For months, Rafael Nadal has been attempting to mood expectations for his comeback, telling the world that he had little sense of whether or not he would ever return to his championship kind or something approaching it.
On Sunday, Nadal confirmed the world why he was so cautious. At 37 years outdated, he is aware of how brittle he’s and after struggling a slight tear in his muscle at a tuneup match in Brisbane, Nadal introduced on his social media channels that he was pulling out of the Australian Open.
“Hello all, throughout my final match in Brisbane I had a small downside on a muscle that as made me apprehensive,” Nadal wrote on X, previously Twitter. “As soon as I acquired to Melbourne I’ve had the prospect to make an MRI and I’ve micro tear on a muscle, not in the identical half the place I had the harm and that’s excellent news. Proper now I’m not able to compete on the most stage of exigence in five-set matches. I’m flying again to Spain to see my physician, get some remedy and relaxation.”
What Nadal hinted at throughout his few exchanges with the media in Australia and what turned crystal clear Sunday is that attaining nice leads to these first weeks of the season, on arduous courts and after being away from the sport for almost a yr, was by no means the precedence. Nadal has gained the French Open 14 occasions. He is called the “King of Clay”. Tennis doesn’t begin taking place on the purple clay he excels on till April. He’s intensely centered on being in high kind then, not now, and for Roland Garros, which begins in late Might, and sure for the Olympics, which is able to happen at Roland Garros in late July.
“I’ve labored very arduous in the course of the yr for this comeback and as I all the time talked about my purpose is to be at my finest stage in three months,” Nadal wrote on Sunday. “Inside the unhappy information for me for not with the ability to play in entrance of the superb Melbourne crowds, this isn’t very dangerous information and all of us stay constructive with the evolution for the season. I actually needed to play right here in Australia and I’ve had the prospect to play just a few matches that made me very completely satisfied and constructive.”
Whether or not Nadal’s hip, knees, or chronically injured foot enable him to play is anybody’s guess. Trendy tennis, particularly the brutally bodily model of it that Nadal performs, just isn’t type to the ageing athlete. Ask Roger Federer and Andy Murray, or Novak Djokovic, who dedicates so many waking hours to sustaining his well being and is battling a niggle in his wrist proper now.
However Nadal confirmed in his three matches in Brisbane that he nonetheless is aware of the way to play tennis. Say what you need about his opponents — a light Dominic Thiem and two middling Aussies, Jason Kubler and Jordan Thompson – there have been moments when Nadal regarded as slick as ever, particularly when he sprinted after drop-shots from deep within the court and pulled off these operating, angled flicks that solely appear to return out of his palms.
(Patrick Hamilton/AFP through Getty Photographs)
He additionally misplaced three match factors to Thompson within the second set and needed to obtain medical consideration for discomfort close to the hip that docs surgically repaired final yr. After dropping the match, Nadal signalled that taking part in within the yr’s first Grand Slam would depend upon how he felt the following morning and within the ensuing days. “After a yr it’s troublesome for the physique to be taking part in tournaments on the highest stage.”
There’s a glass-half-full view of all this. Had Nadal gained these match factors, he may need been tempted to play within the semifinal on Saturday and probably a last on Sunday, risking a extra severe harm. He acquired in three matches and reminded himself that he can play chic tennis in opposition to strong competitors, not less than for just a few units. Now comes some relaxation and restoration.
No matter occurs subsequent by way of his taking part in schedule, there may be now zero doubt the place his focus lies — the purple clay of Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and Paris.
What else?
It’s simply the opening week of the season, so these tournaments imply nothing.
One of many largest tournaments of the yr, the Australian Open, is simply days away, so gamers must be in kind proper now.
Solely in tennis might each of these statements be true.
After the briefest of “off-seasons”, the Australian Open begins Sunday, January 14, which implies tons of of gamers have been doing what they might in the course of the first days of the yr (and the final days of 2023) to arrange.
Outcomes from the tuneup weeks include the stock-picker’s warning — previous efficiency just isn’t an indicator of future success. Some high gamers didn’t compete in any respect.
That stated, we have been watching what was taking place in Australia, New Zealand and even Hong Kong. Listed below are some issues that caught our eye.
Novak Djokovic misplaced a match in Australia.
It doesn’t occur very a lot. He’s gained the previous 4 Australian Opens that he has performed in, and 10 general, however he fell 6-4, 6-4 to Alex de Minaur of Australia within the United Cup, a mixed-team competitors.
The loss isn’t a lot of a priority. It occurs.
However Djokovic is nursing a proper wrist harm and acquired medical consideration all through the United Cup. Nobody is aware of the way to care for his physique higher than Djokovic. He suffered by way of vital accidents (hamstring and belly tears) at his final two Australian Opens and nonetheless gained. Nonetheless, wrist accidents to tennis gamers will be main purple flags, flaring up unpredictably on the worst moments, and there’s no technique to disguise them.
Like Nadal, Naomi Osaka didn’t neglect the way to play tennis.
She gained a match and misplaced one other in Brisbane, however most significantly she performed 5 tight units, together with two tiebreakers, and gave Karolina Pliskova all she might deal with in her first match after a yr layoff attributable to harm, struggles with psychological well being and maternity go away.
