Rafael Nadal wins first singles match back from year-long injury
The 22-time Grand Slam champion had arthroscopic surgery last June after injuring his left hip flexor during his second-round defeat by Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in early 2023.
Rafa Nadal marked his singles comeback after being out injured for nearly a year with a convincing 7-5 6-1 victory over Austrian former world number three Dominic Thiem in the Brisbane International first round on Tuesday.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion had arthroscopic surgery last June after injuring his left hip flexor during his second-round defeat by Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in early 2023.
Nadal returned to competitive tennis in the new season on Sunday and crashed to a doubles defeat while partnering retired veteran Marc Lopez but showed glimpses of his top form ahead of the Jan. 14-28 Melbourne Park major.
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The 37-year-old looked razor sharp again during his latest meeting with qualifier Thiem in a rematch of their 2018 and 2019 French Open finals which he won, as he ramped up the pressure and claimed the opening set with a break.
Roared on by fans inside a heaving Pat Rafter Arena, Nadal grabbed an early break in the second set with a superb backhand pass and barely looked back as he racked up a 5-1 lead before closing out the match on serve.
