Nadal returns with triumph after a “strenuous” covid

On his return to the ATP circuit after months of absence and a recent “exhausting” covid-19, the Spanish Rafa Nadal defeated the Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis, this Thursday in the Melbourne tournament, preparatory for the Australian Open (January 17-30 ).

The 35-year-old Majorcan tennis player, current world number 6, won 6-2 and 7-5 at 104th in the ranking in his first official match since August 2021.

After easily taking the first set, Nadal distanced himself 5-2 in the second, but his rival even reached 5-5, before the Spaniard took the next two games and put out the beginning of fire.

“It is impossible to be perfectly confident after an injury of about six months,” he explained.

Nadal’s next rival in Melbourne will be Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (65th), in the quarterfinals.

Injured in the foot since Roland Garros, Nadal had resigned from Wimbledon and then ended his season after playing two games in Washington in August. He returned to the slopes in December at an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, where shortly after he announced his positive for covid-19.

“He was exhausted and had a fever,” he explained this Thursday. “I stayed in bed for two days without being able to move because I was very ill and had a fever,” he added.

Nadal is now “rather happy” with his physical condition, ten days before the first Grand Slam of the season, where he aspires to a 21st title in a great. This would break the equality at 20 that he has at the top of that classification with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Federer will not compete this year at the Australian Open and Djokovic risks being expelled from the oceanic country for a situation not in accordance with health requirements against the pandemic.

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