Australian Open champion Rafa Nadal announced he will make his return from a month-long absence due to injury at this week's Madrid Open.
Nadal, 35, last played in the final of Indian Wells against Taylor Fritz on March 20 and had suffered a stress fracture in his rib during the tournament. That forced him to miss claycourt events in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
"Despite arriving just before the tournament and preparation being difficult, I really want to play at home since the opportunities are few," Nadal wrote on Twitter.
"So I'm going to try to do it in the best way I can. See you in Madrid."
The former world No 1's return to action comes little under a month before the French Open, where he will be aiming for a record-extending 14th title. The claycourt major gets underway on May 22.
Meanwhile, organisers have announced that Roger Federer, who has been plagued by knee problems for the last two years, will play singles at the ATP Basel indoor tournament in October.
Federer hasn't played competitively since losing last July in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon to Pole Hubert Hurkacz. He replied to the organisers' Instagram announcement with the message: "Looking forward to playing back home."
"After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the Swiss Indoors Basel will return to the ATP Tour in the fall of 2022," organisers said in a statement.
"10-time singles champion and hometown hero Roger Federer has announced his comeback to the stadium at St. Jakobshalle."
Federer, who turns 41 in August, is also due to play in the three-day team event Laver Cup with Nadal in London in September.
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Novak Djokovic arrived in Belgrade on Monday, January 17, 2022. Djokovic landed in the Serbian capital following his deportation from Australia on Sunday after losing a bid to stay in the country to defend his Australian Open title. Reuters -
Novak Djokovic arrives at Nikola Tesla Airport, after the Australian Federal Court upheld a government decision to cancel his visa to play in the Australian Open. Reuters -
Djokovic arrived in Belgrade following his deportation from Australia on Sunday after losing a bid to stay in the country to defend his Australian Open title over his vaccination status. AP -
Novak Djokovic at Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade, Serbia. Reuters -
A plane from Dubai carrying Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic arrives at Nikola Tesla airport. Reuters -
Journalists wait outside the VIP terminal at the Nikola Tesla airport in Belgrade, Serbia. AP -
Border police officers outside the VIP terminal at the Nikola Tesla airport in Belgrade, Serbia. AP -
Supporters Novak Djokovic gather at the Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade. EPA -
People holds Serbian national flags while waiting outside the VIP exit of Belgrade's international airport. AFP -
Belgrade Tower is illuminated in the national colours and a message reading "Nole" in support of tennis player Novak Djokovic in Belgrade, Serbia. Reuters -
A combination made of pictures taken in Belgrade shows the Belgrade Tower, still under construction, being illuminated with the national colours and a message reading "Nole, you are the pride of Serbia", in support of the Serbian tennis player. AFP -
A local resident walks past a mural depicting Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in Belgrade. Tennis star Novak Djokovic on January 16, 2022 lost his fight against deportation from Australia. AFP -
A billboard depicting Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic is seen on the side of a building in Belgrade. AFP -
A local resident walks past a mural depicting Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in Belgrade. Many in his native Serbia reacted with fury to a federal court ruling cancelling his Australian visa, calling it a "shameful farce". AFP -
A mural depicting Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic on a wall in Belgrade, Serbia. AP Photo
Also, Novak Djokovic will be allowed to defend his title at Wimbledon, despite not being vaccinated, because the shots are not required to enter Britain, All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton said.
Djokovic, 34, missed the Australian Open in January after being deported from that country because he was not vaccinated against the illness.
During the annual spring briefing ahead of Wimbledon, which starts on June 27, Bolton said: “As you will be aware, the requirement set up by government to enter the UK do not include mandatory vaccination. Therefore, whilst, of course, it is encouraged, it will not be a condition of entry to compete.”
Djokovic, in addition to being unable to defend his championship at Melbourne Park after an 11-day visa saga in Australia, had to sit out tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami because he couldn’t travel to the United States as a foreigner who is unvaccinated.
