Nadal crushes Cobolli on his return to competition!

Rafael Nadal made a successful return to competition, qualifying for the 2nd round on the clay courts of Barcelona. The Spaniard clearly dominated Flavio Cobolli, winning in 1 hour 25 minutes and two sets (6-2, 6-3) on the Pista Rafa Nadal (Barcelona's central court which now bears his name).

Not everything was perfect for the 12-time winner of the Barcelona event, but his overall performance was encouraging. A few approximations in placement, a few hesitations in choosing the right shot - nothing surprising for a return to competition. More worrying, however, was the speed of his first serves, which rarely exceeded 185 km/h.

In the 2nd round, Nadal is likely to face a very different opponent: Alex De Minaur, currently ranked 11th in the world. This will be a real test for the former world No. 1, who will have to withstand the intensity of the points against the Australian.