Tiger Woods on why ‘we should enjoy watching’ Rafael Nadal before it is too late ahead of Australian Open 2024

Tiger Woods has called on sports fans to “enjoy watching” Rafael Nadal compete while he is still able to, as the Spaniard prepares to make his latest comeback to tennis after another lengthy injury lay-off.

Nadal hasn’t been in action since he lost in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open to MacKenzie McDonald, with a hip issue ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

The 22-time Grand Slam singles champion underwent surgery in the summer and could only watch as Novak Djokovic eclipsed his haul of titles in tennis’ marquee events.

Nadal has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, most notably to his knees and feet, but speculation has ramped up that he will be fit in time to feature at the 2024 Australian Open, which gets underway on January 14.

Woods, who is no stranger to extended spells on the sidelines, was asked how athletes like himself and Nadal are able to stay motivated amid so many injury setbacks.

“Well, I think what Rafa, what he’s done is extraordinary,” Woods said. “I mean, he won the Australian Open on a broken foot. The guy is beyond tough and beyond competitive.

“He knows that Father Time is here. Every athlete faces it. Although in some sports it happens faster than others, and unfortunately, just like every sport, you get aged out.

“I don’t want to see him go. I never wanted to see Fed [Roger Federer] go, but that’s what happened.

“We should all enjoy watching him compete and watching him play and what he’s meant to the game, what he’s meant to all of us, just to see the passion of how he plays and why he plays.”

For Woods, his own golfing mortality has been impossible to ignore. He has suffered various physical ailments throughout his career, culminating in a car crash in February of 2021 that almost cost him his right leg.

The 15-time major champion recovered to play in the 2022 Masters and made the cut, but has only twice completed 72 holes in tournament conditions since his accident.

He last featured in this year’s Masters, where he made it through to the weekend before having to withdraw as he struggled to walk the undulating Augusta National layout.

Subtalar fusion surgery to alleviate symptoms of arthritis followed towards the end of April and led to another period of rehab for Woods.

“I can tell you this, I don’t have any of the pain that I had at Augusta or pre that in my ankle,” Woods said. “Well, other parts are taking the brunt of the load so I’m a little more sore in other areas, but the ankle’s good. So that surgery was a success.

“I’m not concerned at all about walking it. It’s more, as I said, I don’t have any of the ankle pain that I had with the hardware that’s been placed in my foot, that’s all gone.

“The other parts of my body, my knee hurts, my back. The forces go somewhere else. Just like when I had my back fused, the forces have to go somewhere. So it’s up the chain.

“As I said, I’m just as curious as all of you with what’s going to happen. I haven’t done this in a while.”

Despite his lack of tournament practice and his ailing body, Woods is confident he can win the 20-man tournament in the Bahamas, and said when he turns up to tournaments feeling like he can’t take the title, that’s when he’ll know it’s time to hang up the clubs.

“I love competing, I love playing. I miss being out here with the guys, I miss the camaraderie and the fraternity-like atmosphere out here and the overall banter,” Woods added.

“But what drives me is I love to compete. There will come a point in time, I haven’t come around to it fully yet, that I won’t be able to win again.

“When that day comes, I’ll walk – well, now I can walk. I won’t say run away, but I’m going to walk away.”