Nadal plays down expectations before Brisbane return

PARIS: Former world number one Rafael Nadal said on Monday he expects “nothing” from himself before his return to the courts next month.

Nadal, 37, has been out with a hip injury since last January but is set to feature at Brisbane in the near year. The Spaniard will use the tournament as a warm-up to the Australian Open in Melbourne having slumped to 663rd in the world before starting his final year before his expected retirement.

“I think I´m ready and I trust and hope that all goes well and it gives me the opportunity to enjoy myself on the court,” Nadal said in a video on social media. Since being sidelined Nadal has been overtaken in the number of Grand Slam tournaments won by Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic, who now has 24 major titles. Nadal will try to return to the highest level in Australia with the aim of competing at the French Open which he has won a record 14 times.