Nadal returns with a victory over Cobolli, moves on to the second round in Barcelona
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Rafael Nadal has returned to tennis and life goes on. The Balearic legend returned to official competition 102 days later and defeated the young Flavio Cobolli, 6-2, 6-3, in 1 hour and 25 minutes. It was the 18th time that Rafa returned from injury and only once, against Borna Coric, in Cincinnati 2022, has he failed to win.
It didn’t matter that the champion of 22 majors arrived last Wednesday in Barcelona without the conviction of being ready for the God – the Barcelona Open. He arrived to smell the sand and feel the adrenaline of the competition.
Rafa Nadal’s hilarious response after receving time violation warning for mid-game toilet break
With a less potent serve – some second serves traveled at 143 kilometers per hour – and the average dropped about 15 kilometers per hour compared to serves before the injury. But Cobolli made a number of unforced errors. The Italian appeared to cower after he heard the ovation the central RCT Barcelona fans gave to Rafa Nadal when his name was called. The 8,000 seats at the arena had been sold out for months.
Nadal’s family was in attendance
Among the attendees was his entire family, who wanted to follow him in what may be his final season. His parents, Sebastian and Ana Maria, his wife, Mery, and his sister Maribel, had their place in one of the boxes.
Three breaks gave the Spaniard the opening set and the lead in the second set at 2-0. Flavio gave himself a first and last chance to break in the third game.
The 12-time tournament champion was not willing to drag out the game in the sweltering heat. This Wednesday, with no rest because he is 644th in the rankings, Alex de Miaur, eleventh in the rankings, awaits. And the two have already faced off in the not too distant past, going head-to-head in the United Cup 2023.
Rafa managed a fourth break to make it 3-1, and he celebrated some key points in style, such as a shot at the net that gave him the 30-15 in the seventh game of the second set.
It was his 67th victory in a tournament where he has only lost on four occasions. His percentage of effectiveness is 94.36 percent. Nadal has only lost 45 matches on clay and Cobolli, 17 years younger, was not prepared to become one of his tormentors.
Nadal and his 18 comebacks
Nadal’s 18 comebacks
- 2003 Wimbledon + Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
- 2004 Bastad + Jiri Vanek 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
- 2006 Marseille + Olivier Rochus 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
- 2009 Doha + Fabrice Santoro 6-0, 6-1
- 2009 Montreal + David Ferrer 4-3 and withdrawn
- 2010 Indian Wells + Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-4
- 2013 Via del Mar + Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-2
- 2014 Beijing + Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-0
- 2016 Rio Games + Federico Delbonis 6-2, 6-1
- 2017 Brisbane + Aleksandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 6-3
- 2018 Davis Cup + Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
- 2019 Australian Open + James Duckworth 6-4, 6-3, 7-5
- 2021 Monte Carlo + Federico Delbonis 6-1, 6-2
- 2022 Melbourne + Ricardas Berankis 6-2, 7-5
- 2022 Mutua Madrid Open + Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1, 7-6(4)
- 2022 Cincinnati -Borna Coric 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3
- 2024 Brisbane + Dominic Thiem 7-5 and 6-1
- 2024 God + Flavio Cobolli 6-2 and 6-3
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