Rafael Nadal will make his long-awaited return to action at the Barcelona Open after the 12-time champion confirmed he is fit enough to face Flavio Cobolli.
Nadal, who has not played a match since the Brisbane International in January, is set to face 21-year-old Cobolli in the first round at 3pm BST on Tuesday – live on Sky Sports Tennis.
The Spaniard confirmed on Monday in a press conference that he is fit enough to play and he will continue practising on his favourite clay surface in the lead-up to the tournament.
On returning to the court, Nadal said: “I came here a bit of a last-minute decision, because I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play. Tomorrow I will be on the court.”
The 37-year-old 12-time champion in Barcelona has been forced to delay his comeback after picking up a micro muscle tear in Brisbane.
He has already withdrawn from the Australian Open, Qatar Open, Indian Wells and Monte Carlo Masters, with the French Open starting on May 20, where he is a record 14-time winner.
If Nadal defeats world No 63 Cobolli, he will face fourth seed Alex de Minaur in the second round.
The Australian is enjoying the best season of his career having broken into the world’s top 10 for the first time.
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes the Spaniard would have no trouble finding form on his favourite surface and is the “ultimate challenger on clay”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Rafa in the final of Barcelona, because that’s something he has done over and over again for years and years,” Tsitsipas, who won the Monte Carlo title for a third time on Sunday, told reporters.
“What he does have is this competitiveness and this fierce tennis when he gets into the momentum that sometimes feels like on the outside perspective unstoppable. I think he’s the ultimate challenge on clay.
“Whether he’s playing now at, let’s say, later stages of his career or the ones before, what he has now that he didn’t before is experience, and he for sure knows ways to win points and to prevail more in economy mode than before.”
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