Rafael Nadal 'not 100% sure of anything' after Brisbane injury

Rafael Nadal suffered his first loss since returning to the ATP Tour, with the Spaniard calling out the trainer in his deciding set against Jordan Thompson in Brisbane.

Despite holding three match points in the second set, Nadal was defeated by Thompson 7-5 6(6)-7 3-6 in the quarter-finals.

Down 4-1 in the deciding set, the former No.1 received treatment on his upper-left leg, causing fans to worry about the return of his psoas injury.

When Nadal revealed that the pain was in a similar spot, he suggested it didn't seem as serious, saying, “It's like what happened last year, but different things, right? I feel more muscular. Last year was muscular. I felt muscle fatigue.

He continued, „It's not like last year, because when it happened, I immediately felt something intense. Today I didn't feel anything. The only problem is that the place is the same, so it's a little scarier than usual.

„In an ideal world, it's a supercharged muscle after a few days of effort and a really tough match. That would be the best thing, something that could happen today. That's why my goal is to try to be competitive in a few months. A lot of things can happen to a body like mine after a year without tennis. So Hopefully, that's it, a supercharged muscle. If that's the point, all is well.

Incredible to see you back on the tennis court, @Rafael Nadal 👏#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/hTQQiakrlT

— Brisbane International (@BrisbaneTennis) January 5, 2024

However, the 22-time Grand Slam champion could not confirm whether he would be able to play the Australian Open for sure, saying, “I have to accept whatever comes. If something happens, if there is a problem for me, if there is a problem for another part of the body, I have to accept it.

„It's just a start, I haven't played a tournament in so long and hopefully I'll get a chance to train and play in Melbourne next week. [at the Australian Open]. Honestly, I'm not 100% sure of anything right now.

Nadal now has a week off before the 37-year-old prepares to return at the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday, January 14.

Inside the basement…

On the brink of his first semi-final appearance since 2022 Wimbledon, it's been a very positive week for Rafael Nadal, if only considering his time on court with two match wins. With no competition training, he should recover in time for his first major tournament in 2024.

Read next: Rafa Nadal's 5 best Roland-Garros moments

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