Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is unsure if he could be back on the court by the 2024 Australian Open this coming January, the rumored timeline of his return to action.
The 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner has disclosed that he continues to experience pain during practice sessions, leading to uncertainty about his return to professional tennis.
The 37-year-old underwent surgery to repair a psoas muscle injury in the hip in early June, which has kept him sidelined since the previous Australian Open in January 2023.
"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," Nadal said at an event in Madrid.
The Spaniard resumed training in early October, marking his first practice since the surgery. He previously hinted that the 2024 season could be his last as a professional player.
"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," the 14-time Roland Garros winner added.
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Australian Open director confident of Nadal return
Australian Open director Craig Tiley assured that Nadal will return in time for the tournament during an appearance on Australia's The Today Show earlier this month.
Despite the uncertainty, Nadal thanked Tiley and the Australian Open committee for their confidence in his ability to return early next year.
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