Spain’s Rafael Nadal performs a backhand in his match towards Austria’s Dominic Thiem through the 2024 Brisbane Worldwide, in Brisbane on January 2, 2024
| Picture Credit score: Bradley Kanaris
Rafael Nadal gained his first match again from a year-long harm layoff when he defeated former US Open champion Dominic Thiem on the Brisbane Worldwide on January 2, calling it an “emotional and essential day”.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner appeared in excellent contact with a medical 7-5, 6-1 victory over the Austrian in entrance of a full home at Pat Rafter Area.
The 37-year-old Spaniard has not performed singles since a second-round loss on the Australian Open final yr, present process two rounds of hip surgical procedure.
“At the moment, truthfully, is an emotional and essential day for me after most likely one of many hardest years of my tennis profession, surely,” he stated.
“To have the possibility to come back again after a yr and play in entrance of an incredible crowd, and play I feel at a really constructive stage for the primary day is one thing that makes us really feel proud.
“For myself, all of the staff and my household who’ve been there each single day over the last yr.”
The lengthy layoff raised fears that his profession might be over, however Nadal stated this week he was all the time decided to make it again for the 2024 season.
He conceded earlier than the match there was “a excessive share” that it might be his final season, however left the door open to play on ought to his physique maintain up.
“I missed being wholesome, I missed feeling aggressive and to play in entrance of full crowds like this,” he added courtside after beating Thiem in 89 minutes.
“Crowds in Australia all my profession have been an incredible help for me. I can’t thank everybody sufficient.”
Nadal hung out at his academy in Kuwait to arrange for the Australian summer season and skilled there with fast-rising French teen Arthur Fils.
He appeared like he had by no means been away as he misplaced solely six factors on serve all through the match and made few unforced errors in an virtually excellent show towards a high quality opponent.
Former world quantity three Thiem, who has had harm issues of his personal, got here by way of qualifying to make the primary draw and matched Nadal all through the primary set.
However at 6-5 and with the set wanting sure to go to a tiebreak, Nadal stepped up the stress on Thiem’s serve, forcing a collection of errors and finally profitable the set when a Thiem forehand sailed lengthy.
Nadal then seized the benefit, holding his serve to like after which breaking Thiem to take a 2-0 lead within the second set.
The Austrian’s head then appeared to drop as Nadal lifted even additional, wrapping up the match simply.
“I feel the primary set was very equal, each of us serving properly after which I used to be capable of have that break for 6-5,” he stated.
“I do know Dominic has been going by way of onerous instances with accidents too, so completely happy to see him on courtroom, want him all the perfect for the season.”
Earlier, fifth-seeded American Sebastian Korda and Argentinian sixth seed Sebastian Baez each crashed out.
Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann downed Korda 7-5, 6-4 whereas Baez misplaced to Lukas Klein, with the Slovakian qualifier profitable 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Australian qualifier James Duckworth additionally loved an excellent win by ousting American JJ Wolf 6-3, 6-4.
Within the girls’s draw, former world primary Victoria Azarenka got here again from second set jitters to see off Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 7-6 (10/8), whereas Sofia Kenin, a former Australian Open winner, was shocked by Australian wildcard Arina Rodionova 7-5, 7-6 (9/7)
