Rafael Nadal faces Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals of the ATP Brisbane International on January 5.
The Spanish great is playing in his first tournament in practically a full year, having taken the rest of 2023 off to recover from injury following his defeat to Mackenzie McDonald at last year’s Australian Open.
The 22-time grand slam champion started his campaign in Queensland with a straight-sets win over Dominic Thiem, another major winner who has struggled with injury in recent seasons. Nadal then thrashed Jason Kubler for the loss of just three games in the second round.
He now faces Kubler’s compatriot Thompson, who enjoyed doubles success over Nadal and Marc Lopez at this venue on December 31. Thompson beat Aleksandar Vukic in the first round of the singles draw before fourth seed Ugo Humbert withdrew before their second-round matchup.
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The Sporting News will be following the Rafael Nadal vs. Jordan Thompson match live, providing score updates, commentary, and highlights as they happen.
MORE: How long was Rafael Nadal out of action?
Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson live score
Set 1 Set 2 Nadal 7 6 Thompson 5 6
*Denotes server
Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson live updates, highlights, and commentary
Tie-break: Nadal 3-3 Thompson
Thompson gets a little lucky as his mishit return forces the error from Nadal. The Spaniard then runs around the ball to get his forehand to the return, but he pushes it wide, and we’re back on serve! Thompson’s smash at the net is read by Nadal, who can’t get the ball over the net; the Aussie breathes a sigh of relief.
Tie-break: Nadal 3-0 Thompson
No half-measures again from Thompson, who misses with a difficult forehand. He lands a first serve out wide, and — oh, my word! Nadal flicks a wrist and the return rockets past the Thompson racquet! Sensational. Thompson tries to force the issue but his approach shot isn’t great this time, and Nadal picks it off with ease.
Nadal 7-5 6-6 Thompson*
Thompson, again, must hold serve to stay in the match. A vicious one down the tee is a good start. Then comes another, out wide, unreturnable. Nadal lets out a roar as a forehand doesn’t come back, but Thompson makes a brilliant get with a backhand volley. Nadal’s backhand bends wide, and we’re into a tie-break!
Nadal* 7-5 6-5 Thompson
Thompson mixes up a return off the backhand wing but just misses the attempted short ball. But Nadal, just as he did at 15-0 in this game, misses a routine groundstroke to let his opponent draw level. Is the great man feeling the pressure, now? Nadal goes for power to bring up game point, but Thompson responds in kind. Deuce. Thompson sees an opportunity at the net, but goodness me, what a passing shot from Nadal! A crosscourt backhand winner, stretching for the ball. 6-5.
Nadal 7-5 5-4 Thompson*
Good reactions at the net from Thompson after Nadal’s return clipped the top of the tape. Again, he charges in behind a decent serve and Nadal misses off the backhand, but Thompson then returns the favour. Another bruising exchange, and another backhand into the net from Thompson makes it 30-30. The pressure is building now; the crowd sense it. Nadal reaches the wide first serve and Thompson can’t keep the ball in play, and we have our first match point. Thompson serve-volleys, Nadal lobs him, the ball is there for the reverse smash… and Nadal misses it! Two big first serves follow, and it’s 5-5. Will Nadal rue that missed chance?
Nadal* 7-5 5-4 Thompson
As the match clock ticks over to two hours, Nadal takes an awkward ball out of the sky and then buries a forehand down the line. Another ace down the tee leaves Thompson statuesque. The Australian hits a fantastic forehand return, right at Nadal’s feet, and still it’s not enough — Nadal sprints to reach the drop shot and clips a stunning sliced winner to the open court. Thompson will now serve to stay in the contest.
Nadal 7-5 4-4 Thompson*
Given the importance of the game, that was mightily impressive from Thompson: strong serving, efficiency from the baseline, and an ace to finish.
Nadal* 7-5 4-3 Thompson
Nadal looks like he’s honing in on his target, his forehand being deployed with a little more force. An ace and an unreturned serve finishes this quick-fire game. The pressure is back on Thompson.
