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Bitter setback for Nadal
Tennis top star Rafael Nadal fails early in his comeback event in Barcelona and still has a lot of work to do before the French Open.
Tennis top star Rafael Nadal failed early in his comeback event in Barcelona.
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The 37-year-old Spaniard lost to Australian Alex de Minaur 5:7, 1:6 in the second round and was greeted with a standing ovation by the audience. It was “realistically” the top star’s last appearance at the tournament, which he won twelve times.
“I had the chance to say goodbye here on the court and that means a lot to me,” said Nadal. He will try to improve further on his farewell tour: “I will try to go one step further in Madrid, then in Rome, and if at any tournament it is worth giving everything and leaving life on the pitch, then in Paris.”
The day before, Nadal celebrated a successful return to the tour after a long injury break. More than three months after his last match, the 14-time French Open winner clearly won his opening game against Flavio Cobolli from Italy.
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Nadal: No more victory rush in Barcelona
Nadal’s big goal is the French Open in Paris, and the Mallorcan is also targeting the Olympic Games.
Barcelona was therefore considered an important tournament in its preparation. The Center Court in Spain’s oldest tennis club has borne his name since 2017.
Nadal was out almost all of 2023 due to a hip injury. After his comeback in January 2024, he had to miss the Australian Open due to a torn muscle fiber.
Since then, several attempts by the 2008 Olympic champion to return to the ATP tour have failed.