Rafael Nadal's return at the 2024 Brisbane International showed that he can still play some really good tennis, and he admitted after the match that for him, the key is just to stay healthy.
Some wondered whether Rafael Nadal could play his best tennis upon his return. Prominent tennis figures went as far as to say that he wouldn't be competitive on the highest level even if healthy, which Nadal seems to disagree with.
He returned in Brisbane and smashed Dominic Thiem easily in two sets, showing a pretty decent level. While he'll need to play far better to challenge some of the best, Nadal feels like it's not a question of tennis but more so his health. If healthy, he believes that he will be competitive consistently.
The first thing, and I repeat it, is to stay healthy. If I am able to stay healthy, I am able to practice at the level that I need to practice. If I'm able to play matches feeling myself ready to play the match, then the chances to be competitive in a not very long period of time are much higher.
Despite this win being the positive outcome he's looking for, Nadal is under no illusion that this means that things will go smoothly.
He even spoke about the possibility of things going worse in the next match he plays, but he's ready for it if it happens. He didn't forget to play tennis but simply wasn't healthy enough to do so.
If after tomorrow you go on court and you have problems, then the process is much tougher. For me the main thing is stay healthy. I really think that I don't forget how to play tennis.
The only thing that's going to be difficult to make it in a professional match and in a very high level of tennis. Because at the end, you need to recover movement, something that takes time.
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