Australian Open director Craig Tiley on Wednesday announced the return of Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, the tournament’s two-time champion, to Melbourne’s courts for the 2024 edition.
“We can reveal that Rafa is coming back. He was gone [dos courts] most of the year and, speaking to him in recent days, confirmed that he will return [ao Open da Austrália], which makes us very excited. It’s unbelievable,” Tiley said on Channel 9’s “Today” program on Australian television.
Nadal, who had already announced that next season could be his last tennis season, “will want to win”, just as he did in 2009 and 2022, the businessman stressed.
The 37-year-old Spanish tennis player “won’t come to the tournament if he thinks he can’t win it. He won’t just come to play, he’ll come to win,” Tiley said of the 22-time Grand Slam- winner.
The Australian added that in addition to the Spaniard, other major figures from the tennis world are also expected, such as Japan’s Naomi Osaka and Australian Nick Kyrgios.
The next Australian Open starts on Sunday, January 14 and will last 15 days, one more than in previous editions, to ease the gaming burden and excessive schedules for players.
Source: DN
