Veteran star Rafael Nadal celebrated a convincing comeback at the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona. The 37-year-old Spaniard, who was sidelined for 103 days after his exit in the Brisbane quarter-finals at the beginning of January, comfortably defeated the Italian Flavio Cobolli 6:2 6:3 in the first round on Tuesday. In the second round, Nadal will face Australian Alex de Minaur, seeded number four.
16.04.2024 19.26
Online since today, 7:26 p.m
The 22-time Grand Slam winner recently withdrew from the tournament in Monte Carlo because he didn’t feel fit enough. But in Barcelona, where he has won the title no less than twelve times (most recently in 2021), he impressed in his first match since January 5th. Hard groundstrokes, good speed and otherwise pretty much the same.
“The fact that I can be there in Barcelona is a gift for me,” Nadal said before the match on his favorite surface, clay. “I’m treating the year as my last and I want to enjoy every second. It makes everything a little more special, that’s how I feel right now.”
Comeback becomes increasingly difficult as you get older
“I’ve tried it several times in my career and every time it gets more difficult. “Especially when you’re older,” said Nadal afterwards, smiling about his return to the court. “I went through difficult moments, but at the same time it means a lot to me when I can be on the tour for a few days, train with the boys and compete with them.” The joy of it is still very great .
In his first match in more than three months, Nadal was in good form, even if he lacked rhythm in some game situations. After he had used his second match point after 85 minutes, he raised his fist and let the Spanish fans celebrate.
APA/AFP/Pau Barrena The last time Rafael Nadal celebrated after winning a match was some time ago
Due to a long-term hip injury after the Australian Open in January 2023, Nadal canceled all tournament participation. This year he made his comeback before the first Grand Slam tournament of the year in Brisbane, but was injured again there. The sporting highlight of the clay court season is the French Open, which begins in Paris at the end of May and where Nadal is the record winner with 14 titles. The Spaniard had already announced last year that 2024 would most likely be his last year on the ATP tour.
ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona
Round table: Fabian Marozsan (HUN/17) Luca van Assche (FRA) -:- -:- Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG) Borna Coric (CRO/15) 6:2 7:5 Lorenzo Musetti (ITA/10) Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) -:- -:- Stephen Tsitsipas (GRE/5)
Sebastian Ofner (AUT) -:- -:- Alex de Minaur (AUS/4) Rafael Nadal (ESP) -:- -:- Arthur Fils (FRA/16) Daniel Altmaier (GER) -:- -:- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina ( ESP/11) Tomas Machac (CZE) -:- -:- Ugo Humbert (FRA/6) Dusan Lajovic (SRB) -:- -:- Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) Sebastian Baez (ARG/8) 5:7 7: 6 (10/8) 6:2 Nicolas Jarry (CHI/9) Marco Trungelliti (ARG) -:- -:- Jordan Thompson (AUS/14) Jaume Munar (ESP) -:- -:- Casper Ruud (NOR/ 3) Alexandre Müller (FRA) -:- -:- Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) Andrea Vavassori (ITA) -:- -:- Cameron Norrie (GBR/12) Harold Mayot (FRA) -:- -:- Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG/13) Nick Hardt (DOM) 7:5 6:2 Brandon Nakashima (USA) Andrej Rublew (RUS/2) 6:4 7:6 (8/6) Erstrundentableau: Fabian Marozsan (HUN/17) * Freilos Luca van Assche (FRA) Zhang Zhizhen (CHN) 7:5 6:2 Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG) Daniel Rincon (ESP) 6:1 6:4 Borna Coric (CRO/15) Freilos Lorenzo Musetti (ITA/10) Freilos Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) Hugo Grenier (FRA) 6:2 6:4
Sebastian Ofner (AUT) Pawel Kotow (RUS) 5:7 6:3 6:2 Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE/5) Freilos Alex de Minaur (AUS/4) Freilos Rafael Nadal (ESP) Flavio Cobolli (ITA) 6:2 6:3 Daniel Altmaier (GER) Alex Popyrin (AUS) 6:3 7:6 (7/4) Arthur Fils (FRA/16) Freilos Alexander Davidovich Fokina (ESP/11) Freilos Thomas Machac (CZE) Shang Juncheng (CHN) 6:3 4 6:4 Dusan Lajovic (SRB) Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 6:1 6:2 Ugo Humbert (FRA/6) Freilos Sebastian Baez (ARG/8) Freilos Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) Arthur Cazaux (FRA) 5:5 ret . . . . Marco Trungelliti (ARG) Duje Ajdukovic (CRO) 6:2 7:6 (7/3) Nicolas Jarry (CHI/9) Jordan Thompson Freilos (AUS/14) Jaume Munar Freilos (ESP) Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 6:3 6:1 Alexandre Muller (FRA) Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 7:6 (7/4) 6:0 Casper Ruud (NOR/3) Freilos Andrea Vavassori (ITA/LL) * Freilos Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) Roman Safiullin (RUS) 6:3 7:6 (10/8) Harold Mayot (FRA) Peter Cachin (ARG) 7:6 (7/5) 2:6 6:3 Cameron Norrie (GBR/12) Freilos Thomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG/13) Freilos Nick Hardt (DOM) Martin Landaluce (ESP) 2:6 6:4 6:3 Brandon Nakashima (USA) Daniel Evans (GBR) 7:6 (7/5) 6:2 Andrej Rublew (RUS). /2) Fryers
* Replacement for Carlos Alcaraz (ESP/1) and Karen Khachanow (RUS/7)
