Rafael Nadal defeats Dominic Thiem, Aussie No.1 Arina Rodionova records upset win
Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem is normally a match reserved for the second week of a Grand Slam, but instead fans in Brisbane were treated to a high quality first round spectacle.
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Forget the GOAT debate. Forget the Grand Slams tally. Fans flocked to Pat Rafter Arena on Tuesday night for a love of tennis - and a man named Rafael Nadal.
The Greatest Showman did not disappoint.
A matchup normally reserved for late in the second week of a Grand Slam was instead served up in a first round spectacle as Nadal and Dominic Thiem traded crushing blows in Brisbane.
And it was the super Spaniard, 349 days removed from his cruel Australian Open exit after succumbing to a horror hip injury, who came out on top.
The 37-year-old’s 7-5 6-1 victory over former US Open Champion and Australian Open finalist Thiem was a ‘where were you when’ kind of moment.
“Today is honestly an emotional and important day for me,” Nadal said post-match.
“Probably one of the toughest years of my tennis career without a doubt. To have the chance to come back after a year and play in front of an amazing crowd … is something that will probably make us feel proud: myself, all the team, my family that have been there every single day for the last year.
“I had the chance to receive thousands of messages during all this year and having great people next to me every single day makes the difference without a doubt.
“I missed being healthy, I missed of course feeling competitive and playing in front of full crowds like this … so I can’t thank you enough, everyone.”
The stage did not matter. Be it the opening round of an ATP 250 event or Grand Slam final. For fans of tennis it was enough just to see Nadal back on a court - perhaps, for one of the final times in Australia.
But the 22-time Grand Slam champion served up something special. As did Thiem.
Only twice had the two-time French Open finalists met outside the quarter-finals of a Masters 1000 or Grand Slam.
The level was, quite simply, ridiculous.
Thiem told this masthead a day earlier it would be an encounter unlike any other between the pair, given their respective comeback trails from injury.
But it looked every bit a world class battle in Brisbane.
For the Austrian it was a wrist worry that halted his incredible rise into the top 10.
Not so long ago he was billed as the man to end the ‘Big 3’ stranglehold on men’s tennis.
After fighting through two gruelling qualifying rounds just to take his place in the main draw in Brisbane, Thiem’s reward was a prime time date with Rafa.
And so set the stage for an unthinkable opening round match-up.
A roar reserved only for Rafa welcomed him back onto a tennis court for the first time in almost a year.
No Australian who had set foot on a court this week earned anything close to the kind of raucous applause that accompanied Nadal’s arrival to centre court.
That’s not to admonish the Aussies, but explain the level of palpable excitement that rippled around Pat Rafter Arena.
“Rafa Rafa Rafa, Oi Oi Oi” yelled one woman early in the first set. That earned some chuckles.
But then twice more it rang out over the next 20 minutes, as Nadal went on to break Thiem in the 11th game before closing out the set 7-5.
There were all kinds of questions over this match.
Thiem had struggled against lesser opponents in qualifying. Nadal had not played a competitive match in almost a year. What would Nadal’s level be? And was Thiem a worthy opening test?
Both questions were quickly and emphatically answered, yes.
Thiem’s gameplan was soon obvious. Test Nadal’s fitness with finesse. He juggled fizzing forehands with deft drop shots, running Nadal around the court.
But each time he was up to the test.
Any fears over his fitness were quickly washed away as the pair played out a world class opening set almost four years removed from their last.
Thiem was far from poor. Nadal was simply too good.
The Spaniard had played coy about his chances in Brisbane ahead of the first round. Even he wasn’t sure of his level.
He says he is a changed man. That the same need to win has been replaced with a desire simply to compete again.
That may be true. But on Tuesday night’s form, he still has plenty of tennis to give.
Vamos, Rafa. On to the next.
KUBLER AND GADECKI TO FACE BIG NAMES NEXT
Jason Kubler and Olivia Gadecki have booked dates with two of the biggest names in world tennis following an eventful Day 3 of the Brisbane International that featured an incredible three all-Aussie showdowns.
Kubler will face 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal on Thursday, after the Queenslander’s first round opponent, No.8 seed Aslan Karatsev, retired at the start of the third set of their match on Tuesday.
Curiously, Karatsev also retired in the pair’s previous meeting last February.
At the same time on Pat Rafter Arena, Nadal marked a successful comeback to tennis following nearly 12 months sidelined with a hip injury by dispatching Dominic Thiem 7-5 6-1.
It pits Kubler and Nadal against each other for the very first time, in an exciting clash between the homegrown hero and arguably the most popular player of all time.
Gadecki meanwhile came from a set down to best fellow Queenslander Kim Birrell 4-6 6-0 6-4 and set up a Wednesday night showdown with 2023 Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina.
Gadecki was wayward in the opening set with 23 unforced errors but completely turned her game around after that, blitzing Birrell in just over half an hour to square the ledger before breaking late in the third set to seal the victory.
World No.4 Rybakina is coming off an impressive run in the WTA Finals where she fell to Aryna Sabalenka in the decider – a rematch of last year’s Australian Open final.
