Rafael Nadal was not too disheartened by defeat at the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday after the Spaniard lost 7-6 (11-9), 4-6, 6-3 to Borna Coric on his return from a six-week injury layoff.
Nadal, who will aim for a record-extending 23rd grand slam title at the US Open, had not played a competitive match since pulling out of the Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal injury in July.
The 36-year-old also withdrew from last week’s ATP Masters event in Montreal due to the issue but did not seem hampered by it against former world No. 12 Coric, and instead put his defeat down to a lack of time on court. “Obviously I didn’t play my best match, something that can happen,” Nadal told reporters.
“So coming back from a tough period of time, something that’s easy to accept and easy to say congrats to Borna that he played better.” Nadal has won the US Open four times, the last title coming in 2019. He will undergo tests to confirm everything is fine with the injury, which he said still created doubts in his mind during his service motion. “I am positive,” he said.
“In terms of practice, I need to start to be in a grand slam mode, practising the way that I need to practise to be competitive since the beginning there, and I hope I will be able to make that happen.
“I need to move forward and just start to think about the energy that the crowd gives me in New York. I know it’s a very special place for me.”
Coric will next play another Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, who defeated home hope Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-3.
The upset of the day went to American wild card Ben Shelton after the 19-year-old continued his dream ATP Masters debut with a 6-3, 6-3 win over world No.5 Casper Ruud. In other matches, Taylor Fritz blasted his way to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Australian Kyrgios while Cameron Norrie fought back to beat former world No.1 Andy Murray 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in an all-British clash. Fritz will next meet sixth seed Andrey Rublev after the Russian scored a 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (3-7), 6-2 win over Italy’s Fabio Fognini.
Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece sailed into the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Serbian Filip Krajinovic.
Raducanu dominates
Emma Raducanu stormed into the third round of the Cincinnati Open with a 6-0, 6-2 thrashing of Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday, signalling she will be well prepared for her US Open title defence.
World No.1 Iga Swiatek beat former US Open winner Sloane Stephens 6-4, 7-5 to start her campaign at the WTA 1000 tournament, the last big tune-up event before the hardcourt major. It was a Tour-leading 50th win of the season for the twotime French Open champion who will meet Madison Keys in the third round after the American beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 7-5.
