Nadal uncertain to attend Australian Open

Australia After suffering a fitness problem in his loss to Jordan Thompson in the Brisbane International quarter-finals, Rafael Nadal left open the possibility of participating in the first Grand Slam of the year.

"I need to see how my body reacts," Nadal said after the 7-5, 6-7(6), 3-6 loss on January 5. "That's why I haven't been too positive in recent days. I'm cautious because I know that after a year, it's difficult for the body to compete at the highest level. When things are difficult, you don't know how the body will react."

Nadal waits for medical attention after losing to Thompson at Pat Rafter Arena, Brisbane, Australia on January 5. Photo: AFP — Nadal waits for medical attention after losing to Thompson at Pat Rafter Arena, Brisbane, Australia on January 5. Photo: *AFP*

Against Thompson, Nadal won the first set and had three match points in the second. After missing three match-winning opportunities, Nadal lost 6-8 in the tie-break. In the third set, after losing his serve, Nadal hurt his left foot and called for medical attention at 1-4, causing fans to worry. He was then unable to turn the game around and accepted a 3-6 loss.

"I have to accept everything, whatever happens," Nadal added. "I hope to have the opportunity to practice and compete in Melbourne next week. But I'm not 100% sure about anything."

Last year, Nadal suffered a hip injury in the second round of the Australian Open, leading to a 3-0 loss to Mackenzie McDonald and requiring surgery mid-year. The Spaniard said the current situation is still positive, compared to 2023.

"This start is almost the same as last year, but there are positive differences," Nadal said of his physical condition. "I feel more muscular. Last year I felt tired. Last year my body reacted strongly, but this year I haven't felt anything. The problem is probably mental. I'm a little more nervous because this is Australia - where I got injured last year."

Nadal also hoped that his physical decline in the third set against Thompson was due to not playing as hard as he had in a long time, rather than injury. He also did not regret missing three match points, saying his opponent deserved to win. "I was sad because I missed a lot of chances, but Thompson played very well," Nadal commented. "He always made me play one more ball in every rally."

Nadal has more than a week to rest before entering the Australian Open - a Grand Slam starting on January 14. With a ranking outside the top 600, the 37-year-old tennis player is likely to face difficult opponents in the early rounds.

Vy Anh

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