Rafael Nadal was all smiles as he arrived at the Queensland Tennis Centre on Thursday.
The Spanish superstar, who landed in Australia late on Wednesday evening, is preparing to contest his first tournament in almost 12 months.
“(I’m) happy to be back on the tour and happy to be here in Brisbane after a few years,” Nadal told brisbaneinternational.com.au.
After a hip injury curtailed his 2023 season, Nadal’s Pepperstone ATP Ranking has dipped to 672. The former World No. 1 will make his comeback as a wild card at this week’s ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane, where he’ll be unseeded at a tour-level event for the first time since Auckland in January 2005.
Nadal practised on Show Court Two on Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to hit with World No.8 Holger Rune on Pat Rafter Arena later in the evening.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion’s last appearance in Brisbane was in 2017, when he progressed to the quarter-finals.
Main-draw action at the Brisbane International begins on 31 December.
- Story reprinted with permission from BrisbaneInternational.com.au
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