Rafael Nadal has touched down in Kuwait to resume preparations for his long-awaited comeback as the 22-time Grand Slam champion looks to return to action at the Brisbane International tournament next month.
Sidelined with a hip injury – that required surgery – since January’s Australian Open, Nadal is currently training at his academy in Kuwait with recent Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up, French teenager Arthur Fils.
In a series of videos posted on his social media accounts over the last few days, Nadal announced his plans to get back to the tour in the opening week of the 2024 season at the ATP 250 event in Brisbane and shed light on what he has gone through over the past 11 months.
The 37-year-old Spaniard said he tried to comeback during the clay season but suffered one disappointment after the other and ultimately opted to undergo surgery.
He feels ready to compete once again but isn’t placing any expectations on himself.
“I hope, first of all, to feel again those nerves, that eagerness, those fears, those doubts. I expect from myself not to expect anything. This is the truth. To have the ability not to demand of myself what I have demanded of myself throughout my career. I believe I’m in a different moment, in a different situation and in an unexplored terrain,” said Nadal.
The Mallorcan reiterated what he had said in his last press conference, that he deserves a better ending to his career than being injured and addressing the media in a press room – something that helped him keep going and continue to work hard on his recovery.
As for what’s to come, Nadal is aware the finish line is not too far ahead but is not ready to set a farewell date just yet.
“It is a reality that there are many chances that it will be my last year, without any doubt. There are chances that it may only be half a year, there are possibilities that it may be a full year, there are possibilities that we may not be able to reach all that,” he confessed.
“These are things right now that I do not have the capacity to be able to answer, this is the truth. I am only in conditions to say that I return to compete, that I continue having in my head that the normal thing or that there are many possibilities, that it is my last year, and I am going to enjoy the tournaments in that way.
“I do not want to announce it because in the end I do not know what can happen and I have to give myself the opportunity not to say one thing and then I can be a slave to what I have said.”
The 19-year-old Fils, who lost a close five-set final to Hamad Medjedjovic at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah last Saturday, was thrilled to receive an invitation from Nadal to train with him this week in Kuwait.
“I was really, really surprised. I mean he didn’t contact me personally, but it happened through my agent, so I was really surprised and really happy about it,” said Fils.
“It’s such a big thing for me to play with one of the greatest tennis players of all time. I will try my best and I will try to enjoy it as well.
“I will try to prepare very good myself also, because I have a big season coming. I will try my best for me and also for him.”
The Gulf region has become a popular destination for tennis players at this time of the year as they look to wrap up their pre-season training in perfect weather conditions before flying to Australia to kick off their campaigns.
Former world No.1 Andy Murray is currently in Dubai for a two-week training block and has shared a video from one of his practice sessions at the Aviation Club.
Current world No.1 Novak Djokovic has invited his compatriot, Next Gen ATP Finals champion Medjedovic, for a three-week training block in Dubai before they fly to Perth together to represent Serbia in the United Cup.
World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka and former world No.2 Paula Badosa are also in town and practised together at Atlantis The Royal earlier this week.
Many tennis stars will be Abu Dhabi-bound soon with the likes of Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Daniil Medvedev headlining season two of the World Tennis League exhibition event taking place at Etihad Arena from December 21-24.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
Allardyce's management career
Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)
Countries (1) - England (2016)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
BRIEF SCORES
England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)
Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
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The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
How Sputnik V works
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
