Is the ‘King of Clay’ out of his injury woes? Rafael Nadal has made a triumphant return to the ATP Barcelona Open where he has won 12 titles! After keeping the fans on the edge for a long time, the Spaniard who committed to playing the tournament just a day before, registered a comfortable win over 21-year-old Italian, Flavio Cobolli in straight sets. Despite a lengthy absence of almost 15 months, the 37-year-old showed promising form on the court. But can he weather the storm when faced with the fierce competition of Australia’s Alex de Minaur? British tennis icon Gregory Rusedski weighs in.

Rusedski, a British-Canadian former tennis player, took to the social media platform X, to express his 2 cents about Rafa’s comeback. He pointed out that the Spaniard looked phenomenal in his performance against Cobolli but his “true test” lies ahead. 12x Barcelona Open Champion’s physical state will be revealed in his match-up against DeMinaur, said Greg.

The Australian is hailed for his speed and agility on the court. His ability to return the most unpickable shots and exceptional pressure makes the opponent commit unforced errors. Add to the mix his ability to hit winners from a defensive position and you have a playing style that might cause serious problems for 37-year-old Rafa who is suffering from a recurring hip flexor injury among others.

Nadal and De Minaur have gone against each other 4 times out of which Nadal has secured a win 3 times. However, in their most recent clash at the United Cup 2023, the Australian rallied out as the victor. However, currently, the 3-1 lead in the head-to-head doesn’t hold a lot of relevance as De Minaur seems to be in good form winning 22 out of 29 matches played.

Besides De Minaur has been Rafa’s highest-ranked and most-skilled opponent in the last 15 months. Keeping his expectations limited and being aware of the reality of the situation, even Rafa acknowledges the threat posed by De Minaur.

Rafael Nadal has limited expectations from the tournament

Speaking to the press after his first-round match-up, the Spaniard recognized the challenge that lay ahead in the form of De Minaur, “It was a good start — when you return you can’t get rid of the doubts in one day, above all, on a physical level. It will be at a speed that I don’t know if I will be able to keep up with, but I’ll try,” Nadal said.

Rafa has kept his expectations limited walking into the Barcelona Open and his recent statement showcases him maintaining that line of thought. He has constantly brushed aside and played down the hype from fellow players and fans too.

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Nadal seems to be cognizant of the reality of his age and admits to being satisfied with just being able to play against top-class opponents. In a match that will set the court ablaze, the ‘King of Clay; will go against De Minaur on 16th April at the Pista Rafa Nadal court!