Rafael Nadal and his fans will remember this day forever. Making his comeback after nearly a year, the 22-time Grand Slam champion breezed past Dominic Thiem to move to the Round of 16 at the Brisbane International.
Having been struggling with a hip injury over the past year, Nadal has started his comeback with a bang. Facing a familiar foe in Thiem, Nadal started well. When the crunch time came, the 2-time Australian Open champ showed his mettle. At 6-5, he broke the one-handed backhanded player’s serve to take the first set, 7-5.
The crucial first win allowed the southpaw to get into the rhythm. From there on, it was Rafael Nadal’s masterclass. In the second set, Nadal broke Thiem twice and served out the match, winning 7-5, 6-1.
Rafael Nadal keeps Australian Open 2024 dream alive
With this win, Nadal has shown that he’s ready to compete at the top level once again. With experts and Nadal himself uncertain about his fitness and playing level, this is a reminder to everyone that Nadal isn’t to be taken lightly.
Amid Novak Djokovic’s dominance over the last 5 years, one must not forget that Nadal won the Australian Open just two years ago, in 2022. That win came when he was battling Daniil Medvedev. Coming from two sets down, it was one of the best comebacks in Grand Slam final history.
With the chances of facing the top two seeds, Grigor Dimitrov and Holger Rune, in the later stages of the tournament, Nadal’s road to the Brisbane International title won’t be easy. If the tennis superstar manages to pull it off, he’ll officially put himself in contention for the Australian Open 2024.
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