CNN —
Rafael Nadal returned to the tennis court Tuesday in blistering fashion, beating Italian Flavio Cobolli in straight sets, 6-2 6-3, in the first round of the Barcelona Open.
The 37-year-old Spaniard was playing his second tournament in 15 months – and first official clay court match in 681 days – and beat Cobolli on the “Pista Rafa Nadal,” a court named in his honor.
Twelve-time event champion Nadal broke the 21-year-old Cobolli early, taking a 4-1 lead and claiming the first set in 43 minutes. The Spaniard went on to take the match in an hour and 25 minutes.
Nadal’s 17th appearance competing for the Trofeo Conde de Godó signaled a straightforward return to the sport after a stop-start return to tennis following several injuries.
The 22-time grand slam singles winner sustained a “micro tear on a muscle” in a quarterfinal defeat to Jordan Thompson in January’s Brisbane International, a tournament which was meant to mark the start of his long-awaited injury comeback after almost a year away from the court.
He later withdrew from this year’s Australian Open.
During a press conference in May 2023, Nadal, who had hip surgery last June, admitted that 2024 is “probably going to be [his] last year on the professional tour,” but last week, he didn’t rule out continuing on beyond this year.
Next, Nadal will take on Australian world No. 11 Alex de Minaur.
CNN’s Issy Ronald contributed reporting.
