"I'm absolutely planning on seeing Rafael Nadal next year" - Australian Open tournament director hopeful of Spaniard's return in 2025

Rafael Nadal has been forced to withdraw from the Australian Open 2024 after sustaining an injury at the Brisbane International last week.

The Spaniard complained of muscle pain during his quarterfinal match against Jordan Thompson, which he would go on to lose after a three-hour-plus battle. Test results later, however, showed a minor tear on a hip muscle, ruling him out of the season’s first Grand Slam.

While observers are busy speculating what the future holds for Nadal, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley remains positive that the Spaniard will return to Melbourne next year.

Speaking to Brisbane Times, Tiley said he is scheduled to meet the 22-time Grand Slam champion privately and plans to ask him about a possible return in 2025.

“I’m absolutely planning on seeing him next year,” Craig Tiley said. “I’m planning to see him tonight [Monday] for a private catch-up, as we always do before he leaves town in the next few days, and I’ll ask him that same question.

"But Rafa is the kind of player who, as long as he’s fit, and feels like he’s healthy, and can play, he’ll be out there playing – he loves to play," he added.

Tiley said that the Australian Open spectators and organizers would all love to have Nadal back in Melbourne in whatever capacity he chooses.

“Of course, we would love to have him back in Melbourne, under any circumstance, whether he’s playing or whatever else he’s doing ... we will provide him every opportunity to come back and play,” the Australian Open tournament director said.

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“Rafael Nadal’s not going to enter an event unless he knows he is 100% fit to win it” - Australian Open director

Rafael Nadal at the 2024 Brisbane International

Looking ahead, Craig Tiley said that winning a Slam is not an easy task as a player needs to win seven five-set matches over the course of two weeks, which is no mean feat.

He added that Rafael Nadal, for one, is never going to enter a tournament, leave alone a Grand Slam, if he does not feel fit-enough to win it.

“To win the Australian Open, you’ve got to play seven [best] of five-set matches, over the two weeks, so I think he thought that he wouldn’t be able to withstand that,” Craig Tiley said.

“Rafael Nadal being the kind of player [he is]; he’s not going to enter an event unless he knows he is 100 per cent fit to win it,” he added.

Nadal lifted his second Australian Open title at the tournament’s 2022 edition. He suffered a serious hip injury while defending his crown last year and did not play for the remainder of the 2023 season.