Rafael Nadal's sister Maribel reacts as Spaniard picks up training ahead of potential final Madrid Open campaign

Tennis icon Rafael Nadal's sister Maribel has reacted to her brother's training routine as the Spaniard is gearing up for the upcoming 2024 Madrid Open. He has been toiling hard at the tennis court for what could potentially be his last-ever campaign at the Madrid Open.

Maribel Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion's sister, has shared the video from her brother's practice session as he prepares for his long-awaited comeback at the Mutua Madrid Open. She on her Instagram put up a story in which the five-time Madrid Open winner can be seen serving before hitting a winner.

"@rafaelnadal (fire emoji)," she captioned the story.

Maribel Nadal shares practice session of Nadal on her Instagram story

The Spaniard had withdrawn from the tournament in 2023 as he felt he was not ready yet to compete at the top level. But this time after a long injury layoff, Nadal is ready to go at the Madrid Open. For the past few days, Nadal has been practicing hard with his team at La Caja Magica (The Magic Box).

The Mutua Madrid Open even gave him a hero's welcome when the Spaniard came to practice for the first time this year, as all the TV screens in the tunnel and the advertising boards displayed Nadal's name over them.

The five-time Madrid champion will face a tough challenge at the Madrid Open as his compatriot and two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will aim to three-peat the tournament.

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"I have to behave in Madrid according to how I feel" - Rafael Nadal opens up after his exit from the Barcelona Open

Nadal reacts after his defeat at the 2024 Barcelona Open

The returning Rafael Nadal faced an early exit at the 2024 Barcelona. After successfully defeating Italy's Flavio Cobolli in the opening round, he suffered a shock 7-5, 6-1 defeat to de Minuar to bow out of the competition on April 17.

While speaking to the press after his defeat, the 37-year-old Spaniard was brutally honest about how he plans to take further steps for the upcoming tournaments including the Mutua Madrid Open.

He explained that he would take careful steps to prepare for the Madrid competition.

“I have to behave in Madrid according to how I feel. If I can do a week of practice sessions in Madrid with quality players, if I can play sets every day, if my body gets used to that level of competition and I feel I’m ready, then I’ll be able to progress,” Nadal said in a post-match conference.