No miracle or comeback for Rafael Nadal in Barcelona. The Spaniard logically lost to Alex De Minaur (11th in the world) in the second round of the tournament, on the court that bears his name. The score is clear: 7-5, 6-1. There was some good in the first round, but the king of clay still lacked the rhythm to last over time.
Uncertain for a long time before the start of the week due to difficulties in serving, Rafa never pushed very hard, around 160 km/h most of the time. But he managed to hold off De Minaur for a set, despite a tricky start and a premature break. The Spaniard regained hope by resuming the opposing service, before collapsing at the end of the first set.
A one-sided second set
Nadal, therefore, suffered the blow physically. There was no match in the second round. Apart from a few flashes here and there as consolation for the Catalan public, the former world number 1 was brought back to harsh reality by his rival of the day. His lack of mobility on certain balls also raises certain concerns, his movements at the end of the match reminiscent of his last match in Brisbane, against Thompson. It was at the beginning of the year, and it took Rafa a quarter to recover.