Nadal insists that return to tennis Can Only Ne Delayed If His...

Rafael Nadal announced last week that he will come back to tennis at some
point in 2024. A specific date and location for his return remains to be seen.

“I’m well, training, and happy,” Nadal said while in Barcelona. “I’m at a good
stage of my life. Until now I didn’t know if I would play tennis again someday,
and now I genuinely believe I will. I’m still not ready to say when, but I’m
able to train increasingly longer and the progress is good.

“We know that the pain will never disappear, but I’ve taken a step forward.
That’s a lot for me. Talking about tennis is another matter altogether, as is
the level I’ll be able to play at. But the steps toward trying to play again
have been big and positive, which is what we have been fighting for for several
months. I’m confident I’ll be able to say something more specific in the coming
weeks.

“I haven’t played for a year. Personal success is often more rewarding than
general success. The hope is that I’ll play again. You never know what will
happen. My gut says it will be very difficult to get back to a good level of
tennis. If I wasn’t hopeful of trying to be competitive, I wouldn’t be doing
everything I’ve done over the past months at my age and after a long career.

“The years pass by. My hope is that I will play again, and that is hugely
satisfying to me on a personal level. I won’t win more Grand Slams than (Novak)
Djokovic, but I will have the chance to enjoy myself again.”

The 37-year-old Spaniard has been out since the Australian Open because of a
hip injury. He had been hoping to return for the clay-court swing but decided
that surgery was necessary and underwent a procedure in June.