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Rafael Nadal: injury should not sideline No. 1 for long

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand in his quarter-final match against Marin Cilic of Croatia on day nine of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand in his quarter-final match against Marin Cilic of Croatia on day nine of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Rafael Nadal is ready to begin his rehab. The top player in men’s singles tennis has received the results of his MRI and they are better than expected.

Rafael Nadal is back in Mallorca and ready for his rehab.

The world No. 1 withdrew from action at the Australian Open during a fifth set epic against Marin Cilic. The sixth seeded Cilic is now into the finals at Melbourne Park. He takes on Roger Federer for a shot at the title while Nadal begins his comeback to the ATP World Tour.

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After receiving the results of an MRI this week, Nadal appears to have a grade one injury on his right leg. Initial thoughts from team Nadal are that the world No. 1 will miss just three weeks of action. Even if it is slightly more than three weeks, the results are positive for the Spanish superstar.

His exit from the Australian Open was undoubtedly disappointing. Last year, Nadal earned two more Grand Slam singles titles and reached the top ranking in men’s singles tennis yet again. If he is healthy enough in the coming weeks, he will be able to defend the top ranking throughout the 2018 ATP World Tour.

Rafael Nadal is already one of the greatest to ever play the sport.

A healthy return in the coming weeks could set up Nadal perfectly to make another French Open run. Last year, he won his 10th career title at the French Open. The King of Clay will likely aim to be in peak form by his favorite time of the season.

Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis

As for the Australian Open, action comes down to Federer and Cilic this weekend. While the Swiss great looks to solidify his legacy with yet another title, Cilic is going for his second career Grand Slam win. He is a former US Open champion and this will be his first ever finals at Melbourne Park. Stay tuned to see how Rafael Nadal fares in the coming weeks. If he can return to action relatively quickly, he should be able to maintain the top ranking in the sport. Otherwise, Federer could move into the top spot sooner rather than later. Check back for updates on his progress over the next few weeks.

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