Rafael Nadal is ready to make his return to the ATP Tour on the clay courts of Monte Carlo subsequent month, match organisers introduced on Tuesday.
“You by no means know what he’s going to do, however I noticed him coaching together with his coaches on a personal courtroom and I had the impression I used to be listening to a wild beast. He hits like he’s by no means hit earlier than,” stated match director David Massey at a press convention in Paris.
“He felt some discomfort, so he was scared and determined to not play at Indian Wells, however the checks he underwent confirmed nothing,” he added.
Nadal, with 22 Grand Slam titles to his title, has dropped to 652nd within the ATP rankings this week and used a protected rating of ninth to get into the principle attract Monte Carlo, the primary clay-court Masters 1000 occasion of the 2024 season.
The clay specialist has gained the match 11 occasions in his profession however since his final victory in 2018, he fell on the semi-finals in 2019, the quarters in 2021 and missed the 2020, 2022 and 2023 editions.
“We despatched him two bins of balls to Mallorca in order that he may practise (with the balls that can be used within the match),” stated Massey.
Nadal missed virtually the entire 2023 season with stomach and different accidents and has performed solely the Brisbane Worldwide this season, the place he suffered a flare-up of a hip damage.
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The 37-year-old Spaniard was set to make his comeback on the Indian Wells Masters however pulled out of the hard-court occasion final week with out enjoying a degree.
The bombshell resolution got here 4 days after he misplaced a Las Vegas exhibition to compatriot and world quantity two Carlos Alcaraz.
The Monte Carlo Masters begins on April 7 and marks the start of the clay-court season the place Nadal might properly play his last-ever French Open, a Grand Slam occasion he has gained a report 14 occasions.