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 4-6, 6-3, 3-1 Zizou Bergs*
Here comes Rafa. He’s into his flow now, fluent forehands and backhands used interchangably to create the angles needed to play his opponent out of each point. A hold to 15.
Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 6-3, 2-1 Zizou Bergs
Nadal breaks! Classic clay court fare from the Spaniard, biding his time before unleashing that fabulous, fierce forehand. Zizou Bergs tries his best to cling on but is eventually shaken out of the game as Nadal starts to turn the screw.
Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 1-1 Zizou Bergs*
Lovely court manipulation from Nadal enables him to hold, popping a winner past a stranded Zizou Bergs.
Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 0-1 (30-15) Zizou Bergs
A moment of concern for Rafael Nadal as he takes a tumble mid-rally, but he rolls back to his feet in one movement...and wins the point! Briliant! What agility from the veteran, bouncing around like a teenager again and having the coolness and calm to finish it with a disguised drop shot.
Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 6-3, 0-1 Zizou Bergs
Nothing to overly concern the Belgian in the first few skirmishes of the decider, up to 40-0 in good time. But a forehand volley on the approach slides wide before Nadal pushes Bergs off balance.
What a shot that is, though! Nadal appears to have fought back to deuce as a check volley drops towards the floor, but Bergs contorts his wrist around it and curls it inside the tramlines. Remarkable - and just the sort of shot he might need if he is to pull off a famous victory.
Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 0-0 Zizou Bergs*
Zizou Bergs disappears between sets, apparently requesting some caffeine with his energy levels perhaps just sagging. He’s matched Rafael Nadal blow-for-blow for long periods of this match - but a decider against a man with so much experience of taking things deep on clay will test his stamina.
Rafael Nadal levels the match!
A break point for Zizou Bergs is passed up, the Belgian overeager to assert himself and thudding a backhand too far.
And Rafael Nadal surges to the set, a magnificent retreating overhead followed by a forehand winner. We’re going to a decider.
Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 5-3 Zizou Bergs
An enjoyable exchange at the end of Zizou Bergs’ service game, Rafael Nadal pressing the red button to release a howitzer forehand and Bergs answering with a missile of a first serve. Nadal will serve for the set.
Rafael Nadal 4-6, 5-2 Zizou Bergs*
A bit of bother for Rafael Nadal at 15-30, a blaring speaker distracted him and forcing a serve errant. The umpire kindly gives it back to him, but Nadal sends it long regardless. His second strike is handy enough, though, and Bergs pats a backhand into the net’s midriff after a mid-length rally.
What a volley! That’s remarkable from Zizou Bergs, shovelling out a winner from down by his left ankle after Nadal had appeared to have swept his legs out with a vicious forehand.
The Belgian can’t capitalise, though - Nadal moves within a game of levelling the set.
Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 4-2 Zizou Bergs
Rather more comfortable for Bergs on serve.
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