Rafa Nadal’s announcement of his return to competition is not the tennis news of the year. Nadal’s return to professional action after a year away from the game puts the 22-time Grand Slam winner in the spotlight as, despite the Spaniard’s difficulties, expectations around his figure are always sky high.

This bombast, which has surrounded Nadal since the beginning of his career, is one of the reasons why the tennis player spoke out for the second time in three days. “I was afraid to announce it because, after all, it had been a year without competing and it was hip surgery. But what worries me most is not the hip, but everything else,” Nadal said in the video. published on their social networks.

In this message, delivered in a serious and sincere tone, Nadal shared his feelings ahead of his “re-debut” in Brisbane and how he took Friday’s announcement: “I am afraid and have been afraid to announce anything. something without being 100% sure.”

The video was seen by Rafa Nadal fans as an apology from the tennis player for raising so much hope: “The guy is asking for our forgiveness, as if he owes us something. With your appearance on the court, I am already more than pleased. Let’s go”; “No matter what you do and no matter how it happens, it will be with you to the death,” his followers responded, among which there were only messages of affection, understanding and support.

There is uncertainty in the spirit of a champion; “I hope, first of all, to feel those nerves again, that excitement, those fears and those doubts, and I hope that I don’t expect anything”; and Nadal seems ready to admit it: “I think I’m ready and confident and I hope things go well and give me the opportunity to enjoy the court again.”

As the Spaniard stressed, one of the biggest challenges in returning to the top level will be the ability to not overexert himself, as he has done throughout his career. “I am at a time, in a situation and in uncharted territory,” Nadal stressed, which he will fight not to follow what he has learned, “what I have done throughout my life requires me to maximum”.

Nadal concluded his message by saying his goal is not to push himself to the limit and to “accept that things will be very difficult in the beginning.” Although Nadal’s way of showing the complexity of the reality he experiences at 37 years old, he showed his desire for what is to come: “First I will have to give myself the necessary time and forgive myself if something goes wrong. at the beginning, which is very likely, but I know that there may be a not too distant future in which everything can change if I maintain the enthusiasm and spirit of work and the physique responds to me.