"Just to be here is a victory": Rafael Nadal believes it is 'impossible' to think about titles in tennis comeback

Rafael Nadal admits it is 'impossible' to think about winning titles yet in his tennis comeback and that just getting on court again after documented injury struggles is a 'victory' in itself.

Nadal has not played a match since injuring his hip during the 2023 Australian Open losing in the second round to Mackenzie McDonald and many thought that was the end of his career. But he has since fought for his tennis career and to go out on his terms.

Many believe including two of his rivals in Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz that he would not return if he was there to merely make the numbers up and wasn't on the hunt for titles. But Nadal sees his comeback differently.

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“I am feeling good. I can’t complain. I’m feeling much better today than what I expected a month ago," said Nadal in an appearance in Brisbane.

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“For me, it’s impossible to think about winning tournaments. But what’s really possible is to try to enjoy the comeback to the courts. I don’t expect much. Honestly, the only thing that I expect is to be able to go on court, to feel competitive and to give my best.

“It’s going to be a tough process at the beginning. At the end, it’s one year without being on the tennis court and I just have been practising for the last month in a very good intensity. I don’t say that nothing is impossible, but just to be here is a victory.”

He added: “(I want to) try to give myself the opportunity to be more and more competitive as the season goes on. I am not the player that that tries to predict what kind of things can happen in the short term, and it’s even tougher in a medium period of time.

“How I need to approach this process is accepting the adversity and that things aren’t going to be perfect at the beginning. I just have to stay with the right attitude and the working spirit every day.”

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