World number 3 Daniil Medvedev said that 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will pose a great challenge to his opponents upon his return from a long-term injury.

Nadal is set to return to competitive tennis with his first tournament being the Brisbane International, which will be held from December 31 to January 7. Nadal sustained a hip injury in the 2023 Australian Open that has kept him out of the game for a significant amount of time.

As quoted by Eurosport, Medvedev said it’s very tough to beat Nadal, stressing that he’s had even less success against the Spaniard compared to 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. The 37-year-old will make a return after almost a full year on the sidelines.

“It’s very tough to beat him. Actually with Rafa maybe I even had even less success than with Novak [Djokovic] in a way. But we had some tight matches where I felt like I could win and maybe he got the edge in the end,” said Medvedev.

The Russian tennis star went on to say that it will be a great challenge for him to face Nadal, adding that his return to the tour is good for tennis. Following his long hiatus, Nadal is currently ranked No.663 on the ATP circuit.

“So for me it’s going to be a great challenge if I have to face him. I don’t know at the moment his shape, no one knows, and how he’s going to handle. But from what I saw, he seems to be doing good and that’s great for tennis,” Medvedev added.

The 2024 season is expected to be Nadal’s last on the professional tour. The Spaniard will be hoping to make a mark at the French Open after which he would have an opportunity to go for Gold at the Paris Olympics.