Rafael Nadal, after nearly a year's hiatus due to a hip injury, returned to tennis at the Brisbane International on December 31, 2023, partnering with Marc Lopez in a doubles match against Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson. Despite their loss, Nadal showed a promising performance, hinting that his hip was no longer an issue. After this match, Nadal is set to face Dominic Thiem in a singles match on January 2, revisiting their rivalry from the 2018 and 2019 French Open finals.