World No.9 Rafael Nadal has confirmed he is fit and ready to make his debut at Brisbane International 2017 presented by Suncorp, which gets underway on Sunday 1 January.
Nadal, who missed the French Open and Wimbledon this year with a lingering wrist injury, recently came through the Spanish National Championships unscathed, competing in the doubles alongside his close friend and fellow Spaniard Marc Lopez.
The pair, who won the gold medal in the men’s doubles at the Olympic Games in Rio, will resume their partnership at Queensland Tennis Centre in January.
Speaking ahead of his maiden appearance in Brisbane, where he will renew rivalries with fellow top ten players Milos Raonic (No.3), Stan Wawrinka (No.4), Kei Nishikori (No.5) and Dominic Thiem (No.8), Nadal was quick to dispel any fitness concerns.
The 14-time Grand Slam title winner said: “I’m ready to play in Brisbane – I hope to be 100 per cent ready to play at a good level.
“I feel I’m healthy enough, and I’m very excited to be coming to Brisbane for the first time in my life. I’m working hard, enough to be competitive. That’s my main thing — to be competitive.
“I need a little luck at the beginning and to play matches, because I haven’t played much for the last four months. I need more matches to feel confident, but I’m happy with the way I’m practising.’’
Brisbane International Tournament Director Geoff Quinlan believes that Nadal’s presence is a major boost for the tournament.
He said: “Rafa Nadal is one of the world’s most recognisable sportsmen, and we are privileged to have him in Brisbane for the first time. I’m sure the people of Queensland will be desperate to see him in action, and what better way to treat the sports fan in your life than to buy them a Brisbane International ticket for Christmas?”