Ash barty

Aus Open: The 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will return to Melbourne for a special appearance at the Australian Open’s Night of Legends, scheduled for February 1, the same day as the men’s singles final.

The 39-year-old tennis great will be joined by former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty and Australian wheelchair tennis legend Dylan Alcott.

Nadal, who retired from tennis in November 2024, lifted the trophy at Melbourne Park in 2009 and 2022, needing five sets in both finals to win the title. In the 2022 final, Nadal mounted an epic comeback from two sets to love down against Daniil Medvedev to reign victorious after a five-hour, 24-minute battle. The Spaniard tallied a 77-16 match record at the season's first major, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.