Après presqu'un an d'absence, Rafael Nadal a retrouvé la compétition mardi à l'ATP 250 de Brisbane face à Dominic Thiem, contre qui Rafa a remporté deux finales à Roland-Garros. Un retour convaincant de la part du Taureau de Manacor qui a montré qu'il revenait déjà à un excellent niveau. Il a prouvé ce jeudi qu'il était tout à fait capable d'enchaîner. L'Espagnol a donné une leçon à l'Australien Jason Kubler dans la Pat Rafter Arena. L'homme aux 22 titres du Grand Chelem a étrillé le 102e joueur mondial sur le score de 6-1, 6-2. Touché à l'avant-bras, Kubler n'a rien pu faire face à l'aggressivité du Majorquin qui a remporté 82% des points sur la seconde balle adverse. Rafa rejoint Jordan Thompson en quarts de finale.
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SportTranscription
00:00 I think it has been a very positive match.
00:02 For me, to have the chance to play again tomorrow means a lot to me.
00:07 Two victories after a long time being outside of the professional tour is something that makes me feel good and happy for that.
00:17 I can't thank enough everybody.
00:20 I'm just happy for that, just happy that I came back after a long time and I feel myself competitive. That's all what I want.
00:30 Let's see what's going on and how far I can go.
00:33 The matches, are they what you need right now?
00:43 You can practice all you want and you practiced very hard.
00:47 You came back in Spain and getting ready, but now it's matches, what you need in the leagues?
00:52 I need matches, I need health, I need to keep practicing well.
01:01 Of course, the last two matches here help and even the doubles the first day too.
01:07 Of course, victories and spend hours on court helps.
01:13 For me, every day that I have the chance to play is great news.
01:19 I'm just happy for that, just happy that I came back after a long time and I feel myself competitive.
01:26 That's all what I want. Let's see what's going on and how far I can go.
01:40 One thing you might need help with in the future is when you take the toilet break after the first set and you come back and get a time violation.
01:48 Talk us through that, what happened?
01:54 I think it was something strange because I know I have five minutes. Honestly, Brisbane is very humid and I had to change every single piece.
02:10 Don't go too far, we get the idea, it's alright.
02:14 It takes a while. In the walkie-talkie they were calling me three minutes, two minutes, one minute, half minute.
02:26 I came out at the right time but I don't know if the guy who was with me there said a few seconds later to the umpire that I was…
02:38 He told me four seconds later. I don't know. I thought it was on time, honestly.
02:44 Then he told me I was four seconds late. I don't know if it was me. I don't think so in that time but something happened in the period of time.
02:52 But I am slow, I know that and I'm going to keep trying to improve in 2024.
02:56 That's great news, that's great news.
03:04 And last one, Rafa, it's early, it's not too late, so do you get home in time to see Rafael Jr. before bedtime or are you hoping that he's already asleep?
03:14 I don't know. I don't know. Depending on how long the press will be. But if not tomorrow morning I see him, no problem.
03:23 That's good. Good to see you with a smile on your face, very happy at the moment. Good luck, see you tomorrow night.