By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will return to competitive tennis at the Brisbane International after almost a year out with injury.
“After a year away from competition, it’s time to come back,” the Spaniard said Nadal said in a video posted on social media
“It will be in Brisbane, the first week of January. I’ll see you there.”
Nadal has not played on tour since last January, when he hurt his hip flexor during a loss in the second round of the Australian Open.
In May, a little more than a week before the start of the French Open, Nadal announced that he would miss the tournament he’s won a record 14 times and wasn’t exactly sure when he might return to play.
Nadal had said then that he hoped to compete in 2024, which he expected to be his final season.
“You never know how things will turn out,” Nadal said at a news conference at the time, “but my intention is that next year will be my last year.”
He wound up having arthroscopic surgery in June in Barcelona.
Dating to the end of 2022, the Spanish left-hander has lost seven of his past nine matches, including going 1-3 this season.