Watch: Rafael Nadal resumes training after Canadian Open withdrawal, shows encouraging signs for Cincinnati Open participation

Rafael Nadal has been spotted practicing for the first time since pulling out of the 2022 Canadian Open.

Due to his incomplete recovery from an abdominal injury, Nadal pulled out of the Canadian Open on Friday. The Spaniard had suffered a 7mm abdominal tear, which forced him to pull out of Wimbledon before his semifinal against Nick Kyrgios.

Rafael Nadal was slated to make his comeback in Canada at the ongoing National Bank Open, but his recovery did not go as well as he hoped. His return to training has raised hopes of his participation at the Cincinnati Open, which begins on August 13.

In a video that has gone viral on Twitter, he mostly concentrated on his netplay and strengthening his hard serves, which are some of his strongest suits.

In 2013, Nadal defeated John Isner 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (7-3) to win the hardcourt tournament and reclaimed his No. 2 ranking. With the US Open beginning at the end of the month, he will be hoping to get some match action before competing at the hardcourt Major.

His name features on the Cincinnati Masters entry list, though that doesn't guarantee his participation.

"He has way too many titles, we do miss him, but it's a bit of help for sure" - Stefanos Tsitsipas on Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from 2022 Canadian Open

Following Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from the Canadian Open, Stefanos Tsitsipas rose one spot to become the third seed in the tournament.

The Greek, who was in Montreal for the draw ceremony, joked that Nadal's absence from the competition would be beneficial for him because the Spaniard has won too many titles already.

Speaking about the characteristics of the Canadian Open courts, the 23-year-old said that they were far slower than he had anticipated.

Tsitsipas, who finished as the runner-up at the 2021 French Open, has historically played his best tennis on clay surfaces in recent years. Success has eluded him on hardcourts, where he has won only four titles to date. He will therefore be looking forward to making the most of the Canadian Open and entering Flushing Meadows with form on his side.

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Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.

Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double-checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.

Pritha's journey at Sportskeeda is marked by more than 2000 articles and close to 16 million views, with the "dream-come-true" moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career. A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka.

When she's not seeking unique angles to elevate tennis coverage at Sportskeeda, she loves to channel her inner astrophysics "nerd" by exploring new sci-fi series and movies. A big Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton, and Randy Orton fan, she is always ready to engage in sports conversations anytime, anywhere, albeit not without a cup of coffee.

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