Rafael Nadal overcame a scare in his Wimbledon opener on Tuesday, eventually defeating Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina after skipping the third set and falling down from a break in the fourth.
Second-seeded Nadal, playing on the grass for the first time since his 2019 Wimbledon semi-final loss to Roger Federer, defeated 41st-ranked Cerundolo 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, winning his All England Club Debut.
But the 36-year-old Spaniard, who has already captured the Australian and French Opens this year, stood halfway to the first men’s calendar slam since 1969, did it the hard way.
After passing the first two sets on center court, he surrendered an early break in the third set and then retreated 3-1 and 4-2 in the fourth.
“It’s amazing to be back three years without being here on this wonderful surface,” Nadal said.
“We don’t play on grass very often, especially in my case. I haven’t set foot on grass in the last three years.”
Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon champion, arrived at the tournament with question marks over his durability for two weeks, playing the full French Open with his troublesome left leg anaesthetized.
He has since undergone a course of radiofrequency stimulation, aimed at reducing nerve pain in his leg.
“Every day is a test. I’m at the start of the tournament and everyone knows what tough conditions I faced.
“But the most important thing for me is that I am at Wimbledon in 2022 and I won the first match.”
Nadal will face Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania for a place in the last 32.
The Spaniard’s bid for a third title in the tournament had escalated earlier on Tuesday when 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini, a potential semi-final rival, withdrew after testing positive for Covid.
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