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 Tuesday, calling it an “emotional and essential day”.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner appeared in very good 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.
“Immediately, actually, is an emotional and essential day for me after in all probability one of many hardest years of my tennis profession, indisputably,” he stated.
“To have the prospect to come back again after a yr and play in entrance of a tremendous crowd, and play I believe at a really optimistic degree for the primary day is one thing that makes us really feel proud.
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“For myself, all of the workforce and my household who’ve been there each single day over the past yr.”
The lengthy layoff raised fears that his profession may very well 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 proportion” that it will 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 a tremendous assist for me. I can’t thank everybody sufficient.”
Nadal hung out at his academy in Kuwait to organize 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 a couple of unforced errors in an nearly good show in opposition to a high quality opponent.
Former world quantity three Thiem, who has had harm issues of his personal, got here via qualifying to make the principle draw and matched Nadal all through the primary set.
However at 6-5 and with the set trying sure to go to a tiebreak, Nadal stepped up the strain on Thiem’s serve, forcing a sequence of errors and ultimately 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 believe the primary set was very equal, each of us serving effectively, after which I used to be in a position to have that break for 6-5,” he stated.
“I do know Dominic has been going via onerous occasions with accidents too, so completely satisfied to see him on court docket, 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 a superb win by ousting American JJ Wolf 6-3, 6-4.