Dominic Thiem vs Rafael Nadal Prediction & Betting Tips - Brisbane International

Prediction published on 31/12/2023, 08:18  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 01/01/2024 at 20:00 in Tennis Predictions

Rafael Nadal is back on the tour stage and will begin his season against the qualifier Dominic Thiem in Brisbane. The winner will then advance to play either Aslan Karatsev or Jason Kubler in the second round. This is the 16th-ever meeting between these two players. At one point it was one of the more sought-after fixtures in the ATP. Thiem has won six times against Nadal with three of his wins coming in the last four meetings with the Spaniard. He will hope to continue with this recent dominance in this fixture. Thiem, who is making his second appearance in Brisbane, won both his qualifiers in three sets. He defeated Giulio Zeppieri in the final qualifier by coming from a set down. Thiem, who is a multiple Grand Slam finalist and winner, battled with injuries in 2023 and had a disappointing campaign. He finished the year with a 27-30 record and won just one of six games on outdoor hard courts. The former world number three is currently ranked 98th in the world.

Rafael Nadal is making his long-awaited return to the tour after almost a year out due to injury. The Spaniard was last on the court in January of 2023 at the Australian Open. This long layoff has seen him drop out of the top 100 for the first time in 20 years. Nadal has dominated this fixture with Thiem and has won nine of the previous 15 meetings. Two of those wins came in back-to-back French Open finals. The 22 Grand Slam champion finished 2023 with a 1-3 record with all four matches being played on outdoor hard courts. Nadal is a strong performer on hard courts and over his illustrious career has compiled a 442-112 record on the surface. There is a possibility that this might be Nadal’s final season as a professional. During his rehabilitation last year, he hinted as much. He begins the year ranked 670th in the ATP.