Rafael Nadal to play former US Open champion Dominic Thiem at Brisbane International in comeback

Rafael Nadal will face former US Open champion Dominic Thiem in the first round of the Brisbane International in a tough return to the ATP Tour after almost a year off due to injury. Thiem, a former world number three who was beaten by Nadal in the 2018 and 2019 French Open finals, battled through two tough qualifying rounds to make the main draw. Like Nadal, he has also struggled with injury and fell to 352 in the world in 2022 following a right wrist tear. He is currently ranked 98. The two men have played 15 times, with Nadal winning nine and Thiem six. However, the Austrian has won their past two encounters at the ATP Tour Finals in 2020 and the Australian Open the same year. They will play on Tuesday. Nadal, 37, has been out of the game for almost 12 months following hip surgery after the 2023 Australian Open in January. It was feared that Nadal, the winner of 22 Grand Slam singles titles, would never play professionally again. However, he has fought his way back and was granted a wildcard to the season-opening Brisbane International in preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park beginning January 14. If Nadal advances, he will play eighth-seeded Aslan Karatsev or Australian wildcard Jason Kubler in the second round, with fourth seed Ugo Humbert lurking as a potential quarter-final opponent. Britain’s Andy Murray drew second-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in an intriguing first-round clash. Murray is a two-time winner of the Brisbane International, and beat Dimitrov in the final in 2013. In the women’s draw, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will be pitted against Germany’s world number 84 Tamara Korpatsch in the opening round as she makes her highly anticipated return. The Japanese star, who gave birth to daughter Shai in July and has previously struggled with her mental health, has not played since September 2022. If she sees off Korpatsch, she will face three-time Brisbane champion Karolina Pliskova in the second round. World number two Aryna Sabalenka received a first round bye.