Weeks after announcing his plans to return to the tour after a year long injury layoff with the Brisbane International in January followed by the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal has now confirmed a third stop in his 2024 calendar year, this time revealing his plans for the French Open. On Monday, the Barcelona Open confirmed the participation of Nadal in the impending edition, which will be held from April 13 to 21.
With an emotional 35-second clip shared on social media, the ATP event’s official handle made the big announcement with the caption: “We have missed you, Rafa.”
The Mallorcan star shares a special bond with Barcelona Open, having won it 12 times in his career, the first in 2005, and the last in 2021. Not to forget, Nadal, who has been a member of the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona since his childhood days, has the centre court at Barcelona Open named after him.
Following the big announcement, sports director of the Barcelona Open, David Ferrer, said: “Rafa is the best player in the history of this sport and the standard bearer of our tournament. Being able to continue enjoying it in Barcelona is fortunate and it is something that, on a personal level, excites me very much and makes me very happy.”
Nadal has been absent from the tour since January 2023 when he had incurred a hip injury during his second-round loss in Australian Open. He thereafter missed the rest of the season, even relinquishing his shot at a possible 15th French Open title, as he underwent a surgery in June.
On the first week of January, Nadal will make his first appearance on the ATP circuit in what has been his longest period of absence from tennis action. He last played in Brisbane in 2017, where he had reached the quarterfinals. It was in fact his only appearance at the ATP 250 event in his career.
The Spaniard also confirmed his presence at the 204 Australian Open, which will be held between January 14 to 28 in Melbourne.
