by Rafael Nadal clears up the doubts of his comeback with a bang, this second version at the ATP 250 in Brisbane is wonderful with which he overwhelms Jason Kübler, 30 years old and 102 in the world, in one hour and 24 minutes, and confirms that perhaps being competitive and at the level he wants comes ahead of time. We will have to wait for bigger rivals, but this Nadal displays agility of legs and forcefulness of hand, freshness in ideas and confidence in execution. He progresses the Balearic Islands more than adequately.
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The tennis planet is experiencing a stratospheric resurgence. Because Nadal flies in this 2024 version, minimizing the seams that opened in those 349 days of very prolonged absence. To whet your appetite, the serious match against Dominic Thiem; to begin to see that this Nadal will be ready sooner than one could imagine, the match against Kubler.
It is true that the Australian jumped onto the court with fear in his body, more aware of the fact that on the other side of the net was Rafael Nadal and his entire legend than of his own game. And so, everything happens through the Balearic, who gives a show of leg speed and incredible mobility with points that catch the most unbelievers and cajole Kubler, happy to celebrate the first point with a 0-3 down.
Nadal activates the first serve, much better in 2024 than in many of the previous seasons, with much more shooting. He only lost six points to Thiem, he loses more to Kubler, but he is more effective and there is no answer on the other side. And he feeds off the Balearic Islands desire to continue playing one more day with a recital of quick movements to overturn the ball and stupendous executions without a hint of doubt.
Speed and security in every shot, in every race, in every idea. Kubler feels the pressure, treated after 0-4 due to discomfort in his elbow. Nadal’s hammering.
To continue this progression, a small downturn was needed. Let’s see how that iron mentality responded when the match was going his way, in the face of three errors of his own that left Kubler one point away from breaking. And that tension was also managed with the best of solutions: serves and forehands to avoid breakage and continue with the winning routine for a 6-1 in 41 minutes.
It took Nadal longer than expected to change his clothes and return from the locker room. He took the warning for arriving late with a mixture of smiles and half annoyance, because he was even more forceful at the beginning of the second set.
Although he had to overcome some moments of doubt, less confident with the serve than he had been in the first set, but without endangering the match at all. Well because he found the answers by increasing more speed and agility to the points from the baseline (twenty winners, eight errors and only seven points given up with his serve), or because Kubler, suffering more and more from the discomfort in his elbow, could not offer . much more.
Nadal earns his place in the quarterfinals with a match at his pleasure, display of strength in his extremities and that confidence with which he started the year. In a couple of games, he jumped from 672 to 450 in the ranking. But this is only the beginning. Tomorrow, not before eleven in the morning in Spain, Jordan Thompson, to continue fitting the pieces of Nadal 2024, the one that is progressing more than adequately.
«I watched videos of Kubler and he was forceful, so I needed to play with determination. Adding minutes on the track always helps. I feel competitive and everything I can continue playing will help me,” he commented at the foot of the court.
«I know I have five minutes, it is very humid here and I have had to change all my clothes. I thought it was on time, honestly. But I’m slow, it’s something I have to improve this year, and I’m late. I accept it”, commenting on the anecdote of the reprimand for arriving late.
