Rafael Nadal lost to Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Wednesday, but the 37-year-old Spaniard sounded optimistic about playing later during the clay-court swing in Madrid, Rome, and Paris.
Nadal was competitive in the first set, coming back from a 3-1 deficit to earn a break point that would have given him a 5-3 advantage. After the former world No. 1 dropped the opener, however, he seemed to play more cautious tennis in the second and things went downhill.
“On a personal level, for what is to come, the 6-1 in the second set is what had to happen today,” Nadal explained. “That’s the way I need to proceed today, to give me a chance to compete at Roland Garros. I’ll try to take a step further in Madrid, then in Rome. And if in any tournament it’s worth going out there to give everything and die, it’s in Paris.”
The 2024 season is expected to be Nadal’s last on the ATP Tour. He has given no confirmation but indicated that he was “realistically” making his final appearance in Barcelona. It is a tournament he has won 12 times.
“I had the chance to say goodbye here on court and that means a lot for me,” Nadal said following his loss. “A week ago I felt I was not able to play any more at this event, that would be painful, but at least I played and now it’s the moment to keep going.”
Friday’s semifinals in Barcelona include Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Arthur Fils, and Cameron Norrie. De Minaur fell to Fils in straight sets on Thursday.
This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.
