Watch: Rafael Nadal hits the court for first practice in Turin ahead of ATP Finals 2022

Rafael Nadal arrived in Turin on Tuesday night and hit the main court at the Pali Alpitour arena for his first practice session on Wednesday ahead of Sunday's start to the 2022 ATP Finals. The Spaniard will be the highest-ranked player at the season-ending championships, where he is also set to bid for the year-end No. 1 ranking.

Nadal returned home after losing his opening match at the Paris Masters against Tommy Paul last Thursday to spend some time with his family, especially his newborn son. Any remaining doubts about his participation in the ATP Finals have now been put to rest after he arrived in Turin and wasted no time before hitting the practice court.

After his Paris Masters exit, the Spaniard vowed to arrive in Turin earlier than he usually does for tournaments, highlighting the need for more intense practice time after he seemed to lack match fitness in Paris. Nadal admitted to feeling the effects of less match time on tour of late and suggested that, even in practice sessions, he needs to train with fellow players and play competitive sets against them.

The 36-year-old is approaching the ATP Finals, where he is searching for his first-ever title, with a "nothing to lose" mindset after having a solid season so far.

"I'm excited about playing, even if it hasn't been a perfect couple of months for me," the Spaniard said in a press conference at the Paris Masters. "But, yeah, there's nothing to lose. After a good year, going there, I'm just trying my best. In the end, I need days on the tour."

"I don't even say competing on a tennis court. I say on the tour, practicing with the guys. That's what I need," he added.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion faces the prospect of a tough group at the season-ending championships as both Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev could be part of the same group.

How Rafael Nadal can secure the year-end world No. 1 ranking at ATP Finals 2022

Rolex Paris Masters - Day Three

Rafael Nadal will secure the ATP year-end No. 1 ranking regardless of any other player's results by winning the 2022 ATP Finals title. However, he has a chance to end the season atop the rankings for the 6th time in his career even if he loses in the final, provided he remains undefeated until the final and does not lose to an undefeated Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek player is the only other contender for the No. 1 ranking apart from Nadal and current No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.

As things stand, Alcaraz remains the favorite to retain the top spot given the difficulty of the challenge for his contenders. However, his fate is not in his own control after he was forced to withdraw from the ATP Finals due to an abdominal injury. Meanwhile, Nadal also has a chance to become the oldest year-end No. 1 at the age of 36-and-a-half.