'I'm Still In Pain': Nadal Admits To Difficulties On Comeback Journey

Friday, 20 October 2023 at 10:30

byEvita Mueller

Rafael Nadal is on a comeback journey to tennis, but it's not a smooth one as he's still feeling pain, which isn't good news.

Nadal has played with pain for much of his career due to a foot issue that's given him problems regularly. He's had a fair share of injuries, so it's nothing new, but it complicates an already very complicated situation. We've seen him already play down expectations in a recent interview, as many expect him to pick up where he left off simply.

That's neither realistic nor probable, especially since it's becoming increasingly clear that he might not even return at the 2024 Australian Open. Despite his uncle Toni and others like Australian Open Tournament director Craig Tiley claiming that he'll be back at the event, the Spaniard refuted those claims for a second time now.

He spoke during a KIA event in Madrid, admitting that he could return in Melbourne, but he can't confirm it yet.

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“My first realistic option to be back on the professional court would be January in Australia. But right now, I really can't confirm something I don't know. Nothing has changed in the last few weeks except for the fact that I'm training a bit more than before, which is an accomplishment for me and my mental health.

I'm not training without pain. I'm in less pain than I used to be, but I'm still in pain. However, this pain allows me to do more and more things eventually. Things would be different if I had zero pain. I could give you a date for my return if I had zero pain because I would have time to prepare myself for that."

Fans are hoping that everything goes smoothly and Nadal returns to a competitive form. Whether he actually wins something is an entirely different thing.