Nadal 7-5 3-3 Thompson*
Thompson finds a much-needed first serve at 15-15, but Nadal throws everything at the next second serve, winning the point off a deep backhand volley. Thompson responds with a serve-and-volley, throwing his opponent off his rhythm, and he comes through to level the set. Some big games coming up, now.
Nadal* 7-5 3-2 Thompson
Full credit to Thompson, who is refusing to lie down here. He’s forcing Nadal to take more risks if he wants to get this done in two, and he’s not shying away from bolder shots himself. Nadal delivers a typical one-two punch off the first serve, ensuring there’s no threat of a break this time.
Nadal 7-5 2-2 Thompson*
Thompson is trying to keep on the front foot, but he’s looking, understandably, a little deflated after such a good first-set performance yielded nothing. A long forehand gives Nadal two break points; on the second, just as Nadal looks to be waiting for the error, Thompson hits a sensational drop shot from behind the baseline that his opponent can only applaud. A quite amazing rally follows, both men giving everything to keep the ball alive before Thompson blinks first, but he snuffs out the break point with more positive play and drags himself through the game.
Nadal* 7-5 2-1 Thompson
A pretty tame double fault from Nadal follows a point in which Thompson looked the fresher of the two players. A quite wonderful forehand, changing direction in the rally completely, wins the important next point for Nadal, and a clever body serve levels the score. And then, another miss, a grimace, and it’s break point. A breathtaking rally follows — quite literally, with Thompson on his haunches, exhausted, at the end of it — and Nadal survives the game. What a contest this is!
Hey Siri, define ‘Nadal special point’ 🔥@RafaelNadal | @BrisbaneTennis | #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/kkL4eOkAcE
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 5, 2024
Nadal 7-5 1-1 Thompson*
Anything you can do, Rafa! Efficient serving sees Thompson ease to 40-0. Nadal wins the next point, but Thompson does enough with the serve-volley. 1-1.
Nadal* 7-5 1-0 Thompson
Thompson, as he pointed out to the umpire during the break, left himself drenched through after the exertions of that first set. He comes out for the second with his right arm in a compression sleeve — hopefully, there’s nothing there to trouble him too much. Nadal, who took a bathroom break, races through his opening service game to love.
Nadal 7-5 Thompson* — NADAL BREAKS, WINS FIRST SET
Thompson can’t pick up the volley, and suddenly the tension creeps in with a double fault. Another missed first serve gives Nadal the chance to take early control of the rally and force the error, and he suddenly has three set points. Thompson snuffs out the first well, but in the next exchange, he puts a backhand into the net! Nadal snatches the first set!
VAMOS 🇪🇸@RafaelNadal is a set away from the semifinals after taking a tight opening set against Thompson 7-5 💪#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/HdN7iLW9NV
— Brisbane International (@BrisbaneTennis) January 5, 2024
Nadal* 6-5 Thompson
“NO!” bellows Thompson as he nets a forehand. Nadal promptly follows suit, then double faults for the first time in the match. It’s tense out here. The Spaniard produces a couple of timely big forehands to get out of trouble, but misses the next one. Deuce. An ace down the tee helps him come through in the end.
Nadal 5-5 Thompson*
That’s the most straightforward game for a while, Thompson serving effectively and finishing it off with another precise forehand. Level again.
Nadal* 5-4 Thompson
Having battled so hard to get that break, how will Thompson react to handing one straight back to Nadal? Well, winning a forehand exchange at 15-15 is a good way to go about things. Nadal gets to game point with an arrow of a backhand down the line, but Thompson dispatches a forehand for deuce — Nadal has won just one of nine points behind his second serve to this point. He comes through in the end, but the Spaniard isn’t too happy out there.
Nadal 4-4 Thompson* — NADAL BREAKS
Nadal, naturally, puts the Thompson serve straight back under pressure. He tries another approach shot and is picked off by a curling forehand that elicits the first fist-pump of the evening from Nadal. Thompson shows lovely soft hands at the net at 0-40, but Nadal hunts down his next volley and whips the forehand pass into the open court. An immediate break back!
