Google News
After being apart from New York for the last 3 years, Rafael Nadal made a victorious return against Rinky Hijikata that made him hungry for more. “Today’s match has been a 3 hours and 8 minutes match against a tough opponent so it’s a moment to survive, to stay positive, and just accept the things the way they are happening,” said Nadal at the post-match on-court interview.
Nadal, however, knows that he played only one match before the US Open, so he needs to put his head down and work during practice. “I didn’t play any match for the last 50 days. Only one match I think, so it’s about being humble enough to accept the process, to build the positive things, day after day in practice.
Tomorrow is one more day of practice and definitely another opportunity. I just enjoy the fact that I am here to try my best every day,” said Nadal.
How did Rafael Nadal beat Hijikata
Rafael Nadal won his 311th Major in the first round of the US Open.
Rafa started slowly against Rinky Hijikata, a wild card, before defeating him 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. In three hours and eight minutes, Nadal completed the affair, joining Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz in the second round.
Learn more about Nadal’s win by visiting this article: US Open: Rafael Nadal makes winning start. Because Daniil Medvedev, Rafael Nadal, and Dominic Thiem have not played a single match at the US Open since winning their titles but they will all compete in this year's edition, the American Grand Slam will have three players defending their titles.
Medvedev won US Open last year, Thiem won in 2020, and Nadal won at Flushing Meadows in 2019. US Open exclusively captured Rafael Nadal’s first arrival on Arthur Ashe after 3 years of being away from the American Grand Slam, and released the video on their social media.
“The return of Rafa,” the US Open captioned the video compilation. See the video here: Exclusive look of Rafael Nadal’s US Open arrival after 3 missing years