Strong Return for Nadal at Barcelona Open
Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, made a triumphant return to the court, securing a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 victory over Flavio Cobolli at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday. This win has propelled the Spaniard into the second round of the clay-court tournament, which he has won a record 12 times.
Nadal was making his first competitive appearance in over three months and will now face Alex de Minaur, who had a first-round bye, in the next stage of the tournament. The Spaniard converted his second match point to seal the victory over the 21-year-old Italian, ranked 62nd in the world.
“Nadal’s triumph on the center court named after him has propelled him into the second round of the clay-court tournament, which he has won a record 12 times.”
Nadal had not played a tournament since an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz in March, having last competed in Brisbane in January, where he played only three matches before skipping the Australian Open.
In other notable results, world No. 8 Andrey Rublev succumbed to a 6-4, 7-6(6) defeat against American Brandon Nakashima, marking the Russian’s third consecutive first-round loss. Additionally, Facundo Diaz Acosta, Tomas Machac, Roberto Carballes Baena, and Jaume Munar also registered victories on the day.
The Barcelona Open continues to provide an exciting platform for Tennis enthusiasts to witness the sport’s elite players in action on the clay courts.
🔗 Source