After being out of action for six weeks due to a rib injury, Spanish ace Rafael Nadal will mark his return at next week's Madrid Open.
The clay-court season began without its 'King' Rafael Nadal, who suffered a stress fracture in his rib during the Indian Wells. While fans may have missed the 21-time Grand Slam champion in the Monte Carlo and Barcelona Open, they are all geared to see the Spanish ace in action in next week's Madrid Open.
The 35-year-old was seen at the La Caja Magica on Day Two of a training session where Nadal was seen sporting a pink Nike T-shirt smashing the ball with his trademark forehands and backhands.
The Spaniard, who appears to have fully recovered from his injury, displayed exceptional fitness levels as he gears up to sustain yet another challenging clay-court season.
Earlier today, Swedish Eurosport consultant Mats Wilander stated that he expected the Australian Open 2022 champion to skip Indian Wells and Miami after his win in Acapulco.
"He probably pushed his body a little too much. Without Indian Wells, he would have had a month off and enough time to prepare for his favourite surface. It's always the same with Rafa. He loves tennis and competition so much that he goes on the court and gives everything he can when he feels good," the top analyst added.
"It's a vicious circle: you push your limits, you get injured, you get back in shape, and you start to give the best of yourself again. This is Rafa's career, and he has had a very good one. He is the best player of all time on paper, and he has achieved a lot despite injury breaks," the Swedish Eurosport consultant pointed out."
After featuring in this year's Madrid Open, Nadal will head to the Italian Open in Rome, where he is the defending champion, before reclaiming the trophy at Roland Garros and winning the 14th title.