Despite testing positive for Covid-19, Rafael Nadal is set to begin his season at the Tour event in Melbourne!


Despite testing positive for Covid-19, Rafael Nadal is set to begin his season at the Tour event in Melbourne!

Rafael Nadal

World No. 6 Rafael Nadal was unfortunate to test positive for Covid-19 while returning from the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, the 3-day exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. The news of Nadal testing positive for the virus was a massive blow to his schedule for the 2022 season where he was set to make a comeback ending his 2021 season early.

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Nadal was recovering in his hometown of Mallorca in Spain where he had started light training as well under medical supervision as he was determined to make a strong comeback as his last Tour match was played in August. His comeback in Abu Dhabi was also not joyful as he lost both the matches he played at the exhibition event.

With fans worried whether Nadal will be able to return in time for the Tour events that begin from 4th January, a close source to the Spaniard has revealed that the 20-time Grand Slam champion will be travelling to Down Under tomorrow for the Australian leg of the Tour in order to prepare for the 2022 Australian Open where he will hunt his 21st Grand Slam.

Raphael Dabadie, an agent for the Rafa Nadal Academy, tweeted that Nadal will be making his trip to Australia on 31st December and will take part in the Melbourne Summer Set that begins from 4th January and is an ATP-250 level tournament.

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Rafael Nadal did not play any Tour level tournament in Australia in 2021

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal

Nadal was highly selective of his tournaments in the 2021 season owing to his injury concerns and remain fit for the important tournaments including Grand Slam events and Masters tournaments. Nadal started the 2021 season directly at the 2021 Australian Open where he lost in the quarter-finals to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

It remained the only hardcourt tournament Nadal played before the Clay season where he won two titles, the Barcelona Open and the Rome Masters. He reached the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Masters before he ended the Clay season with a semi-final defeat at the French Open where he injured his foot that kept him out till August.

He returned to action at the Washington Open losing in the 3rd round and did not play on the Tour again as his foot injury got worse and is now preparing for an action-packed 2022 season with the 21st Grand Slam in vision.

Also Read: When Novak Djokovic revealed whom he considers the best between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

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