Former world No.1 Rafael Nadal believes his recent misfortunes with injury has subsided and he will be in top form in time for the first grand slam of 2019.
The 11-time French Open champion is set to return to competitive tennis on Thursday at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships (MWTC). An annual exhibition tournament that takes place in the UAE. Nadal last played on the ATP Tour in September at the US Open. Since then, he has been blighted by issues with his knee and abdomen. Furthermore, he also underwent minor surgery on his right ankle in November.
“I started two weeks ago, of course doing the things step by step,” the 32-year-old told reporters in Abu Dubai.
“I think I have time to be ready for Melbourne. I am not 100 percent right now but it will be good to have some matches before then. But I am confident I will arrive in Melbourne with the right situation.”
Despite his roller-coaster 2018 season, the Spanish world No.2 is focusing on the positives. In total, he played in nine tournaments this year and won five titles. However, at both the Australian and US Open he was forced to withdraw from those tournaments due to injury. An all too familiar scenario in Nadal’s career.
“The second half of the year was tough in terms of injuries, but that happens and that is part of my tennis career,” he said. “Try to stay calm, work the right way and when I’m back I know things are not easy, you always have tough feelings and pains in the body that normally you don’t have.
“I don’t have to ask myself big things to start with and just look to be positive with every improvement and that way normally you get to the right point.”
The Anderson test
Nadal is gunning to become the first player in history to win the MWTC for a fifth time this week. He has been featured in five out of the 10 finals played at the event since its birth in January 2009. Although this time round, Nadal is just happy to be back on the court playing again.
“I am happy to be back,” he said. “Happy to start a new season. Of course I am having to take care of the body.
“I am going to have to take it step by step but I am happy to be here and ready for a new season.”
The first test for Nadal will be South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in the semi-finals. Anderson outlasted 2018 Australian Open semi-finalist Hyeon Chung 6-7, 6-2, 6-1, on Wednesday in a match that lasted two hours and 24 minutes.
“I am really pleased with the result. It’s been a few weeks since the last competitive match.” The defending champion said afterwards. “My main goal of winning this match was to get an opportunity to play Rafael and hopefully Novak (Djokovic). This is a great opportunity for me and these are the matches I look forward to play.”
On the ATP World Tour, Nadal has a 5-0 head-to-head record against Anderson and has only ever lost one set against him.
