Again After 12 Months Of Absence, Rafael Nadal Fell In The Quarter-Finals Of Brisbane International

JAKARTA - Rafael Nadal, a Spaniard, returned to the world of tennis with unsatisfactory results when he lost the quarter-finals of Brisbane International against Australian tennis player Jordan Thompson.

As reported by ANTARA, Saturday, January 6, the match lasted three hours 25 minutes, with Thompson saving three match points in the second set before finally beating Nadal who was getting tired with a score of 5-7, 7-6(8/6), 6-4.

Nadal, who returned to play after almost 12 months of absence from injury, initially appeared to be winning a straight set after winning the first set and leading 6-4 in the second tiebreak set. However, the inspired Thompson refused to give up and took advantage of some of the unforced mistakes made by Nadal to seize the second set.

In the third set, Nadal took a medical break while trailing 1-4 after appearing to require treatment on the upper left thigh.

He was able to continue but was unable to reply and Thompson managed to maintain the joy of the host audience.

"I really forgot I saved match point," Thompson said, quoted from AFP, Saturday.

"To beat Rafa in Brisbane in the quarter-finals, and I think this is my first semi-final on the hard field, I am very happy," he added.

Nadal entered the quarter-finals against Thompson very well following a relatively easy win in the previous two rounds.

But Thompson, ranked 55th in the world, made sure that the Spaniard was unable to get through the game by continuing to press Nadal's services.

Thompson will next face second seed Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals after the Bulgarians won 6-1, 6-4 over Australian Rinky Hijikata.

Another semifinal brings together top seed Dane Holger Rune against Russian tennis player Roman Safiullin.

Rune performed very well as he beat Australian qualifier James Duckworth 6-2, 7-6(8/6), while unseeded Safiullin beat Italian Matteo Arnaldi 7-6(7/4), 6-2.