Rafael Nadal beaten in Brisbane International tennis return but shows encouraging signs،
BRISBANE, Australia — Rafael Nadal has advised his fans to temper their expectations about his “impossible” return to tennis, and even though his first professional match in nearly 12 months ended in defeat, many signs suggest that the Spanish superstar can feature prominently in what is shaping up to be his final tour Down Under.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion returned to the court for the first time in 347 days on Sunday at the Brisbane International, teaming up with compatriot Marc Lopez in the men's doubles – a combination that earned Spain gold at the 2016 Olympics. However, the duo were outplayed by the all-Australian team of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, who won 6-4, 6-4 in just 73 minutes.
Although reaching the finish line of this match unscathed should have been the first major checkbox for Nadal, there were plenty of other reasons to be encouraged by his performance. Nadal, who arrived in Brisbane looking slim and fit, showed no signs of rust, putting together his first service game in two minutes to delight the capacity crowd.
Nadal's mobility does not seem to be hampered either. He was comfortable tracking down balls behind the baseline, which supported his pre-tournament comment that his body felt “much better than expected.” Nadal also showed good timing on several crosscourt backhands, cat-like anticipation at the net and was near-perfect with his aerial volley.
But the most important takeaway from Nadal's return might just be the pleasure he seemed to feel just getting back on the court. A smile was plastered on his face from the moment he entered Pat Rafter Arena, and it never went away. And it's not hard to understand why.
Nadal had been sidelined since injuring his left hip flexor in a second-round loss to American Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January. It was a devastating blow for Nadal, who had entered the Grand Slam as the defending champion and lasted just 36 hours before suffering another injury setback.
It wasn't a completely new injury for Nadal, who had dealt with several hip-related issues throughout his career. Nadal would undergo arthroscopic surgery to clean out the fibrous and degenerated areas of the tendon, as well as have it sutured to strengthen and reinforce the tissue. Nadal's surgery also included repairing the labrum in his left hip, which had been injured the previous season. Ultimately, his rehabilitation would force him to miss almost all of 2023, the longest injury layoff of his distinguished career.
“If I thought about retirement during this time, of course, yes. I've been through a lot [that were] not bad,” Nadal admitted in Brisbane when asked if he was considering retiring during his long absence. “I didn't miss the competition, because during all this time my body was not ready to compete. What I lacked was being healthy; wake up and not be in pain.
“At some point I decided to continue. Then I started working day after day without thinking much and doing the things I had to do. It's impossible to think about winning tournaments today. What's really possible is to enjoy the return. I don't expect much – a year without being on the pitch.”
Nadal's encouraging doubles success follows impressive practice sessions against long-time rival Andy Murray and world number 8 Holger Rune, with the latter heaping praise on Nadal for the speed with which he achieved success to get back into the loop.
“The intensity he brings is incredible. I played a very intense pre-season and a very intense end of the season. [but] “It was probably the hardest training I've had in the last six months,” Rune said of Nadal. “We were hitting and he was hitting hard and then we started the points and I thought he was moving really well. I thought he was playing amazing.”
Nadal's attention will now focus on Tuesday's singles, where he will face 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem – who had to go through qualifying in Brisbane – in the first round. Nadal has a 9-6 record against Thiem, even though the two men have not faced each other in more than three years.
Nadal's comeback tour is unlikely to last an extended period, with the 37-year-old previously saying the 2024 season “will probably be my last year on the professional tour.”
Nadal is likely to play at Roland Garros in May, a tournament he has won a record 14 times, return to Wimbledon in July and make the following month's Olympics in Paris the final event of his illustrious career.
“I can't have very long-term goals because I don't see myself playing for very long,” Nadal said. “I don't know how things will continue. I'm not a player who tries to predict what can happen. I have to accept adversity and the fact that it won't be perfect, you just have to come with the right spirit every time. day.”
