"I cannot 100% guarantee my participation in the Australian Open" - Rafael Nadal following his comeback in Abu Dhabi

Rafael Nadal made his much awaited comeback this week at the 2021 Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi. However, it appears there's a possibility his return to action may be short-lived.

During his post-match conference following his third-place play-off against Denis Shapovalov, Nadal stated he'd confer with his team first before confirming his participation in the Australian Open. He wants to do his best in the season's first Grand Slam, but wants to see how his body feels after playing for a couple of days.

"I need to talk to my team and make a decision. I cannot 100% guarantee my participation in the Australian Open. My plan is to go there and do my best. That is my goal and that is the idea, but I have to see how my body feels after this pair of days. I have some time to make this decision. We will make it as the days go by."

While Nadal lost both of his matches, he was still able to compete against top players like Andy Murray and Shapovalov. The former World No. 1 is pleased with his performance in Abu Dhabi although he thinks there is still room for improvement.

"I was not 100% at all, but I was able to show that I can compete against good players. There are many things to improve for the next few weeks, but I am happy to have competed against players like Andy Murray and Denis Shapovalov. Still I need time."

Rafael Nadal has been injured since Roland Garros

Kia and Rafael Nadal EV6 Handover Event.

Rafael Nadal picked up a foot injury during his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros in 2021. He played at the Citi Open with an injury.

According to Nadal, it would be wrong to assume that his last match was just four months ago as the Spaniard could not even train properly following the French Open. His main goal now is to be healthy so he's able to play his best.

"People think I last played in Washington, but those games I played there I did with bad feelings. After Roland Garros it was a disaster for me. My foot didn't even allow me to train or play properly. It's been six months since my last official real match. The main thing is to be healthy enough to do the things that I have to do."

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