Rafael Nadal is in Chile, Ready to Return to the Tour

Written by: Staff on 30th January 2013

Rafael Nadal will not compete in 2012 Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Rafael Nadal is in Chile, Ready to Return to the Tour

epa03517832 File -- File photo showing Spanish Rafael Nadal during his match against Swiss Roger Federer at Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 31 December 2011. The tournament organizers announced on 25 December 2012 that 'Rafael Nadal has been forced to make a last-minute withdrawal from the 2012 event due to a stomach virus,' and 'was advised by doctors not to travel or compete due to the illness.' Nadal has not played since June 2012, when he was eliminated in Wimbledon's 2nd round by Czech Lukas Rosol. He was supposed to come back after a successful knee injury rehab. EPA/ALI HAIDER |

Rafael Nadal flies to Chile to begin his comeback to tennis after more than seven months out with a knee injury ready to use a new racquet which he was at first loath to try.

The former No. 1, his ranking now down to fifth after his inactivity, will be playing in his Latin clay-court comeback with a Babolat’s Aeropro Drive racket, according to dpa. While Nadal was chilly towards the major change of sticks, he apparently bowed to the wishes of his coach and uncle, Toni.

“Uncle Toni put pressure on Rafa to change. If you want to be better, you have to take risks,” Eric Babolat, the owner French firm, told dpa. “I don’t agree with what you’re saying, but I’ll give it a try,” Babolat said Nadal usually tells his uncle-coach.

Babolat said the new weapon will give Nadal’s shots even more of the lethal spin which plays havoc with opponents. “He already has a lot of topspin, that but he wants more,” said Babolat.

And there are even more plans in the works: It’s possible that by the end of the season, the racquet model could be equipped with a chip which records the date on every shot it strikes, potentially a devastating statistical took for Team Nadal.

“It could become a habit, something usual after sport: sitting with your friends to compare each one’s technical data,” said Babolat, who is also hoping it can catch on in the consumer market.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Chile tennis news, Rafael Nadal, Rafael Nadal and Babolat, South American tennis, Spanish tennis news, Sports