Two of the greatest athletes of our time are on the verge of returning to action after long injury lay-offs. One is Spain’s Rafael Nadal and the other is America’s Tiger Woods.
Nadal has not played since the Australian Open in January earlier this year where he injured his hip. At the time, he had won the most grand slams in men’s tennis (22). Since then Novak Djokovic has comprehensively overtaken him with 24 wins. After the injury in Australia, Nadal also went on to miss the remaining three grand slams of the year, including the French Open which he has won a record 14 times, and during this period the Serb went from strength to strength, consolidating his legacy not a little.
Woods, who has been the poster boy of golf for almost three decades, meanwhile, has been out of action since the Augusta Masters in April earlier this year. In fact, before the hallowed event, Woods had played very little golf since his car crash in early 2021 on account of the injuries he had picked up in the unfortunate accident. After the 2022 Open in July, Woods’ next competitive tournament was the Genesis Open in February 2023. A month and a half later, the Masters came along the way. Understandably, there was plenty of buzz around his participation but, in a shocking development, he had to withdraw during the Moving Round after it emerged, he had reaggravated his heel injury.
Since their injuries and subsequent surgeries, there have been speculations that fans may not see them again in action which was understandable considering the serious nature of the injuries. But now as the year 2023 is nearing an end, there is joyous news for fans of both Nadal and Woods.
By his own admission, the 37-year-old Nadal is eyeing a return at January’s Australian Open, the same event where he had played last in 2023. He has been practicing for the last few weeks and working hard to make it to the first grand slam of the year in Melbourne. He should be all the more revved up after Djokovic’s remarks in the wake of his Paris Masters triumph which appeared directed towards Nadal. The Serb said he was going to break all possible records that he could break and that he is unapologetic for that, unlike some people who pretend they were not playing for records.
Woods of late has been seen walking without a limp. If 2009 Open winner Stewart Cink is to be believed, the 15-time major winner has started practicing too. As per the 50-year-old, Tiger himself told him the latest development. At an ongoing event in Louisiana, Woods has been seen caddying for his promising teenage son Charlie and the fact that nothing amiss has been noticed in his gait suggests he may not be too far from his much-awaited return. Was Woods checking the lie of the land while being on the bag of his son in terms of whether he could walk through one hole after another seamlessly?
The rumour mill is abuzz that Woods is likely to return to Hero World Challenge teeing off on November 30 in the Bahamas. The event is hosted by Woods himself and has one spot vacant as of now. If not that, then the PNC Championship in December could invite the tittle-tattle. The 47-year-old’s technology-infused league – TGL – is also teeing off on January 09 where he is one of the 24 professional golfers who are distributed across six teams. These are enough signs that he is hovering on a possible return. It’s just a matter of “exactly when”.
There is not much athletic life left in both Nadal and Woods. Both have had injury-hit careers but in the last few years, things have got worse for them. The tennis star has admitted he is not looking beyond 2024. The American golfer is not much different in that regard either and has hinted a few times that he won’t be around for too long. The upcoming return could be their last hurrah, their last chance to recreate their triumphant déjà vu moments.
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