Rafael Nadal once again proved that his level is more than good, beating Jason Kubler at the 2024 Brisbane International.
When the Spaniard was coming back to the ATP Tour, one thing was clear. As a player who needs more matches to get back into the rhythm, a lot would depend on the draws that he would receive.
As an unseeded player, due to using his protected ranking, Nadal could have been drawn against the top seed, Holger Rune, in Brisbane, and the same can occur at the Australian Open, where he can meet even his main rival, Novak Djokovic.
That would likely result in two losses for not-in-form Nadal, but in the Brisbane International draw, he saw a qualifier next to his name in the first round, which certainly made him happy.
What probably made the 22-time Grand Slam winner less happy, was the fact that he had to take on Dominic Thiem, who was the qualifier placed into that position, a player who he played in two Grand Slam finals before.
However, he successfully overcame that challenge, and since then, the draw was very nice to him. The eighth-seeded Aslan Karatsev looked like a likely opponent for the Spaniard in the second round, but he injured himself in the first round, and Nadal instead played against Jason Kubler.
The Australian is a good player, and on top of that, he had the home crowd behind him, but it was obvious that Kubler was also struggling with some kind of injury, receiving multiple medical treatments throughout the match.
Nadal, on the other hand, had a perfect start into the match, and that was all that he needed. He won 14 of the first 15 rallies, building a quick 4-0 lead, and even though he faced three consecutive break points when serving for the set, he won it 6-1.
In the second set of the match, efficiency proved to be essential. The 37-year-old used both of his break points, while his opponent didn't use his only chance, and that's why he won the match 6-1, 6-2, securing the quarterfinal spot at the 2024 Brisbane International.
Up next, the Spanish King of Clay was dealt another opponent who he can overcome, as the fourth-seeded Ugo Humbert withdrew from his second-round match against Jordan Thompson, sending the Australian to the quarterfinals.
After the match, Nadal was happy with his performance, but especially, the fact that he will get to play another match at the ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane.
"Well, I think I started the match playing very well, with very good determination. I came on the court trying to be aggressive, and I think it has been a very positive match for me. Having a chance to play tomorrow is very good for me, and two victories is something that makes me feel good."
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