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Rafael Nadal maintains his excellent form in his comeback at the Brisbane International with a decisive victory over Jason Kubler
Rafael Nadal continued his impressive comeback at the Brisbane International by defeating Jason Kubler in the second round on Thursday. After a thrilling win against Dominic Thiem in his singles return, Nadal dominated Kubler with a 6-1, 6-2 victory that lasted 83 minutes. The 37-year-old Spaniard has now secured a spot in the quarter-finals, where he will face Australian Jordan Thompson.
Nadal, who had been sidelined for almost a year due to a hip injury requiring surgery, expressed his satisfaction with his performance. “I think I started the match playing very well, with a very good determination,” Nadal said in his on-court interview. “I saw videos of Jason before the match, and I saw him playing very solidly from the baseline, so I came on court and tried to be aggressive with my shots from the baseline. It worked very well. I think it was a very positive match for me, and the chance to play again tomorrow means a lot to me. Two victories after a long time being outside of the professional tour is something that makes me feel good.”
Nadal has extended his dominance over Australian opponents, securing victories in 10 of his last 11 tour-level matches against them. Reflecting on his current form and progress, Nadal emphasized the importance of matches, good health, and consistent practice.
“I need matches, I need health, I need to keep practicing well, and of course, the past two matches here help, and even the doubles on the first day,” Nadal explained. “Of course, victories and hours spent on court help. For me, every day that I have the chance to play is great news, so I’m just happy for that, happy that I came back after a long time and feel competitive. Let’s see how far I can go.”
In his first-ever encounter with Kubler, Nadal dominated from the outset, winning 12 of the first 13 points. The match’s highlight occurred in the first set when Nadal executed a spectacular no-look backhand smash, eliciting cheers from the fans and propelling him to a 4-0 lead. Despite Kubler struggling to find answers for Nadal’s game, he also required treatment from the physio due to an apparent injury to his right arm.
Nadal proceeded to secure the opening set, having relinquished only five points on his serve. The Spaniard maintained his dominance in the second set, securing his third break of the match in the opening game. Despite facing a break point from Kubler, Nadal managed to hold on, going 3-1 up. He then staged a comeback from 40-15 down to break the Australian again, ultimately sealing the victory in straight sets.
