Rafael Nadal admitted that he was more nervous than usual ahead of his comeback match as he feared being “a disaster”. The 22-time Grand Slam champion made a triumphant return following 12 months on the sidelines, beating Dominic Thiem 7-5 6-1 at the Brisbane International. But the Spaniard isn’t getting ahead of himself despite a promising performance.
349 days after his last professional match and 351 days after his last victory, Nadal found himself back in the winner’s circle after defeating Thiem in 89 minutes. Following a tight first set, the 37-year-old was able to secure a crucial break and ran away with the second, his arms aloft as he celebrated the result.
It was an emotional moment for the former world No 1, whose career was almost ended by a left psoas injury he picked up at last year’s Australian Open. And Nadal admitted that his feelings before the match were intensified by the fear that he may not live up to the level he showed in practice sessions and that his body could fail him.
“I think it’s something very easy to explain,” the Spaniard said of his emotions. “When you are doing things that you are not used to do, you have more nerves than usual because when you are doing things almost every day, you know more or less what’s going on. You can play a little bit better, a little bit worse, but you have a standard that you know that you’re going to reach that level.”
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As well as the usual emotions and physical concerns, Nadal confessed that he was also concerned that his return would be a “disaster”. The 37-year-old continued: “In that case it’s a combination of things. First thing, the emotions to be back on court after a long time and after a very tough process. Second thing, the doubts about your physical performance.
“And third thing, it’s about you go on court – I know I have been practising okay last week, practising I think at a positive level. You go on court, and you have the doubts if you are going to go there and going to be a disaster, because it can happen, honestly.” After dropping just six games in his comeback match, Nadal also indicated that he didn’t expect to be in such a positive place just a few weeks ago.
“It’s not a thing that I am saying here to protect myself at all. I don’t need it. I am not here to use any excuse at all. No, I know what’s going on,” he explained. “Myself, people who have been next to me knows how I felt one month and a half ago. I’m talking with the hand on the heart and being very honest with all of you. It’s not all that you go on court and you have more nerves than usual because you really at the end hope that you’re going to play at this level, but inside yourself you know that can be a disaster, and that, of course, worried me.”
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