Cincinnati Open: Rafael Nadal loses to Borna Ćorić on his return from injury



CNN

Rafael Nadal said it was “difficult to take many positives” as his return from injury ended in a second round defeat at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

After retiring from Wimbledon with an abdominal strain last month, Nadal returned to the field on Wednesday and lost 7-6 4-6 6-3 to Croatian Borna Ćorić in a match that lasted nearly three hours.

He will now look forward to the US Open later this month, where he will aim to win his fifth crown at Flushing Meadows and 23rd overall Grand Slam singles title.

“The main thing for me is to stay healthy,” Nadal told reporters. “It was a difficult injury to manage, to be honest.

“The last month and a half hasn’t been easy because, having a tear on your abdomen, you don’t know when (you’ll be) 100 percent of the thing, so this hits me a little bit in terms of not (being) sure I’m in. able to do your best in every service “.

LIGHT: Serena Williams loses to Emma Raducanu in the opening match in Cincinnati with the US Open on the horizon

Nadal and Ćorić join hands after the game in Cincinnati.

Nadal had two set points in the first-set tie break, but failed to convert either, even when he threw a straight volley before a double foul put Ćorić ahead at the start of the match.

The Spaniard reacted in the second set to equalize the game, but Ćorić broke 3-2 in the final and scored his third win against Nadal in five games.

Ćorić, absent for more than a year after undergoing shoulder surgery in May 2021, ended the match with 39 winners and will face another Spaniard, Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round.

“It’s hard to take a lot of positive things, but I need to improve,” said Nadal.

“I have to practice. I need to get back better. I need days (on the pitch), and that’s the truth. Obviously at the beginning I had my chances. In the tiebreak I had two important chances with two set points I have played very badly with two more or less easy shots “.

Nadal’s last title at the US Open came in 2019 and he has since achieved three more Grand Slam victories by surpassing Roger Federer at the top of the men’s all-time list.

This year’s tournament in New York kicks off on August 29th.