Why can Nadal participate in every tournament even though he falls out of the world's top 500?

Former world number one Rafael Nadal will play ATP Tour events next year using a wildcard or ATP ranking protection rule.

On December 1, Nadal announced that his first event next year will be the Brisbane International, an ATP 250 tournament that kicks off the Australian Grand Slam. The 22-time Grand Slam winner will participate in this tournament despite only being ranked 663 ATP – a position that cannot qualify for ATP Tour tournaments (usually the top 300).

Nadal once said 2024 could be the last season of his 20-year career. Photo: ATP — Nadal once said 2024 could be the last season of his 20-year career. Photo: *ATP*

Nadal will still be able to play any tournament he wants under the ATP's ranking protection rule. This rule allows players who have been out for at least six months due to a physical issue to file a status protection request with the ATP upon their return to competition. The ATP will calculate the average ranking of the player in the first three months of their injury. In Nadal's case, his average ranking is world number nine. Therefore, the "King of Clay" can play any tournament. This applies for the first nine events or the first nine months after a player returns to competition.

Despite being a protected seed, Nadal will not be playing in that position and will be last in the draw. The 37-year-old could therefore face the highest seeds in the opening round, such as Novak Djokovic in the first round of the Australian Open. This is something Nadal has not experienced in his two-decade career.

"I think Nadal's comeback is very difficult because he often has the habit of starting slowly, only playing better in the second week of the Grand Slam," Nadal's uncle - coach Toni expressed concern in an interview with Spanish media last month.

In addition to the point protection rule, Nadal can also participate in tournaments thanks to a wild card from the organizing committee. "No tournament director would refuse Nadal if he wanted to," Marca commented on the chance to compete again of the number one tennis player in Spanish history.

"I hope to play tournaments with the status protection rule so as not to take away wildcards from others," Nadal told Spanish media when announcing his return to the ATP Tour in 2024 last week.

Nadal is also guaranteed to play in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, under an International Tennis Federation exception for athletes with long-term injuries or Olympic achievements. Nadal won the men's singles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the men's doubles title in 2016.

Nadal has not played for nearly a year, since injuring his hip at the Australian Open. On March 20, he dropped out of the ATP top 10 for the first time in 18 years, ending a record of 912 consecutive weeks in the world top 10, a total of 6,538 days. After Roland Garros, Nadal dropped out of the top 100. He dropped more than 100 places after the US Open, and another 420 places after the ATP Finals with only 45 points - below tennis player Ly Hoang Nam.

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