Rafael Nadal gets his first win on clay since Roland Garros 2022: "I'm going through difficult times"

Tuesday, 16 April 2024 at 18:53

Rafael Nadal is immortal. Once again, he has returned after several months of hiatus, and as if nothing, has disposed of a player like Flavio Cobolli in the first round of the Barcelona Open by 6-2 and 6-3 without showing any difficulty during the match.

The legendary Spanish player had been out since the Brisbane Tournament in the first week of this year. What's more, he had barely played three matches since the 2022 US Open. Therefore, it was his first match on clay since he last won Roland Garros in 2022.

After the clash against the 21-year-old Italian, Nadal was asked about his resilience, his perseverance, and his willpower to return to the courts no matter what challenges lie ahead.

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"I've tried many times in my career. It gets harder and harder. Especially when you're older, it makes things even harder, doesn't it? I'm going through some tough times... At the same time, when I can be on tour for a few days and train with the guys and then compete a little bit it means a lot to me. For me it's still nice enough to keep going," replied the 12-time Barcelona Open champion.

In the second round he will have an even tougher challenge. It is Alex de Miñaur, who has had a fantastic last year that has allowed him to enter the Top 10 of the world ranking for the first time in his career. Although it is true that he is not a clay court specialist, he is always a tough opponent on any surface.

The match will be played tomorrow Wednesday at 16:00 local time, provided that the two previous clashes that will take place before on the center court that bears the name of the Spaniard, the Rafael Nadal court.

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Rafa Nadal after getting 1st clay court win in 2 years: “You’re a man of resilience. You just keep coming back no matter the challenges” Rafa: “I tried a lot of times in my career. Every time is more difficult. Especially when you’re older it makes things even tougher, no? I’m

4:35 PM · Apr 16, 2024

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