ATP Washington: Rafael Nadal has to tremble against Jack Sock
Tournament favorite Rafael Nadalhad to go the full distance against Jack Sock at the ATP Tour 500 tournament in Washington, but then prevailed in the tie-break of the third set.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 05, 2021, 06:26 am
What a first for Rafael Nadal at the ATP Tour 500 tournament in Washington: The Spaniard struggled in front of a full house on the Center Court before he beat Jack Sock 6: 2, 4: 6 and 7: 6 ( 1) could claim. With that, Nadal also won the sixth encounter with Sock. In the round of 16, the tournament favorite will now face Lloyd Harris from South Africa.
Nadal had not played a match since his elimination in the semi-finals of the French Open against Novak Djokovic, skipping both Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The long break was noticeable in the 20-time major winner - especially the footwork was not yet working at the usual high level. And that although Nadal has been training in Washington for several days.
"It was a tough match and in the end I found a way to win it," said Nadal after his victory. “I'm sorry for Jack. The energy here in Washington was unforgettable after a difficult year and a half behind us. To play in front of all of these people is just fantastic. I enjoyed it, I suffered a little too, but that's normal. I hope I'll be ready tomorrow. "
Nadal is of course a high favorite against Lloyd Harris. However, the two have never played against each other.