(Video) Rafael Nadal gears up for Six Kings Slam as he begins training for the exhibition event
Rafael Nadal started to train for the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition event scheduled to be held in Riyadh on October 16.
Rafael Nadal begins training ahead of the Six Kings Slam (Images via X)
Rafael Nadal will very soon be back on court, not for an ATP tournament but for an exhibition event in Riyadh. The Venue in Saudi Arabia’s capital will be hosting the Six Kings Slam, which, apart from Nadal, features Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune.
There was huge anticipation when Nadal signed up for the Laver Cup but just a few days before the start of the tournament, he withdrew from it. Since he was struggling with fitness problems, the 38-year-old decided not to play tournaments on the Asian swing, skipping the China Open and the Shanghai Masters.
With just weeks left before the Six Kings Slam, scheduled to start on October 16, Nadal is back on court again practicing, the video of which is doing rounds on social media.
Watch the video here:
💥 Rafa back at training!
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) October 1, 2024
👀 His next event will be the ‘Six Kings Slam’ exhibition in Saudi Arabia, which is in a few weeks time
📸 Rafael Nadal IG pic.twitter.com/VK8jVHdwiY
Nadal missed almost an entire year in 2023, and at the 2024 Brisbane International, where he made his comeback, he ended up missing more months of tennis as he picked up an abdominal injury. He finally returned to court in Barcelona and since then, even though no major injury caused him any trouble, he has been cautious enough.
And as a result, he has been skipping tournaments one after the other. The four-time US Open champion also decided not to play at Flushing Meadows.
Zhang Shuai is feeling like Rafael Nadal at the China Open
Zhang Shuai has reached the quarterfinals of the China Open and is scheduled to lock horns with 15th seed Paula Badosa on October 3. Before she arrived in Beijing, she lost 24 singles matches continuously. After her third straight win, over Greet Minnen, Shuai said she feels like Rafael Nadal when she plays in Beijing.
At the China Open, this court I think like Philippe Chatrier for Rafa. When I’m on this court, I have everything. When I’m on this court, like Rafa on Philippe Chatrier, [I’m] feeling so good. I have no idea. I don’t know why, but every time when I play China Open, I play so good, so well. Maybe because this court and my tennis is so working, like Rafa on French Open.
Zhang Shuai said after the match
Nadal, the King of Clay, has won 14 French Open titles. This year, however, he lost in the first round in Paris. On the other hand, Shuai is a former World No. 22 and is currently ranked No. 595. Though she has never won the China Open, she reached the quarterfinals twice.
Gouri Das
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