Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem LIVE: Brisbane International result as Spaniard makes tennis return

The 37-year-old Spaniard was in impressive form as he dismissed Thiem 7-5 6-1 in his first match in almost 12 months

"Ready to compete" - Nadal returns to action at the Brisbane International after 12-month absence

Rafael 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.

The 22-times 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 first grand slam of the season.

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.

Relive all the action from the Brisbane International below

Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem LIVE: Latest score as Spaniard makes tennis comeback

• Rafael Nadal returns to winning ways after after almost 12 months out
• GAME, SET, MATCH! Nadal wraps up emphatic 7-5 6-1 victory on return against Thiem
• SET! Nadal takes first set 7-5 on return to lead against Thiem
• Emma Raducana beats Gabriela Ruse on return from injury after eight months out

[2 January 2024 08:17 · Ben Fleming]

The season of comebacks

This week it’s not just Nadal making his comeback to competitive tennis. Most notably in the woman’s game, former World No.1 Noami Osaka made a winning return to tennis as she beat Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6 in the first round of the Brisbane International.

The former world number one has not played since withdrawing from the Pan Pacific Trophy with a knee injury in September 2021. She became a mother for the first time in July.

Four-time grand slam champion Osaka returned to the court in style, breaking Korpatsch to love in the first game and did not face a break point as she clinched the first set in 39 minutes.

Osaka looked set for a routine victory when she broke for a 5-3 lead in the second set, but Korpatsch fought back to take it into a tie-break – Osaka winning 11-9 on her third match point.

[2 January 2024 08:14 · Ben Fleming]

Nadal vs Thiem LIVE: Latest updates as Spaniard makes tennis comeback

More from Nadal:

“It’s obvious it’s a high percentage that it’s going to be my last time playing in Australia. But if I’m here next year, don’t tell me, ‘you said it’s going to be your last season’ because I didn’t say it,” said Nadal, a two-time winner of the Australian Open men’s singles title.

“You never know what’s going on, you know? I can’t predict how I’m going to be in the next six months. I can’t predict if my body will allow me to enjoy tennis as much as I enjoyed the past 20 years.”

[2 January 2024 08:02 · Jamie Braidwood]

Nadal vs Thiem LIVE: Latest updates as Spaniard makes tennis comeback

What has Nadal said ahead of his comeback?

“I am feeling good. I can’t complain. I’m feeling much better today than what I expected a month ago.

“For me, it’s impossible to think about winning tournaments. But what’s really possible is to try to enjoy the comeback to the courts. I don’t expect much. Honestly, the only thing that I expect is to be able to go on court, to feel competitive and to give my best.

“It’s going to be a tough process at the beginning. At the end, it’s one year without being on the tennis court and I just have been practising for the last month in a very good intensity. I don’t say that nothing is impossible, but just to be here is a victory.”

[2 January 2024 08:01 · Jamie Braidwood]

What time is Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem?

The match is expected to start at around 8:30am GMT on Tuesday 2 January.

[2 January 2024 08:00 · Jamie Braidwood]

Nadal vs Thiem LIVE: Latest updates as Spaniard makes tennis comeback

Rafael Nadal makes his long-awaited return to singles action this morning as the 22-time grand slam champion takes on old rival Dominic Thiem in the opening round of the Brisbane International in Australia.

Nadal has been out since suffering a hip injury at the Australian Open last January - almost a year ago - and underwent surgery in June. The 37-year-old returned to doubles action on Sunday, alongside Marc Lopez, but lost 6-4 6-4 to the Australian duo of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.

But now the Spaniard switches his attention to the singles in what is a mouthwatering clash with 2020 US Open champion Thiem, who Nadal beat in the 2017 and 2018 French Open finals.

Nadal had previously said he expected to bring the curtains down on his glittering but injury-plagued career in 2024, but in a press conference ahead of his comeback at the Brisbane International he left the door ajar.

"The problem about saying it’s going to be my last season is that I can’t predict what’s going on 100 per cent in the future. That’s the thing," Nadal said. "That’s why I say probably."

Follow live updates from the Brisbane International below as Nadal makes his comeback