SPANISH GREAT RAFAEL Nadal’s comeback came to an end today when he lost a 3 hour and 25 minute match to Australian Jordan Thompson in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International.
Thompson saved three match points in the second set before overcoming an increasingly fatigued Nadal 5-7, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 in a gruelling encounter on Pat Rafter Arena.
Playing his first tournament after almost 12 months away from the sport through injury, Nadal appeared to be headed for a straight sets win after claiming the first set then getting to a 6-4 lead in the second set tiebreak.
Yet an inspired Thompson refused to go away and took advantage of some unforced errors from the Spaniard to clinch an 83-minute second set.
Once he broke Nadal’s serve early in the third, he never looked like losing, celebrating after a Nadal backhand sailed long.
Thompson booked a semi-final against Grigor Dimitrov with the win, while at the same time throwing a spanner in the works of Nadal’s Australian Open preparations.
Nadal, who needed two hip surgeries after injuring himself at the 2023 Australian Open, was forced to take a medical time out while down 1-4 in the third set, needing treatment on his left thigh.
