A “highly motivated” Rafael Nadal welcomed rival Novak Djokovic’s much-anticipated return to the Australian Open as “good for tennis” Wednesday, while brushing off suggestions this may be his last tilt at the season-opening Grand Slam. 

The 36-year-old Spanish great, who recently became a father, is beginning his new season at the United Cup, a new mixed-teams event starting Thursday in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. It will provide a warm-up for his defence of the Australian Open title next month at Melbourne Park, where he swept past Russian Daniil Medvedev to win this year in an epic five-setter.