Rafael Nadal is set to return to the tennis court next year for an exhibition match in Las Vegas, more than two years after retiring from professional play.
A full lineup for the friendly has not yet been announced, but the 22-time Major champion faced Carlos Alcaraz in a similar exhibition match in Vegas two years ago, in what ended up being his final season on the tour.
Nadal open to Federer showdown
While it does not look like Roger Federer will get involved with this one, Nadal has not ruled out another showdown with his greatest rival. ‘Fedal’ spent years battling it out at the top of tennis, fighting for Grand Slam titles, the world No. 1 ranking, and other trophies.
Novak Djokovic soon joined them at the upper echelons of the sport, and they formed the Big Three. While the Serbian superstar is still going strong on the tour, Nadal and Federer have yet to reunite for an exhibition match.
The Spaniard is now hoping that could one day change. “I am open (to it) and I had long conversations with Roger,” Nadal told the Associated Press ahead of The MGM Slam exhibition in February.
Close contact with Federer
It has been more than four years since Federer retired at the Laver Cup, playing and losing a final doubles match alongside Nadal. The 22-time Grand Slam winner ended his own career two years ago at the Davis Cup Finals.
While they have yet to get back on the tennis court together, they have already enjoyed a round of golf. Nadal has now revealed that he remains in close contact with the Swiss maestro.
He added: “Let’s see what´s going on in the future; if something happens or not. But we are in almost weekly contact together. We talk very often and if at some point we find the right reason and the right place to do something, you will know, guys. But I don’t know yet.”
No Big Three group chat
As for what they speak about, now that their playing days are behind them, Nadal made it clear that they did not discuss today’s champions – Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev. “Yeah, we think that we were much, much better. Yeah,” he joked.
“No, we talk about different stuff. ... We talk about golf. We talk about sports. We share thoughts. I mean, normal relationship.”
But there is no Big Three group chat while Djokovic is still competing on the tour. “We don’t have a chat at all. Novak is still in competition,” Nadal said.
The Spanish star has been back on the court with one of his other old rivals, though. Last month, Andy Murray jetted to Mallorca to help Nadal celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor. Team Nadal beat Team Murray in a series of 10-point tiebreaks.
