Nadal returns to play after almost a year and beats Thiem in Brisbane – News of Brazil
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Rafael Nadal returned to the court for singles after being sidelined for almost a year due to injury and scored a convincing 7/5 6/1 victory over Austrian Dominic Thiem, former world number three, in the first round of the Brisbane International , this Tuesday (2).
The 22-time Grand Slam champion underwent arthroscopic surgery last June after injuring his left hip during an Australian Open second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald in early 2023.
Nadal returned to competitive tennis in the new season on Sunday (31) and was defeated in doubles when partnering veteran Marc López, but showed glimpses of his best form ahead of the January 14-28 Grand Slam at Melbourne Park.
“Today, honestly, is an emotional and important day for me, after probably one of the most difficult years of my tennis career”said Nadal. “Having the chance to come back after a year and play in front of an incredible crowd and playing at a very positive level on the first day is something that makes us all feel proud – my team and my family who were there every day last year. ”
The 37-year-old looked sharp again during his clash against Thiem, whom he beat in the 2018 and 2019 French Open finals. Applauded by fans in a packed Pat Rafter Arena, Nadal won the first set and took an early break of the second set with an excellent backhand, he opened 5/1, before ending the match on serve.
With Nadal’s 1,069th victory on the men’s tour, he surpassed Ivan Lendl and moved into fourth place on the all-time list.
Source: Reuters
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