NEW DELHI: Making a triumphant return from injury,
Rafael Nadal
demonstrated his dominance at the
Barcelona Open
on Tuesday by swiftly dispatching
Flavio Cobolli
.
The 22-time
Grand Slam
champion, who hadn't competed in an
ATP Tour
match since January, secured a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Italian in just one hour and 25 minutes, advancing to the second round.
Nadal, aged 37, relished the opportunity to compete on clay for the first time since his triumphant
French Open
win in 2022. Despite the hiatus, he showcased glimpses of his customary brilliance, delivering a solid performance that hinted at his enduring prowess on the court.
"It was a good start -- when you return you can't get rid of the doubts in one day, above all, on a physical level," Nadal told TVE.
"Within what it could be, it was a good first round. He made mistakes and I think I played the game that I had to play."
Nadal, the unparalleled champion with a record 14 triumphs at Roland Garros, is eagerly anticipating his potential participation in May's event, which he anticipates will mark the concluding chapter of his illustrious professional career.
The
clay court
maestro, who endured a significant portion of 2023 sidelined due to injury, is set to take on
Alex de Minaur
on Wednesday following his effortless victory over Cobolli.
"It will be at a speed that I don't know if I will be able to keep up with, but I'll try," Nadal said of facing the 11th-ranked De Minaur.
After initially facing a 30-0 deficit due to a double fault, Nadal swiftly regained his composure and found his rhythm on the court, capitalising on the fervent support from the crowd in the stadium named in his honor, which seemed to unsettle Cobolli.
Nadal seized control of the match by converting his third break point in the fourth game, securing a 3-1 lead. Despite Cobolli's resilience, holding serve at 4-2 down, Nadal's relentless pressure eventually paid off as he broke once again to claim the set in just 43 minutes, punctuating the victory with a triumphant fist pump.
Entering the second set, Cobolli's game faltered, conceding a break for a 2-0 lead to Nadal, courtesy of two unforced errors. Though Cobolli managed to break back in the third game, Nadal quickly regained the advantage with another break for a 3-1 lead, aided by Cobolli's third double fault. Nadal efficiently served out the set to secure the triumph.
Despite his victory, Nadal's performance on serve was solid yet subdued, lacking in aces and explosive power, yet effective enough to outmaneuver his opponent and claim the win.
"I've gone months without being able to serve, (and) although I've got a lot of excitement to play here and do the best I can, I'm not going to go crazy with the serve," added Nadal.
"I have to serve with caution that the moment I'm in dictates... there are moments in which I feel more liberated and others in which I'm more careful."
(With AFP inputs)
English (US) ·