NEW DELHI: Rafael Nadal continued his remarkable comeback with a commanding performance, defeating wildcard Jason Kubler 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International in Australia on Thursday.
This marked Nadal's first tournament appearance since being forced to retire injured at the 2023 Australian Open. The Spanish veteran showcased his dominance against the Australian, who struggled to pose any threat.
In the first set, Nadal, aged 37, surged ahead with a 5-0 lead before Kubler managed to hold serve and get on the scoreboard. The second set saw a similar level of dominance from Nadal, closing out the match in 1 hour and 23 minutes.
Nadal's next opponent in the quarter-finals will be another Australian, Jordan Thompson. The victory keeps Nadal on course for a potential semi-final clash against the second seed, Grigor Dimitrov.
(With AFP inputs)
