Watch: Rafael Nadal argues with chair umpire over time violation during Brisbane 2R; takes it in his stride moments later

Rafael Nadal is back to being the talk of the town, not just for his tennis exploits or his much-awaited return to the tour, but also for an unusual time violation.

Nadal impressed on his return after almost a year out on Tuesday night against former US Open champion and good friend Dominic Thiem. Playing in what was his first professional singles match in 349 days, the Spaniard won 7-5, 6-1.

Carrying that good form into the second round, the former World No. 1 made a quick start against the local favorite Jason Kuebler, taking the first set 6-2.

Opting to take a toilet break after the opener, Nadal allegedly took a little longer than the allotted time. According to the ATP, a player is only allowed to take one break per match, at three minutes, plus two minutes extra if they change their clothes.

While it is uncertain exactly how much extra time Rafael Nadal took, the chair umpire quickly informed him of his supposed delay upon his return. The confused Spaniard responded by asking him if he really had to give him a time violation.

The umpire then conceded that he did indeed have to give him a warning to respect the match assistant's call. The umpire and Nadal then laughed the encounter off as the former made the announcement into the mic.

The call was met with mixed reactions from the crowd, with a majority booing the decision.

The violation, however, was just a minor blip in what was otherwise a commanding performance from the 22-time Grand Slam champion. He successfully closed out the second set 6-1, much to the delight of the crowd.

Nadal has now booked himself a place in tomorrow's quarterfinal clash against another Australian, Jordan Thompson.

Rafael Nadal has faced severe criticism from John McEnroe for time violations in the past

The Spaniard speaks with John McEnroe at the 2020 Australian Open - Getty Images

Rafael Nadal has come under fire for his issues with the time clock in the past, with John McEnroe once calling for him to be "severely punished."

McEnroe took aim at Nadal during his quarterfinal clash with Novak Djokovic at the 2022 French Open, where the Spaniard claimed a thrilling 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 victory. Nadal repeatedly avoided punishment during his highly-anticipated contest, according to McEnroe.

While in the commentary booth for Eurosport, McEnroe said:

“He should be penalized. If you are going to do it, do it, otherwise don’t bother. It is like humoring everyone. It's a joke!"

The Spaniard did eventually receive a violation in the match but remained unfazed as he made it to yet another semi-final in Paris.