Tennis maestro Rafael Nadal making a return after a year-long hiatus due to hip surgery, received a promising draw for his comeback at the Brisbane International.
Scheduled to face a qualifier in the opening round, , the 37-year-old tennis star’s return to professional tennis has been keenly anticipated following his recovery from the surgery that had cast doubts over his career continuation.
The Spanish legend, holding an impressive re-cord of 22 Grand Slam singles titles, sustained the injury after the 2023 Australian Open, causing concerns about his future in the sport. However, with determination, Nadal successfully battled his way back to fitness, earning a wildcard entry to the Brisbane International. His ultimate goal is the upcoming Grand Slam event at Melbourne Park in January.
The exact schedule for Nadal’s return remains uncertain, as the order of play for the tournament has yet to be disclosed. However, the anticipation around his comeback remains high, with spectators eagerly waiting to witness the tennis icon back in action.
Meanwhile, in an exciting first-round clash, Britain’s Andy Murray, a two-time Brisbane Inter-national winner, is set to face second-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov. Murray, having claimed victory over Dimitrov in the 2013 final, is expected to bring intensity to the courts in this match-up.
On the women’s side, the return of four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka is highly anticipated. Osaka, who became a mother in July and has been open about her mental health challenges, is scheduled to take on Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, ranked 84th in the world, in her opening match. A win would set up a challenging encounter for Osaka against three-time Brisbane champion Karolina Pliskova in the subsequent round.—AFP
