Exclusive: Alex Corretja urges Rafael Nadal to not focus on results to win 'big titles' again ahead of return
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Updated 28/12/2023 at 18:52 GMT
Rafa Nadal suffered a hip injury during his second round defeat at the Australian Open in January 2023 and has been out of action ever since. He will make his return to the court at the Brisbane International ahead of, what he has indicated, might be his last year on tour. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has said there is a "good chance" he will bring his career to an end after the next season.
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As Rafael Nadal’s return to tennis draws ever closer, Eurosport expert Alex Corretja says there will be many unknowns to navigate during an emotional comeback.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner will be back on court at the Brisbane International, almost a year since his last competitive match.
“Just thinking and saying Rafa's name, I get excited because of everything he transmits, the hopes that his return has generated, seeing that he is eager to compete again," Corretja said. "For me, the results are really going to be the least important thing.
“He has the winning gene in his heart and he will have it until he retires. If he wins more or less matches, I am not worried about it, but if he is physically well and healthy and has no problems, I am convinced that we will see a Rafa who will win big titles again.”
Nadal injured his hip flexor in a second round defeat in at the Australian Open at the start of 2023 and then underwent surgery in the summer.
Correta knows managing his workload is going to be key to Nadal staying fit and healthy upon his return.
“For me, one of the uncertainties is to know how his body will react, not only from the injury he has had, but also from the possible adversities he may encounter at any given moment," Corretja added. "Because when you haven't played for a long time, you might have other problems.
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“Maybe, because the shoulder does not expect so much ball, so much competition and can be resentful. Sometimes you have a little problem with your back, you may have a problem elsewhere in the body.
“That is the only doubt I have, because Rafa is so good that when he comes back he wins a lot of matches right away and that also makes him take an extra load of effort. So, I think that's what he's going to have to control very well, his training, his official matches."
Despite needing to manage his return carefully, Nadal still needs to play in the way that has kept him at the top of the game for so long, according to Corretja.
“For me, with the way Rafa plays, he needs matches that are long, but not agonisingly long, that he doesn't suffer too much," he said. "I think he is at a point in his career where he has to find a way to play with a kind of joy.
“I understand that he is a winner and he likes to succeed but it can't be all suffering.”
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