Rafael Nadal happy with fitness and has sights trained on 'things that I want to compete' for

Updated 01/01/2024 at 14:20 GMT

Expectation is building ahead of Rafael Nadal’s return to competitive tennis at the Brisbane International. The 37-year-old Spaniard has been out of action for almost a year on account of a hip problem, but is poised to return and has targets in mind for 2024 - with the French Open a likely goal. Stream the 2024 Australian Open live on Eurosport and discovery+.

Nadal ‘happy’ to be back but admits - ‘I don't have the expectations that I used to have’

Rafael Nadal has insisted he is happy with his fitness and has his sights trained on “things that I want to compete [for]."

After almost a year on the sidelines due to a hip injury, the Spaniard will make his singles return against Dominic Thiem at the Brisbane International on Tuesday.

Expectations are not high for his 2024 bow on the hard courts of Australia following such a lengthy absence, but focus will be on working on fitness and form ahead of bigger targets.

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Those goals are likely to be a tilt at a 15th French Open title and a crack at Paris 2024 Olympic Games glory at his beloved Roland-Garros.

And motivation appears not to be an issue for a player who has battled injuries throughout his decorated career.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Nadal said: "Even if I know that everything is almost impossible after all the things that I went through, my age and all the things my body has - if inside myself I don't have the feeling and the motivation or the hope that I can keep fighting for something that really motivates me, probably I will not prepare the season the way that I am.

"I try to put myself in a position that in a few months I will be ready to compete for the things that I want to compete [for]."

While a hip complaint was the problem in 2023, Nadal has also had to contend with knee injuries and longstanding foot issue.

At present, the 37-year-old is happy with the state of his well-being.

"The foot is an ongoing problem for ever," he said. "But, if I have to be honest, today I am good. I don't have a lot of problems.

"I am able to practise and enjoy every practice, and that's the main thing for me more than winning or losing - just feel myself that it's not a drama to play tennis in terms of pain.

"What makes me feel scared, and thinking about retirement, is all the problems that I had on a daily basis."

While Nadal indicated that 2024 was likely to be his final year in the sport, he has said retirement does not scare him.

"I am not the guy that my life was only tennis," Nadal said. "I think that helps a lot.

"I have a lot of things outside of tennis that makes me happy. I have a lot of projects that are going to make me feel active, and going to motivate me to explore different things.

"But, of course, when you change something in your life - anything - it's a process that you need to adapt.

Spain's Rafael Nadal and partner Marc Lopez hit a return against Australia's Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson during their men's doubles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on December 31, 2023.

Image credit: Getty Images

"Things are not easy when you stop doing a thing that you have been doing for almost all your life. But I'm not scared about that."

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Stream the 2024 Australian Open live on Eurosport and discovery+.

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