Rafael Nadal has been off the court for a year now. He made only one brief return for a practice session with one of his academy’s rising stars, Alexandra Eala. They played for 45 minutes, under one condition. “They asked me to play, and I was delighted. If I don’t have to run, fine.” After two decades of relentless battles and injuries, Rafa has every reason to stay cautious. But as it turns out, the break wasn’t for rest for long.

On Friday, news broke that the Spanish legend had undergone surgery. The update came via Christopher Clarey on X, who confirmed the story with Nadal’s team. Nadal had a procedure on his right hand in Barcelona to treat severe osteoarthritis. Clarey noted, “Wonder how much it bothered him on his 2-handed backhand during his career. Arthroplasty is also known a

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