Rafael Nadal is not one to take a crushing defeat on clay and say he is happy with the whole thing very frequently. However, Nadal was hardly in an ordinary setting this week in Barcelona, having made his way back to the traditional red-brick courts after a 681-day absence.

After missing so many months due to hip and abdominal problems, Rafael Nadal’s matchup against world No. 11 Alex de Minaur on Wednesday was a true litmus test.

Given how badly their player had performed in the previous ten matches, Rafael Nadal’s 6-4, 6-1 loss may have worried his fans who were watching the match from a distance. However, certain of the first-set exchanges would have given true encouragement to viewers on TV or on Barcelona’s Pista Rafa Nadal.

As Nadal fights back, he clearly starts to gather confidence.

Nadal got off to a poor start and lost his first serve game, but he rallied to lead 4-3 after behind 3-1. He would have won four straight games with a break point as well, but de Minaur averted the crisis with a piercing forehand winner.

In Barcelona, Rafael Nadal told reporters, “I feel much more comfortable and happier today than one week and a half ago.” Without a doubt, I was able to play and I wasn’t too far away. And I know that my goal is to be competitive if I can continue to practice and if my body permits me to spend a lot of time on the court. That is the actuality. And in a few weeks I’ll think I’m competitive. See you later.

Nadal continued, “That’s the way I need to go today, and my ultimate goal is to get a chance to at least compete in Roland Garros.” I was able to compete at the top level in every tennis tournament I attended. I want to be ready in a few weeks, but I’m not able to accomplish it today. And I’ll give it my all.

Is Nadal’s “final goal” indeed to win the French Open? The linguistic barrier may be the reason for the phrase’s unsettlingly decisive ring.

It’s true that there’s a chance Nadal’s 37-year-old physique won’t be able to handle hard or grass-court tennis. However, it is likely that he will run two campaigns this season on the Parisian clay, the second of which will be part of the Olympic Games.

Weakness in Nadal’s serve

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This week, Nadal’s main issue has been a lack of bite on his serves. It is obviously still bother some even if his abdominal muscle has healed enough for him to compete. Maybe he is afraid that if he swings too hard, he’ll set off a recurrence.

His initial steps were considerably more positive. Yes, it’s possible that he missed a lot of shots, particularly when attempting to make a put away. The good news is that he could produce speed off both wings. He controlled play in a way that was familiar to him during that 25-minute stretch in the opening set, making de Minaur, one of the fastest players in the game, run consecutive shuttle runs along the baseline.

Afterward, Rafael Nadal remarked, “Alex is a great player.” “He’s in better shape than me at tennis these days. Since the start of the season, he has been playing at a high level.

“I believe that when I really tried at a high percentage of intensity, I was able to show myself and the rest of the world that my level was competitive.” The fact that I didn’t practice this much gives me motivation to continue. I sincerely hope and feel that I can compete if I can practice with players on this surface for days on end while on tour.