Australian Open Tournament Director Expecting Nadal To Return In 2025
Rafael Nadal won't be playing at the 2024 Australian Open, but tournament director Craig Tiley is hopeful that he will return in 2025.
The 2024 Australian Open has been popularly dubbed the 'The Slam of Returns' because so many players who were out for a while are returning. Naomi Osaka is a former Australian Open champion coming back this year; Angelique Kerber is another player coming back, as is Emma Raducanu.
None of them created the buzz Rafael Nadal created because many wanted to see what would happen once the Spaniard took the courts again. He did it in Brisbane and looked really good, winning his first match back.
He looked even better in the next one, but then disaster struck against Jordan Thompson in the quarter-final. A long and physical match gave him some hip discomfort in the final set. He finished the match on his feet but admitted to feeling something in his hip area, which was unfortunate.
Sometime later, Nadal would announce that he was withdrawing from the 2024 Australian Open due to a muscle issue that wasn't serious in any way. It's going to keep him away from the courts in Melbourne but won't put his overall comeback in jeopardy.
That was good news, as another hip injury would likely be career-ending. The withdrawal robbed fans in Melbourne of seeing Nadal at the event this year, but tournament director Craig Tiley told The West Australian that he thinks Nadal will be back in 2025.
"Yes. I'm absolutely planning on seeing him next year. I'm planning on seeing him tonight for a private catch-up, which we always do, before he leaves town in the next few days and then I'll ask him that same question."
"But there's no question that I think that Rafa's the kind of player that as long as he's fit and he feels like he's healthy and he can play, he'll be out there playing."
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