Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs LIVE: Tennis result and latest updates as Spaniard battles through at Italian Open
Nadal ramps up his French Open preparations and continues his injury recovery in Rome
Rafael Nadal battled past Belgian underdog Zizou Bergs to reach the second round of the Italian Open.
The Spaniard continued his preparation for the French Open later this month with a hard-fought victory in Rome, taking the decider to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory having fallen behind to an impressive Bergs. While clunky to start, Nadal warmed to his work and showed real stamina to outlast the 24-year-old, setting up a meeting with Hubert Hurkacz.
The 14-time Roland Garros champion has said he expects to retire after this season after he spent most of last year nursing a hip issue that required surgery but a muscle tear in Brisbane stalled his comeback in January.
The 37-year-old returned to the tour last month as the clay swing begun and he got valuable match practice in Barcelona and Madrid, with the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome this week a third straight tournament in which to test himself.
The 22-time grand slam winner will now hope to get more sets in his legs ahead of a potential farewell to the French Open, which begins in Paris on 26 May.
Follow all the action from the Italian Open in our blog below:
Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs
But the attention will be firmly on Rafael Nadal’s fitness and form ahead of Roland Garros. He’s won this tournament ten times, but even he misses out on the trophy, a deep run here would go a long way towards getting him ready for the cut and thrust of grand slam tennis.
Who is Zizou Bergs?
This is a good chance for Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, with the 24-year-old beginning to threaten the world’s top 100 but still without a really significant win at ATP Tour level. Named, yes, after Zinedine Zidane (or to be more specific a football training drill his father used to complete tagged with the Frenchman’s nickname), the Belgian is coming off some encouraging form on the Challenger circuit in Florida, losing in the final in Sarasota to Thanasi Kokkinakis before besting Mitchell Krueger in Tallahassee to defend his title.
Rafael Nadal next up on centre...
She really had to work to secure victory, saving a set point in the second to take it to a tie break, but that’s a good win, in the end, for Linda Noskova. The Czech teenager, a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open earlier this year, will hope to build on that second round win on a surface that hasn’t necessarily been her favourite so far in a young career.
Noskova departs as the Rome crowd swells in anticipation for the arrival of Rafael Nadal.
Rafael Nadal embraces ‘challenge’ of returning to regular playing schedule
Rafael Nadal said he is encouraged by his steady progress after returning from injury last month, as the 14-time French Open champion continues his preparation for Roland Garros at this week’s Rome Masters.
Nadal, who has said he expects to retire after this season, spent most of last year nursing a hip issue that required surgery, before a muscle tear in Brisbane stalled his comeback in January.
The 37-year-old returned to the tour during the clay swing for tournaments in Barcelona and Madrid, and is fit enough to play his third event in a row in Rome.
Rafael Nadal embraces ‘challenge’ of returning to regular playing schedule
Nadal is hoping to compete for a 15th French Open crown in what is set to be his final season
Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs
Yes, Rafael Nadal is gearing up for another Roland-Garros title tilt this week in Rome, with the Spaniard due seconod on centre court at the conclusion of the match between Linda Noskova and Lucrezia Stefanini. Noskova took the first set but is finding it tough to put a battling Stefanini, on home soil, away - it’s 5-5 in the second.
Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs from the Italian Open.
Nadal is on the comeback trail from injury in his final season before retirement and continues his preparation for the French Open this week in Rome.
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