Their ball makes a distinct sound when it comes off Osaka’s racket, a form of firecracker pop that serves as a fast reminder of why tennis is best when Osaka is taking part in. And the way in which she whacks her thigh together with her left fist as she will get prepared for a giant level… if that doesn’t get the juices flowing, it’s arduous to say what is going to.
Iga Swiatek is in a very good place.
Sure, the world No 1 was profitable a number of matches for Poland within the United Cup, usually blitzing her opponents in her standard method, however she additionally appeared lighter, not carrying round that rating like Atlas attempting to carry up the globe.
She even joked concerning the factor she hates to joke about – “Iga’s Bakery”. That’s the nickname the media has given to all of her 6-0 (bagel) and 6-1 (breadstick) units. After she and Hubert Hurkacz partnered to beat Spain 6-0, 6-0, she stated she would contemplate hiring Hurkacz as considered one of her bakers.
Coco Gauff had about pretty much as good a begin as she might have needed.
She headed to Auckland to defend her season-opening title within the ASB Traditional. Gauff gained the final Grand Slam on the U.S. Open. Beginning the season as a Grand Slam champion can mess with the thoughts.
Gauff reeled 5 straight wins, taking 10 of 11 units, defending her title with a win over Elina Svitolina, wholesome as soon as extra, fortunately, within the hard-fought last, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3. Gauff was clearly worn out on the WTA Finals in early November. She skipped the Billie Jean King Cup finals the following week in Spain. After a pleasant little break, she regarded rested and sharp.
She might get a nasty draw and lose within the first spherical of the Australian Open, however she couldn’t have kicked off her season any higher.
Svitolina shut herself down after the U.S. Open with a stress fracture in her ankle.
Returning to competitors on arduous courts, which aggravated the harm in the course of the summer season, just isn’t ideally suited. However Svitolina seemed to be taking part in, and profitable, with out ache in New Zealand. That’s excellent news.
(Hannah Peters/Getty Photographs)
Frances Tiafoe took the court docket for the primary time shortly with out Wayne Ferreira guiding him.
Tiafoe and Ferreira parted methods after spending the higher a part of 4 seasons collectively and making the semifinals of the U.S. Open in 2022.
Tiafoe made the highest 10 for the primary time final yr however slipped within the last months of the season and stated he was coming into 2024 trying to have extra enjoyable, play extra aggressively, and be much less results-focused underneath the steering of Diego Moyano.
“Loads of 2023 I used to be placing a number of stress on myself,” he stated. “I actually needed to do effectively. It was actually arduous for me. Nonetheless had an important yr, but it surely wasn’t what I needed to do within the large occasions.”
Tiafoe went 1-1 on the Hong Kong Open, dropping his quarterfinal match to J.C. Shang of China.
Which brings us to this: control J.C. Shang this season.
He’s simply 18 years outdated and already displaying off acres of upside. Shang has spent a lot of his time on the IMG Academy throughout his tennis life. (IMG as soon as upon a time guided Li Na of China to her groundbreaking profession.) He certified for the Australian Open final yr and gained a match earlier than dropping to Tiafoe. He additionally certified for the French Open.
Along with beating Tiafoe in Hong Kong, he beat the extremely regarded Botic van de Zandschulp. Shang misplaced to Andrey Rublev, who loved a tip-top first week, within the semifinals.
Once more, take these outcomes for what they’re — early season wins off veterans looking for their rhythm – however when youngsters beat seasoned professionals it catches the attention.
Emma Raducanu is alive and taking part in tennis once more.
The 2021 U.S. Open champion had triple surgical procedure final spring – two wrists and one ankle. She has set expectations low and is hoping everybody else does, too, since she’s principally ranging from scratch, ranked 301st on the earth when the yr began.
“I really feel reborn,” she stated.
She moved effectively and crushed some backhands in her opening match, which she gained. She was on the verge of profitable a second earlier than Svitolina caught her in three units.
She’s going to now play within the Australian Open primary draw with out having to undergo qualifying, which may be a curse in disguise. She might most likely use the matches and did fairly effectively the final time she performed qualifiers at a Grand Slam at that 2021 U.S. Open.
Like Nadal although, Raducanu is simply hoping to remain wholesome.
(Hannah Peters/Getty Photographs)
Jelena Ostapenko, the fiery Latvian, hasn’t modified one bit in the course of the break.
Ostapenko was not pleased with a name by the chair umpire Julie Kjendlie throughout her loss to Victoria Azarenka.
“You’ll by no means be on my match once more,” Ostapenko railed at Kjendlie. “You spoil my matches.”
So on-brand.
A number of very large names determined to skip warm-up week altogether.
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev are heading into the yr’s first Grand Slam with none aggressive tuneups. That’s three of the highest 4 males, but in addition three gamers who performed a ton of tennis final yr and within the case of Alcaraz and Sinner, two gamers who’re nonetheless attempting to determine the way to optimize their schedules.
Alcaraz additionally missed the Australian Open final season with a last-minute harm and he definitely didn’t need that to occur once more.
Sinner reached the finals of the season-ending ATP Finals after which led Italy to the Davis Cup.
Medvedev, effectively, he does a number of unorthodox issues in relation to tennis, like hitting a forehand like somebody attempting to swat a mosquito within the backseat of a Volkswagen Beetle.
Might it ever be thus.
(High picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Photographs)
