World number 2 Rafael Nadal has ignored fitness concerns in order to confirm his schedule at the 2022 ATP Finals.
The 2022 ATP Finals will be a men’s tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, Italy, from 13 to 20 November 2022.
“I’m excited about playing [in Turin], even if it hasn’t been the perfect couple of months for me, of course. But, yeah, nothing to lose. After a good year, going there, just trying my best.” Nadal said.
“It’s true that for the last five months I didn’t spend enough days on the Tour. I don’t even say competing on a tennis court; I say on the Tour, practising with the guys. That’s what I need.
“I am going to try, if nothing happens, if I am feeling OK, to be in Turn a little bit earlier than usual and have some practices.” Nadal added.
Nadal lost the opening match of the 2022 Paris Masters at the hands of Tommy Paul on November 3. It was his first singles match since the US Open, where he lost in the fourth round to Frances Tiafoe.
The Spaniard faced many difficulties in the second half of the season, when he was constantly injured and missed hard court events in North America.
Nadal will have to compete with longtime rival Novak Djokovic, the stars at the career level are Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and three young talents Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Carlos Alcaraz.
The former world number 1 has recovered from an abdominal injury, but his fitness has declined due to a long break.
Nadal has been practicing actively in the last two weeks, after welcoming his first child. Coach Carlos Moya believes that his player will soon regain their health.
“The training sessions and matches in Paris help Nadal a lot. The surface and conditions there are quite similar to the ATP Finals in Turin.” Moya said.
Nadal has lost two ATP Finals finals, in 2010 and 2013. He is also three Masters 1000 short of his nine-title collection, which are Paris, Shanghai and Miami.
He has lost five Miami Open finals, two times runner-up to the Shanghai Masters and reached the 2007 Paris Masters final.
