Nadal cool on expectations after winning injury return

BARCELONA: Rafael Nadal said he had limited expectations at the Barcelona Open as he made a triumphant return from injury on Tuesday, beating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-3.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion had not played a competitive match since January but eased past the 62nd-ranked Cobolli in 85 minutes to reach the second round.

The former world number one has seen his ranking slip to 644 after missing all of the 2023 season following the Australian Open. His comeback at the start of this year hit a stumbling block when he felt a hip injury flare up in Brisbane.

For Nadal, a 12-time winner in Barcelona, it was his first appearance on clay since he won the French Open almost two years ago, but the Spaniard was keen not to get ahead of himself.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, last week’s Monte Carlo Masters champion, said earlier this week he wouldn’t be surprised to see Nadal to reach the final on a court named after him.

“Today to say that I am favourite I think is stupidity, Tsitsipas knows that it’s not the case,” said Nadal, who turns 38 in June. “I understand what he says as respect for what I have done in this tournament. Everybody knows I am not favourite to win a tournament.”

“I didn’t have the slightest idea if I was favourite today, I know tomorrow I will not be... But it doesn’t matter, I will go out and play and it will be an experience against a top level player.”

Brandon Nakashima dumped a raging Andrey Rublev out in the first round with a 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) victory.

The American, ranked 87th, ousted the world number eight, who made five double faults and only forced one break point in the match.

The Russian smashed his racket repeatedly on the ground before storming off after the match. — AFP