Rafael Nadal has laid down an Australian Open marker with a stylish and successful return to tennis after almost a year out of the game with a career-threatening hip injury.
Nadal needed just two high-quality sets and 88 minutes in a 7-5 6-1 victory over four-times grand slam finalist and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem to dispel any concerns, at age 37, he may be a spent force.
