Tennis: Nadal Plans Comeback At Abu Dhabi Exhibition

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal is aiming to return from injury at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi next month before playing another tournament in his buildup to the Australian Open, the world number five said.

Nadal struggled with back issues at the start of this year and pulled out of Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics. He last competed in August at the Citi Open in Washington.

He announced ahead of the US Open that the injury to his left foot would rule him out for the rest of the year, but said he might return at the Deember. 16-18 Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event.

“My plan is to play Abu Dhabi in December and a tournament before playing the Australian Open. It is my goal and we are working hard to make it that way,” Nadal said in an interview.

“I don’t know exactly when I’ll be back, but I can say that my goal is to try to come back to Abu Dhabi in December, and then, of course, for the start of the new season in January. The injury in my foot still needs to get a little better, but I’m already training almost an hour and a half a day so that’s positive.”

• Read more: Rafael Nadal Pulls Out Of Wimbledon, Tokyo Olympics

Chidi Nwoke/Reuters.