Where Roger Federer goes, Rafael Nadal is never too far behind. For nearly two decades, the two legends defined an era of tennis together. And now, just days after Federer made an emotional return to Rod Laver Arena for the first time since his run to the Australian Open semifinals in 2020, Nadal is also set to follow his longtime rival back into the Australian Open spotlight.

Earlier today, TNT Sports announced on X that Rafael Nadal will return to Melbourne for the Australian Open 2026, where he’ll appear at the tournament’s “Night of Legends” on Sunday, February 1, the same day as the men’s singles final.

The celebration is shaping up to be a star-studded event, with Nadal joined by former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty and Australian wheelchair tennis great Dylan Alcott for a fan-focused night featuring live chats and photo opportunities.

The Kia Arena is set to buzz with interactive fan activities, live music, and up-close sessions with the tennis icons. Fans will also have a shot at winning exciting prizes, including tickets to the men’s final and an exclusive photo opportunity with two-time Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal.

The 39-year-old won the Australian Open in both 2009 and 2022, and each time he survived a brutal five-set final. His comeback win over Daniil Medvedev in 2022, where he rallied from two sets down in a five-hour, 24-minute battle, still stands as one of the greatest finals in tournament history.

And while Nadal isn’t coming back from retirement, he has finally opened up about how he truly feels after stepping back onto the court. Last month, Nadal sat down with Jorge Valdano on Movistar+’s Universo Valdano to reflect on his career from a new point of view.

He admitted that the adrenaline of tennis is “irreplaceable,” even though life away from the sport can also be fulfilling. According to Nadal, nothing quite compares to what athletes feel in competition. “What is found in sport is difficult to find elsewhere,” he said.

Looking back, Nadal made it clear he holds no regrets. “I don’t have any bad memories of that period,” he said. After years of rarely skipping events, Nadal now sees why walking away was so difficult, even when the pace became exhausting.

Why Rafael Nadal never allowed himself to rest at his peak

Rafael Nadal recently reflected on how the Big Three reshaped tennis and why he rarely skipped tournaments during his prime. He explained that when his generation came up, Pete Sampras’ 14 Grand Slam titles were seen as the gold standard. “It’s human that some of our generation, when they reached 14, might have thought it was the maximum,” Nadal said.

But what really pushed the Big Three forward, Nadal noted, was the constant pressure they put on each other. Competing alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic meant there was never time to slow down or take it easy. “Being three of us, not two, never left room for relaxation,” he said, pointing out how the rivalry forced all of them to stay at the very top.

That nonstop hunger is why Rafael Nadal says he rarely skipped events. “You had no margin for throwing tournaments… We were always in the final rounds competing for the most important tournaments,” he explained. In his view, none of them would have achieved what they did without constantly pushing one another.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion also shared his belief in playing by feel rather than relying too heavily on data. He said he trusts intuition more than numbers, adding, “I still believe in intuition, not playing like a robot.” Nadal even revealed he talked about this with Federer, who also preferred not to overload himself with information before matches.