Rafael Nadal is hoping that he will be able to participate in the Australian Open, even after receiving medical attention during a tough defeat to Jordan Thompson at his return competition.
Nadal appeared ready to secure another victory in straight sets at the Brisbane International, but in the 10th game of the second set, he failed to convert on the first match point due to a missed backhand overhead shot.
Nadal had two additional opportunities during the tie-break, but was unable to capitalize on either. As a result, his Australian rival made a comeback and ultimately emerged victorious with a score of 5-7, 7-6, (6) 6-3 after a total of three hours and 25 minutes.
More concerning was the off-court medical time-out Nadal took at 1-4 in the deciding set, although he was able to continue without too much apparent discomfort. The 37-year-old had surgery on the psoas tendon in his left hip in June after being sidelined since suffering an injury at last January’s Australian Open and revealed the latest problem is in the same area.
He stated, “My muscles are fatigued. It’s definitely not as severe as it was last year because I immediately felt a significant change then. But today, I didn’t feel anything. The only concern is that being in the same place makes me a bit more anxious than usual.”
I need to observe how I feel upon waking tomorrow. We have been having conversations over the past few days, discussing positive aspects. That is why I am not overly optimistic when I speak.
I have been speaking with caution because I am aware that after a year, it can be challenging for the body to compete in top-level tournaments. When things get tough, you never know how your body will respond.
“I am hopeful that this is not a crucial matter and that I will have the opportunity to practice and compete in Melbourne next week. However, at the moment, I am uncertain about anything.”
Thompson is set to face the second-ranked player, Grigor Dimitrov, in the semi-final round. The top-ranked player, Holger Rune, will compete against Russian opponent Roman Safiullin.
Source: theguardian.com
