Nadal returns from injury with straight-set win in Madrid
MADRID — Rafael Nadal got off to a good start in his return from injury, defeating Miomir Kecmanovic in two sets to reach the third round at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.
Nadal showed few signs of rustiness in his 6-1, 7-6 (4) opening win at home. He cruised in the first set and recovered in the second after twice losing his serve following a rain interruption.
“My preparation has not existed. You cannot expect great things at the beginning,” he said. “In general I have done a good match. First set was very good. The second set I don't consider it a bad set, but as I am saying, when you have been a long time without competing, it's normal that you have upand-downs in a match because you have to recover your routine.”
The match lasted nearly two hours, but it was fast enough to allow Nadal to watch Real Madrid's Champions League game later Wednesday night in the Spanish capital. Tournament organizers said Nadal asked to play in the afternoon so his match would not coincide with Madrid's semifinal game against Manchester City.
“Yeah, going to be a spectacular atmosphere there. I would love to arrive a little bit before, but I am answering the questions enough well and I think long enough, to be fair with you,” Nadal said, smiling, at the post-match news conference.
Nadal is a Madrid fan and on Saturday gave the ceremonial kickoff at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium before the team clinched the Spanish league title with a win against Espanyol.
The fourth-ranked Nadal had been out for nearly 45 days after a rib stress fracture halted his great start to the season, highlighted by winning his record 21st Grand Slam title with victory at the Australian Open.
“Coming from injury I always need to play many matches to regain my best form,” Nadal said. “Winning is very important to give me confidence.”
Nadal was cruising before getting injured in the semifinals in Indian Wells, where he lost the final to Taylor Fritz for his first defeat of the season. Nadal missed tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
The third-seeded Nadal had been downplaying expectations of winning his sixth Madrid Open title, and first since 2017.
The 35-year-old Nadal looked sharp in the first set, though, breaking serve twice against the 32nd-ranked Kecmanovic. He struggled more after the match was interrupted for about half an hour with Kecmanovic leading 1-0 in the second set as the center-court roof had to be closed. Nadal was broken twice, including while serving for the match at 6-5, but eventually prevailed in the tiebreaker by converting his first match point with an ace.