Rafael Nadal, in his quest for French Open readiness, staged a comeback after dropping a set to defeat Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs in the opening round of the Italian Open in Rome. The 10-time champion in Rome, Nadal clinched victory with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win, displaying his resilience on the clay courts.
Despite not reaching his peak performance, the former world number one expressed satisfaction with his ability to “find a way to win” on his favored clay surface. Nadal, who has hinted at retirement after the 2024 season, emphasized his potential for improvement despite his game being more unpredictable than before due to limited play in recent years.
Nadal, who made a comeback from injury at the Barcelona Open in April, followed by a stint at the Madrid Open where he reached the last 16, faced a challenging start against Bergs. After a medical emergency in the crowd halted play briefly, Nadal regained momentum, swiftly securing the second set and maintaining composure to level the match.
In the decisive set, Nadal demonstrated his trademark resilience, breaking early and overcoming a deficit to secure a 4-2 lead. Despite facing moments of uncertainty in his movement, Nadal closed out the match with a powerful forehand winner, setting up a second-round encounter against Polish world number nine Hubert Hurkacz.
Reflecting on his performance, Nadal highlighted the importance of pushing his body to the limit in preparation for upcoming challenges, particularly the French Open. The victory, he believes, serves as a crucial step in overcoming any lingering doubts and fears, reinforcing his readiness for the battles ahead on the clay courts.
