Tennis Channel will air Rafael Nadal‘s first single match back after being sidelined for seven months due to various ailments. Nadal, who already won a doubles match with teammate Juan Monaco, will play in the main draw of the VTR Open in Vina del Mar, Chile, on Wednesday at 4pm ET. This marks the return of Nadal after a roller coaster absence involving knee injury and a stomach virus, among others.
With an unprecedented seven French Open championships to his name and the best clay-court record in the Open Era (254-19; .930), Nadal is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time on clay, the surface used at this week’s event in Vina del Mar. He will face the winner of Delbonis/Pella. (Browse: VTR Open Singles Draw)
Leif Shiras will call the match for Tennis Channel. Encore presentations of Nadal’s comeback will air Wednesday at 8pm ET and Thursday, Feb. 7, at 10pm ET. The network had already planned to carry the singles semifinals and championship in Vina del Mar this weekend prior to Nadal’s entry into the tournament. That schedule is as follows (all times live):
Saturday, Feb. 9
5pm – Semifinal #1
8:30pm – Semifinal #2
Sunday, Feb. 10
4pm – Championship
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