ROMA.- The Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadalhampered by injuries the last two seasons, needed three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to beat Belgian Zizou Bergs this Thursday and advance to the second round of the Rome Masters 1000.
Suffering with his serve, the Manacorí fought for two hours and 53 minutes against the number 108 in the world, who had left the classification.
This is Nadal’s first participation in Rome since 2022, a tournament he has won a record 10 times.
“I haven’t played much these last three years, everything is much more difficult and unpredictable for me now, but I am convinced that I can play much better than this,” declared the Spaniard after the match.
However, the Iberian made it clear that he is happy with the victory and that he hopes to be able to increase his level of play with each match he plays.
“I am happy with this victory and with being able to play one more game,” added ‘Rafa’, who will turn 38 years old in June.
In the next round, he will face the Polish Hubert Hurkacz, world number 9.
Nadal’s expected return:
Returning to the circuit in Barcelona last month, after a three-month injury break, Nadal was eliminated in the second round of the Catalan tournament and in the round of 16 of the Madrid Masters 1000.
A priori, this is the last season for Nadal, who maintains the goal of shining one last time at Roland Garros (from May 26 to June 9), a tournament he has won 14 times.
The historic tennis player has indicated several times in the past that his retirement is near, so it is expected that his participation in the next Roland Garros will be the last of his career, thus closing an important stage in the white sport.
Source: With information from AFP
