Nadal returns to the Australian Open

Rafa will make his first comeback to Melbourne Park since retiring at the end of 2024.

Rafael Nadal is set to return to the Australian Open for the first time since his retirement, during a special event held on the day of the men's singles final. The tournament organizers confirmed that the Spanish legend will appear at Melbourne Park for the "Night of Legends" program on February 1st — the final day of the year's first Grand Slam.

Nadal has won the Melbourne title twice, in 2009 and 2022. His last participation at the Australian Open was in 2023, where Rafa defeated Jack Draper in the opening round but then lost to Mackenzie McDonald. The Spanish player officially retired in November 2024 after playing his final match at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, concluding a top-level career spanning over two decades.

According to the organizers, the "Night of Legends" will give fans a rare chance to hear behind-the-scenes stories from tennis icons, in a festive atmosphere featuring music by a DJ, interactive activities, and many exciting prizes. Notably, attendees will also have the opportunity to win tickets to the men's singles final and participate in a special photo session with Rafael Nadal.

Besides Nadal, the event will include Ashleigh Barty — former world No.1 in women's singles — and Dylan Alcott, a wheelchair tennis icon. Organizers said Barty and Alcott will kick off the event by sharing memories and their passion for Australian tennis, before Nadal appears as the "Australian Open Legend" to recount his journey and impact at Melbourne.

In 18 appearances at the Australian Open since 2004, Nadal holds an impressive record of 77 wins and 16 losses, with a winning percentage of 83%. The two titles of the "King of Clay" here both came after grueling five-set finals: defeating Roger Federer in 2009 and staging a classic comeback against Daniil Medvedev in 2022. The final four years ago lasted 5 hours and 24 minutes, making it the third-longest Grand Slam final in history, and secured Rafa’s 21st Grand Slam title.

In addition to his two championships, Nadal finished runner-up four times at Melbourne Park, losing to Novak Djokovic (2012, 2019), Stan Wawrinka (2014), and Federer (2017), solidifying his status as one of the greatest players in the tournament’s history.