Rafa Nadal will play the Australian Open 2021. Despite the doubts that exist about the first Grand Slam of the season, which in the absence of official confirmation will begin on February 8, Nadal will fly several weeks before to Australia to fulfill the established quarantine and, in this way, be able to play in the tournament.
In statements collected by the Australian media The Age, Nadal's press officer, Benito Pérez-Barbadillo, confirmed that the tennis player will go to Melbourne to play the tournament. “Rafa has confirmed that he will travel to Melbourne and play in the Australian Open,” he said.
The presence of Nadal, winner of the tournament in 2009, is great news for the Australian Open after the doubts left by Roger Federer with his possible absence in the first Grand Slam of 2021 as a precaution after his knee operation that has made him miss almost the entire 2020 season. While waiting for Federer's decision, Nadal is already looking forward to the Australian tournament in search of the conquest of his second Australian Open.