OFFICIAL: Rafael Nadal to return to play first week of 2024 at Brisbane International

Rafael Nadal has announced that he will return to play in the Brisbane International, in the first week of 2024 as preparation for the Australian Open.

It should be remembered that he was injured at the Australian Open at the beginning of 2023 and has been out for the whole year. Now, as he announced in the press conference in which he said he would not return this year, it is confirmed that he will retire on the courts: "I think I do not deserve to finish like this, I think I have worked hard enough in my career so that my end is not in a press conference so that my end is otherwise and I will strive to make it otherwise".

As a result, he has not played since January 18, when he lost in the second round of the Australian Open against Mackenzie McDonald. On June 2 he underwent hip surgery just one day before his 37th birthday. Now he is ready to return. He is currently number 662 of the ATP ranking, so he will not be among the seeded players of the tournament and will receive an invitation to compete;

We will see the physical condition in which he returns after a year without competing. Although some advised him to return directly for the start of the clay court season with the clear objective of Roland Garros on the horizon, he wanted to start the season on Australian hard courts and see what he could do in the first Grand Slam of the season.