explained: “So I try to enjoy every moment and I am excited to be on the field and in another tournament, especially here in my home country.”
Nadal achieved a record number of wins in the Barcelona Championship, which reached 12 times, but he only participated in three matches in the current year 2024.
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