Rafael Nadal posted a relatively easy 6-2, 6-3 victory over Flavio Cobolli in the first round of the Barcelona Open on Tuesday, his first competitive match in more than three months.
This victory, acquired on the central court which bears his own name, allowed Nadal to reach the second round of the tournament presented on Catalan clay which he won 12 times during his career. He will now face Australian Alex de Minaur, who received a bye into the second round.
“Under the circumstances, it was a good first round match,” Nadal said. I played the kind of match I wanted. I’m happy to have won, and I’m happy to be back home. »
Nadal sealed the outcome of the match with his second match point against the 21-year-old Italian, who was at 62e global level. The Spanish athlete indicated after the match that he had not exploited his full power during the duel, particularly when serving.
“I’m not going to do anything that could harm me right now,” he explained. I won’t start serving crazy. I have to take it easy, because that’s what I need right now. »
Nadal managed two breaks in each set. He concluded the game with eight winners and 22 unforced errors.
“Rafa” is back in action after another injury-induced absence, having not played since a friendly against his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in March. The holder of 22 career Grand Slam titles last took part in a tournament in Brisbane, Australia, in January. He then participated in three matches before withdrawing from the Australian Open.
He also withdrew from the Monte Carlo Masters after indicating that his body was not fully recovered. Nadal has won the French Open, which begins next month, 14 times.
Rafael Nadal said it is likely to be his last appearance at the Barcelona Open. The 37-year-old tennis player had hip surgery last summer and mentioned that 2024 was likely going to be his last season on the ATP Tour.
In another meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Russian Andrey Rublev smashed his racket against the ground after losing 6-4, 7-6 (6) to American Brandon Nakashima.
Rublev, the tournament’s second seed, suffered a third straight defeat in the first round of a tournament. The fifth player in the world was also ousted in consecutive rounds at the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Miami Open. He suffered the same fate in the second round in Indian Wells, California.
As for Nakashima, who is only 22 years old, he recorded his second career victory against a player in the world’s top 10, and his first on clay. The 87e world racket surprised Holger Rune in Shanghai, China, last October.
Elsewhere, Facundo Diaz Acosta defeated 15th seed Borna Coric 6-2, 7-5. Tomas Machac beat Shang Juncheng 6-4, 6-4, setting the table for a second-round duel against No. 11e top seed, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Roberto Carballes Baena defeated Hugo Grenier 6-2, 6-4, while Jaume Munar easily ousted Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-1.
The 12e seeded Cameron Norrie, 13the seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry, German Daniel Altmaier, Italian Matteo Arnaldi, Serbian Dusan Lajovic and Frenchman Luca Van Assche also won their match on Tuesday.