Share

Nadal faces Verdasco in tough return

Hamburg - Rafael Nadal will mark his return to Hamburg after a seven-year absence with a tough opener against compatriot Fernando Verdasco.

Nadal, down at 10 in the world after a tortuous year in which he lost his French Open title and suffered another early exit from Wimbledon, has decided to play the clay court tournament in a bid to resurrect his fortunes before heading for the US hard court season.

Nadal, 29, has a 13-2 career lead over Verdasco but his compatriot has won their last two clashes - on the hard courts of Miami earlier this year and on clay in Madrid in 2012.

In his last visit to the German city, Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the 2008 final.

He is 11-2 at the tournament, having only lost to Federer in 2007 and to former Roland Garros champion Gaston Gaudio in 2003.

"I am very happy to be back in Hamburg, I haven't been here since 2008 so it's great to be back in such a nice city. I have great memories about this tournament," Nadal told www.atpworldtour.com on Sunday.

"I think probably defeating Carlos Moya in 2003 was a very important match for me at the time but also I remember very well the match against Novak Djokovic in 2008 which was very emotional."

In his first tournament since Wimbledon, Nadal will be playing doubles also in Hamburg.

He is set to partner 18-year-old Jaume Munar, who also hails from Mallorca.

"I feel good, there are no problems. I look forward to this week," said Nadal.

The Spaniard has already been defeated 12 times this year, including just a second career loss at Roland Garros and a second round exit to German journeyman Dustin Brown at Wimbledon.

In 2014, Nadal was beaten just 11 times. He was defeated only seven times in 2013 and lost a mere six matches in the whole of 2012.

"I need to accept that it is a new situation and face it with a good attitude and keep working hard to return to a good level," said Nadal.

"I feel good. I don't have any injuries and that is the important thing."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE