The Spaniard returns to the circuit with a victory in Brisbane. He beat Dominic Thiem, former coach of Nicolás Massú, in straight sets.
In Brisbane, the nightmare is over. Rafael Nadal managed to win on his return to the circuit after an interruption of almost a year due to his physical complications. It was 7-5 and 6-1 against Dominic Thiem, a former student of Nicolás Massú.
A special match for the Spaniard, who announced that 2024 would be his farewell year. The final season of a career in which he won 22 Grand Slam tournaments, 92 ATP titles and two Olympic medals among countless other achievements and records. Decision taken following a complex injury which kept him off the slopes for almost all of 2023, but which has been put on hold in recent weeks. He doesn’t confirm his retirement, but also says he doesn’t see himself playing for long.
This is why emotion was strong in eastern Australia. Everyone followed the Spaniard, who, as the main star of the tournament (but not by ranking), hopes to gain miles of play before his first big stop of the year: the Australian Open. Of course, star matches happened even in its early days.
When it was decided in the draw that Manacorí would face a player from the qualifiers, few thought that rival would be Dominic Thiem. The Austrian, also looking for his best level after a serious wrist injury, overcame this previous situation with fight and was present in the most anticipated duel this Tuesday.
Confrontation between Grand Slam champions which ended with the Spaniard’s fist. 7-5 and 6-1 with very solid tennis, remembering his best moments on the circuit. The doubles experience with Marc Márquez yesterday surely benefited the Spaniard, who will now continue his journey in Brisbane against Karatsev or Kubler.
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Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
