Cautious Rafael Nadal certain he’ll be right for Brisbane International despite pulling out of Abu Dhabi
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal insists he will be available for the Brisbane International despite pulling out of a second exhibition match in Abu Dhabi on the eve of the Queensland tournament.
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Rafael Nadal insists he will play the Brisbane International next week despite pulling out of a second exhibition match this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Nadal decided to rest his body following his first match since September, a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Anderson early Saturday morning (EDT).
Spain’s 17-time Grand Slam title winner will have a first-round bye in his second Brisbane International campaign and could play France’s flamboyant Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round and the Australian No. 1 Alex de Minaur in a quarter-final.
Brisbane tournament officials were relieved to learn of Nadal’s unchanged plans to travel to Brisbane, where he was a quarter-finalist in 2017.
The world No. 2, who had ankle surgery at the end of a season plagued again by knee pain, had been due to play in Abu Dhabi in Saturday’s play-off for third place.
Nadal, 32, said he still planned to compete in the Brisbane International as top seed when it starts on Monday, with the Australian Open the bigger prize for him from January 14.
“I spent more time on court that what I thought (against Anderson),’’ Nadal told reporters.
“I will take a couple of days off ahead of the new season.
“I suffered a lot in terms of injury. I don’t want to suffer more.
“I was satisfied with the way I’m playing.
“I hope to have an exciting year. I hope to be healthy.’’
De Minaur, 19, is defending semi-final ranking points from the 2018 Brisbane International and plays Australian wildcard Alexei Popyrin, the 2017 French Open boys champion in the first round.
Defending champion Nick Kyrgios, seeded eighth, has a rematch of his Pat Rafter Arena final from 12 months ago against American Ryan Harrison.
Brisbane cult hero John Millman, ranked No. 38, is a favourite on the rankings to beat American Tennys Sandgren, ranked No. 61.
Sydney wildcard James Duckworth is the first-round opponent of dual Wimbledon champion Andy Murray in a rematch of a US Open encounter three months ago which Murray won in four sets over the tenacious Australian.
Australia’s top-ranked woman in the Brisbane International, Daria Gavrilova, had a poor draw, meeting world No. 12 Anastasjia Sevastova, a 2018 Brisbane semi-finalist.
Wildcard entry Sam Stosur drew a qualified to be decided, with Queensland’s 20-year-old wildcard Kim Birrell drawing one of the form women from late 2018, Russia’s seventh seed Daria Kasatkina.
The Brisbane International has eight of the world’s top 12 women, with 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, the third seed, having a showcase match against Britain’s former top-five player Johanna Konta.
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Originally published as Cautious Rafael Nadal certain he’ll be right for Brisbane International despite pulling out of Abu Dhabi
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