Rafael Nadal to play in Abu Dhabi in December

Rafael Nadal called time on his season much earlier than expected after it was revealed that he played through a foot injury for the better part of the 2021 season. The Spaniard has been dealing with the foot at least since 2005 as it was revealed by his uncle Toni Nadal. His coach Carlos Moya explained the team was unsure of how to proceed and that is why he ended the season early.

During the recovery, Nadal spent the majority of his time back home in Mallorca where he underwent surgery on the foot to try and repair the injury. It was a success and the Spaniard slowly build up his strength over time to return to the courts recently. Videos of him playing tennis in Mallorca were spread online with Nadal looking rather happy to be back on the court.

Now we officially know when he will return to the courts' thanks to the AFP News Agency who revealed on their official Twitter page that the Spaniard plans to return in December. In order to better prepare for the Australian Open, Nadal will take part in the exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.