Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, has made his competitive return to tennis after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left hip in June last year.
He played a doubles match with his partner Marc Lopez at the Brisbane International against Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson from Australia, but they lost 6-4 6-4.
Nadal’s next match is against Austria’s Dominic Thiem on Tuesday in a blockbuster rematch of their 2018 and 2019 French Open title duels, both of which Nadal won.
Ahead of his comeback, Nadal stated that he is uncertain if he will continue playing beyond the 2024 season.
However, there is a high chance that he may not continue into 2025.
He explained that he can’t predict the future entirely and that his body may not allow him to enjoy tennis as much as he has for the past 20 years.
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Nadal also mentioned that he is looking forward to the French Open, where he has won 14 of his major titles.
In an interview on December 13 with Spanish newspaper El Pais, Nadal said that he would decide if 2021 would be his last year when he arrives in Paris.
And if it is, he will make a prior announcement.
Nadal added that he would need to sense his reality after being on the circuit for five months before he could make a decision.
