Djokovic and Alcaraz expect Nadal to make strong return

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz expect Rafael Nadal to be in top form at the Australian Open next month despite the hip injury that caused him to miss the 2023 season.

Nadal suffered a muscle injury at Melbourne Park in January, leading to surgery. He will make his return in Brisbane this weekend before competing in the Australian Open from January 14 to 28, where he has claimed two of his 22 Grand Slam titles.

At 37, Nadal is likely to end his career in 2024 due to a series of injuries limiting his on-court performances. He has been training intensively in recent weeks, and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic believes the formidable opponent cannot be ruled out yet.

“I always expect him to play in the best possible way, to be honest,” said Djokovic before his exhibition match loss to Carlos Alcaraz with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, played in Riyadh on Wednesday in front of 40,000 spectators.

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“Many times they have written him off, and they did the same with me. But we proved them wrong. He is not a player who will come back just to play at an average level for a few matches. He wants to win titles, wants to be the best, that’s why he is a legend in our sport. I am sure his training and preparation are with the intention to win a Grand Slam tournament,” added Djokovic.

Alcaraz, who has lost two out of three encounters with Nadal, stated that his compatriot is 100 percent ready, having watched videos of his training. “I hear from other players who practiced with Rafa in recent weeks that he will return to his top level. His highest level,” said Alcaraz.

However, Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moya, mentioned last week that despite showing good progress in training after recovering from the injury, he, as a coach, is still concerned about how his body will withstand the demanding conditions in Grand Slam matches.