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Australian Open chief Craig Tiley mentioned he remained assured Rafael Nadal could be at Melbourne Park in January regardless of the 37-year-old’s struggles with accidents.
Nadal, who gained two of his 22 Grand Slam titles in Melbourne, has not performed a aggressive match since bowing out within the second spherical of this 12 months’s match when hampered by a hip flexor drawback.
The Spaniard has expressed a want to play yet another French Open and characterize Spain on the Paris Olympics subsequent 12 months earlier than retiring on the finish of the season.
Nadal is presently not sure about his timeline
“Rafa has been coaching, I comply with him carefully, most likely on daily basis, as a result of he is an enormous drawcard for us,” Tiley mentioned.
“He desires to play, he is clearly planning on enjoying. All of it will depend on how he pulls up.
“Hopefully within the subsequent week or the following two weeks, we get some particular affirmation of that. I am sure Rafa will likely be right here as a result of he is not going to need to miss the chance to repeat what he did a few years in the past.”
Nadal’s workforce have but to disclose any plans for his return to the court docket, nonetheless, and Nadal mentioned final week in Barcelona that he was not sure concerning the timeline.
“I’ve been in a position to practice a little bit bit extra, the progress appears fairly good,” he mentioned.
“I do not know after I will likely be again enjoying, for positive it’s nearer than the final time I spoke to the media. If you need me to let you know after I’m returning, I am not going to do it as a result of I do not know when it’ll be.”
Nick Kyrgios has struggled with knee and wrist accidents since pulling out of final 12 months’s Australian Open
Tiley was much less bullish than he has been prior to now concerning the prospect of native drawcard Nick Kyrgios collaborating in his dwelling Grand Slam.
Kyrgios has struggled with knee and wrist accidents since pulling out of final 12 months’s Australian Open on the eleventh hour and has performed just one tour match because the Japan Open in October 2022.
“We now have spoken to Nick, and he clearly desires to do one of the best he probably can to provide him one of the best likelihood to play in January,” Tiley mentioned of the 2022 Wimbledon finalist.
“Whether or not he is enjoying, whether or not he is doing one thing else, Nick will likely be right here in January and to get him to play will likely be nice. However we have to take it because it comes and he is obtained to verify he takes care of his well being.”
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