Nadal set to play in Brisbane
WORLD No. 1 Rafael Nadal will play the Brisbane International this summer as his Australian Open campaign launch pad.
The recruitment of the indomitable Nadal, 32, is a coup, as in his one previous Brisbane International visit, in 2017, his three matches all attracted 5500- seat sellouts.
The 17- time Grand Slam title winner is seeded second behind Roger Federer for Wimbledon, which starts on Monday night.
“I am excited to play in Brisbane and I am sorry I couldn’t play earlier this year,’’ Nadal told The Bulletin from his training base in Spain.
“I am sure that a good performance at Brisbane will help my confidence and therefore chances at the Australian Open. Let’s hope that’s the case in 2019.’’
Nadal pulled out of the Brisbane International last summer within a few days of its starting, saying his suspect knee was not ready and his legion of Australian supporters were saddened by what seemed a portentous fifth- set retirement in his Melbourne Park quarter- final against Marin Cilic.
Despite that, the brutally competitive left- hander has forged a 2018 season that landed him an 11th major title at the French Open, three other titles and retained him the world No. 1 ranking. Federer’s loss in the Halle final last Sunday saw the Swiss star supplanted at the head of the ATP standings.