Nadal Not Yet Certain About Return Plan
There’s still no definitive word about when fans can expect to see Rafael Nadal return to the court. Nadal said this week he himself wasn’t yet clear on the timeline for a return, while adding that his focus right now was to recover from the foot injury that cost him the biggest part of his 2021 season.
The Spaniard has also been struggling with several back issues this year, which ultimately led to his withdrawing from Wimbledon as well as the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The last time fans saw him play was in August, when he played in Washington’s Citi Open. He shortly after announced that he wouldn’t be appearing in the 2021 US Open because of the lingering injury to his left foot.
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Addressing the press from his home island of Mallorca on Wednesday, Nadal said he is prioritising a full recovery right now. He said while he couldn’t yet say when he’d be good to make his return to the court because of circumstances beyond his control, he’s working daily at getting fit and stronger.
Also commenting on Nadal this week had been Toni Nadal, the star’s uncle and former coach. He said that while he felt uncertain about a successful return for 40-year-old Roger Federer, he remains confident in his nephew’s ability to continue to compete at the sport’s highest levels for at least 2 or 3 more years.
He added that he was looking forward to a new year that would hopefully bring his nephew in reach of a record 21st Grand Slam.
