TIL Desk Sports/ Injury-plagued world number two Rafael Nadal insists he is healthy and in no pain after coming through an exhibition game in Sydney, just days after pulling out of the Brisbane International.
The Spaniard teamed up with Canadian Milos Raonic to defeat Australians Nick Kyrgios and John Millman in the FAST4 Showdown on Monday evening — a shortened, quicker format of the game often described as the tennis equivalent of Twenty20 cricket.
Nadal said that he was “feeling better” after withdrawing from Brisbane, when an MRI revealed a slight strain of his left thigh, casting doubts over his fitness for next week’s Australian Open.
“I did not feel the pain here,” the 17-time Grand Slam champion said. “I think it was a good start for me, a good comeback to the action in front of a fantastic crowd in Sydney.
“I
really enjoyed playing here. I’m happy to be back on court and happy that I’m
healthy again.” Nadal has not played a main tour event since a knee
problem forced him to retire during his US Open semi-final against Juan Martin
del Potro in September.
