Rafael Nadal arrives in Australia to prep for 2024 season

Rafael Nadal returned to the tennis courts in Australia on Thursday (Dec 28), preparing for his first tournament since last year's Australian Open.

Nadal, a 22-time grand slam winner, is starting the road back from a hip injury sustained last January with his first appearance at the Brisbane International since 2017.

He hit the ball Thursday at the Queensland Tennis Centre, including a session with world No. 8 Holger Rune of Denmark.

Rune shared a photo of the joint practice on social media with the caption, "No time for jetlag. Evening practice with @RafaelNadal."

Due to his lack of tour play, Nadal has fallen to No. 672 in the world. The 37-year-old Spaniard previously said he expects this to be his final season on tour.

He will appear at the Brisbane tournament, which begins Sunday, as a wild card. He will be unseeded for the first time since January 2005.