Tennis-Nadal confirms comeback at Barcelona Open, to face Cobolli

FILE PHOTO: Tennis – Rafael Nadal Press Conference – Rafa Nadal Academy, Mallorca, Spain – May 18, 2023 Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts during a press conference REUTERS/Miquel Borras/File Photo

(Reuters) – Rafa Nadal has confirmed he will play this week’s Barcelona Open in what will be the Spaniard’s first tournament since January.

“I arrived here a bit like in a last minute decision as I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play,” the 22-time Grand Slam champion told a press conference on Monday.

“Tomorrow I’m going to be on the court.”

The 37-year-old Nadal, whose last ATP Tour match was in Brisbane in January, withdrew from last week’s Monte Carlo Masters, saying his body was not ready for competition.

Former world number one Nadal has said he expects to retire after the 2024 season but is desperate to play at the French Open where he has won a record 14 titles.

Nadal’s appearance in Brisbane was his first match in almost a year in which he was sidelined by a hip flexor injury.

He has won the Barcelona title on 12 occasions but has not played in the claycourt event since 2021.

His first match will be against 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)