Rafael Nadal: 'This year the season has a different calendar and...'

Forced to change its position on the calendar due to the complications associated with the conduct of the Australian Open - and to close its doors to the public due to Covid-19 - the ATP 500 in Rotterdam can finally greet good news. In the past few hours the management of the Dutch tournament has in fact made official the presence, surprised of surprises, of Rafael Nadal. The Majorcan phenomenon, who will play ATP Cup and Australian Open in the coming weeks, will benefit from the extension of the points expiring in Acapulco granted by the ATP, and will be able to renounce the trip to Mexico without too many thoughts. Nadal will return to Rotterdam twelve years after his last appearance, and for the third time ever. In 2008 he was stopped in the second round by Andreas Seppi, while the following year he took a defeat in the final against Andy Murray. Scheduled from the first to the seven of March on the Ahoy Rotterdam fields, the kermesse will represent for the world number two another opportunity to improve the meager budget put together in an indoor career, where the only trophy is always the one raised in the 2005 in Madrid. Obviously illuminated by the presence of the twenty-time Grand Slam champion, the field of participation of the tournament is particularly prestigious, thanks to the concomitant participation of Daniil Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka, Andrey Rublev, the two-time champion Gael Monfils and Jannik Sinner.

Rafael Nadal will play in Rotterdam

In a statement relayed by tennis journalist Michal Samulski, Rafael Nadal stated that he was looking forward to returning to the Rotterdam event this year after an 11-year hiatus. "I am looking forward to returning to the Netherlands," Nadal said. "It has been a long time since I went to play in Rotterdam. This year the season has a different calendar and it fits well into my schedule." The 34-year-old will play in Rotterdam for the first time since 2009, where he entered as World No. 1 and lost to Andy Murray in the final. "It's a tournament I like to play and hopefully be in their honours roll. I hope to see again all my Dutch friends and fans in Rotterdam," the Spaniard added. Rafael Nadal's presence in Rotterdam means that the Spaniard now has a theoretical chance of preventing Novak Djokovic from breaking Roger Federer's record for most weeks as World No. 1. The odds of Nadal overtaking Djokovic before 8 March, however, are very low.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/35YBpVa