Former Grand Slam Champion Plays Down Worries Around Rafael Nadal’s Back Ahead of Australian Open 2021

Published 02/04/2021, 6:30 AM EST

Former Grand Slam champion Jim Courier has given an update on Rafael Nadal and his back problem ahead of the upcoming Australian Open.

The yesteryears tennis star, who is part of the team of commentators for the year’s first Grand Slam, seemed to play down worries around the Spaniard’s back.

Rafael Nadal withdrew from Spain’s opening group-stage clash at ATP Cup

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Appearing on a show on Tennis Channel, Courier said while the 20-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from Spain’s opening group stage encounter against hosts Australia at the ATP Cup in Melbourne, he was seen cheering from the sidelines which bodes well for the status of his back.

The American revealed that from what he has heard, Nadal is fine and should be ready to go at the Australian Open.

"It's gonna be a very tough, stern mental test for these players to try to keep it all together."
Jim Courier reports from Melbourne following the COVID case that led to over 500 players and staff into lockdown.#TCLive | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/CzuVjpKBIL
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 4, 2021

The Spaniard is likely to return for his country’s next group-stage clash against Greece on Friday. Nadal will be up against current World Number 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas in his campaign opener at the ATP Cup. Nadal had pulled out of the group stage clash at the team event, citing back spasms.

Courier says Nadal should be fine for the Australian Open

Describing Nadal’s movement on the sidelines during Spain’s opening group stage clash in Melbourne, Courier said, “He was in the team zone, he was getting up and out of his seat and looked fine.”

Citing his own back problems post-retirement, Courier said that if the back is stiff and sore, a person should have a problem standing up and sitting down and since Nadal showed no such discomfort on the sidelines, he should be okay for the Australian Open.

He added that the fact that Nadal pulled out of the opening group stage clash in Melbourne was more of a precautionary step to avoid the risk of an injury ahead of the marquee event.

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“I think it was more precaution than anything, that he didn’t play the first match and we’ll hope for the best,” Courier said.

The Spaniard, who clinched an unprecedented 13th French Open title in 2020, is eyeing his second Australian Open crown this year.

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Priyabrata Chowdhury is a tennis author for EssentiallySports. He has been a print journalist for a decade, producing news pages for leading national dailies such as the Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express. His passion for sports eventually drove him to tennis writing.

Former Grand Slam Champion Plays Down Worries Around Rafael Nadal’s Back Ahead of Australian Open 2021

Rafael Nadal withdrew from Spain’s opening group-stage clash at ATP Cup

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Courier says Nadal should be fine for the Australian Open