Rafael Nadal, 37 years old and a 22-time Grand Slam winner, is set to make a return to competitive tennis at the Qatar Open in February.
This comes after his absence from the Australian Open due to a hip injury. Nadal had initially made a comeback at the Brisbane International but chose to return to Spain instead of participating in Melbourne.
The Qatar Open, scheduled for February 19 to 24, will see Nadal compete alongside notable players like Andy Murray, reigning champion Daniil Medvedev, and world number five Andrey Rublev.
Nadal’s return to the court follows his successful start in Brisbane, where he won his first two matches in straight sets but suffered a hip injury during the quarter-final loss to Jordan Thompson.
A subsequent scan revealed a micro tear in a muscle, distinct from his previous long-term hip injury.
In May, after missing the French Open for the first time in 19 years, Nadal hinted that 2024 could potentially be the final year of his illustrious career, suggesting that he might have already participated in his last Australian Open, a tournament he has won twice.