Tennis, Nadal wants the Australian Open. Today he flies to Melbourne

Rafa Nadal wants to try. The former number 1 in the world and king of clay, should leave today for Australia. After having tested positive at Covid upon returning from the Abu Dhabi exhibition (and like him nine other players and technicians, including Carlos Moya), the left-handed announced that he had been negativized. As soon as he started to feel better, Rafa started training at home and today he organized the trip to Melbourne. The goal would be to play the ATP 250 in preparation for the first Grand Slam of 2022.

Rafa was back on the pitch 4 months after his last appearance, on the hard court in Washington, but in fact he hasn’t played games in a row since the final of Roland Garros, beaten by Novak Djokovic. The problem in his left foot, the flare-up of the Mueller Weiss syndrome that hit him in 2005, forced him to completely reshape his programs. Back in the Emirates, Rafa lost two games out of two, first with Andy Murray and then with Denis Shapovalov: “Now I have to understand how my body will react, I can’t guarantee 100% my presence in Australia. Of course, I want to try. but the main goal is to stay healthy and keep improving, “he said.

Yesterday, however, Rafa returned to training on the pitch, in the facilities of his academy in Manacor with the very young Dani Rinconn. Intense training, as always for the Majorcan who hopes to return and chase the 21st Slam of his career, even more so if in Melbourne he does not find Novak Djokovic on his way, still in Belgrade and waiting to know if his exemption will be accepted medical.