'Rafa's Not There To Make Quarterfinals': Nadal To Fight For Titles On Comeback Says Henman
ATP
Rafael Nadal will return to tennis in about a week, and former ATP player Tim Henman believes it's to try and win Grand Slams.
Rafael Nadal spent much of 2023 on the sidelines after injuring himself during the Australian Open in January. He was playing against Mackenzie McDonald when he injured his hip.
Instead of retiring immediately, Nadal toughened it out as the defending champion and lost standing up. That was likely a mistake, as his hip injury proved worse than initially thought.
He underwent surgery a few months later after conservative approaches failed and has since then been out. The return is nearing in Brisbane, and many wonder what to expect from Nadal.
He's not young anymore; he's missed an entire year of action and is returning from a tough injury and complicated surgery. It's unlikely he'll dominate immediately, according to many, but Tim Henman thinks he'll get there eventually, as per a recent interview with Eurosport.
He's got to get out there, he's got to get in the tournament environments, he's got to be competing in longer matches, dealing with adversity and all the different elements that he hasn't done for a long, long time. And that's not easy to come back into tournament play like that.
Many expect Nadal to find his best possible tennis around the clay season, and Henman agrees. By that time, he'll have many matches under his belt, and he'll be on his favorite surface where he'll be dangerous. Roland Garros is a target because he's not returning just to participate.
However, if he can stay injury free and play tournaments at the beginning of the year, to a certain extent, I feel like his comeback really starts once he gets on the clay courts and we will have had an opportunity to see where he's at, how is his fitness, how is his movement, how is his body, how does he recover after matches?
Rafa's not there to come back and make quarters and semis in a couple of events. He wants to win the biggest titles. And so, I think the early part of next year will tell us a lot as to whether Rafa is going to be a contender.
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