Australia's Jordan Thompson stuns Rafael Nadal in three-set Brisbane thriller
Jordan Thompson saves three match points before beating Rafael Nadal in a late-night Brisbane International quarter-final.
Jordan Thompson's Epic Quarter-Final Win
In a stunning late-night match at the Brisbane International, Australia's Jordan Thompson delivered a remarkable performance to defeat Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals. Thompson fought back from the brink in the second set, eventually winning 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 in a thrilling battle that lasted three hours and 25 minutes.
The highlight of the match came when Thompson sealed his victory with a backhand shot that Nadal couldn't return, ending the longest rally of the match. Nadal, who took an injury timeout for soreness in his hip, walked over to Thompson's side of the net and embraced the Australian after the match.
A Great Week for Australian Tennis
Thompson's victory comes on the heels of a great week for Australian men's tennis, with Alex de Minaur defeating world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the United Cup. Thompson expressed his excitement about the success of Australian players, stating, "Unreal. Aussies in Australia playing good tennis, taking down good names, got to be good for the country."
Thompson's next challenge is a match against the second seed, Grigor Dimitrov, for a place in the final. He will face either the top-seeded Dane Holger Rune or the in-form Russian Roman Safiullin.
Thompson's Remarkable Performance
Despite Rafael Nadal's imposing form since returning from a hip injury, Thompson's incisive return game and ability to find short angles proved to be his undoing. Thompson has previously defeated top-ranked players like Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas, but he considers this victory over Nadal to be equally special.
Thompson revealed that there is always a sense of pressure when playing at home against a player of Nadal's caliber, but he emphasized the importance of taking the match to him. Thompson drew inspiration from his previous encounter with Nadal at the French Open.
