Novak Djokovic Insists Rafael Nadal Is Returning From Injury To Win Titles

Tennis icon, Novak Djokovic has stressed that his rival, Rafael Nadal, is returning from injury not just to participate in tournaments but to win titles.

Recall that Rafael Nadal has been out of tennis for almost a year due to an injury, and his first major tournament after his return from the lengthy injury spell is the Australian Open in January.

The 37-year-old Spaniard, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, is expected to stage a comeback this weekend in Brisbane ahead of the Australian Open.

Nadal’s last match of the year was his defeat to American Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open in January.

He will attempt to relaunch himself on the court when the 2024 edition of the first Grand Slam of the year gets underway in Melbourne on January 14.

Recall that Rafael Nadal has declared that 2024 would probably be his last year in professional tennis following his hip surgery.

He has won a record 14 French Open championships, plus the Australian Open in 2009 and 2022.

Ahead of his return to the court, his career rival, Novak Djokovic said: “I always expect him [Nadal] to play at his best, to be honest.

“Many times they’ve signed him out, they’ve done that with me as well. But we’ve proved them wrong.

“He’s not the kind of a player that will come back to the tour just to play – let’s say – on a medium level, play a few matches.

“He wants to win titles, he wants to be the best, that’s why he is who he is: a legend of our sport. I’m sure that his training and preparation is done to win a Grand Slam.”

Note that in the absence of Rafael Nadal throughout this year, Djokovic, 36, won three Grand Slams to reach a record 24.