WATCH: Rafael Nadal delights fans with selfies during workout session 

World No. 6 Rafael Nadal delighted his fans by taking selfies with them during a training session ahead of the Melbourne Summer Set.

Rafael Nadal will kick off his 2022 ATP 250 Melbourne campaign on Wednesday. He has recovered from COVID-19 and is ready to return to professional tennis after a gap of about five months.

Rafael Nadal at a training session

While preparing himself for the Melbourne Summer Set, Rafael Nadal was cycling in the gym where fans rushed to take selfies with him. Despite being busy with his workout, the 20-time Grand Slam champion didn't disappoint them and took selfies with numerous fans. Moreover, he greeted all of them with a smile and even shook hands with some of them.

While discussing the incident on the Tennis Channel, American tennis player Taylor Townsend hailed Nadal and called him a "nice guy." She pointed out that people cannot contain their excitement after watching the Spaniard.

“He’s so nice. He is such a nice guy. But honestly, after a while, he will probably be like, ‘Ok, Guys, Let me cooldown’. People are excited to see him. I can’t blame them," said Townsend.

Rafael Nadal can cross paths with Nick Kyrgios in the semi-finals of the 2022 ATP 250 Melbourne

After a first round bye, Rafael Nadal will kick off his campaign in Melbourne against a qualifier or Marcos Giron. He could then face local favorite Alexei Popyrin or Dominik Koepfer in the quarter-finals.

If the Spaniard manages to advance, he will most likely encounter home favorite Nick Kyrgios. Interestingly, Kyrgios has beaten Nadal on three occasions in his career so far. Thus, he can prove to be a big challenge for him, especially when the Spaniard is trying to find his form and momentum.

Rafael Nadal with Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open

If Rafael Nadal passes the Kyrgios challenge, he will most probably face Grigor Dimitrov or Reilly Opelka in the finals.

Following the 2022 ATP 250 Melbourne, Rafael Nadal compete at his 17th Australian Open. He last won the Grand Slam in 2009 when he defeated Roger Federer in the final to lift the trophy.