Rafael Nadal’s return to clay was cut short in the second round in Barcelona when he was defeated by Alex de Minaur, who was in top form.
This was Nadal’s first tournament in three months due to injuries. Despite hitting 11 winners, Nadal also made 42 unforced errors, resulting in a 7-5, 6-1 loss.
This is the earliest that 12-time champion Nadal has been eliminated from the Barcelona Open since he first competed in 2003.
In his first match in Barcelona, Nadal easily defeated 21-year-old Flavio Cobolli.
However, when he faced the fourth seed, De Minaur, it was a tougher challenge.
De Minaur has been in great form on the ATP Tour this year and managed to break Nadal’s serve in the first game.
Despite this setback, Nadal fought back and tied the score at 3-3 with a powerful backhand shot that left De Minaur unable to reach the ball.
In the second set, Nadal managed to save a break point in the first game, but he couldn’t maintain his service game in the next one.
A loose forehand and a missed volley allowed De Minaur to break his serve. Despite Nadal’s efforts, he was often outplayed by De Minaur, who quickly took a 4-1 lead with another break.
De Minaur secured the victory in less than two hours when Nadal hit a forehand.
Nadal is set to compete in the Madrid Open next week as he works on improving his fitness for the French Open and the Paris Olympics.
Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas won his first match in Barcelona by defeating Sebastian Ofner 6-4, 7-5. Tsitsipas aims to win consecutive clay titles after his recent victory at the Monte Carlo Masters.
