Rafael Nadal loses in return, won’t rule out playing beyond 2024

Rafael Nadal returned to action for the first time in nearly a year and refused to rule out the chance that he will continue playing beyond the 2024 season.

Playing in his first competitive match since last January, Nadal lost his doubles match Sunday at the Brisbane International in Australia but showed no obvious aftereffects of the hip injury that ruined his 2023 season.

Nadal, who is gearing up for next month’s Australian Open, admitted before the match that there was a “high percentage” that this would be his last time playing in Australia but left open the possibility of a return.

“The problem about saying it’s going to be my last season is that I can’t predict what’s going on 100% in the future,” Nadal said ahead of his doubles match with partner Marc Lopez. “That’s the thing. That’s why I say probably.”

Nadal, 37, has not played since suffering a hip flexor injury at last year’s Australian Open that ultimately required surgery in June. The 22-time Grand Slam champion said he wants to wait to see how his body responds to this season before making a final decision on his career.

“It’s obvious it’s a high percentage that it’s going to be my last time playing in Australia,” he said. “But if I’m here next year, don’t tell me, ‘You said it’s going to be your last season,’ because I didn’t say it.

“You never know what’s going on, you know? I can’t predict how I’m going to be in the next six months. I can’t predict if my body will allow me to enjoy tennis as much as I enjoyed the past 20 years.”

Nadal was warmly welcomed by fans who held up Spanish flags and supportive messages at a packed Pat Rafter Arena. Nadal and Lopez lost 6-4 6-4 to Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, but the loudest cheers were reserved for Nadal’s trademark whipped shots and a powerful crosscourt backhand winner in the opening set.

Nadal is likely to get a similar reception in his singles opener Tuesday against qualifier Dominic Thiem, who he beat in the 2018 and 2019 French Open finals.

“It’s great to see Rafa back,” Thompson said. “I’ve been on the receiving end a couple of times in singles, so it’s nice to get him back on a doubles court.”

Nadal has previously said he expects 2024 to be his final season and acknowledged he pondered retirement during his extended injury layoff.

“If I thought about retirement during that period of time, of course, yes. I went through a lot of things [that were] pretty bad,” he said. “I did not miss…