Rafael Nadal will make his long-awaited return to tennis at the 2024 Australian Open, according to tournament CEO Craig Tiley. The 37-year-old's last competitive outing came at the 2023 edition of the tournament, when he suffered a shock second-round exit at the hands of Mackenzie McDonald.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal All Set to Make a Comeback With Australia Open | First Sports With Rupha Ramani Grand Slam Champion Rafael Nadal is reportedly going to make a comeback with Australian Open 2024. Nadal was out of action since January due to his hip injury.

But it seems like the Spaniard is nearing a return, and several facts point to a potential comeback at the 2024 Australian Open. The Grand Slam tournament's director Craig Tiley said on Wednesday that Nadal was planning to make his return in January at the Australian Open.

PARIS - Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have won and done so much in nearly 20 years of hoarding the loot in men's tennis. But there is one gap in each member of the Big Three's story line. None has managed to complete the Grand Slam by winning all four major tournaments in the same calendar year.

In terms of big titles – a trophy at a grand slam championship, the Nitto ATP Finals, an ATP Masters 1000 tournament or an Olympic singles gold medal – Djokovic leads the way with 69 after his 2023 triumph in New York. Nadal has 59 while Federer won 54.

In tennis, the term Grand Slam refers to the accomplishment of winning all four major championships-the championships of Australia, France, Britain (Wimbledon), and the United States-in the same calendar season. The feat has been achieved six times (by five different players).

Roy Emerson was the first man in history to win each major title twice (1967), and the only man to have completed a Career Grand Slam in both singles and doubles. Rod Laver is the only man to complete a Grand Slam more than once in his career, in 1962 as an amateur and in 1969 as a professional.

The trio have dominated men's singles tennis for nearly two decades, collectively winning 66 major singles tournaments; Djokovic leads with an all-time record of 24 titles, followed by Nadal with 22 and Federer with 20.

Djokovic leads their head-to-head fixtures with 30 wins, while Nadal is narrowly behind with 29 wins. Djokovic has also won in more finals (15) than Nadal. However, Nadal has won most of their 18 Grand Slam meetings – with 11 victories and 7 losses.

2011 - The New York Yankees became the first team in major league history to hit three grand slams in a game, with Robinson Cano, Russell Martin and Curtis Granderson connecting in a 22-9 romp over the Oakland Athletics.

Only five players in history have won all four Grand Slams in the same year, and the last to do it was Steffi Graf in 1988. The only men to achieve the feat are Don Budge (in 1938) and Rod Laver (in 1962 and 1969).