Brisbane International: Rafael Nadal rolls into quarterfinals with straight sets win over wildcard Jason Kubler

Rafael Nadal continued his victorious run after his comeback on December 4 by defeating Jason Kubler in the second round of the Brisbane International.

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Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning. (Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning. (Getty Images)

Highlights:

Rafael Nadal beat Jason Kubler in the second round of the Brisbane International.

He is set to face the Australian Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals.

Rafael Nadal continued his successful return to tennis with a convincing win over Jason Kubler in the second round of the Brisbane International on December 4. Following his strong opening victory against Dominic Thiem in the hard-court ATP 250, the Spanish player maintained his form by defeating Australia's Jason Kubler with a decisive score of 6-1, 6-2.

 

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The 37-year-old Nadal has qualified for the quarter-finals of the tournament, where he will face Australian Jordan Thompson. This comeback follows a hiatus from singles action for nearly a year for Nadal, who underwent surgery for a hip injury.

 

 

Despite being away from competitive play for almost a year due to injury, Nadal showcased impressive court movement and dominance, swiftly defeating Kubler in just 83 minutes.

 

Maintaining his momentum, Nadal confidently secured a place in the quarter-finals, where he is set to face another hometown favourite, Jordan Thompson.

 

Demonstrating his skill during the Kubler match, Nadal showcased exceptional court prowess with a remarkable backhand smash that highlighted his agility and impeccable timing. As he gears up for the encounter with Thompson, Nadal brings a formidable record, having won 10 of his last 11 tour-level matches against Australian opponents.

 

"I think I started the match playing very well, with a very good determination," Nadal said in his on-court interview. “I saw videos of Jason before the match and I saw him playing very solidly from the baseline, so I came on court and tried to be aggressive with my shots from the baseline.”

 

"It worked very well. I think it was a very positive match for me and the chance to play again tomorrow means a lot to me. Two victories after a long time being outside of the professional Tour is something that makes me feel good."

 

Nadal's rapid start left little time for Kubler, ranked No. 102 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, to settle inside Pat Rafter Arena. The Australian seemed hindered by a problem with his right arm, receiving treatment from the physio both during and after the first set. Despite facing a 0/40 deficit while serving at 5-1, Nadal made a recovery to secure the opening set, only dropping five points on serve throughout.

 

(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)

 

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