Rafael Nadal completes a spectacular comeback and eases past Flavio Cobolli at Barcelona Open

The expected return of Rafael Nadal at the Barcelona Open has been sealed with an impressive victory of the Spaniard, who had not played an official ATP circuit match since January in Brisbane, over Flavio Cobolli by 2-6, 3-6. In the second round, he will face a great rival like Alex de Miñaur in search of a place in the round of 16.

Nadal started his first set at the Barcelona Open serving. Despite the obvious initial doubts, the Spaniard stood firm winning his first two games. With 1-2 up and 15-40 in his favor, he had two break balls, and although Cobolli saved those first two, he was not going to do the same in the third. Rafa got his first lead of the match at 1-3, and then certified the break with an easy game to take a 1-4 lead.

On Cobolli's next serve, Nadal would have four break opportunities, but he was not going to win any of them. The first two were saved by the Italian with an ace; the third, with a Nadal backhand that stayed in the net; and the fourth, with an unforced error by Rafa in the rest of Cobolli's second serve. 2-4. However, this was not going to undermine the morale of Nadal, who with a game in white was 2-5 looking to close with a break, something that was going to get to take the first set 2-6 after 43 minutes, and start serving in the second set.

In the second set, Cobolli would start stronger than Nadal. In fact, he would have his first break point of the match at 30-40, but the Spaniard would save it with a very high quality drop shot, and then take the game and start the set with 0-1. In the next game, Rafa got the best point of the match with an impossible forehand of his own that raised all the stands, and with which he would get 0-30 and then get a break in his first opportunity with 15-40.

With the 0-2 in his favor in the second set, Nadal served to put the victory on track if he could certify the break. However, Cobolli was to tighten to be placed with two break opportunities with 15-40 in his favor. The Italian broke Rafa's serve for the first time to be able to return the tie in the set. But this was to be a mirage, as Nadal immediately broke Cobolli's serve to avoid the 2-2 and go ahead to 1-3.

In the final stretch of the set, winning the next game was going to be very important if Nadal did not want to complicate the match. With a very solid tennis, Rafa made good his advantage and was two serves away from winning the match with the 1-4 in his favor. Cobolli got his first game in white to cut it to 2-4. On the next serve, at 15-15, both Cobolli and Nadal were going to give the audience a tip that took the Spaniard, who was getting closer to victory with 2-5.

Cobolli again got another game and the ball was in Rafa Nadal's court, who served to win the match, and so it was to be. In the second round, the Spaniard will face one of the toughest opponents of the tournament, Alex de Miñaur, who is the fourth seed in the Conde de Godó.