Rafael Nadal impressed on his long-awaited return after nearly a 12 months out with damage as he beat Dominic Thiem on the Brisbane Worldwide.
Nadal, contesting his first singles match in 349 days, received 7-5 6-1.
Spain’s 22-time Grand Slam champion has indicated this season will possible be the final of his illustrious profession.
“Immediately is actually an emotional and necessary day for me after in all probability one of many hardest years of my tennis profession,” 37-year-old Nadal mentioned.
“I had the possibility to come back again after a 12 months and play in entrance of a tremendous crowd and play at a really constructive stage on the primary day, [It] is one thing that makes us really feel proud – my workforce and household who’ve been there every single day within the final 12 months.”
Wildcard Nadal is utilizing the event to organize for the Australian Open, which begins on 14 January in Melbourne.
He’ll play Australian Jason Kubler, ranked 102, within the final 16 on Thursday.
Nadal begins comeback in doable last 12 months
The final time Nadal was seen in singles motion he struggled with damage as he misplaced to Mackenzie McDonald within the second spherical of the 2023 Australian Open.
He had an operation on his left hip in June and has has since slipped to 672nd on this planet rankings.
Nadal started his comeback by partnering compatriot Marc Lopez in a doubles loss to Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in Brisbane on Sunday, two days earlier than his first singles take a look at.
At occasions on Tuesday, it appeared as if Nadal had by no means been away.
He set the tone by profitable 21 of his opening 24 factors on serve, displaying ability, poise and athleticism to the delight of the expectant night crowd.
Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion who has had his personal damage issues, had come by his first 5 service video games with none scares. However Nadal, with famed depth and reassuringly sharp motion, seized his alternative within the twelfth recreation – taking his fourth break level to wrap up the primary set.
He maintained that momentum firstly of the second set, securing love holds both facet of breaking the Austrian’s serve for a second time as he opened a 3-0 lead.
A fading Thiem managed to finish the run of video games in opposition to him however he was unable to forestall Nadal securing one other break for a commanding 5-1 benefit.
When he secured the victory, Nadal raised his arms and thanked the gang as they celebrated a second of nice significance with him.
He mentioned in Could, after being pressured to overlook the French Open for the primary time in 19 years, that 2024 will “in all probability” be the ultimate 12 months of his profession.
However, following his doubles return in Brisbane, he mentioned his want to play on stays robust and he didn’t wish to say “100%” that this season can be his final.
Victory over Thiem was Nadal’s 1,069th at tour stage, a complete which moved him previous Ivan Lendl to sit down fourth on the all-time males’s checklist.
“As you’ll be able to think about, in the present day it wasn’t a statistic I used to be conscious of,” Nadal mentioned.
“I had sufficient work simply to be centered and are available again on courtroom and keep in mind the best way to play in a aggressive match.
“There have been nerves and doubts earlier than the match. However issues went properly and I am excited to be again.”
Previous to his damage, Nadal was stage with Serbia’s Novak Djokovic for the file variety of males’s main triumphs, however Djokovic went on to win final 12 months’s French Open and US Open to maneuver to 24 Grand Slam titles.
