Rafael Nadal averted assembly a seed first up at his comeback match after drawing a qualifier within the Brisbane Worldwide, with Russia’s Aslan Karatsev a possible second-round opponent. The 37-year-old Spaniard has been out of the sport for nearly 12 months following hip surgical procedure after the 2023 Australian Open in January. It was feared that Nadal, the winner of twenty-two Grand Slam singles titles, would by no means play professionally once more. Nonetheless, he has fought his method again and was granted a wildcard to the season-opening Brisbane Worldwide in preparation for the primary Grand Slam of the 12 months at Melbourne Park starting January 14.

Whereas he missed out on dealing with a seed, there are many achieved gamers competing in Brisbane qualifying, together with 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem and former world quantity eight Diego Schwartzman.

If Nadal advances, he’ll play eighth-seeded Karatsev or Australian wildcard Jason Kubler within the second spherical, with fourth seed Ugo Humbert lurking as a possible quarter-final opponent.

Britain’s Andy Murray drew second-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in an intriguing first-round conflict.

Murray is a two-time winner of the Brisbane Worldwide, and beat Dimitrov within the last in 2013.

Within the girls’s draw, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka can be pitted towards Germany’s world quantity 84 Tamara Korpatsch within the opening spherical as she makes her extremely anticipated return.

The Japanese star, who gave beginning to daughter Shai in July and has beforehand struggled along with her psychological well being, has not performed since September 2022.

If she sees off Korpatsch, she is going to face three-time Brisbane champion Karolina Pliskova within the second spherical.

World quantity two Aryna Sabalenka obtained a primary spherical bye.

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