Nadal to make long-awaited comeback in Brisbane
Rafael Nadal will make his professional tennis comeback after a year out at the Brisbane International in late December.
The 22-time grand slam champion has not played a competitive match since suffering a hip injury during his second-round defeat by Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January.
Having initially hoped the lay-off would only be a few weeks, Nadal admitted in May that he was staring at the end of his career and that he hoped to be able to play a final year on tour in 2024.
He had surgery in June and has been gradually building up to a return that he has now announced will be at the Brisbane International, a key warm-up event for the Australian Open, beginning on 31 December.
Nadal said in a social media video: “After a year away from competition, it’s time to come back. It will be in Brisbane the first week of January. I’ll see you there.”
The 37-year-old is currently ranked at No.663 in the world having seen his 18-year stay in the top 10 end in March.
Brisbane will also mark the return of 2019 and 2021 women's Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka after the birth of her first child in July.
