Rafael Nadal to Play an ATP 250 Event in Melbourne to Strengthen His Preparations Ahead of the Australian Open

Rafael Nadal, one of the great names in tennis is all set to mark a strong comeback next year. The Spaniard has not been featured since the French Open 2021 where he suffered an injury after the semi-final defeat to Novak Djokovic. Since then, he is working on his comeback. Recently, Rafael Nadal confirmed that he will be taking part in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi. The tournament is expected to start midway in December. 

This will give him a chance to strengthen his preparations ahead of the Australian Open. Recently, he was given a surprise when the Spanish player was not in the national squad for the ATP Cup in Australia. The ATP Cup will start on the 1st of January. The final day will be on the 9th of January. 

Also read: Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, or Rafael Nadal: The Top Players to Look Out For at the Upcoming Australian Open

Not that he is not participating in the ATP Cup, he is most likely to take part in the Melbourne ATP 250 event. The event will start on the 3rd of January and will feature some prominent stars like Kei Nishikori of Japan, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, Kevin Anderson of South Africa, and others.

Among all the stars, he will be the highest-ranked player to take part in the tournament. This will provide him a glorious opportunity to get back the back required for the Australian Open. 

ATP250 Melbourne entry list incl. Rafael Nadal pic.twitter.com/kIvijJXv0y

— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) December 10, 2021

The King of Clay has not been able to lay his hands on the Australian Open for more than a decade now. The last time he won the title was in the year 2009. Since then, it has been more than a decade for him. He would finally want to end the long wait and lay his hands on the title. 

Also, after the Australian Open, he will shift his attention to the clay court. The French Open will then be his topmost priority. The Spaniard has been the most successful on clay. He holds an incredible record that seems to be unbreakable. 

Should he win the title, he will be the first player in the men’s category to win 21 grand slams. Currently, he is tied on 20 with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.