Rafael Nadal Gives Major Update on His Participation at ATP Dubai Open 2021

Published 03/11/2021, 3:40 AM EST

Tennis fans are having a ball of a time in Doha, where Roger Federer recently made his comeback. Now there are reports that his arch-rival Rafael Nadal will join him in the next event in Dubai. This comes as a surprise because the Spaniard had withdrawn from the Acapulco Open, citing back issues.

The Mexican Open is at the same time as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship. Moreover, reports claimed that the 34-year-old would receive a wildcard entry in the tournament. Indeed, the excitement around Federer’s comeback will double with the surprise appearance of his greatest rival.

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Will Rafael Nadal join Roger Federer in Dubai?

Rafael Nadal had stunningly defeated Roger Federer in the 2006 Dubai Open final. It was the first loss for the Swiss maestro that year.

However, for a few years, the Spaniard has been traveling to Mexico instead of the desert. Additionally, he is also the defending champion at the ATP Acapulco Open.

Thus, withdrawing from defending his title and traveling to Dubai is an unlikely set of events. But onlookers also reported that Rafa has been practicing on hard courts for the past few days.

Other than Mexico, the Spaniard had committed to play the Rotterdam Open 2021 in the Netherlands after 12 years. He withdrew from that as well, concerning the condition of his back.

Unfortunately, the two 20-time Grand Slam champions will not reunite in Dubai as Rafa himself clarified things on Twitter.

And… special thanks to Tournament Director Salah Talak since I am aware of his efforts to ensure a smooth arrival to play Dubai during this unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic and difficult times for all 🙏🙏🙏
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 11, 2021

Now, all attention will be back on Federer, who is campaigning in Doha and will even play in Dubai.

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Which tournament will Federer and Nadal play together?

The big three were supposed to reunite at the Miami Open 2021. However, taking into account the strain of his desert tour, Federer decided to cancel the Sunshine state from his calendar.

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Thus, the FEDAL match entirely depends on the clay season of the Swiss maestro. Moreover, Federer has been avoiding clay-court since the injury breakout in 2016.

Despite the odds, fans will hope that Roger will play the French Open 2021. Undoubtedly, the 13-time Roland-Garros winner, Rafa, will also be ready in time to defend his title for the fifth straight year.

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Written by:

Purav Joshi is a Tennis author at EssentiallySports. Having a degree in Films, Television and Media Production, he guided his passion for writing and journalism into the sport of aces and rallies. With over 2 years of experience as a copywriter, Purav has authored over 500 tennis articles.

Rafael Nadal Gives Major Update on His Participation at ATP Dubai Open 2021

Will Rafael Nadal join Roger Federer in Dubai?

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Which tournament will Federer and Nadal play together?