Rafael Nadal has been practicing hard as he awaits to play his first tournament after a year-long hiatus from tennis. A few days ahead of the start of the 2024 Brisbane International, he chose to practice with Holger Rune as a part of his preparation.
Holger Rune never had the chance to play against the Spaniard on the tour and he got lucky this time as he got a taste of Nadal’s prowess during his practice session. Their electrifying session together can be seen in several videos that surfaced on social media platforms.
Rafael Nadal playing world No.8 and 20 year old Holger Rune.
— TSPN (@TSPNTENNIS) December 29, 2023
He may be 38 but he still has it against the young boys 😉💪
pic.twitter.com/4jKYD40UAj
Holger Rune was blown away by the 37-year-old’s unbelievable hitting power and his movement on the court.
“It’s funny, after the practice I talked to my team. I thought he played unbelievable. We were hitting. He was hitting strong. He always used to hit strong. Then we started points & I thought he was moving very well, moving side to side extremely fast.”
-Holger Rune at the pre tournament press conference in Brisbane
He stated that Nadal’s intensity on the court is incredible and described it as the hardest session he had in the last six months.
“I think the intensity he brings is incredible. I’ve been playing a very intense pre-season & a very intense end of the season last year. And that was probably the hardest practice I’ve had the last half year, I would say.”
-Holger Rune at the pre tournament press conference in Brisbane
Holger Rune is currently ranked World No.8 and is the top seed at the ATP 250 event. He will face Australian tennis player Max Purcell in the first round.
Notably, Rafael Nadal who is ranked No. 672 is participating in the event as a wild card following his year-long absence from the sport.
Rafael Nadal pairs up with Marc Lopez for doubles in the Brisbane International
Rafael Nadal who is all set for his comeback will participate in the doubles event along with singles at the Brisbane International tournament. He has paired up with his long-time partner Marc Lopez for the event.
Rafael Nadal last played his doubles match at the 2022 Laver Cup teaming up with Roger Federer which marked the last match of his career.
Nadal and Lopez have a great achievement winning the gold in doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Nadal is making his return to tennis after a year and at the same time, Lopez will also be playing his first competitive match since the 2022 Madrid Open.
