“I’ll be on the court” – Nadal confirms he will play Barcelona Open

Rafael Nadal has given final confirmation that he will compete in this week’s Barcelona Open.

Hopes had been raised for the Spaniard’s participation after he travelled to the city and was seen practising on the grounds of the tournament with no obvious sign of hampered movement over the past few days.

However, given the number of tournaments he has entered only to announce his late withdrawal over the past three months, there was still a considerable level of doubt over whether the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s body would be in a position for him to compete.

On the opening day of the tournament, however, Nadal has officially confirmed that his body is in a good enough shape and he will be competing at the Barcelona Open this week.

“I came here a bit on a last minute decision, not knowing if I could play. But tomorrow I’ll be on the court,” Nadal told press in Barcelona.

“I thought, ‘can I or can’t I?’ It has been a difficult two years. I come from a major hip operation, which takes time to recover. Things happen in the body and I couldn’t follow the schedule I wanted.

“Although it hurts, it is what it is. At this point in my career, I am in a different situation. Before regretting where I have not been, for me, it is a gift to be in Barcelona.

“[It is] my last year and I want to enjoy every moment. I feel ready to play tomorrow. I don’t think about how I get there. I know what the situation is, that I’m just preparing, but I’m realistic. For me, being here is a joy.

“I take this as my last participation here. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but I am going to try to give myself the best opportunity. The week of training has been positive and I am leaving with the hope of doing my best.”

Nadal has not played since the Brisbane International in January, where he was able to win two high-quality matches before losing to Jordan Thompson and then pulling out of the Australian Open with a hip injury.

He has been recovering from that latest hip setback – a different injury to the one he sustained in 2023 – for the past three months and pulled out of both Indian Wells and the Monte-Carlo Masters in recent weeks.

Now, for only the second time in 16 months, Nadal is set to compete at an ATP tournament.

The news will be hugely well-received by the Spaniard’s massive fanbase, as well as by nearly everyone within the tennis community.

However, his statement was accompanied by the implication that this will indeed be his final year as a professional tennis player.

Nadal has previously said that he could not guarantee what his decision would be at the end of the year. But by saying he is treating this year’s tournament as his last in Barcelona, and reiterating this is his last year on tour, it seems 2024 is set to be his farewell to tennis.

The positive news for Nadal and his supporters, however, is that he will be taking to court – a very significant moment in the Spaniard’s season.

He opens his campaign against 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli in the first round on Tuesday, as he seeks to win a record-extending 13th title in Barcelona.

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