Monday, December 20, 2021
“Some uncomfortable moments”
Corona troubles Nadal at the wrong time
Rafael Nadal has had a complicated season and the Spaniard does not play a role in the big decisions due to an injury. Now, after a short comeback, the preparation for the first highlight of the coming year has become very complicated.
Almost a month before the Australian Open, the 20-time Grand Slam tournament winner Rafael Nadal tested positive for the corona virus. The 35-year-old tennis star announced this on social networks. As a consequence, the Spaniard left his tournament planning open for the season opener in Australia. Nadal reported about his infection that he had “some uncomfortable moments”. He withdrew and informed his contacts about the positive test result. “In both Kuwait and Abu Dhabi we tested every two days and all tests were negative, the last one on Friday and the results on Saturday.” When he returned to Spain, he had now tested positive.
The world number six had only made his comeback at the invitation tournament in Abu Dhabi in the past few days after a four-month break due to a foot injury. The last time he was on the pitch at the ATP tournament in Washington at the beginning of August, he ended his season prematurely after losing to South African Lloyd Harris – the pain in his left foot was too severe. At the invitation tournament in Abu Dhabi, the 35-year-old Spaniard lost 3: 6, 5: 7 to Andy Murray, who was one year younger than him.
“It’s good to be back in competition,” said Nadal. “It’s a comeback for me, it wasn’t a bad match for me. I haven’t played a match in a long time, so the feelings are positive.” After recovering from a complicated foot injury, Nadal presented himself combative, but was not yet in top shape again.
Nadal had originally planned to take part in a preparatory tournament for the Australian Open in Melbourne from January 3. The first Grand Slam tournament of the year starts on January 17th. Now he must, wrote Nadal, “make his schedule completely flexible”.