Brisbane International 2024: Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Fixture: (WC) Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson
Date: January 5, 2024
Tournament:Brisbane International 2024
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, Australia
Surface: Outdoor hard
Prize money: $661,585
Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson preview
Former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will face off against Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Brisbane International on Friday.
Nadal's comeback after a prolonged injury hiatus was off to a great start as he started his Brisbane campaign with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Dominic Thiem. He then took on home favorite Jason Kubler in the second round.
The Spaniard breezed through most of the first set as he built up a 5-0 lead. Now serving for the set, he faced three break points, but saved all of them to bag the set.
The second set was a tad bit more competitive, but Nadal still dictated the terms for most of it. An early break at the start of the second set put the Spaniard in the driver's seat. He concluded the match by going on a three-game run to score a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Thompson was drawn against fellow countryman Aleksandar Vukic in the opening round. The former emerged victorious in the all-Australian duel as he registered a 6-3, 6-2 win. He then faced Ugo Humbert in the second round, but a walkover from the latter put the Australian into the quarterfinals.
Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson head-to-head
Nadal leads Thompson 2-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 French Open in straight sets.
Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson odds
(Odds will be added once they're available)
Rafael Nadal vs Jordan Thompson prediction
Nadal's back with a bang as he put up another commanding display of tennis to down Kubler in the previous round. A minor stumble while trying to close out the first set was the only hiccup the Spaniard encountered in the entire match.
Nadal won 80% of his first serve points and hit a total of 20 winners. His movement is looking quite good and he's bossing his opponents from the baseline. The year off has really rejuvenated him and he's looking sharper than ever before.
As for Thompson, sailing into the next round without hitting a ball could come back to haunt him. A little match play is always necessary when going up against a player like Nadal, who's playing really well at the moment.
The two have already gotten a feel for each other games as they faced off in the first round of the doubles event here as well. Thompson managed to one-up Nadal and his partner back then, but it's quite unlikely he'll repeat the feat in singles too.
Pick: Rafael Nadal to win in straight sets.
