"Rafael Nadal is beyond tough and beyond competitive" - Tiger Woods on the Spaniard's comeback
Golf legend Tiger Woods has shared his thoughts on Rafael Nadal's impending return to the tour, commending his resilience and unwavering competitive spirit.
Nadal recently confirmed his comeback to the tour, disclosing that the details about about his schedule for the 2024 season would be revealed soon. Similarly, Woods is rejoining the professional sports sphere by participating in the Hero World Challenge, his first tournament since withdrawing from the Masters in April due to injury.
In a press conference at the Hero World Challenge, Woods lavished praise on Nadal's "extraordinary" achievements, particularly highlighting his 2022 Australian Open triumph.
Woods hailed the former World No. 1's famed competitive spirit while also acknowledging that, like all athletes, the 37-year-old is facing the inevitability of age catching up.
"I think what Rafa's done is extraordinary. I mean, he won the Australian Open on a broken foot. The guy is beyond tough and beyond competitive. And he knows that Father Time is here.
"Every athlete faces it. And (in) some sports, it happens faster than others," he said (via the ATP Tour).
The American expressed his desire for the 22-time Grand Slam champion not to retire, drawing a parallel to his sentiments towards Roger Federer.
"Unfortunately, just like every sport, you can get aged out. And I don't want to see him go. I never want to see (Roger Federer) go. But that's just what happens," he added.
"I just think that we should all enjoy watching Rafael Nadal compete" - Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods also encouraged fans to cherish every moment of Rafael Nadal's comeback, emphasizing the passion and emotion the Spaniard ignites through his on-court performances.
"I just think that we should all enjoy watching him compete. And watch him play and what he's meant to the game and what he's meant to all of us just to see the passion and how he plays and why he plays," he said.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been diligently preparing for his return to the tour, frequently sharing updates on his progress on social media.
In a recent post, the 37-year-old shared a glimpse into his training session at his academy in Mallorca, where he took the court alongside Marc Lopez, as well as his longtime coach, Carlos Moya.
"As we start another week… we continue… Vamos! (Let’s go)," Nadal captioned the Instagram post.
While the Spaniard is not yet announced his return date, it's expected that he will compete at the Australian Open in January.