Rafael Nadal shaping up  in Adelaide ahead of new season

World no. 2 Rafael Nadal is keeping it low in Adelaide while serving observing his two week quarantine ahead of Melbourne trip.

The 20-time Major champion was in full swing under a boiling Aussie sun. Rafa should train with Jannik Sinner next week, and they are supposed to play an exhibition match with Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic on January 29, before they all head to Melbourne.

Nadal will lead Spain at the ATP Cup for the second straight year in the first week of February, hoping for a strong start of the season and a chance to fight for the title they lost to Serbia a year ago.

Spain will face Australia and Greece in Group B, with Nadal playing against the young guns Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur, against whom he played an epic match in Sydney a year ago.

After the ATP Cup, Nadal will seek the 21st Major crown at the Australian Open, staying empty-handed at the season’s first Major event since 2009.

Rafa lost four more title matches after that in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019, suffering that terrible loos to Novak Djokovic two years ago in his worst Major final performance.

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Twelve months ago, Rafa lost a tight quarter-final Melbourne encounter to Dominic Thiem 7-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 in four hours and ten minutes, wasting his opportunities and missing a chance to reach the semis.