Rafael Nadal fires warning to Novak Djokovic with timely injury update
RAFAEL NADAL insists he is way ahead of schedule as he continues his recovery from an ankle problem.
Nadal missed the last couple of months of the 2018 season while he had surgery on an ankle injury.
But he is now ready to challenge for the world No 1 ranking, which is currently held by Novak Djokovic.
The pair are in action at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship later this week and they have been kept apart in the draw so cannot meet until the final.
And Nadal is looking forward to challenging his Serbian rival at the exhibition event, which will be his first competitive match since September.
"I'm taking a lot of steps forward from the surgery on my foot,” Nadal said.
“I started practicing tennis a week earlier, and with more intensity than we thought
"Here we are, practicing more or less hard and we are excited to start the new season.
"Last year, I ended the year very badly with my knees. It has been tough and I did not arrive very well prepared at the beginning.
"I like the fact that it is a challenge to start a new season after a difficult period of time due to injuries.”
Meanwhile, Nadal has recently donated €1million to (£900,000) to victims of the Mallorca floods and he opened up about the torrid conditions he encountered when helping in the clean up.
"It was terrible, a very hard day, terrifying, and very sad," he said.
"I experienced that tragedy from very close, it was very sad for all the people who lost the materials, but above all, the lives that can not come back.
"The next day we went to the court and after ten minutes, I said: 'Guys, I cannot practice'.
“After that, we decided to go there. That's all.”
Mubadala World Tennis Championship schedule
Dec 27
Kevin Anderson vs Hyeon Chung
Dominic Thiem vs Karen Khachanov
Rafael Nadal returns to training after injury
Dec 28
Fifth place play-off
Rafael Nadal vs Anderson/Chung
Novak Djokovic vs Thiem/Khachanov
Dec 29
Third place play-off
Final