Nadal* 3-4 Thompson — THOMPSON BREAKS
Nadal is dominating the shorter rallies, but Thompson is doing far better in the longer exchanges. It’s not often that players get on top of Nadal by making the points longer! At 40-15, Nadal follows up a good serve with an approach shot, but Thompson picks out the open court in style, then finishes the next rally with a pinpoint forehand! Nadal gets worn down in another long rally, and we have a first break point of the match… and Thompson takes it, forcing Nadal to net off the backhand! Wow. Brilliant stuff from the Australian.
Here, there and EVERYWHERE 💨#BrisbaneTennis | @jordanthommmo2 pic.twitter.com/UThOyU90Bp
— Brisbane International (@BrisbaneTennis) January 5, 2024
Nadal 3-3 Thompson*
A terrific second serve has Nadal backpeddling — no mean feat given he was standing so far back to begin with — but Thompson makes a horrible mess of a smash at 30-0. He shows real bravery to come to the net on the next point and put away a potentially tricky volley, but Nadal wins the next brutal exchange and a double fault brings up deuce. Thompson sees two game points come and go, but two rare forehand misses from Nadal let his opponent off the hook. It’s 3-3.
Nadal* 3-2 Thompson
Nadal mixes up the serve, this time sliding one so far to the Thompson backhand that spectators might have feared for their safety. Thompson decides enough is enough, steps in on a second serve at 40-0, and slaps back a forehand winner. And again — this time, he finishes the point with a drop volley at the net. And again — a backhand cross-court winner! Suddenly, the Nadal serve is under pressure. The Spaniard forces two backhand errors to come through the game, but that will have given the home favourite some confidence.
Nadal 2-2 Thompson*
Off balance, Thompson goes long off the forehand after a second serve. He sets up the next point nicely, only to crash a backhand into the net from mid-court. Danger signs. However, two big serves have Nadal at full stretch, and the Aussie levels the game. Then comes a huge slice of luck, as Thompson’s backhand clips the net full on but somehow drops over. A Nadal mishit, and Thompson comes through.
Nadal* 2-1 Thompson
Nadal is serving really well early on. An ace brings up 40-0; Thompson scrambles to get the next one back in play, but Nadal hammers the forehand winner.
Nadal 1-1 Thompson*
Thompson follows up a serve with a tidy forehand winner. The next rally is a longer exchange, ending with Nadal whipping a forehand inches wide. Thompson then gets caught out by a looping shot that just lands in court, but he steadies himself in the rally before another thumping forehand winner. Nadal misses a backhand to end the game.
Nadal* 1-0 Thompson
An imperious opening game sees Nadal win the first exhausting rally and fire down two unreturned serves. No sign of any fatigue, there!
Start
Here we go! Nadal to serve first.
Prematch: Here come the players! Thompson is bedecked in dark blue and white, while Nadal is sporting a pink top with light green (and very short) shorts. Thompson wins the coin toss and elects to receive serve first.
Prematch: Sabalenka battled through in two sets, so Nadal and Thompson will be out on court soon.
Prematch: This match won’t start until at least 8 p.m. local time. The women’s quarterfinal between Aryna Sabalenka and Daria Kasatkina is being played on the Pat Rafter court at the moment, and should that one go to a third set, Nadal and Thompson will have to wait a little longer.
Prematch: Welcome to this tantalising quarterfinal matchup in the men’s draw. Rafael Nadal continues his impressive return to the Tour against home favourite Jordan Thompson — a man he has beaten in their only two previous meetings, most recently at the 2022 French Open.
Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson live stream, TV channel
Book now to secure your spot at the 2024 Brisbane International
The match between Rafael Nadal and Jordan Thompson is due to be the fifth match on court at the Pat Rafter Arena on Friday, January 5.
The start time will be determined by the length of the preceding matches, but it will not begin before 8 p.m. local time (2 a.m. ET).
TV Streaming USA Tennis Channel Tennis Channel, Fubo Canada TSN TSN GO UK Sky Sports NOW TV, Sky Go Australia Nine Network 9Now, Stan Sport India — Tennis TV