In a much-anticipated announcement, Rafael Nadal has revealed his plans to make a triumphant return to the tennis court. After a year away from the tour due to hip surgery, Nadal is set to make a highly anticipated comeback early next year at the start of the season, much to the delight of millions of his fans.
Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, has just shared exciting news about his imminent return to the tennis court. In a video posted on social media, Nadal expressed his eagerness, stating, “After one year outside of the tour, I think it’s the right moment to be back.” He officially announced his return at the Brisbane International in Australia, scheduled for the first week of the upcoming 2024 season.
The Brisbane International is a key tournament leading up to the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open. The Spaniard will make his comeback then, even if his fans are a little apprehensive about his health. Nadal plans to travel to Australia after Christmas, participating at the ATP 250 event in Brisbane before making a final decision on his Australian Open appearance.
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The Brisbane International has also confirmed the participation of other top players like Andy Murray, Holger Rune, Grigor Dimitrov, and Ben Shelton. It will set the stage for an exciting comeback tournament for Rafael Nadal and tennis aficionados, who are eagerly awaiting to see ‘Spanish Bull’ in action.
With the tennis world eagerly anticipating his comeback, Rafael Nadal’s remarkable tally of 22 Grand Slam titles trails Novak Djokovic’s historic record of 24 Slams in the history of this great sport.
A spectacular 2023 season for Novak Djokovic
In 2023, Novak Djokovic, the tennis maestro from Serbia, enjoyed an exceptional year, taking his Grand Slam tally from 21 to 24 wins, thus eclipsing Nadal’s record of 22 majors. At 36, Djokovic had once again proven his dominance on the court, securing a total of 7 titles from just 12 tournament appearances, including big tournaments’ wins at Majors, ATP Masters 1000s, and the ATP Finals.
He started the year with a bang to claim his 10th Australian Open title, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a straight-set final. The clay-court season witnessed Djokovic overcome hurdles at the French Open, securing a place in the final with a four-set win over Carlos Alcaraz and ultimately defeating Casper Ruud in straight sets to claim his third French Open title of his career.
While his 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon was halted by Alcaraz in the championship match, Djokovic’s resilience was not meant to be broken. A historic achievement came with the US Open win, where Djokovic clinched his fourth three-slam season of his career and his 24th Major title, cementing his status as the sport’s greatest player.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS A 24-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION!!! 🤯#USOpen @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/0NeLAmaxCW
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 10, 2023
With a seventh ATP Finals title in his trophy cabinet, Djokovic’s year-end world No. 1 finish for the eighth time underlined his tennis dominance, boasting a 17-4 (81%) success rate against the top 10 opponents. Furthermore, Djokovic maintained an outstanding 55-6 overall record in ATP tour tournaments this season, reaffirming his status as a formidable force in the world of tennis.
