Australian Open officials hopeful Rafael Nadal will be back in 2025

Despite being 37 and battling injuries issues the door hasn’t been shut on a Rafael Nadal return to Australia in 2025.

Spain's Rafael Nadal . (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)

Australia may not have seen the last of Rafael Nadal despite fears the hip injury which forced his Australian Open withdrawal could bring a swift end to his legendary career.

Tournament boss Craig Tiley said he hasn’t ruled out an Open return in 2025 for Nadal, who will turn 38 in June, after he broke down during his playing return in Brisbane.

Nadal, a 22-time grand slam winner, will fly home to Spain to consult his doctor about his future but not before a catch up with Tiley who hasn’t put a line through the superstar.

“I’m absolutely planning on seeing him next year,” Tiley said on Monday when asked whether Nadal may not return to the Open.

“I’m planning on seeing him tonight for a private catch-up, which we always do, before he leaves town in the next few days and then I’ll ask him that same question.

“But there’s no question that I think that Rafa’s the kind of player that as long as he’s fit and he feels like he’s healthy and he can play, he’ll be out there playing.

“He loves to play and of course we would love to have him back in Melbourne under any circumstance - whether he’s playing or whatever else he’s doing.”

Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried. Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news.
Right… pic.twitter.com/WpApfzjf3C

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 7, 2024

Tiley said Nadal had “unfinished business” in Melbourne, where he has twice won the Australian Open, including as recently as 2022, and he would pitch hard to get him back.

“I think the pitch to Rafa is that he has got unfinished business in Melbourne,” Tiley said.

“He may say he’s got finished business because he won, as you recall, in 2022.

“But the pitch from me to him is, ‘Unfinished business in Melbourne, the fans want to see you, we’re expecting to see you’.

“But it’s entirely up to him. We’ll support whatever decision he makes. We’ll see if we can find a way to get him back,”

Nadal had hip surgery in June and hadn’t played since last year’s Australian Open when he made his comeback in Brisbane, injuring himself in his third match against Australian Jordan Thompson.

He confirmed his withdrawal from the Open on Sunday night and Tiley conceded Nadal would only return to the court if he was 100 per cent fit, and convinced he could win the tournament again.

“He needs at least two to three weeks of taking a break and going through rehab before he can compete,” Tiley said.

“Rafa’s the kind of player, he’s not going to enter an event unless he knows he’s going to be 100 per cent fit to win it.”.