Nadal shared his overwhelming emotions after achieving his first victory on the court following near year absence with hip injury.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner has hinted that 2024 may well be his last, before withdrawing in retirement, so he will be fully motivated to make most out of it.
“Today is honestly an emotional and important day for me after probably one of the toughest years of my tennis career,” 37-year-old Nadal said.
“I had the chance to come back after a year and play in front of an amazing crowd and play at a very positive level on the first day, It is something that makes us feel proud – my team and family who have been there every day in the last year.”
The Spaniard will be making an appearance in the upcoming Australian Open, which starts on January 14. He has been presented with a wildcard after dropping significantly in the rankings after no ply in 2023.