Citi Open 2021: 'I suffered too much' - Rafael Nadal plays first match after French Open exit

Published 05/08/2021 at 09:38 GMT

Rafael Nadal missed Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympic games after struggling with a foot injury. However he made his return to the court for the first time since his defeat to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the French Open at the Citi Open in Washington on Thursday evening against Jack Sock. The Spaniard admitted his victory did not come easily.

Rafa Nadal (ATP 500 Washington 2021)

Image credit: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal played his first tennis match since his French Open exit, beating Jack Sock 6-2 4-6 7-6(1) at the Citi Open.

Nadal began the tournament in the second round and navigated his way through to the third in a match that lasted over three hours. He had to nurse a previously injured left foot and rediscover his form after weeks away from action, hitting an unusual amount of errors and struggling with his normally reliable service game.

The 35-year-old Spaniard acknowledged his struggles to overcome Sock.

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“The match wasn't easy,” Nadal said. “I started to suffer a little bit too much.”

Nadal’s last match was a defeat to Novak Djokovic on June 11 at the semi-finals of Roland Garros, and a foot problem caused him to miss the next two major events on the tennis calendar: Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics.

“I know [it] will not be easy after a couple of months, coming back from a tough situation with my foot, a couple of months without playing,” Nadal said of his time away.

“But here I am. I [fought]. I am able to play again tomorrow, so that's great news.”