Rarely has the first round of the first tournament of the year attracted so much attention. But it’s not every day that one of the greatest players in history returns after almost a year away from the courts, amid general fears that he won’t have the right to one last lap and a worthy farewell to his career. It is not yet time to talk about all that concerning Rafael Nadal, but the simple fact of seeing him in competition again brightened up the start of 2024. Not to spoil anything, the Spaniard already appeared in good form, dismissing another major injured player on the return, Dominic Thiem, in two sets (7-5, 6-1).
At the post-match press conference, Nadal was visibly relieved to have passed the crash test without incident. “Anything can happen in this kind of situation, after such a long period without playing a match. You can step onto the court and experience disaster. But I think I had a positive day, even a little more than that, he debriefed. I was solid, without making many unforced errors. And I also think I made the right game choices, which is not obvious after such a long break. »
Indeed, the former world number 1, falling to an anecdotal 672nd place, delivered a consistent match: no break points conceded, 12 winning shots including a few forehand bombs reminiscent of the happy days, a handful of serves at more than 200 km/h and an ability to raise the level in key moments, at the end of the first round and at the start of the second. Which pleasantly surprised him. “When you’re on the circuit all the time, you can have more or less good days, but you know your standards and you never stray too far from them. This time there was a combination of several things, he explained. The emotion of returning to competition, but also the doubts about my physical condition. »
Worry gave way to satisfaction. “I finished this match without the slightest bad feeling, physically. It’s a happy day for me,” appreciated Nadal, who is however well aware that there is still a long way to go before he can hope, perhaps, to get closer to his best level.
“The first and most important thing is to stay healthy”
“I don’t think I’ve forgotten how tennis is played. But you have to be able to maintain a very high level of tennis, he admitted. I have to recover from my trip, which takes time. That I regain my confidence, too, because after an operation, we are afraid of certain movements. And also that I get used to reading the ball again, and its speed, in short, that I automatize all these things again. It will take hours and hours on the court to achieve this. »
But the important thing right now will be to see tomorrow morning when he wakes up how he feels. “The first and most important thing today is to stay in good health,” insisted the Spaniard, as if to rule out too hasty conclusions about this encouraging return. The way I approach things is to try to enjoy every day I have the chance to be on the court. » Next meeting Thursday, against the Australian Jason Kubler.