Nadal: “I hope to be competitive in a few weeks”

Rafael Nadal‘s comeback to the ATP Tour may have been stopped in its tracks on Wednesday as the 37-year-old lost to Alex de Minaur in the second round in Barcelona but the 14-time Grand Slam champion believes he can be competitive next month at Roland-Garros.

Nadal’s serve speed was down after recent battles with abdominal injuries but in the first set, he had De Minaur worried, with a point to go up 5-3 before the Australian turned things round.

And having been unsure even a week ago if he would be able to play in Barcelona – where he has won 12 times – he leaves the city encouraged about what might be to come over the next month or so.

“I feel much more comfortable and happier today than one week and a half ago,” Nadal said, quoted by the ATP Tour website. “I was able to manage to play two matches, played against a great player. I was not very far (away), without a doubt. I feel myself, if I am able to keep practising days on the Tour, and my body allows me to spend hours on court and have practices the way that I need.

“I hope to be competitive. I hope and believe I can be competitive in a few weeks. That’s the way that I need to proceed today, and to give me a chance to be ready at least to compete at Roland-Garros.

Nadal grateful for chance to say goodbye to Barcelona

Out of action for a year with a hip injury, which required surgery, Nadal returned in Brisbane in January but missed the Australian Open and then abdominal problems delayed his comeback. He beat Flavio Cobolli of Italy in round one in Barcelona and showed that he still knows how to play, especially on his beloved clay-courts.

“At least, how things went, for me I had the chance to say goodbye here (to Barcelona) on court,” said Nadal, who has said this is likely to be his last year on Tour. “That means a lot to me, because I probably felt one week ago that I was not able to play in this event. That would have been painful, so at least I played, I enjoyed the game, and now is the moment to keep going.”

Nadal said the match was over after the first set.

“Alex is a great player. In terms of tennis today, he was in better shape than me,” said Nadal. “He has really played at a very high level since the beginning of the season. I think he has made a very important step forward in his level of tennis. I’m just happy for him and I congratulate him for the level he played today.

“I didn’t practise a lot, so that [performance] encourages me to keep going. It tells me that, if I’m able to spend days on the Tour and keep practising with the players, I really hope and believe that I can keep being competitive. If my body allows me to push the way that I need.”

Nadal: “In Paris, let it be whatever God wants”

Roland-Garros, where has reigned supreme, is where he would most like to be competitive, of course, and though he turns 38 in June, he said he will do everything in his power to be ready.

And in comments to Spanish reporters, quoted by PuntodeBreak.com and translated, Nadal said he will give his all on what for him is the biggest stage of all.

“I am leaving convinced that I have taken a step forward, it was not today where I had to…leave everything and die,” he said. “I have to give myself the option to do this in a few weeks, at least try. If I had died at a general level today, I would never have the opportunity to do so in a few weeks, so I have to play according to the objective I have.

“I have to measure according to how I feel, so I will play in Madrid according to this factor. If my body responds and I accumulate good training, I will be able to take a step forward in Madrid. If my body is capable of assimilating the loads progressively, that must help me to demand more and more from it, but I don’t know.

“On a logical level, the idea is to progress, but I’m not talking about winning games, but rather at the level of fighting for things. In Madrid go a little better, in Rome a little more… and in Paris let it be whatever God wants. Now is the time to try.”

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