Sports

Nadal misses 3 match points before losing in the quarterfinals of his tour comeback in Brisbane

Rafael Nadal’s highly anticipated return to competitive tennis after a year-long injury layoff hit a challenging roadblock at the Brisbane International. In a gripping quarterfinal encounter against Jordan Thompson, the 22-time major winner experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, ultimately succumbing to a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 defeat.

Despite starting the tournament with convincing victories over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler, Nadal’s resilience was tested in a gruelling match against Thompson, lasting 3 hours and 25 minutes. Struggling with his energy levels, Nadal visibly faltered at the beginning of the third set. Matters worsened when Thompson secured a crucial break in the fourth game, prompting Nadal to seek medical attention for his upper left leg after visibly hobbling.

Also Read: MS Dhoni Defrauded Of Rs 15 crore: Case To Be Heard In Ranchi Civil Court

Taking a brief medical timeout, Nadal returned to the court for another 20 minutes, displaying his trademark determination. However, his efforts fell short as he failed to convert several match points, eventually conceding victory to Thompson in a late-night finish at Pat Rafter Arena. Despite the defeat, Nadal graciously acknowledged Thompson’s performance, embracing him at the net before bidding farewell to the crowd.

Thompson, who previously bested Nadal in a doubles match alongside Max Purcell, now advances to face second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals, setting the stage for another intense showdown.

Meanwhile, in the women’s competition, Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominant form, securing a spot in the semifinals against Victoria Azarenka. Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion, showcased her prowess with a commanding 6-1, 6-4 victory over Daria Kasatkina. Her impressive performance, marked by powerful groundstrokes and a display of 32 winners, sets the stage for an intriguing clash against Azarenka.

Also Read: Cricket Brilliance: Virat Kohli’s Strategic Assist Leads to Mohammed Siraj’s Perfect Dismissal of Marco Jansen – Watch the Masterful Plan Unfold

Azarenka, a former Brisbane and Australian Open champion, faced a tough battle against Jelena Ostapenko but persevered to claim a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory.

In other matches, second-seeded Elena Rybakina progressed easily due to Anastasia Potapova’s unfortunate retirement, setting up a match against Linda Noskova in the semifinals.

The stage is set for thrilling encounters in both the men’s and women’s semifinals, promising captivating tennis action as the tournament progresses amidst moments of triumph and challenge for the competitors.

Naiteek Bhatt

Recent Posts

Adani Group Stocks Recover As Sensex nd Nifty Post Gains

After a major sell-off earlier in the week, Adani Group stocks, led by Ambuja Cements…

53 minutes ago

Sensex Soars 1,961 Points, Nifty Gains 557 In Broad-Based Market Rally

A sharp rally in financial stocks and encouraging US labor market data fueled the uptrend.…

56 minutes ago

PM Modi Engages In 31 Bilateral Meetings During Three-Nation Tour

PM Narendra Modi held 31 bilateral meetings and discussions during his visit to Nigeria, Brazil,…

1 hour ago

SC Reserves Verdict On Challenge To ‘Socialist’ And ‘Secular’ In Preamble

These words were added during the 42nd Amendment in 1976, under the tenure of Prime…

2 hours ago

CPS Appointment Cancellation: Supreme Court Issues Notice to Himachal Pradesh Government

During the hearing, the Supreme Court clarified that the six MLAs removed as Chief Parliamentary…

2 hours ago

BGT 2024-25: India 150 All Out, Bumrah’s 4-17 Rocks Australia To 67/7 On Day One

Bumrah’s 4-17, backed by Mohammed Siraj and debutant Harshit Rana, helped India seize the momentum…

2 hours ago