SYDNEY: A “highly motivated” Rafael Nadal welcomed rival Novak Djokovic’s much-anticipated go back to the Australian Open as “good for tennis” Wednesday, whilst dismissing ideas this can be his closing tilt on the season-opening Grand Slam.
The 36-year-old Spanish nice, who not too long ago was a father, is starting his new season on the United Cup, a brand new mixed-teams tournament beginning Thursday in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
It will supply a warm-up for his protection of the Australian Open name subsequent month at Melbourne Park, the place he swept previous Russian Daniel Medvedev to win this yr in an epic five-setter.
That victory got here after arch-rival and nine-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic used to be detained and deported forward of the event after refusing to get vaccinated for Covid-19.
Australia has since lifted its requirement for guests to turn evidence of vaccination towards Covid. The Serbs arrived again within the nation on Tuesday for the primary time since being turfed out.
Nadal, who has a document males’s 22 Grand Slam titles to Djokovic’s 21, stated he used to be glad to peer his celebrity rival again.
“Novak is here, good for tennis, probably good for the fans,” the sector quantity two stated in Sydney. “Let’s see, no? Best players on court always win.”
Fifth-ranked Djokovic will start his quest for an implausible tenth name at Melbourne Park on the Adelaide International from Sunday.
Nadal subsidized up his Australian Open win this yr with a 14th French Open however struggled with harm after chickening out from the Wimbledon semi-final with an belly tear in July.
Despite a deficient 2d part of the yr, Nadal stated he used to be rarer to move once more with a conflict first up on the United Cup towards British global quantity 14 Cameron Norrie forward of a blockbuster showdown with Australia’s Nick Kyrgios,
“The highest motivation to try is to start well. It’s always important to start well for me, for the confidence,” he stated.
“The last few months haven’t been easy for me. Main thing for me now is recovering the positive feelings on court, being competitive. I hope to. I am ready to make that happen, but let’s see.”
Nadal performed his first Australian Open in 2004. He is now a father, and with a historical past of accidents he used to be requested if this may well be his closing go back and forth to Australia.
“As a professional, you never know, hopefully not,” he stated.
“I mean, when you’re at the age of 36, you never know when it’s going to be the last one. It’s obvious, but I don’t like to talk about that because I’m not in that mood now.
“I’m simply excited by looking to play on the perfect stage imaginable and provides myself probabilities to stay being aggressive, to battle for the rest. That’s my purpose now.
“I’m not thinking about it being my last time here. I’m happy doing what I’m doing. I’m looking forward to keep doing this.”
The 36-year-old Spanish nice, who not too long ago was a father, is starting his new season on the United Cup, a brand new mixed-teams tournament beginning Thursday in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
It will supply a warm-up for his protection of the Australian Open name subsequent month at Melbourne Park, the place he swept previous Russian Daniel Medvedev to win this yr in an epic five-setter.
That victory got here after arch-rival and nine-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic used to be detained and deported forward of the event after refusing to get vaccinated for Covid-19.
Australia has since lifted its requirement for guests to turn evidence of vaccination towards Covid. The Serbs arrived again within the nation on Tuesday for the primary time since being turfed out.
Nadal, who has a document males’s 22 Grand Slam titles to Djokovic’s 21, stated he used to be glad to peer his celebrity rival again.
“Novak is here, good for tennis, probably good for the fans,” the sector quantity two stated in Sydney. “Let’s see, no? Best players on court always win.”
Fifth-ranked Djokovic will start his quest for an implausible tenth name at Melbourne Park on the Adelaide International from Sunday.
Nadal subsidized up his Australian Open win this yr with a 14th French Open however struggled with harm after chickening out from the Wimbledon semi-final with an belly tear in July.
Despite a deficient 2d part of the yr, Nadal stated he used to be rarer to move once more with a conflict first up on the United Cup towards British global quantity 14 Cameron Norrie forward of a blockbuster showdown with Australia’s Nick Kyrgios,
“The highest motivation to try is to start well. It’s always important to start well for me, for the confidence,” he stated.
“The last few months haven’t been easy for me. Main thing for me now is recovering the positive feelings on court, being competitive. I hope to. I am ready to make that happen, but let’s see.”
Nadal performed his first Australian Open in 2004. He is now a father, and with a historical past of accidents he used to be requested if this may well be his closing go back and forth to Australia.
“As a professional, you never know, hopefully not,” he stated.
“I mean, when you’re at the age of 36, you never know when it’s going to be the last one. It’s obvious, but I don’t like to talk about that because I’m not in that mood now.
“I’m simply excited by looking to play on the perfect stage imaginable and provides myself probabilities to stay being aggressive, to battle for the rest. That’s my purpose now.
“I’m not thinking about it being my last time here. I’m happy doing what I’m doing. I’m looking forward to keep doing this.”