Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open confirmation is just around the corner feels director Craig Tiley hoping the Spaniard repeats heroics from 2022

Nadal is expected to confirm whether he will feature in the 2024 Australian Open very soon.

Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open confirmation is just around the corner feels director Craig Tiley hoping the Spaniard repeats heroics from 2022

Craig Tiley (L), Rafael Nadal (R) (Sources: Open Source/X)

Rafael Nadal has been away from the court for almost a year now. The Spanish tennis legend suffered a hip flexor injury during his second-round match of the 2023 Australian Open.

It was estimated that he would recover within a few months, but as things transpired, it took the Spaniard an entire year to do so, as he also had to go through surgery. It is expected that Nadal might make his much-awaited comeback in the 2024 Australian Open and tournament director Craig Tiley has given a major update about the same. 

Tiley had already revealed earlier that he is in constant contact with the Spaniard and also promised to do whatever it takes to make him a star in the tournament. The CEO of Tennis Australia revealed that some concrete confirmation should come within the next two weeks and he is certain that Rafa does not want to miss the opportunity.

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Rafa has been training, I follow him closely, probably every day, because he's a massive drawcard for us. He wants to play, he's obviously planning on playing. It all depends on how he pulls up. Hopefully in the next week or the next two weeks, we get some specific confirmation of that. I'm certain Rafa will be here because he's not going to want to miss the opportunity to repeat what he did a couple of years ago.
Craig Tiley via press conference in Melbourne on Thursday

Nadal won the 2022 Australian Open and Tiley wants him to repeat something similar this year. 

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Rafael Nadal called Craig Tiley ‘Daring’ for his incorrect confirmation of Rafa’s participation in AO 2024

Craig Tiley had previously given an incorrect confirmation about the participation of Rafael Nadal in the 2024 Australian Open, which was debunked by the player himself. He, in fact, called the Australian Open CEO ‘daring’ for what he did. Rafa said he and Tiley are friends and that he gets his excitement, but confirming his participation incorrectly was complicated. 

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal (Source: Sky Sports)
Yes, it was a bit daring. I have a very good relationship with him and I understand his excitement and also that of the Australian Open, which is surely less than the excitement I have about going there. But from there to say that I am going to be at the Australian Open seems very complicated to say today. 
Nadal to Agencia EFE during the presentation of a new project

In the same interview, the Spaniard said he didn’t know a particular date when he would be able to confirm whether he will participate in the Australian Open. Moreover, he did not want to disappoint his fans with false hope and thus it is better to wait. 

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