Rafael Nadal Comeback After Wanting To Retire

JAKARTA Rafael Nadal confirmed he will return to compete at the end of this year. He will appear at Brisbane International after nearly a year of absence from injury.

The former 37-year-old world number one has been sidelined since suffering an injury to his hip flexor during a second round loss at the Australian Open in January 2023.

"After a year of absence from the tournament, this is the time to return. It will happen in Brisbane, the first week of January 2024. See you there," Nadal said in a post on his Instagram social media.

Brisbane International will be a preparatory event for Nadal to face the Australian Open on January 14, 2024. It was a tournament Nadal has won in 2009 and 2022.

Australia Open CEO Craig Tiley last month said Nadal would participate in the tournament even though the Spaniard has not confirmed the information.

Nadal, who is the 22-time Grand Slam champion, previously underwent surgery in June 2023. He even had time to say plans to retire from tennis at the end of the 2024 season.

He conveyed this when announcing his absence from the French Open for the first time in 19 years.

Nadal said that 2024 might be the last year of his career.

At that time, Nadal and Serbia's Novak Djokovic still held a joint record in terms of the highest number of men's singles Grand Slam titles. However, Djokovic then passed it after winning at Roland Garros and US Open.

Brisbane International will be held from December 31, 2023 to January 7, 2024.