"The surgery on the hip, that's not bothering me at all" - Rafael Nadal gives injury update post Brisbane 2R win

Rafael Nadal booked his spot in the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International, taking an easy straight-sets win over home hope Jason Kuber on Thursday (January 4).

The Spaniard dropped only three en route to the 6-1, 6-2 win, having a much easier time on the court than his first-round encounter against fellow Grand Slam champion Dominic Thiem.

Speaking to the media during his post-match press conference, Nadal also gave fans an update on his physical health.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who had been sidelined for the past year due to a serious hip injury, said he was lucky to have wrapped up the two matches in quick time. He added that the surgery on his hip was not bothering him at all.

"The positive thing is, first, the two matches haven't been super long matches," Rafael Nadal said. "Of course, I had some feelings after the first match. I mean, have been a year without playing with the tension of a real match, so I felt a little bit some muscles tired here and there."

"In general terms, I felt good, no? The important thing is the surgery on the psoas-iliac and the hip, that's not bothering me at all. That's something that is super important for me," he added.

In more positive news, Nadal, who has faced issues with his foot, said his body has been responding to the demands of a competitive well so far.

"For the moment, the foot is answering well," Rafael Nadal said. "That's for me the main issue, that the foot is problematic, and for the moment, I am able to move myself with no limitations."

"That's for me makes me feel happy and be able to play better without a doubt," he added.

"After the first set, I needed to change everything basically" - Rafael Nadal on Brisbane win

Nadal at the 2024 Brisbane International.

Nadal also reflected on his performance in the Brisbane International second-round match against Jason Kuber, saying he had to change his strategy completely after the opening set.

The Spaniard explained that he was still trying to get used to the extremely humid playing conditions in Australia.

"No, good," Rafael Nadal said. "Today has been a match tougher in terms of humidity than the first day. It was very humid out there today."

"It was tough. I needed to get used to the conditions because I was sweating a lot. After the first set I needed to change everything basically," he added.

Another Aussie in the form of Jordan Thompson awaits Nadal in the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event. The two are scheduled to take to the court on Friday (January 5).