Rafael Nadal, who defeated Zizou Bergs in a tough three-set first-round match at the 2024 Italian Open, was candid about his performance.
The legendary tennis player acknowledged that his lack of experience has made his game “more unpredictable than before,” but he still believes he can play “much better” than he did.
After a serious scare, Nadal defeated the remarkable 108th-ranked Bergs 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Bergs advanced through the qualifying draw.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion trailed 3-1 in the first set, but he dropped five of the next six games to watch the set unravel horribly.
After play was halted due to a medical emergency in the crowd, the 37-year-old reacted as best he could, winning the first three games of the second set. The Spaniard closed off the set to even the score, saving two break points along the way.
Nadal got off to another great start in the decider, leading 3-1. Bergs had a chance to give him a double break advantage, but he turned it down.
The Belgian qualifier was then held at 3-2, 0-40 thanks to three key break point saves by Nadal, who then held twice more to complete a valiant victory.
After the close first-round match, Rafael Nadal spoke with Tennis TV on the significance of finding a way to win even when he wasn’t at his best.
Indeed, that wasn’t the best match for me. Without a doubt, I was practicing better than I played today,” he said.
But I manage to prevail, don’t I? And in the start of the competition, that’s crucial. That is typical for me. My game is more erratic than it was previously, as I mentioned. During the previous two years, I didn’t play any tennis.
Thus, there will inevitably be some ups and downs. However, I believe I can perform much better than I did today, and I intend to do so in the following round.
A question concerning his feelings was posed to the former world number one, considering that this might be his final appearance in Rome.
Yes, playing here has always been emotional for me. The most significant moments in my tennis career are these kinds of ones, stated Rafael Nadal.
“To be honest, the audience has always been incredible and has supported me since I started playing tennis, so I’m really happy to be able to play here one more time.”