Rafael Nadal will contest the ATP Summer Set Melbourne final against Maxime Cressy and reaching the final is an important step for Nadal.
It has been 5 months since Nadal has played consistent tennis and after returning in Abu Dhabi he is already back into the final. Taking advantage of a thinner draw in Melbourne, Nadal was able to battle his way into the final where he will face Maxime Cressy. Speaking on reaching the final, Nadal said:
“It’s an important comeback after five months outside of competition and
it means a lot to me to be back in Australia. I need to do some things better on the court, but it’s
step by step. My body is holding up, and that’s the main thing, and I
need matches to get back to 100 per cent."
Somewhat of an interesting test will be the final against Cressy, a very atypical player for tennis in 2022 as he employs a serve & volley game. The American has progressed slowly over the past year and this final is not by chance. He has been a consistent challenger tour performer for a while now but against Nadal he will find it really tough.
Rafa himself finished off by admitting that his tennis is far from perfect but he understands it's a patience game:
"I know my tennis isn’t perfect, but it’s about being patient and doing my best.”