- Rafael Nadal defeated Australian star Jason Kubler in Brisbane
- The Spanish veteran defeated his rival 6-1, 6-2
- The 38-year-old is on his way to a comeback
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Rafael Nadal has issued another ominous warning to his Australian Open rivals with a brutal win over hometown favorite Jason Kubler at the Brisbane International.
In just his second match back after almost a year out, Nadal put sentiment aside to beat Kubler 6-1 6-2 in a tennis masterclass on Thursday evening.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion followed up his imperious first-round victory over Dominic Thiem with an equally breathtaking performance at the Pat Rafter Arena.
Nadal not only showed his unparalleled intensity and iron will, but also showed fans that, even at almost 38 years old and after career-saving hip surgery, he has extraordinary physical powers.
Time and again, the mighty Spaniard ran at Kubler drop shots to flick winners, or ran around backhands to unleash his ferocious cross-court off-forehand, the deadliest shot in tennis.
Rafael Nadal continued his impressive comeback mission with a straight-set victory
The 38-year-old showed that despite major hip surgery, he still has a lot to offer
Australian star Jason Kubler had no answer for the Spanish veteran in Brisbane
Kubler, once branded as the 'right-handed Rafa' because of his own superior athleticism and clay class, never smelled it.
The Brisbane native and former world number 1 junior only won a solitary rally midway through the fourth game as Nadal stormed through the opening set with a sublime mix of power and precision, including an excellent Pat Rafter-esque backhand smash flick.
Even Kubler smiled wryly and gave the fans a boost after finally earning a point midway through the set.
The only time Nadal looked perturbed was when the referee sheepishly gave the tall and fussy Spaniard a time violation for returning to the court late after a toilet break after the first set.
After protesting briefly, Nadal shrugged off the insult and stormed through the second set with a similar display of shot-making excellence to book a quarter-final match with another Australian, Jordan Thompson, on Friday.