"I'm happy to win" - Nadal after Wimbledon opener

Rafael Nadal didn’t have things all his own way Tuesday, but he stepped up when needed to reach the Wimbledon second round for the 14th time.

Competing on grass for the first time since 2019, the Spaniard showcased his trademark fighting spirit to overcome a tricky test from Francisco Cerundolo. The Argentine left a lot on the table in this one being unable to convert a 4-2 lead in the 4th set to victory. He would lose four games in a row 4-6. Speaking after the match, Nadal said:

"First of all, all the credit to Fran. I think he started to play great and [was] a very tough opponent. It's obvious that for me it's been three years without being here, without playing on this amazing surface, so very happy to be back. For me, it's always amazing playing here on this court and I can't thank everyone enough for the support."

He further added:

"It's not a surface that we play very often, and especially in my case, for different reasons, as I said the past three years I didn't put any foot on a grass court, so it always takes a while. It was my first match and as I know, every day is a test and today was one of these important tests. I know at the beginning of the tournament especially, under the circumstances that I arrived here, the victory is the most important thing because that gives me the chance to practise tomorrow again and to have another match in two days. I'm happy for that, without a doubt."