"Welcome back Rafael Nadal" - Boris Becker, Carlos Moya and others rejoice as Spaniard announces 2024 return

Rafael Nadal announced on Friday, December 1, that he would be making his return to professional tennis at the 2024 Brisbane International. This news has delighted not only his legion of fans but many tennis legends as well.

Nadal has been out of action since January, having suffered a hip injury at the Australian Open. The Spaniard subsequently underwent arthroscopic surgery and months of rehabilitation.

Rafael Nadal hasn't played a match on the ATP tour in nearly a year, which is probably why many in the tennis world were thrilled to hear of his comeback announcement. Six-time Major winner Boris Becker, coach of World No. 8 Holger Rune, was one of the first prominent tennis personalities to give a warm reception to Nadal.

Becker wrote on his Instagram stories:

"Welcome back Rafa."

A screen capture of Boris Becker's Instagram story

Rafael Nadal's coach and former World No. 1 Carlos Moya showed his love for the 37-year-old with two heart emojis.

Formula 1 racer Carlos Sainz was also amongst Rafael Nadal's band of supporters, commenting some words of motivation on the Matador's Instagram reel.

"Go for it Rafa!!" he replied [translated from Spanish], followed by two muscle flex emojis.

A screen capture of Carlos Sainz's comment

Here are a few more reactions from social media:

A screen capture of the Spaniard's well-wishers

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Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open the last time he played a tune-up event

Rafael Nadal poses with the 2022 Australian Open trophy

Rafael Nadal will be making his second appearance at the ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane - one of the lead-up tournaments to the Australian Open. The Spaniard last played at the event in 2017, losing to top-seed Milos Raonic in three sets in the quarter-finals.

Interestingly, Nadal had entered another tune-up event to the Australian Open in 2022. He made an appearance at the Melbourne Summer Set 1 after being out of action for nearly six months due to a chronic foot injury.

The Spaniard didn't drop a single set en route winning the 250-level tournament. Nadal then backed it up with his 21st Major title at the Australian Open, winning the championship match against then-reigning US Open titlist Daniil Medvedev.

Nadal initially trailed his Russian opponent two sets to love, and even faced three back-to-back breakpoints in the fifth game of the third set. But Nadal refused to give up, winning all three points with some gutsy play before taking the set 6-4.

Medvedev looked physically and mentally deflated in the fourth set, dropping it 6-4. The decisive set was much more competitive, but Nadal eventually came out on top 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in five hours and 24 minutes.