Rafael Nadal's comeback from long layoff reaches Brisbane quarterfinals
The 37-year-old Spaniard is playing on a wild card after his ranking slipped into the 600s as he recovered from hip surgery, and he's desperate for match time ahead of the Australian Open this month. Regaining the mental and muscle memory of navigating the difficult game scenarios is on his must-do list this week.
![Rafael Nadal's comeback from long layoff reaches Brisbane quarterfinals](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7072346.1704202303!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/rafael-nadal.jpg)
![Rafael Nadal celebrates a victory after his match against Dominic Thiem at the Brisbane International Monday in Australia. Spain male tennis playercelebrates a victory at the Brisbane International at Queensland Tennis Centre on Jan. 2, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia.](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7072346.1704202303!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/rafael-nadal.jpg)
The 37-year-old Spaniard is playing on a wild card after his ranking slipped into the 600s as he recovered from hip surgery, and he's desperate for match time ahead of the Australian Open this month. Regaining the mental and muscle memory of navigating the difficult game scenarios is on his must-do list this week.