Rafael Nadal and Holger Rune know the only way to beat jet lag is to train the first moment you spot a tennis court around.
Nadal's arrival in Brisbane was a highlight-worthy moment that amplified excitement levels among tennis fans. The tournament has already worked out his pre-tournament schedule for Friday, where he will be accessible at the Queen Street Mall stage at 10 am local time.
Tennis fans and possibly a small pocket of journalists will engage in a fun Q&A session with the 22-time Grand Slam champion. The Spanish lefty will also gift some lucky fans with signed tennis balls that will be cherished souvenirs for many years.
It is still unclear how long Nadal intends to play ahead of his long-awaited comeback that will take shape at Brisbane International, where he has been granted a wild card in a star-studded field. Thereafter, he'll use a Protected Ranking to play the 2024 Australian Open.
The 37-year-old has previously stated that he planned to play a farewell season in 2024 before backtracking on that statement and leaving his long-term future in the game without clarity. Perhaps he is waiting to judge his match sharpness and level before taking one final decision.
On Thursday, Nadal was joined for an evening day of practice in Brisbane by Holger Rune, the current World No. 8 and the top seed in Brisbane. An excited Rune shared a photo of their practice session on social media. The Dane is currently without his two coaches at the tournament.
In a separate video, a first glimpse of Nadal commanding baseline shots has also been shared on X (formerly Twitter), where his coach, Carlos Moya, is seen supervising the session.
Nadal and Rune will learn their first-round opponents when the draw ceremony of the Brisbane International takes place on Saturday, December 30.
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