RAFAEL NADAL has made a shock return to the tennis court just a year after announcing his retirement.
The Spanish legend was crowned Wimbledon champion twice during a storied career which saw him clinch 22 Grand Slam titles.
And Nadal has laced up his tennis shoes one more time to go head-to-head with up-and-coming talent Alexandra Eala.
He took to X to share a video of him being put through his paces by the 20-year-old, who is the highest-ranking Filipino in WTA history.
Nadal also teased that it would not be the last time he heads back to the court.
That is because his caption read: “One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court!
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Former Wimbledon champ, 44, makes shock return to tennis with 16-year-old son
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“It was great to practice with you Alexandra Eala. Next time I will be stronger.”
Nadal included a winking emoji at the end of the post, leading to fans hoping that he has decided to make a career U-turn.
One said: “Does this mean you’ll start thinking about exhibitions with Federer?”
Another wrote: “Time for a comeback legend.”
A fan added: “Rafa, come back, tennis fans miss you.”
Nadal, 39, broke down in tears when he brought the curtain down on his extraordinary career after Spain’s exit from the Davis Cup Finals 12 months ago.
He picked up 14 French Open titles before walking away from the biggest tournaments, which remains a record for a single player in a major.
Nadal also won Olympic gold in Beijing, while he tasted glory in the doubles when Rio de Janeiro hosted the Games in 2016.
He had the honour of being world No1 for 209 weeks during his time on the tennis court.
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