'Things get difficult': Rafael Nadal's coach opines on Spaniard's rehab process, return at Brisbane

Rafael Nadal recently said he is optimistic in making a comeback to professional tennis next month, having missed nearly a year due to injuries. The 22-time Grand Slam champion intends to compete in the ATP 250 Brisbane International tournament in Brisbane and is optimistic about a return. In 2023, he underwent two surgeries due to a recurrent hip issue.

3 things you need to know 

• Rafael Nadal suffered a major hip injury in 2023 
• Rafael Nadal eyes a return to professional tennis 
• Rafael Nadal will be seen in action in the first week of January

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Carlos Moya calls Rafael Nadal an animal

Rafael Nadal's coach and former world number one, Carlos Moya, called the 22-time Grand Slam winner a competitive beast and voiced hope for his hip injury recuperation. Given Nadal's tremendous determination, Moya underlined in an interview with ATP the necessity of restricting the Spaniard's training. Due to a recurrent hip issue, Rafael Nadal, 37, has been sidelined since his early withdrawal from the Australian Open earlier this year. Speaking about the Spanish bull, Moya said:

“As much as we try and get that into his head and make him see it, when he steps on a tennis court, he’s a competitive animal. A large part of my work and that of the team has been to stop him. Stop him in terms of the load of training, stop him in terms of hours of work, intensity,”

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Carlos Moya believes that Nadal's recovery is a marathon, not a sprint

Moya went on to say that they are tackling Nadal's rehabilitation systematically, one step at a time, and that they are certain that Nadal is on the right track. The Brisbane International, which takes place from December 31 to January 7, is the next step in Nadal's comeback to competitive tennis. He added:

“It’s a process. In order to get to your best, the difficulty increases. It’s like a video game. You start on the first level, then the second, and you defeat the bosses, who get a little more difficult each time. This is a very similar thing to me. Things get increasingly difficult, but your level as a player increases too. I think we’re on the right path,”

Nadal is expected to retire from the professional tennis in 2024. He hopes to make a mark in the French Open before pursuing Olympic gold in Paris.