By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal kicked off his Italian Open campaign with a victory, overcoming Zizou Bergs of Belgium—6-4, 3-6, 6-4—on May 9, 2024, at Stadio Centrale del Tennis in Italy.
Fresh off a decent outing at the recently concluded 2024 Madrid Open, Nadal is gradually returning to optimal form, showing positive signs despite being hampered by several injuries over the last three months.
Despite conceding the first set due to several unforced errors which Bergs capitalized on, Nadal’s resilience was evident as he claimed the last two sets to secure a come-from-behind win.
From a low percentage of successful down-the-line attempts in the opening set, Nadal significantly improved and began dominating every offensive category at the start of the second set. He effectively countered Bergs with deep baseline slices that kept Bergs at the baseline, neutralizing his net skills and allowing Nadal to execute his game plan effectively.
The strategy became clear at the start of the second set: exhaust Bergs with powerful shots and integrate drop shots midway to keep him off-balance.
This tactic proved effective for Nadal, as he delivered an almost flawless performance until the final point of the Round of 128 clash. Nadal recorded three service aces, achieved a 62% first-serve win rate, and secured three crucial break points.
Unlike his matches in Madrid, where he led in total points won, Bergs kept the match competitive, trailing Nadal by only five points, 88-83.
Nadal is set to pursue his second consecutive win as he faces Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in the Round of 64 at the Italian Open today.
