Tennis: for his big comeback, Rafael Nadal is expeditious in Barcelona

His return was expected. Scrutinized by everyone. His fans, his opponents or simply tennis lovers. Rafael Nadal, 37, easily disposed of the Italian Flavio Cobolli for his first match in more than three months (6-2, 6-3) against Barcelona this Tuesday.

The winner of 22 Grand Slam tournaments, hampered by repeated pain, had not played on the ATP circuit since a new hip injury in Brisbane at the beginning of January. The Spaniard, who had missed almost the entire 2023 season due to psoas surgery, had since tried to return, notably in Doha, Indian Wells then Monte-Carlo, but he was ultimately forced to withdraw for these tournaments, because his body “did not allow” him to play again.

The king of clay, titled twelve times in Barcelona on the road to Roland-Garros, assured that he considered it “a gift” to be back in the Catalan capital, where the central court already bears his name . “I act as if it was my last year and I want to enjoy every moment” assured Nadal before the meeting, eagerly awaited for his return to the courts a few weeks before what could well be his final Roland-Garros. In the next round, he will face Alex de Minaur on Catalan clay. Another piece that will say a little more about the state of health of the Majorcan.