Rafael Nadal (305th) continues to take steps forward in his return to the courts. In a last attempt to be able to put together a farewell to his liking, the Spaniard is playing his third consecutive tournament, and he looks better and better on the court: he hits the ball with greater intensity, his legs move with greater speed, and the serve seems to respond. And, consequently, the triumphs that may have seemed like a dream before the start of the European clay tour are now a reality. At the Masters 1000 in Rome, he debuted with a victory against the Belgian Zizou Bergs (108th) by 4-6, 6-3, and 6-4 in 2h36m.
Rafa, once he landed in the press room to chat with the media accredited to the Foro Italico, said that he feels happy to be able to be present in the Italian capital, where he won 10 crowns and has 91% effectiveness. In any case, he also commented that he continues to feel some physical discomfort, although that will not prevent him from competing to the maximum to test himself for the big goal of the month: Roland Garros (May 20 to June 9).
“I’m uncomfortable all the time; the question is whether or not they restrict me. I have to get over my fear of shattering. I have to force myself and test myself. If I break, I break. Bad luck. That is the goal of this week. He stated that in actuality, “these matches help the body adapt to the levels of demand set by the circuit.” And he added, thinking about the future: “I think I am capable of playing much better than I did today.”
For the first time in his career, Nadal will meet Hubert Hurkacz (9th) in what will represent his biggest challenge since his return to the circuit. Despite it not being his preferred surface and facing the King of Dust, the Pole will start as a favorite for not suffering physical wear but essentially for finding a better present: he was champion in Estoril and reached the third round of Monte Carlo and the fourth from Madrid. The game will take place on Saturday at an as-yet-unconfirmed time.
How have Nadal’s results been since he returned to play?
The 37-year-old Manacori, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, has played seven official matches since he returned to holding a racket in mid-April: he played two at the ATP 500 in Barcelona (loss in R2 vs. Alex de Miñaur), four in the Madrid Masters 1000 (loss vs. Jiri Lehecka in R4), and the aforementioned triumph in the Italian capital.
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