Brisbane, now Rafael Nadal feels ready
Brisbane, Rafael Nadal feels ready
Rafael Nadal spoke at a press conference on the eve of his debut in the Brisbane ATP 250 where he will face Dominic Thiem after a year away from competition. "Obviously there’s a’high percentage that this is my last time here in Australia,” he admitted. But, if I come back next year, don t tell me, you said it was the last season [smiles]. I can’t predict whether the body will allow me to enjoy tennis as in the past 20 years, to be competitive – not in the sense of winning the most important tournaments, but to an extent that makes me happy, with the feeling that I can play against anyone".
"I’m happy with how I’m training, although I don’t have the expectations of the past, especially at the’beginning,” added the Spanish champion. One year, surgery, little time training at a decent level. Hard to say what I expect, also becauseé the tournament è different from’training, but here with the guys I am feeling competitive again. È so much stuff becauseé a month ago I didn&even know if I would be able to be there. Now I feel ready, but I don’t know what will happen in the game".
On the recovery process, he recounted: "After Australia, I was told I would be back in a couple of months. &It was difficult to accept that phase because the goal was to be back for the clay court season, especially the final. After eight weeks I felt like right after the injury, frustration was growing. Monte Carlo, Barcelona, then Madrid, Rome. The main goal was Roland Garros, then there was the press conference where I said I wasn’t going to make it. I still didn’t know that surgery would be essential, there’ve been different opinions".
"In the end, the doctors said that without surgery, I would probably never come back, but it wouldn’t be necessary if I didn’t want to play anymore. I had to decide, to come back or not to come back and play tennis. Yes, I wanted to resume. Surgery, then six weeks at home for optimal rehabilitation even though I would have liked to go on vacation. Started again with practice, 15-20 minutes. Tough course, then came the improvements" Nadal closed.
