Rafael Nadal will play at the Australian Open in January, says tournament director Craig Tiley
Rafael Nadal will play at the Australian Open in January with Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and local favorite Nick Kyrgios, tournament director Craig Tiley has confirmed.
Nadal, the 37-year-old former world number 1, will return to the sport after undergoing hip surgery earlier this year.
The Spaniard, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, has been out of action since January after injuring his hip flexor muscles in a second round defeat at the Australian Open.
He underwent hip muscle surgery in June and was initially expected to be out for about five months.
Nadal expected to retire after 2024 season
“We can exclusively reveal here that Rafa will be back,” Tiley said on The Today Show.
“He’s been out for most of the year and speaking to him over the last few days he’s confirmed he’ll be back, which we’re really excited about, the 2022 champion.
It’s great.”
Nadal has said he plans to retire after the 2024 season, with a series of injuries limiting his Tour appearances.
The Spaniard has slipped to 240th in the rankings but is eligible to receive a protected ranking after being injured and not competing in any tennis events for at least six months.
Nadal has won the Australian Open twice, most recently in 2022 when he beat Russian Daniil Medvedev and became the first man in the Open era to come back from two sets down in the final to win.
Naomi Osaka, who spoke at a mental health forum at the US Open, will also return to action in Melbourne
A trio of former Australian Open women’s singles champions – Osaka, Wozniacki and Kerber – are also expected to return, while Kyrgios is expected to play as he continues to recover from knee and wrist injuries.
“Nick is also doing everything possible to get back to his best and preparing for his return to the field,” Tiley said.
“We know how much playing at the Australian Open means to him and he never fails to bring enthusiasm and passion. His incredible tennis and showmanship always adds something very special to the tournament.”
The tournament will take place from January 14 to 28, with for the first time an opening day on a Sunday.
The Australian Open joins the French Open as the only Grand Slam tennis tournament to take place over 15 days.
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