Alongside Sabalenka she is one of the favourites to win the tournament in Brisbane this week and will prove a serious test of 21-year-old Gadecki’s credentials.
While Gadecki and Birrell traded blows on centre court, fellow Aussies Rinky Hijikata and Thanasis Kokkinakis faced off for the very first time on show court one.
And it was rising star Hijikata, coming off a career-best 2023, with the upset 7-6 6-2 win over Kokkinakis.
Hijikata edged closer to leapfrogging Kokkinakis in the ATP rankings with a commanding performance against the super serve of his more experienced compatriot.
He will meet Czech qualifier Tomas Machac in the second round.
Earlier in the day, Jordan Thompson proved too strong for fellow Aussie Alexander Vukic 6-3 6-2.
He awaits the winner of Ugo Humbert and Alex Michelsen.
After fighting his way through qualifying, James Duckworth impressed with a 6-3 6-4 victory over world No.53 JJ Wolf to set up a second round clash with German Yannick Hanfmann, who opened Day 3 with a shock win over fifth seed Sebastian Korda.
Aussie qualifier Li Tu was edged out by German Daniel Altmaier 7-6 (5) 7-6 (4) in a grueling encounter that at one point had to be stopped due to a line tech error on Court 6.
Four Aussies are in action on Wednesday in Brisbane, with Daria Saville opening proceedings against No.11 seed Anastasia Potopova from 11am AEST.
Duckworth will look to continue his solid start to the season when he locks horns with Hanfmann on show court one after midday.
Sydneysider Alexei Popyrin and Roman Safiullin will clash on centre court in a battle of booming serves before Gadecki and Rybakina face off in the early evening session.
NEW AUSSIE NO.1 UPSETS FORMER AUS OPEN CHAMP
Arina Rodionova has vowed to fight tooth and nail to retain her place as Aussie number one but concedes her Australian Open wildcard hopes are now out of her hands.
The 34-year-old played one of the games of her life to upset former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 7-5 7-6 (7) at the Brisbane International on Tuesday.
Rodionova, 34, began the 2023 season ranked outside the top 300 but 12 months later is on the cusp of a maiden top 100 berth – rising to 103 following her shock win over the 14th seed in Brisbane.
It followed the opening round upset of Italian Martina Trevisan on Sunday – her first top 50 win in almost four years. But Tuesday’s triumph was even more impressive.
Rodionova could and possibly should have made much easier work of the 2020 Australian Open champion, converting just four of 21 break point opportunities.
But she showed incredible grit to come back from 5-2 in the second set to win in a tiebreak.
It came less than 24 hours after Daria Saville declared she wanted to take the title of Australia’s top-ranked female player, following her first round win over Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.
Former top 20 player Saville plummeted down the WTA rankings after rupturing her ACL in September 2022 but has since risen to No.176 and has her eyes on taking top spot from Rodionova.
“It’s on, Dasha,” declared Rodionova with a smile.
“I’m yet to speak to her about that comment but no, I love Dasha, we’re good friends and I love some healthy competition. So Dasha, bring it on. I’m ready for this.”
Neither player is yet to earn an Australian Open wildcard and with just one spot remaining, it could well come down to whoever performs the best in Brisbane this week.
Eyebrows were raised when Rodionova, as the incumbent Aussie number one, was not named among the first round of wildcard offerings which instead went to Kim Birrell, Olivia Gadecki and Taylah Preston.
After consecutive top-50 victories Rodionova is certainly playing the type of tennis to warrant direct entry into the main draw.
“Well it’s not up to me,” she said.
“If it was up to me I would give it to myself, but I think there are other people involved.
“Hopefully they like the way I’m playing this week and hopefully they like that I won I don’t know how many matches last year (79).
“I’ve done all the hard work to put myself in the best position. There’s nothing else I could have done to get myself closer. I’ve pushed really hard the whole year.
“I’m super proud of myself and I’m happy with myself. If they’re not happy then there’s nothing else I can do. It’s out of my hands.”
Retired Aussie tennis great Sam Stosur was in the stands on Tuesday.
The pair shared a humourous moment in the second set when, after failing to claim seven consecutive break point opportunities during a marathon 17-minute game, Rodionova turned to Stosur and offered her the racquet.
“Honestly that game that we played for about 35 minutes I couldn’t finish it, so I was like, ‘Sam, do you mind just doing everything for me out here’,” Rodionova joked after the match.
She later explained Stosur had been a great supporter of hers over the years, including last season when Rodionova played more than 100 matches in her bid to rise up the rankings off the back of a wrist injury.
“She sent me a few messages throughout the year when I was winning some tournaments which was really nice of her,” Rodionova said of Stosur.
“She’s great for Australia. She’s an amazing tennis player, her achievements are great. She’s an inspiration to many people, including myself, and it’s really nice having someone like her watching my matches.”
Originally published as Rafael Nadal defeats Dominic Thiem, Aussie No.1 Arina Rodionova records upset win
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