Rafael Nadal Eyeing Return to Competitive Tennis Play at Next Month’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Rafael Nadal is hoping to return to the court next month…

The 35-year-old Spanish professional tennis player is aiming to return from injury at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi next month before playing another tournament in his buildup to the Australian Open, the world No. 5 said.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal struggled with back issues at the start of this year and pulled out of Wimbledon and the 2020 Tokyo Games.

He last competed in August at the Citi Open in Washington.

He announced ahead of the U.S. Open that the injury to his left foot would rule him out for the rest of the year but said this week that he might return at the December 16-18 Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event.

“My plan is to play Abu Dhabi in December and a tournament before playing the Australian Open. It is my goal and we are working hard to make it that way,” Nadal said at a sponsor event in Paris.

“I don’t know exactly when I’ll be back, but I can say that my goal is to try to come back to Abu Dhabi in December, and then, of course, for the start of the new season in January.

“The injury in my foot still needs to get a little better, but I’m already training almost an hour-and-a-half a day so that’s positive.”

World No. 12 Dominic Thiem, who hasn’t played since suffering a wrist injury at the Mallorca Open in June, will also return to competitive tennis in Abu Dhabi.

 

Nadal will be bidding for a men’s record 21st major title at the Australian Open, which is scheduled to start on January 17.

Rafael Nadal Outlasts Stefanos Tsitsipas to Win Record Fifth Title at Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Rafael Nadal is ending the year with a bang…

The 33-year-Spanish tennis star and current World No. 1 capped off 2019 by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a marathon final at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.

Rafael Nadal

In the process, Nadal became the first player to win the championship five times as he overcame Tsitsipas 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-3) in a dramatic final.

Having beat Novak Djokovicon Friday, ATP Finalschampion Tsitsipas looked well on his way to capping off a brilliant 2019 with a maiden triumph in the exhibition event in Abu Dhabi when he came from a break down to win the first set.

But it was Nadal who rallied to claim the title on a tie-break at the culmination of a thrilling encounter which lasted over three hours.

Nadal saved two break points in each of his first two service games and another three to thwart the Greek and level at 3-3.

It was Nadal who claimed the elusive first break to go 5-4 up, but he failed to serve out the set, making a string of errors as Tsitsipas got back on serve.

The momentum was with the world number six, who charged into a 5-2 lead in the tie-break and took the set when Nadal netted a forehand, having been disgruntled when he was forced to replay a point he had on his racket when Tsitsipas challenged.

Nadal started the second set with a hold to love and the two served up high-quality rallies, but break-point opportunities were not forthcoming until Tsitsipas had two chances to go 5-4 up.

A battling Nadal stood firm with a defiant hold, before capitalising on his first break point to level proceedings.

Tsitsipas passed up another two chances to break at the start of the decider and Nadal made him pay, breaking to go 4-2 up, only for the youngster to immediately break back.

Yet Tsitsipas’ efforts ultimately proved fruitless, with Nadal, who took a 4-1 lead in the tie-break before losing successive points, holding his nerve to secure victory on his first match point.

Nadal defeats Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Third place is the charm for Rafael Nadal

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis star bounced back after a disappointing loss in the semifinals to compatriot David Ferrer, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight-sets at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal posted a 7-6, 6-3 win in the tournament in third plae.

According to RafaelNadalFans.com, the current World No. 1 will play his first official tournament in Doha this week, which will be his sixth appearance at the venue.

Nadal will look to stay atop the ATP rankings, when he returns to the Australian Open, which begins on January 13 in Melbourne.

Two weeks before the start of this year’s Australian Open, Nadal withdrew from the tournament citing a stomach virus. His withdrawal subsequently saw him drop out of the ATP’s Top Four for the first time since 2005.

Nadal to Play Exhibition Tournament in Abu Dhabi

Rafael Nadal is planning to return to the tennis courts in the next few weeks…

Following a six-month break to recover from a knee injury, the 26-year-old Spanish tennis star says he’ll play in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi at the end of the month.

Rafael Nadal

“Can’t wait to get back on court in Abu Dhabi at the end of the month,” the 11-time Grand Slam champion said on his Facebook page and Twitter account. “I won the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in 2010 and 2011 — would love to get my hands on the trophy again this year!”

Nadal began practicing on a court in his hometown of Manacor last month under the supervision of his uncle and coach Tony Nadal and a physiotherapist.

The Abu Dhabi tournament starts December 27 and will feature a six-man field that includes top-ranked Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray.

While Nadal had long been scheduled to play in the event, he was cautious in a radio interview last week about how quickly he could return to full fitness after such a long layoff. Nadal has not played since a shocking second-round loss to 100th-ranked Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon in June due to the partial tear of a tendon in his left knee.

The injury denied Nadal an opportunity to defend the Olympic singles gold at the 2012 London Games and forced him to pull out of the U.S. Open and Spain’s Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic.