Rafael Nadal thankful to finally be back in competitive tennis - 'One of the toughest years of my tennis career'

Rafael Nadal thanked family, friends and fans after winning his first ATP tour match in 12 months. The Spaniard defeated Austrian Dominic Thiem 7-5 6-1 in the opening round of the Brisbane International on Tuesday. It was his first match since recovering from a bout of injuries that plagued him throughout 2023 and nearly brought an end to his career.