We hadn't seen him on a court for over a year, but Rafael Nadal's demeanor remained the same. The same sense of power, the same determination, that little something in his gaze that whispers quietly to the opponent: 'forget it, buddy, I'm invincible. »

Yet, the bull from Manacor had indeed taken a knee under the weight of accumulated injuries, and many of us imagined him retiring in the coming months. We underestimated this man. The one who has built him a golden garden in the heart of Roland Garros has not yet spoken his last word.

Last Tuesday, as we were slowly recovering from the excesses of New Year's Eve, Rafa once again raised his racket above his head and delivered a masterful performance against the Austrian Dominic Thiem. 7-5, 6-1. In the first set, the Spaniard had trouble finding his rhythm on the return, but the second half of the match was completely one-sided.

This morning, he made easy work of the Australian Jason Kubler. A convincing 6-1, 6-2 to conclude his second round in Brisbane. It's hard to see how things could be different against Jordan Thompson tomorrow. This other humble Australian ranked 55th in the world will struggle to contain the missiles in serves and forehands from the resurrected former number one, who looks more hungry than ever.

Forgive my enthusiasm. It's true that the king of clay has not yet faced tough opponents and we'll have to see how he competes against the stars of this game. If he qualifies for the semi-finals, he will have the opportunity to play against the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who is doing very well at the moment and will be a significant first test for him.

Anyway, seeing Nadal hit the ball with such intensity is a pleasure that should not be underestimated. All those who love tennis will never tire of watching this incredible athlete fight like a lion and roar with each of his shots. We would like to erase from our memory the images of suffering and rediscover for a few more weeks the true brilliance of this unparalleled prodigy.

We all dream of a showdown at the Australian Open with the other GOAT in order to remind us of just how exceptional these two are and why it might not be necessary to choose between them. Lying on his massage table, nursing the wrist that has been bothering him a lot at the start of this year and preventing him from performing, Novak probably agrees with these lines. He, too, wants to relive a great match with his historic rival to savor once again, even for the last time, the exquisite flavors of the peaks.

Rafa, I don't know by what miracle the doctors managed to get you back on your feet. I just hope that this season won't be one too many. We love your battles, but we also don't want them to cause you irreversible damage. Let's pray that reason prevails over the sweet madness that the smell of victory and the intoxicating hope of becoming number one again provides you.