With a crosscourt forehand that compelled his opponent to return into the web, Rafael Nadal has accomplished a extremely profitable return to motion.
The 22-time grand slam winner had not been seen on courtroom since making a quick comeback in Brisbane in January, his solely match because the Australian Open in January 2023.
He had not performed on clay since profitable the French Open title for the 14th time in June 2022.
However on a courtroom named after himself, and backed by an adoring crowd, he brushed apart world quantity 62 Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-3 in a single hour and 25 minutes within the opening spherical of the Barcelona Open.
That arrange a second-round conflict with Australian primary Alex de Minaur, who will present a a lot harder check than the nervous Cobolli, who made 41 unforced errors.
“I am simply having enjoyable, comfortable to begin with a victory,” Nadal mentioned on courtroom.
“If you end up at a sophisticated age it makes issues much more robust [to come back] however to have the ability to proceed to be on the tour for a number of days and practise with the blokes, and to have the ability to compete a bit bit, it means rather a lot to me.”
Regardless of his rating having slipped manner again to 644 on the earth, Nadal would fancy his possibilities in opposition to de Minaur, who has by no means made a remaining on clay.
The world quantity 11 is in career-best kind however is ramping as much as the French Open, the place he has by no means made it out of the second spherical.
Nadal, who leads the head-to-head 3-1 in opposition to the Australian, confirmed he was easing his manner again.
“I am not going to do something that does not make sense proper now. I am not going to go on the market and serve like loopy,” Nadal mentioned.
“I’ve to take it simple as a result of that is what’s wanted for the time being.”
The winner of Nadal-de Minaur will face both Daniel Altmaier or Arthur Fils within the third spherical after Altmaier beat one other Australian, Alexei Popyrin, 6-3, 7-6(7/4).
Second seed Andrey Rublev destroyed his racket on the finish of a 6-4, 7-6(8/6) defeat by Brandon Nakashima that continued his poor run of kind.
Rublev additionally misplaced in straight units within the opening spherical in Monte Carlo and Miami, and the second spherical in Indian Wells.
In Munich, Australia’s Chris O’Connell and Aleksandar Vukic each misplaced in straight units within the first spherical to lower-ranked opponents.
O’Connell was crushed 6-3, 6-4 by Daniel Taro who, being ranked 85, is 27 locations beneath him on the earth.
Vukic misplaced to 6-2, 6-3 Jurij Rodionov, ranked 118, 53 locations decrease. The Austrian will now play prime seed Alexander Zverev.
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AAP
