Spanish star player Rafael Nadal had a smooth return to the Barcelona Open after 102 days on the sidelines, but worries about his physical condition remained. Before Tuesday, 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal had not competed in a tennis match since the Brisbane Open in January. Hip and abdominal ailments have plagued him ever since, shortening what was intended to be his final season. After withdrawing from last week’s Monte Carlo tournament, the 37-year-old Nadal was keen about returning to the clay in Barcelona, where he has won 12 times and the main court is named after him.
That dominance was evident on Tuesday, not only in the manner he eased back into professional tennis with a 6-2, 6-3 victory but also in how his 21-year-old Italian opponent, Flavio Cobolli, disintegrated in his presence. However, this was far from a flawless performance; against a stronger competitor, Nadal’s anemic serve may have suffered. Nadal has barely been able to serve in two months owing to an abdominal issue, and he freely admits he is holding back against Cobolli.
The Spaniard’s first serve speed averaged 102 mph, much below the 117 mph tour average and significantly slower than his own 113 mph from the beginning of the year. That shot may fare much worse on Wednesday (April 17) when he faces Australia’s Alex de Minaur, who is presently sixth in the ATP rankings.
On Tuesday, Nadal’s devoted supporters in Barcelona celebrated their hero’s homecoming with a standing ovation before a single ball was hit. He wasn’t great, and he hit several wild forehands, but a characteristic fist pump and ‘Vamos!’ after pinging a forehand winner down the line was enough to please this ecstatic audience. With retirement in approaching, he can only hope his body holds up for this last hurrah, particularly on the clay. However, he will have to overcome his inclinations to do so.
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. I have to serve with caution that the moment I’m in dictates, Nadal said in an on-court interview.
For me, the main thing is to have the chance to grow. To do things today that give me the possibility to play better today, but don’t give me the possibility to play the next day or a couple of days, in Madrid or Rome, probably will not be smart, Nadal added.
