WATCH: Rafael Nadal bids emotional farewell to fans in Brisbane after 2024 QF exit

Rafael Nadal exited his comeback tournament, the 2024 Brisbane International, in the quarterfinal stage and was sent off with huge applause by the fans.

The Spaniard faced home favorite Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event on January 5. He took the early advantage in the contest by winning the first set and had three match points in the second set tie-breaker. But Thompson played some miraculous points to stay in the match and nicked the tie-breaker to level the scoreline.

The Aussie improved his level in the third set and a solitary break of Nadal's serve was enough for him to win the match with an eventual score of 7-5, 6-7(6), 3-6. Jordan Thompson will face No. 2 seed Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinal on January 6.

Rafael Nadal waved an emotional goodbye to a raucous crowd at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane. The audience returned the favor by cheering on the former World No. 1 who had entertained them over the past week.

The man from Mallorca had defeated former US Open champion Dominic Thiem in the opening round, 7-5, 6-1. He would then go on to oust wildcard Jason Kubler in the second round with ease, 6-1, 6-2. The Spaniard also played doubles in Brisbane but lost in the opening round.

Rafael Nadal downplays injury scare after mid-match medical timeout during Brisbane International QF

Rafael Nadal

Tennis fans had a slight scare when Rafael Nadal called a medical timeout during the third set of his quarterfinal match at the 2024 Brisbane International. The 37-year-old was assessed by a trainer for a problem in his upper left leg.

While he was in good enough condition to finish the match, the location of the discomfort caused some concern as Nadal was out of action for almost the entirety of the 2023 ATP Tour due to a left hip strain and subsequent surgery.

During his post-match press conference, the 14-time French Open champion shed light on his physical condition, stating that he needs to take some rest and see how his body responds to any potential injury.

Moreover, he is taking adequate precautions to cope with the rigors of the modern-day game and hopes to be back practicing next week ahead of the Australian Open.

Nadal said:

"I need to see how I wake up tomorrow morning. I mean, we have been talking these last days, talking about the positive things. That's why I am not over-positive when I have been talking.

I have been talking with a lot of precaution because I know after a year is difficult for the body to be playing tournaments at the highest level. When the things are becoming more difficult, you don't know how your body going to react. I hope is not important and I hope to have the chance to be practicing next week and to play Melbourne. Honestly, I am not 100% sure of anything now."