Nadal to return in January

Superstar Rafael Nadal will return to playing at the Brisbane International in Australia in January, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said Friday. “After a year of not competing, it is time to come back,” Nadal said in a video posted on social media. “It will be in Brisbane in the first week of January. See you there.” The 37-year-old Spaniard has not played on tour since last January, when he hurt his hip flexor during a loss in the second round of the Australian Open. He wound up having arthroscopic surgery in June in Barcelona. Dating to the end of 2022, the Spanish left-hander has lost seven of his past nine matches, including going 1-3 this season. Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam singles titles rank second to Novak Djokovic’s 24 for the most among men.