Rafael Nadal returned to the courts this Sunday virtually a 12 months after his final official match, on January 18, 2023, when he misplaced within the second spherical of the Australian Open to Mackenzie McDonald. He did so within the doubles draw of the Brisbane event, alongside Marc Lopez, a member of his teaching workforce, with whom he gained Olympic gold at Rio 2016.
The Spanish pair misplaced to Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, in two units, 6-4, 6-4. It was Nadal‘s first style of the courtroom in an official match, forward of his singles debut towards Dominic Thiem on Tuesday, additionally on the Brisbane event. Nadal was combative and smiling in lots of moments, in a recreation that served to rebuild his bodily situation.
After a good begin, the Australian pair broke Nadal and Lopez‘s serve within the fifth recreation, which allowed them to take a 3-2 lead. Subsequently, they consolidated the break with their serve (4-2), due to Thompson’s service and Purcell’s good play on the web. Thus, they gained the primary set, 6-4.
After passing by way of the locker room, initially of the second set Nadal didn’t fail along with his serve and the Spanish couple gained the primary level. Then, with 1-1 on the scoreboard, two pictures from Rafa had been key to maintain the service. That equality was maintained till 3-3, the place Thompson and Purcell had been capable of get the second ‘break’ of the match to even the rating at 3-4.
The Australian duo consolidated the break (5-3), however Nadal closed the hole along with his serve (5-4). Nevertheless, Thompson and Purcell managed to shut and take the match at 6-4 within the second set.
Nadal amassed his first hour and 14 minutes on courtroom in 347 days, a gathering with which closed months of uncertainty about his sporting future, which had already cleared up on December 1 to substantiate his return on this Australian event.
Nadal again for Brisbane: I am feeling significantly better
