Rafael Nadal beaten in Brisbane International tennis return but shows encouraging signs

BRISBANE, Australia — Rafael Nadal had cautioned his legion of fans to temper their expectations surrounding his “impossible” tennis comeback, and while his first professional match in almost 12 months ended in defeat, there were plenty of signs to suggest the Spanish superstar can feature prominently in what looms as his final tour Down Under.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion returned to the court for the first time in 347 days Sunday at the Brisbane International, teaming up with compatriot Marc Lopez in the men’s doubles — a combination that delivered Spain gold at the 2016 Olympic Games. However, the duo was outmatched by the all-Australian team of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, who won 6-4, 6-4 in just 73 minutes.

While reaching the finish line of this match unscathed should have been the first major checkbox for Nadal to tick, there were plenty of other reasons to be encouraged by his performance. Nadal, who arrived in Brisbane looking lean and fit, showed no signs of rustiness, holding his first service game inside two minutes to delight the capacity crowd.

Nadal’s mobility didn’t appear to be hampered in any way, either. He was comfortable tracking down balls from behind the baseline, something which confirmed his pre-tournament comment his body was feeling “much better than expected.” Nadal also displayed sweet timing on several crosscourt backhands, cat-like anticipation at the net and was near-perfect with his overhead volley.

But the most significant takeaway from Nadal’s return may well have been the enjoyment he seemed to be getting from simply gracing the court once more. A smile was plastered on his face from the moment he strode onto Pat Rafter Arena, and it never disappeared. And it’s not difficult to understand why.

Nadal had been sidelined since injuring his left hip flexor during a second-round loss to American Mackenzie McDonald at January’s Australian Open. It was a devastating blow for Nadal, who had entered the Slam as the reigning champion and lasted just 36 hours before suffering yet another injury setback.

It wasn’t a completely new injury for…