Will 2023 Australian Open be Rafael Nadal's last at Melbourne Park? Spaniard reveals

Rafael Nadal is gearing up for the 2023 season opener in the form of the Australian Open. The first Grand Slam of the upcoming calendar year will get underway on January 16 with all eyes on Novak Djokovic as the Serbian will make his comeback in Melbourne after missing out on the 2022 edition, due to his Covid-19 vaccination row. Nadal won the 2022 edition in style, beating Russia's Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-set finale at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Thus, he will be desperate to win back-to-back titles at the Aus Open and stretch his overall grand slam count to 23.

Ahead of the showpiece event Down Under, the 36-year-old Nadal responded to a question if this will be his last tilt at the season-opening Grand Slam. Brushing aside all such suggestions, Nadal told reporters, "The highest motivation to try to start well. It’s always important to start well for me, for the confidence,” he said. “The last few months haven’t been easy for me. Main thing for me now is recover the positive feelings on court, being competitive. I hope to. I am ready to make that happen, but let’s see.”

“As a professional, you never know, hopefully not. I mean, when you are at the age of 36, you never know when it’s going to be the last one. It’s obvious, but I don’t like to talk about that because I am not in that mood now," the former world number one opined.

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Nadal further revealed, "I’m just focused on trying to play at the highest level possible and give myself possibilities to keep being competitive, to fight for anything. That’s my goal now. “I’m not thinking about it being my last time here. I am happy doing what I am doing. I’m looking forward to keep doing this."

Nadal will be challenged by Djokovic as the Serbian is set to return for the upcoming edition in Australia. Last year, the former world number one missed out on making an appearance and will be hungry to win his tenth title at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. He will surely be one of the biggest roadblocks for Nadal who will aim to win the championship for the second successive time.