Rafa Nadal announces his return: 'I think it is the right moment to be back'

After a year without playing an official match, Rafa Nadal is set to return after being plagued by injuries and rehabilitation that seemed endless. The Spanish tennis player will return to the court to play in a professional circuit tournament, the ATP 250 Brisbane, which will be held from Dec. 31, 2023 to Jan. 7, 2024.

It was Nadal who confirmed his return through a video published on Instagram:

Nadal suffered a hip injury in the last official match he played, on Jan. 18, 2023, at the Australian Open. Five months later, he had surgery and began his rehabilitation process. In recent weeks, the legendary Spanish tennis player posted several videos in which he was seen training and preparing for his return.

After almost an entire year without playing, Nadal's ATP ranking has gone down. At this moment, the once top-ranked tennis player in the world for a long time is ranked number 663 .

Nadal to retire in 2024

As he announced in his video, the Spanish tennis player wants to say goodbye to tennis "in the right moment." That is, he wants to do so on the court. In May, just days before undergoing hip surgery, Nadal announced that 2024 will be his final year.

He announced the news at a press conference held at his academy located in Manacor in Mallorca, Spain. "My intention is that next year will be my last and I can play the tournaments I want to say goodbye to those who have left a mark on me," he declared.

He will be the second tennis player from the "Big Three" to retire. Roger Federer ended his professional career on Sept. 15, 2022. Only Novak Djokovic will remain, who continues to dominate the sport at the age of 36.