The 2024 tennis season has not started and he is already the protagonist. Rafael Nadal’s name is on everyone’s lips as the Spaniard prepares to make his comeback after recovering from an injury that many feared was irreparable. This fear has not been completely ruled out and Rafa’s first racquet hits in competition for his official return to Brisbane will inevitably be closely followed. For his biggest rival, Novak Djokovic, there is, however, little doubt: Nadal will be back at his best.
“I always expect him (Rafael Nadal) to give the best of himself. Some have often announced it as being near the end, as they did for me. But we proved them wrong,” Djokovic told several media, before playing an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz in Riyadh on Wednesday.
“He wants to be the best”
“He’s not the type to come back to the circuit just to play, let’s say, at an average level, to play a few matches. He wants to win titles, he wants to be the best, that’s why he is what he is: a legend of our sport. I am sure that his training and preparation are done with the intention of winning a Grand Slam,” continued the man with 24 major trophies.
Rafael Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles and former world No. 1, fell to 670th place, has not played in competition since his elimination in the second round of the Australian Open in January 2023 where, reduced by a hip injury, he was beaten in three sets by the American Mackenzie McDonald.
“I think he’s ready… I’ve seen videos of him in training, he’s 100%. Other players told me that they had trained with Rafa in recent weeks and that he was going to get back to his good level. His best level. I think he is ready to do big things this year too,” said his compatriot Alcaraz, world number 2, also questioned on the subject in Riyadh.