'Emotional' Nadal wins on return from injury

Rafael Nadal lost his last individual game on January 18th, 2023, during the second round of the Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal made a strong impression when he finally returned to play after being sidelined due to injury for nearly a year. He emerged victorious against Dominic Thiem at the Brisbane International tournament.

Nadal, who was playing his initial solo match after almost one year, emerged victorious with a score of 7-5, 6-1.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner from Spain has suggested that this current season may be the final one for his remarkable career.

"Today holds a lot of emotional weight for me, and it's a tremendously significant day especially considering how challenging this year has been for my tennis career," expressed Nadal, who is now 37 years old.

I was fortunate enough to return after a year and perform in front of an incredible audience while delivering an excellent performance on the initial day. This accomplishment is a source of pride for me, as well as for my team and family who have been there for me every day during the previous year.

Nadal, who received a wildcard entry to the tournament, is utilizing it to gear up for the commencement of the Australian Open in Melbourne on the 14th of January.

On Thursday, he is going to compete against the 102nd ranked Australian player, Jason Kubler, in the last 16 round.

Nadal's Comeback In His Last Year?

When Nadal played singles in the Australian Open of 2023, he faced difficulty with an injury, and ultimately lost in the second round to Mackenzie McDonald.

In the month of June, he underwent surgery on his left hip. As a result, his position in the world rankings has dropped significantly and he is currently ranked at 672.

Nadal made his return to tennis by teaming up with fellow Spaniard Marc Lopez in a doubles match against Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in Brisbane. Unfortunately, they were defeated in the match. This happened two days before Nadal's first singles competition.

Occasionally during Tuesday's match, it seemed like Nadal had not taken a break.

He started with a bang by winning 21 out of 24 points when serving, showing off his proficiency, calmness, and physical ability. The excited audience enjoyed his performance.

Thiem, who won the 2020 US Open championship, has experienced his own physical struggles. However, in the first five times he served, he didn't face any challenges. Nonetheless, Nadal, who's recognized for his fierce focus and quick movements, capitalized on his chance during the 12th game. He successfully won his fourth break point, securing the first set.

He continued with his strong performance at the beginning of the second set, managing to hold his serve without losing a single point before breaking his opponent's serve for the second time. This helped him to take a 3-0 lead in the set.

Thiem's performance was declining, but he was able to stop the streak of games against him. However, he was not successful in stopping Nadal from obtaining another break, allowing him to gain a dominant 5-1 lead.

After achieving the triumph, Nadal lifted his arms and conveyed gratitude to the spectators as they joined him in commemorating a moment of utmost importance.

Back in May, he was unable to compete in the French Open for the first time in almost two decades. During this time, he mentioned that he may hang up his racket in 2024.

However, after making his comeback in Brisbane's doubles competition, he expressed his strong intention to continue playing and refrained from stating with absolute certainty that this season would be his final one.

Nadal achieved his 1,069th tour level victory after defeating Thiem. This places him in fourth position on the all-time men's list and surpasses Ivan Lendl's record.

"I have to admit, I wasn't aware of this statistic today," admitted Nadal.

I had a lot of tasks to concentrate on and return to the sports arena while recollecting how to play in a game that demands skill and competitiveness.

I felt anxious and uncertain prior to the game, however, it turned out to be a success and I am thrilled to have returned.

Before getting injured, Nadal had the same number of men's major victories as Novak Djokovic from Serbia, but Djokovic managed to win last year's French Open and US Open, giving him 24 Grand Slam titles.