ATP Cup not a tune-up for Australian Open, says Rafael Nadal

TIL Desk Sports/ World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has said that Team Spain did not consider the ATP Cup, a team competition whose inaugural edition kicks off in Australia this week, a tune-up for the Australian Open. “The preparations for the Australian Open will come a week before that Grand Slam, when we play the tournament in Adelaide.

We”re motivated to play this team competition,” A news Agengy quoted 33-year-old Nadal as saying after the team arrived for a visit to Rottnest Island, a nature preserve located off Perth. The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of the 2020 tennis season, starts on January 20 in Melbourne. Team Spain was welcomed to Rottnest Island by Western Australia Tourism Minister Paul Papalia.

“It”s really exciting to have the ATP Cup in Perth and Western Australia. We have the best players in the world here, so people can get up close to watch them in the next few days. Importantly, we”re pleased to have Team Spain here promoting Western Australia, and one of the key visits is to come to Rottnest and get selfies with Quokkas,” Papalia said.