- Spaniard returns from year-long injury absence
- Nadal wins engrossing 7-5, 6-1 match in Brisbane
Rafael Nadal returned from his year-long injury absence with a bang by winning an engrossing first-round battle with Dominic Thiem at the Brisbane International. The 22-time grand slam champion had not played since damaging his hip during a second-round match at the 2023 Australian Open.
But, with this year’s Melbourne major on the horizon, he gave a timely reminder of his talents with a box-office performance en route to an impressive 7-5 6-1 success in an hour and 29 minutes.