Nadal returns, wins his first elite singles match in a year
His arms raised triumphantly, unable to conceal a winner's grin, Rafael Nadal took time to savor a victory that was 12 months and a lot of rehab in the making.
Sure, it was the first round of a season-opening tournament, but it felt momentous for the 22-time major winner because it was only a matter of weeks ago he wasn't certain he'd be ready to return from a long-term hip injury.
The 37-year-old Spaniard showed no signs of rust at the Brisbane International on Tuesday in a 7-5, 6-1 win over Dominic Thiem, who won the U.S. Open in 2020 and has a career-high No. 3 ranking but is making a slow return from injury himself.
“Today is honestly an emotional and important day for me,” Nadal said.
Nadal hadn't played a singles match at the elite level since a second-round exit at the Australian Open last January.
Ranked No. 672 is playing on a wild card in Brisbane.
Nadal will next play Australian wild card Jason Kubler, who was one set apiece with Aslan Karatsev at 6-4, 6-7 (4) when the No. 8 seed retired injured.
In the women's draw, 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin was upset by No. 113-ranked Arina Rodionova 7-5, 7-6 (7) in the second round. DJOKOVIC HELPS SERBIA REACH UNITED CUP QUARTERS >> Novak Djokovic endured a wrist injury to lead Serbia into a United Cup mixed teams quarterfinal showdown against host Australia.
The world No. 1 was troubled by his right wrist during practice in the morning but was cleared to play his singles match against Jiri Lehecka later in the day, and it was just as well given that Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova defeated Olga Danilovic 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead.
After losing a secondset tiebreak, Djokovic came out strongly with a double break in the third set to win 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1.
Serbia won the mixed doubles without Djokovic and topped Group E. They will take on Group C winner Australia today in a quarterfinal in Perth. Poland will face China in the other Perth quarterfinal.
Basketball
EX-G LEAGUE PLAYER FACES CHARGES IN WOMAN'S KILLING >> A prosecutor in Las Vegas said that separate murder, kidnapping and conspiracy cases will be combined so a former NBA developmental league player and his ex-girlfriend can be tried together in the killing of a woman whose body was found last month in southern Nevada.
Chance Comanche, 27, a Los Angeles native who played for the Stockton Kings -- the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings -- before his Dec. 15 arrest in Sacramento made an initial court appearance. He stood in shackles and responded, “Yes, ma'am,” to a judge's questions about whether he understood the charges against him.
Comanche's defense attorney, Gary Guymon, did not immediately seek bail and declined to comment following the brief court appearance. But he said Comanche intends to plead not guilty during hearings to come.
Comanche's' former girlfriend, Sakari Harnden, 19, also is jailed in Las Vegas pending a separate hearing Wednesday on a theft charge related to the disappearance and death of Marayna Rodgers, 23, of Lynnwood, Washington. STANFORD'S CARLYLE IS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK >> Kanaan Carlyle of Stanford was AP's national player of the week for his performance last week.
The freshman was 6 of 8 from the 3-point arc, 8 of 8 from the foul line and scored 28 points to help the Cardinal upset then-No. 4 Arizona 100-82 last week. It was the most points scored by a Stanford freshman since Chasson Randle had 30 against Arizona State in the 2012 Pac-12 Tournament.
Hockey
US ADVANCES TO WORLD JUNIOR SEMIFINALS >> Gabe Perreault scored twice and five other players had a goal as the U.S. routed Latvia 7-2 in Sweden to advance to the semifinals of the IIHF world junior championship.
Perreault, the New York Rangers' 2023 first-round pick, also had an assist as part of a dominant game by his line. Fellow 18-year-olds Will Smith, the No. 4 pick by the Sharks, and Ryan Leonard, No. 8 to Washington, combined for three points.
The U.S. will next face Finland on Thursday with a spot in the gold medal game at stake.
The Americans' victory came after tournament favorite Canada was knocked out in stunning fashion with a 3-2 quarterfinal loss to the Czech Republic. St. Louis Blues prospect Jakub Stancl scored the go-ahead goal with 11.7 seconds left.
Soccer
ROONEY FIRED AS MANAGER AT SECOND-TIER BIRMINGHAM >> England great Wayne Rooney was fired as the manager of second-tier club Birmingham after 15 games.
Rooney earned only two wins since his controversial appointment in October. Birmingham was sixth in the Championship when he started, and has fallen to 20th.
The club was taken over last summer by a company owned by American businessman Tom Wagner, and it got rid of popular coach John Eustace, who had been in charge for 15 months and steered the club away from relegation.
Birmingham lost at Leeds 3-0 on Monday, and supporters called for the removal of Rooney, the former Manchester United and England striker.
Darts
TEEN REACHES FINALS OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS >> Luke Littler reached the final of the world darts championship at the age of 16, extending one of the most unlikely stories in the history of the sport.
Littler, an unseeded player from Runcorn in northwest England who started throwing darts as a toddler, beat 2018 champion Rob Cross 6-2 to get into today's title match against Luke Humphries.
The winner of the final will earn 500,000 pounds ($630,000) and Littler, who has already guaranteed himself 200,000 pounds ($250,000).