Rafael Nadal’s team respond to claims Spaniard ‘will definitely play Australian Open’
Rafael Nadal’s team have denied suggestions from Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley that the Spaniard “will be back” for the Australian Open next year. It was in Melbourne Park earlier this year where Nadal played his last match on tour as he suffered another injury setback.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion made the shock announcement a few months later that 2024 will likely be his last on the ATP Tour. How many more tournaments Nadal will be able to play remains to be seen, but Tiley increased anticipation of the Spaniard returning in time for next year’s Australian Open.
The Tennis Australia boss claimed Nadal “confirmed he will be back” in a bold statement that has now been rebuked by the icon’s own team. Nadal’s spokesman Benito Perez-Barbadillo said: “We have seen the reports and comments but as of today we wouldn’t be able to confirm.
“Definitely we don’t know yet. Too early to say. We have definitely not released any date cause we simply don’t know it. Rafa is just starting to practice.”
