In a dramatic turn of events at the Brisbane International Quarter-finals, tennis icon Rafael Nadal faced a surprising defeat in the quarter-finals against Australian player Jordan Thompson. Despite coming close to sealing a straight-set victory, Nadal, 37, struggled to convert three match points, ultimately losing 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 to the 29-year-old Thompson.
This match marked Nadal’s third appearance on the court since returning to action after a nearly year-long hiatus due to a hip injury. Thompson, ranked 55th in the world, proved to be a formidable opponent, providing Nadal with his toughest challenge since his comeback.
Having won twice at the Australian Open, Nadal initially displayed resilience by responding to a dropped serve in the first set with a break of his own. However, Thompson fought back, forcing a tie-break and ultimately securing a deciding set.
Despite Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam titles and a former world number one ranking, the veteran Spaniard currently sits at 672nd in the rankings due to his extended absence from the tour.
While Nadal may find positives in the challenging match, Thompson’s tenacity prevailed. The Australian will now advance to the semi-finals to face world number 14 Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday.
In the other semi-final matchup, eighth-ranked Holger Rune will go head-to-head against Russian Roman Safiullin. Rune and Safiullin secured their spots with quarter-final victories over James Duckworth and Matteo Arnaldi, respectively. Tennis enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the unfolding drama as the Brisbane International reaches its thrilling climax.
