Novak Djokovic: Rafael Nadal can be Grand Slam threat on injury return in Australia

World number one Novak Djokovic believes Rafael Nadal will be competitive at next month’s Australian Open, despite his injury absence.

The Spaniard, 37, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, is set to make his comeback in Brisbane this weekend ahead of the first tennis major of the year.

His last match was a second-round loss to American Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January.

The 2024 edition of that tournament begins on 14 January in Melbourne.

“I always expect him [Nadal] to play at his best, to be honest,” said Djokovic, 36, who won three Grand Slams in 2023 to reach a record 24 for his career and overtake Nadal.

“Many times they’ve signed him out, they’ve done that with me as well. But we’ve proved them wrong.

“He’s not a kind of a player that will come back to the tour just to play – let’s say – on a medium level, play a few matches.

“He wants to win titles, he wants to be the best, that’s why he is who he is: a legend of our sport. I’m sure that his training and preparation is done with an intention to win a Grand Slam.”

Nadal has said that 2024 is likely to be his final season on tour, after needing surgery on a hip injury and slipping down to 670th in the world rankings.

He won the Australian Open in 2009 and 2022 and is a record 14-time champion at the French Open.

World number two Carlos Alcaraz, who played Djokovic in an exhibition match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, also believes his compatriot is ready for action.

“I saw some videos of him practising, he’s 100%,” said 20-year-old Alcaraz.

“I hear from other players that they practised with Rafa in these past weeks and they said that he’s going to return to his good level. His top level.

“I think he’s ready for great things this year as well.”