Tennis: quick winning return for Rafael Nadal in Brisbane

Rafael Nadal convincing for his return. MAXPPP – JONO SEARLE

The Spaniard beat the German Dominic Thiem in two sets for his return to the courts at the Brisbane tournament on Tuesday January 2.

The Spaniard Rafael Nadal easily dominated the Austrian Dominic Thiem (7-5, 6-1), Tuesday in the first round of the ATP tournament in Brisbane (Australia), for his first official singles match in almost a year.

Game, set & match Nadal 🇪🇸

The moment @RafaelNadal defeated Thiem in his comeback match!#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/qRTnw7pajA

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 2, 2024

At 37, the former world No.1 with 22 Grand Slam titles had not played singles since his defeat in the second round of the Open of Australia, January 18, 2023. Injured in the hip, he fell to 672nd place.

On Tuesday, it took him 1h29 to get the better of Dominic Thiem, 30, former world number three who also fell in the rankings after a wrist injury. The winner of the 2020 US Open is now ranked 98th.

The Majorcan won his first competitive set in almost a year after an hour-long fight. First in training, Nadal raised his level of play to win the set on the fourth break point in the twelfth game. The second set was much more expeditious, concluded in 29 minutes by a Spaniard playing his game against an opponent committing too many unforced errors.

"A positive level"

Leaving the packed Pat Rafter Arena, Rafael Nadal judged his "positive level" after this "very important" victory, the 1069th of his professional career, which places him fourth after Jimmy Connors (1274), Roger Federer (1251) and Novak Djokovic (1076). He dethroned Ivan Lendl (1068).