"What a joy to see you again": Carlos Alcaraz responds after Rafael Nadal's superb return at Brisbane International

ATP
Tuesday, 02 January 2024 at 22:00
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Carlos Alcaraz left a comment for his compatriot Rafael Nadal after a fantastic victory over Dominic Thiem, securing a 7-5, 6-1 win in the first round of the 2024 Brisbane International. The 20-year-old Spanish sensation congratulated Nadal, who made a remarkable comeback after 12 months without competing, demonstrating that he remains at good level
Nadal and Alcaraz have faced each other three times, with the 22-times Grand Slam champion claiming victory twice. The post garnered thousands of comments and surpassed 400,000 on Instagram, including Alcaraz's message: 'What a joy to see you again on track, Rafa!' the world No. 2 exclaimed.

Nadal reflects on his recent years

Rafa Nadal surprised with an emotional comeback after the longest hiatus of his career and commented in the post-match press conference about his immense pride in returning to competition:
“Today is honestly an emotional and important day for me after probably one of the toughest years of my tennis career, without a doubt. I had the chance to come back after a year and play in front of an amazing crowd and play, I think, at a very positive level,” Nadal said.
“On the first day, it is something that makes us feel proud. Myself, all the team and family that have been there every single day during the past year,” he added.
Despite the victory over Thiem, the Spaniard still doesn't see himself in his best physical condition, but he was able to compensate by showing a high success rate with his serve. Nadal won 90% of his points with the first serve and 86% with the second, a key factor in the victory.
The 2-times Australian Open champion advanced to the second round and will face wild card Jason Kubler. The Australian player progressed past the first round against the 8th seed Aslan Karatsev, who retired when the score was 4-6, 7-6 in favor of Kubler."

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