Rafael Nadal opened his first-round campaign in the Barcelona Open with a win over Flavio Cobolli, 6-4, 6-3, on Tuesday.
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NADAL OPENS BARCELONA CAMPAIGN BY BEATING COBOLLI
Nadal said he never played at full strength but he did enough, as he converted his second match point to eliminate the 21-year-old Cobolli.
“Taking everything into consideration, it was a good first round. I played the kind of match that I needed to play,” the former world No.1 said.
“I have to take it easy because that’s what’s needed at the moment. I’m happy for the victory and happy to be playing at home again,” he added.
It was Nadal’s first match since playing an exhibition against compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in March.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion last played a tournament in Brisbane in January before he skipped the Australian Open.
NADAL CONFIRMS PLAYING IN LAST BARCELONA OPEN
Nadal has said that this would be his last time to play in the Barcelona Open.
The 37-year-old Mallorca native might be looking at 2024 as his last season playing professional tennis.
Nadal is looking at the Paris Olympics and the French as some of his immediate goals to play after Barcelona.
“I’m not going to do anything that doesn’t make sense right now. I’m not going to go out there and serve like crazy,” he said.
Nadal will next face Alex de Minaur into the next round. Minaur had a first-round bye.
NAKASHIMA OUSTS RUBLEV; ACOSTA, MACHAC HURDLE FOES
World No.8 had a frustrating opening match, as he absorbed a 6-4, 7-6(6) loss to American Brandon Nakashima.
The world No.8 lost in the first round of a tournament for the third straight time,
Rublev lost in straight sets in openers in Monte Carlo and Miami, while he was also ousted in the second round in Indian Wells.
The 22-year-old Nakashima beat a top-10 player for the second time since topping Holger Rune in Shanghai last October.
“I’m still out here competing as hard as I can. I’m happy with getting my level back to where it was,” the world No.87 said.
Facundo Diaz Acosta eliminated No.15 seed Borna Coric, 6-2, 7-5, while Tomas Machac defeated Shang Juncheng, 6-4, 6-4.
Machac will next take on No.11 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
In other matches, Roberto Carballes Baena took out Hugo Grenier, 6-2,-64, while Jaume Munar got past Yshoihoito Nisioka, 6-3, 6-1.
