"Are they filming because it's possibly Rafael Nadal's last year?", "His comeback year" - Fans speculate as film crew follows Spaniard in Brisbane

Tennis fans have developed interesting theories after Rafael Nadal was spotted being followed by a film crew at the 2024 Brisbane International.

Nadal has returned to action in Brisbane after almost a year-long hiatus from the tour. The Spaniard showed no signs of slowing down after registering comfortable wins against Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler in the opening two rounds.

During Nadal's matches, a cameraman and a sound mixer were present in his players' box. The crew was also spotted filming the Spaniard's training sessions.

Speculations among fans suggest that there might be an upcoming documentary, either about the 22-time Grand Slam champion's retirement or his comeback.

One fan reckoned it might be Nadal's last year on the tour.

"Are they filming because it’s possibly Rafa’s last year on tour?," the fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Another user wrote:

"Filming his comeback year."

A third user hinted it might mean the end of the former World No. 1's career:

"Can wait to see that because may mean the end! Keep filming guys."

One fan expressed a desire to watch an "epic fly-on-the-wall" documentary with the Spaniard receiving congratulatory messages from Roger Federer after lifting a title.

"Good! Should things go well, I want an epic fly-on-the-wall documentary with clips of Rafa on the phone receiving congrats from Roger when he wins his first and/or the BIG tournament (which I choose to believe Roger would be there in the flesh handing him the trophy)," the fan wrote.

Here are some more fan reactions:

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"Rafael Nadal can be very happy because the level he is showing is good enough" - Spaniard's uncle Toni on his return to tour

The Spaniard in action at the 2024 Brisbane International (Getty)

Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni expressed delight at the Spaniard's progress since making his return to the tour in Brisbane.

In a recent interview, Toni reflected on how the former World No. 1 outmatched expectations. However, the Spanish coach remained skeptical about how his nephew would fare in more difficult matches.

"Rafa can be very happy because the level he is showing is good enough. It's an exciting start, but we have to see him in more difficult games. At the moment, things are going almost better than we expected," Toni said.

Toni expects the two-time Australian Open champion to have a good campaign at the upcoming Melbourne Major if he gets a favorable draw.

"If in Brisbane he plays with more qualified people and in the Australian Open he has a good draw, essential as he is not seeded, it is possible that he will have a good tournament," he added.

Rafael Nadal will next face Jordan Thompson in the Brisbane International quarterfinals on Friday (January 5). The Spaniard leads Thompson 2-0 in the head-to-head.