Rafa Nadal is an icon. The winner of 22 Grand Slams. The king of the earth. The Musketeer of Roland Garros. The boy from Manacor. The pride of a country. the staple The overcoming Resilience. Living history of tennis. For many, the best ever. It’s so much so that it no longer matters their ranking or their win-loss record. His presence on a court, at the age of 37, is already a cause for celebration for the sport of racquetball. A gift that the audience of the Comte de Godó Trophy enjoyed yesterday.
After three months of absence, afflicted by constant physical problems, the Mallorcan reappeared at RCTB-1899, his second home. The centenary club was lucky to receive, after three years of absence, its best reference. It was noticeable in the atmosphere, delivered to the Balearic audience of the center court, which precisely has the name of the 12-time winner of the tournament. More than a match it was a blessing. A thank you for everything. Each point was applauded as if it were the last. And, in addition, he beat Flavio Cobolli in his debut (6-2 and 6-3) in the first round.
“I was nervous about how I would feel. I used to get nervous when I won, imagine today. This is the beauty of sport, the emotion”, said after his victory Nadal, who in the second round will have to raise the level against Alex de Miñaur, number 11 in the world.
You could almost hear the doubts going through the minds of the spectators. Will it be the same as before? How will your physique be? Could it be his last game in Barcelona? The first response was inactivity. Nadal started coldly, with an error and a double fault. The lack of shooting was noticeable. He still didn’t have the measurements of his court and his balls were long. He solved it with experience, held by the service. Sensations erupted in the Balearics from the fourth game. A drop gave way to the first “let’s go!” The confidence was starting to show in the Christmas racket. Nerves gave way to his enormous resources on the court and in a climb to the net, one of the few in the match, he got the first break.
Nadal was taking off and the Italian, number 62 in the world, was another guest at the party. The 21-year-old Florentine was too erratic in his Godó debut, easy prey for any version of the manacorí. On his next serve Cobolli saved four break points for his serve, two with an ace. But in the eighth game he succumbed. Nadal, who continued to grow, buoyed by the crowd, pulled out some of his repertoire to close out the set. A great exchange, a deep cross-back on the line and his classic Numantine defense were the epilogue of the opening hose.
In the first game of the second set, Nadal saved his first break point. He solved the problem with a spectacular drop and tied the moment by breaking his opponent’s serve. The match was on track, but the Balearic felt the burden of so many setbacks, from the months away from tennis. His legs felt heavy and his arm went numb for an instant. A double fault and a backhand error cost him his serve. Cobolli was still alive.
It was time to review the book for the Mallorcan, to remember its virtues. Said and done. The one from Manacor moved a short-wicket Cobolli, impatient for a match on the ground, who gave up his serve again. The Italian was overcome by despair, which contrasted with the effusive celebrations of a Christmas that briefly reminded him of his best times. The player who clings to the bottom line is back. The one with the left hand that draws parabolas and improbable angles. That of impossible points. The idol of the fans.
Nadal no longer let the serve escape, now floating on the clay of Pedralbes, enjoying the return. He felt like a player again, after all. And there he was again, in the center of the track celebrating a triumph as if no more than 20 years and a thousand battles had passed since his debut at the Godó. “This tournament is special. I’ve experienced a lot here in my career. It’s a feeling that’s hard to explain, of joy”, ended a Christmas that he enjoyed again on his court, in his tennis home.
