The Brisbane International captivates fans around the world as tennis fever takes hold.
The tournament’s epic return to the city follows a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans packed the Queensland Tennis Center last week to get a glimpse of their favorite players.
Return phenomenon
This year has seen a number of top athletes return to the court, including 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
Nadal’s return follows a 12-month hiatus due to a hip injury at last year’s Australian Open.
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At a press conference earlier in the week, the 37-year-old said the tournament was an opportunity for him to reignite his passion for the game.
“Every day is a learning process, I have to learn how to play every point and I have to get used to the competition again,” he said.
“Knowing the moments of a match, knowing when to attack and when to relax is very important.”
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But an injury scare in Friday night’s three-set loss to Jordan Thompson has raised concerns about his ability to play at the upcoming Australian Open.
Former women’s world number one Naomi Osaka also made her comeback, after taking a 15-month break.
Despite a KO at second round of competition Wednesday she spent the week visiting the city.
Fan fever
The tournament has attracted celebrity appearances, from Broncos captain Adam Reynolds to Hollywood star Jude Law.
Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said the competition was an opportunity to showcase what Brisbane had to offer.
“We have hosted sports stars, even Hollywood royalty who were simply enjoying world-class tennis,” Mr Pearson said.
“With all the big football stars, fans turned out in their thousands.”
Cam Pearson, Brisbane Open Tournament Director (ABC News: Lucas Hill)
On Friday night, it broke a 2018 record, attracting 6,225 people as the crowd watched the men’s quarterfinal.
Sisters Iris and Violet said it had been great watching Nadal’s comeback and they were even able to stay up late for the hard-fought match.
Iris and Violet love watching tennis. (ABC News: Jessica Stewart)
