Rafa Nadal has fallen in the second round of the Conde de Godó tournament against the Australian Alex de Miñaur by 7-5, 6-1in a match in which the Mallorcan fought, but the lack of shooting made him succumb to the oceanic player who was, in some phases of the match, a real wall.
Rafa wanted to take the second step in the tournament that he has won 12 times. One of his favorites. He also wanted to take another step in his return to competition after months of absence due to injury.
The first round against the Italian Cobolli was an exceptional contact for the Spaniard, with a match that he resolved relatively placidly. A high-level rival, but with De Minaur, the 22-time Grand Slam winner I had to raise the bar a little more.
Bad start for Rafa, somewhat slow in his movements
The match started in the worst way for Nadal. Breaking your service at the first opportunity. A start to the match characterized by long points. A slow cooker game was ventured.
Nadal looked a little slow, he lacked that little bit of speed, that ability to move, and the drop shots were the best ally for De Minaur, and the worst enemy for Rafa. An aspect in which to hurt the Balearic Islands, and the Australian whenever he could and saw the opportunity there he sought to tickle him.
Nadal started 2-0 down. And in his first game, 2-1, with the Australian’s serve broken included, he had to work hard, with up to three 40s in a row.
The Spaniard opened the can and it escalated from there. Little by little. He began to get going, to reach the balls more and managed to equalize the contest by making it 3-3 and with a break that Rafa forced.
Nadal wanted to react after tying the match in the first set
From 3-3 Rafa took the initiative, and was awakening all the magic, forcing many inaccuracies from De Miñaur with unforced errors and making it 3-4 with a blank game, after a winner in the form of a very cross backhand to the that the oceanic could do nothing.
It was the first time that the Mallorcan had taken the lead on the scoreboard. But from there the Australian reacted, and despite reaching 5-5 all, De Miñaur “ruined” Rafa’s “comeback operation” to win the first set 7-5.
It was time to row. The oceanic (of Uruguayan and Spanish origins) had moved first, and the ball was now in Nadal’s court.
The second set. A new opportunity, in which De Minaur passed over Nadal
New set, new story. That was Rafa’s purpose, but although the former number 1 achieved the first game with his serve, the story began to go wrong with the first break of serve at 2-1 in favor of the Australian. And the total turning point came at 4-1. Nadal had several balls to take the game, but after a fight on the deuce, Nadal ended up succumbing to the Australian.
With the score at 5-1, the public supported Rafa in his service like never before, but the Australian, ended up closing the game.