box and possible rivals | Relief

Rafael Nadal returns to action in Rome, one of those tournaments that have a special place throughout their career. Not in vain, The Spanish tennis player holds the record for victories in the Eternal City with a total of ten. Although it is true that on this occasion a possible victory seems complicated based on his physical condition, The Spaniard did not want to miss the appointment with the Italian capital in which he has already verbalized that it is his farewell tour. His last rodeo through the most important fields of his career.

Just as it happened in Madrid, Nadal must play from the first round in Rome. The draw for the painting, yes, A hypothetical against Novak Djokovic has not been in store for him until the final. It is very likely that the dream match between the two rivals will not take place at the Foro Italico. However, the feelings regarding the Balearic player are better after the Mutua Madrid Open. Nadal not only managed to reach the round of 16, but eliminated the world number 11 along the way. Good signs, especially when compared to his participation in Godó, where Alex de Miñaur himself eliminated him in the second round.

Rafael Nadal’s painting at the Rome Masters

In general termsthe Rome Masters has been slightly marred by the same plague of injuries that already affected the final phase of the Mutua Madrid Open. Neither Carlos Alcaraz nor Jannik Sinner are there, the two tennis players about whom the most attractive narrative on the circuit currently develops. Neither does Jiri Lehecka, Nadal’s executioner in the Caja Mágica and on whom there will be no revenge. There is Djokovic, yes, although he arrives in doubt after having skipped practically the entire clay court season in order to recover for Roland Garros.

Even so, Nadal has a complicated situation if he wants to reach the final. It couldn’t be any other way, taking into account that he is not seeded. Although the first round is against a tennis player who arrives from the classification, in second the first bogeyman appears: Hubert Hurkacznumber 9 in the world, which, yes, has its traditional worst surface on clay.

Things get especially complicated in the round of 16, where Holger Rune or Sebastián Báez could appear. If everything goes as planned, In the round of 16 it could be Daniil Medvedev’s turn, who defends the title in the Eternal City. In semis It could be the time of Andrey Rublev, reigning champion in Madrid, or Stefanos Tsitsipas, who seems to have regained his best game recently. The final, of course, would be against Djokovic.