Rafael Nadal’s comeback to tennis at the 2024 Barcelona Open concluded when the fourth-seeded Alex De Mianur defeated him in the second round. After a three-month layoff due to a minor injury, the Spaniard resumed the remainder of his comeback.
Despite a slow start, Nadal was rather exceptional in his first-round clash against Flavio Cobolli, where he beat the Italian in straights. However, the Spaniard now had to face a very talented De Minaur for a spot in the next round. As he predicted, it was a tough matchup for Nadal.
The Australian had done his homework, as he got the Spaniard trapped with a few drop shots. Just like that, De Minaur had a major lead in the first and second sets. Getting a last break, it was the Australian who had one foot into the next round.
It was an emotional moment for Nadal, as he failed to reach the end in his last Barcelona Open appearance. As he packed his bag and left the court, the crowd gave him a warm standing ovation as they witnessed the 12-time Champion walk off the court.
The crowd bids farewell to Rafael Nadal, who has an unbeatable record on the ground that has a court named after him. Though it is a tough loss, Nadal can now assess himself for the upcoming tournaments.
Alex De Minaur becomes the first Australian to beat Rafael Nadal on the clay court
A very tough moment for the Barcelona Open crowd as their favorite Rafael Nadal bade farewell to the tournament. Having already declared that it is going to be his last time playing professionally in Barcelona, the crowd cheers on the Spaniard as he walks off.
As a result, Alex De Minaur achieved the honor of being the first Australian to defeat Rafael Nadal on clay. It was a tremendous moment for the Aussie, who did the unthinkable. He put Nadal under pressure from the start, enabling him to finish the match quickly. Delighted with the win, De Minaur advanced to the next round.
However, during a post-match interview, he admitted that the results would not be the same if he had faced the Spaniard a few years ago.
Can say I’m very very fortunate I didn’t play Rafa a couple of years earlier on clay. It would’ve been a very very different result. Said Alex De Minaur
Nadal, who has only faced a handful of losses on clay, will surely rank this loss as one of the hardest. Nonetheless, he walks off the court with his head held high, symbolizing the many wins in Barcelona.
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