April 13, (THEWILL)- Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, will make his long-awaited return to ATP competition next week at the Barcelona Open. The 37-year-old Spaniard has been sidelined since January due to a persistent hip injury.
Nadal, who turns 38 in June, will face 21-year-old Italian, Flavio Cobolli, in the opening round of the tournament. The former world number one has not played since his quarter-final defeat by Jordan Thompson in the Brisbane Open, where he suffered the hip issue.
The tournament has also received a boost with the return of Nadal’s compatriot, Carlos Alcaraz, the current world number three. Alcaraz, the two-time defending Barcelona champion, withdrew from this week’s Monte Carlo Masters due to a right arm injury.
Nadal, who has been granted a wild card for the event, will be aiming for a problem-free return as he looks to build towards a record-extending 15th French Open title. The clay-court Grand Slam runs from May 20 to June 9.
With the prospect of a tantalising semi-final clash against Alcaraz on the centre court bearing Nadal’s name, the 37-year-old will be desperate to make the most of his potentially final year on the tour and avoid any further injury setbacks.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
