"The tournaments will not be catwalks": Rafael Nadal not returning just for farewell tour believes Paolo Bertolucci

Former world No. 12 Paolo Bertolucci asserted that Rafael Nadal will not return solely for a farewell tour but will seek to win as much as possible.

The former Italian tennis player, who won six ATP tournaments and reached world No. 12 in 1973 after reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open, Paolo Bertolucci currently works as a journalist and commentator. He spoke about Rafael Nadal's comeback and his competitive spirit to return at the highest level.

The Spanish tennis star recently announced his return at the ATP 250 Brisbane International Open, starting on December 31, with the goal of gaining competitive rhythm for the Australian Open. There are doubts about the level Nadal can display at the age of 37 and after nearly a year away, but Bertolucci believes that the former world No. 1 will come with the intention of surpassing his rivals:

“I'm sure, however, that he will still have a great desire to compete and overcome his opponents: someone like him doesn't come back to do the farewell tour. The tournaments will not be catwalks to collect the last applause and say goodbye to his many fans," he told.

“There is a lot of curiosity in seeing him back on the court. Accustomed as he was to breaking so many records, perhaps he wants to push the boundaries of his legend further,” Bertolucci added.

“He chose Australia to start again, but I believe that everything is part of the design of a very targeted program through specific tests that have validated this decision and which should bring him in good condition for the clay tournaments from May to June,” he concluded.

Nadal only played two matches in 2023, both at the Aussie Open, with a victory over Jack Draper and a tough loss to Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets. Without participating in more tournaments, Nadal currently holds the world No. 664 ranking, and he will lose his remaining points after the first Grand Slam of the year.