Tennis: Rafael Nadal’s comeback could add a layer of intrigue to a sport slowly moving into the future
Perhaps the most startling of Rafael Nadal’s achievements – even more so than the ridiculous haul of 14 French Open titles – was the 912 consecutive weeks he spent in the top 10 of the world rankings. Second-best on that list in men’s tennis is Jimmy Connors, with 788.Nadal played his first competitive match in nearly a year at the Brisbane International on Sunday, losing his first-round doubles tie in straight sets. The singles tournament will start in the coming week, where his first opponent is 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem. His participation in Brisbane is a tune up for the Australian Open, in what could be his final trip down under as a competitor.
The Spaniard has been in this position so many times before that crippling injury woes are as much his trademark as his lasso-lik...