Rafael Nadal said he will take some time before deciding whether to travel to Australia for the first Grand Slam of next season after completing his comeback at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship with a defeat to Denis Shapovalov in Saturday's third-place playoff.
Nadal, 35, has been troubled by a long-term foot injury which forced him to end his 2021 season in August, so the Spaniard's participation in Abu Dhabi was the first time he had played any matches in nearly six months.
As the tournament's most successful ever player with five titles, MWTC is usually the chance for Nadal to fine-tune his game before the new season but his circumstances were markedly different this time around. After losing in Friday's semi-final to Andy Murray, Nadal was beaten by Canadian world No 14 Shapovalov in a third set champions tie-break 6-7, 6-3, 10-6.
However, results were always going to be of secondary importance as Nadal heads home to assess his fitness with less than one month before the Australian Open.
"I need to speak with my team," Nadal said when asked if he could confirm his participation at the Australian Open. "I can't guarantee 100 per cent. The plan is to go there and try my best in Australia.
"That’s my goal and that is the idea, but I need to go back and see how the body feels after these couple of days. I have some time to make this decision but let’s see. I will take it day by day. In this moment of my career and everything I went through, I need to think a lot about every movement."
Despite the defeats in Abu Dhabi, Nadal insisted that playing at MWTC has been a positive experience and has given him a good indication of the current state of his game and the work he still has ahead.
"Even when not in perfect condition, I was able to show a competitive level against good players," the 20-time Grand Slam champion sad. "There are many remaining things left to improve in matches but I still had my chances. So taken in that perspective it’s a very positive thing.
"But I need time. It’s been a long time. People think I last played in Washington, but I played those matches in Washington in very bad condition. After Roland Garros it was a disaster. My foot would not allow me to even practice or play the right way. It’s been six months since my last real, official match. The main thing is to be healthy enough to do the things I need to do."
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
