"Enjoying my time somewhere playing with friends" - Rafael Nadal shares glimpse of his shuffleboard experience, professes his love for the game
Rafael Nadal recently traded his tennis racquet for a shuffleboard cue while enjoying a leisurely day with his friends.
Nadal has been on the sidelines since sustaining a hip injury during his second-round loss at the 2023 Australian Open. However, the Spaniard has ramped up his training ahead of the 2024 season, regularly sharing promising updates on social media.
On Saturday, November 4, the 22-time Grand Slam champion took a break from training to indulge in a day of shuffleboard with his friends. He shared a photo of the shuffleboard table and invited fans to guess the game before expressing his love for the pastime.
"Saturday afternoon… enjoying my time somewhere playing with friends...Can you guess what it is this game? 😉 I ❤️ it!" he captioned his Instagram post.
Nadal has been making the most of his time away from the tour. Last week, the former World No. 1 attended the Copa del Rey match between CD Manacor and Las Palmas, where he also had the honor of performing the kickoff.
While the 37-year-old's home club suffered a 0-3 defeat, the CD Manacor Vice President, Joan Gonzalez, created a memorable experience for the 22-time Grand Slam champion. He gifted the Spaniard the team’s red and white-striped T-shirt as a present for his baby son, who turned a year old in October.
Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni shares injury update, hints at Spaniard's possible Australian Open return
In a recent interview with Onda Cero, Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni disclosed that after observing his nephew's training sessions, he expected the 22-time Grand Slam champion to be back in action at the 2024 Australian Open.
"My nephew tries to be cautious, which is what he has to do. But I think that in the Australian Open my nephew normally has to be able to play because I have seen him train. Every day he gets a little better. It's a very long injury, but hey, it is what it is," he said.
However, the Spaniard's uncle also acknowledged that the former World No. 1's unseeded status, resulting from his rankings drop, would complicate his chances of success at the Major.
"Rafael Nadal is aware that the situation is complicated. Let's say he manages to reach Australia, it will not be easy to compete again with an added problem. He will not go seeded and from the first moment you can get a high-level player." he said.
"Rafa when he plays a Grand Slam when at the beginning he has an affordable opponent. He starts to gain momentum and is dangerous from the quarterfinals onwards," he added.