Rafael Nadal has said his "body is in good shape" as the world No 3 returns to the court this week for the start of his favoured clay court swing at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Nadal, 34, is undoubtedly the greatest clay court tennis player of all time, so there is plenty of focus on the Spaniard the next two months of the ATP calendar, culminating with the French Open.
The Spaniard is aiming for a 12th Masters title in Monte Carlo ahead of his pursuit of a 14th French Open success and a record 21st Grand Slam.
However, Nadal has not played since his Australian Open quarter-final defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas on February 17. He was hampered by a bad back in Melbourne, and opted to skip a series of tournaments since then to ensure he was fully fit for the gruelling clay court season.
"An important part of the season has arrived for me," he told a press conference on Sunday. "I think I did the right work to be ready. I'm happy the way that I am playing, for the moment my body is in good shape.
"I am confident. I am playing well I think. I'm practising well these couple of days here in Monaco, in Monte-Carlo, before the tournament start. So I feel ready."
He is seeded to meet Novak Djokovic in the final in Monte Carlo which if it materialises is likely to be a dress rehearsal for the French Open final.
Nadal won his 13th Roland Garros title to draw level with Roger Federer's record 20 Grand Slams by beating Djokovic in the coronavirus-delayed Paris final in October, but the Spaniard is only focused on the next tournament.
"I'm just going step by step," said Nadal. "I hope to be ready to stay healthy, that's the main thing. If I am able to stay healthy for the next month and a half, I hope to have my chances to compete at the right level."
Stage 2 results
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 04:18:18
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:02
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:04
4 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates
5 Rick Zabel (GER) Israel Start-Up Nation
General Classification
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 07:47:19
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:12
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:16
4 Nikolai Cherkasov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:17
5 Alexey Lutsensko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 00:00:19
Autumn international scores
Saturday, November 24
Italy 3-66 New Zealand
Scotland 14-9 Argentina
England 37-18 Australia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
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MATCH INFO
Jersey 147 (20 overs)
UAE 112 (19.2 overs)
Jersey win by 35 runs
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
The biog
Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
