Rafael Nadal’s return to competitive tennis after a three-month injury layoff ended abruptly at the Barcelona Open, as he suffered a disappointing 7-5, 6-1 defeat to Alex de Minaur in the second round.
Despite showing glimpses of his former brilliance in the opening set, Nadal was unable to match the intensity and consistency of the 11th-ranked Australian. De Minaur, who had previously defeated Nadal in 2019, dominated the second set, breaking the Spaniard’s serve twice to secure a comfortable victory.
Nadal’s defeat marks only his fifth loss at the Barcelona Open, a tournament he has won a record 12 times. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had looked promising in his first-round win over Flavio Cobolli, but his performance against De Minaur raised concerns about his fitness and form.
Nadal’s injury woes have plagued him throughout the season, forcing him to withdraw from the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters. He had hoped to use the Barcelona Open as a warm-up for the upcoming French Open, where he is a 14-time champion.
However, his early exit casts doubt on his participation in the Madrid Open, which begins next week. Nadal has previously stated that 2024 will likely be his final year on tour, and his recent injury setbacks have raised questions about his ability to compete at the highest level.
Meanwhile, Roberto Bautista Agut celebrated a significant milestone by earning his 400th tour-level victory with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over Andrea Vavassori. The 35-year-old Spaniard is now the 13th active player to reach this impressive milestone.
Other notable results from the Barcelona Open include Casper Ruud’s 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alexandre Muller, Dusan Lajovic’s 6-4, 6-4 upset of Ugo Humbert, Marco Trungelliti’s 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Nicolas Jarry, and Jordan Thompson’s 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 triumph over Jaume Munar.
