Rafael Nadal injury comeback appears to be confirmed as Spaniard told he can make history

Rafael Nadal looks set to return to the tour next month

Rafael Nadal’s first tournament back from injury appears to have been officially confirmed. The world No 13 had put his name down on the entry list for the Monte Carlo Masters, and the tournament has now tweeted to confirm his participation. Organisers have also backed him to make history by winning a record-extending 12th title “despite his injury”.

Nadal has been sidelined for more than two months after injuring his leg at the Australian Open. The Spaniard crashed out to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round and hasn’t been seen on a match court since – starting the year with a lowly 1-3 record.

There have been increasingly positive updates coming from those close to Nadal about his recovery process in recent weeks. And the 22-time Major champion now seems to have been given the all-clear to officially make his return at the start of April.

The Monte Carlo Masters tweeted to announce Nadal’s participation after their ticket list originally contained an asterisk by the 36-year-old’s name. “We’re eager to welcome the legend @RafaelNadal,” the tournament account wrote on Thursday.

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It comes after the ticketing website for the clay-court tournament originally stated that Nadal could only play if he had fully recovered from his injury in time. But the tournament’s new promotion of his participation hints that Nadal himself has confirmed that he will be fit in time for the main draw to begin on April 9.

And the tournament also backed the former world No 1 to continue making history in Monte Carlo, tipping him to extend his record of titles won at the first event of the clay swing. The tweet continued: “He is definitely able to win his 12th trophy in #montecarlo despite his last injury.”

It comes just one week after tournament director David Massey said Nadal was eager to return in Monte Carlo if he was able to. “Rafa was the first registered player,” he said in a new statement.

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“He really wants to play in the Monte Carlo Masters and is giving himself every opportunity to participate in the tournament that he likes so much.” It will mark Nadal’s appearance in Monte Carlo since 2021, as he was sidelined with a rib injury last year.

It also means that the Spaniard will be able to pick up ranking points with none to defend after he was forced to miss the event 12 months ago. And it comes at a vital time, with Nadal dropping out of the world’s top 10 for the first time since he made his debut in the elite rankings group in April 2005.

Nadal is a record 11-time champion at the Monte Carlo Masters but has not won the tournament since 2018 – losing to eventual champion Fabio Fognini in 2019 and falling to Andrey Rublev in the quarter-final two years ago.

Rafael Nadal looks set to return to the tour next month