Starting again losing is not the best if your name is Rafael Nadal.
However, knowing the Spanish champion it is not even a tragedy if you are aware that your opponent is in great shape and has played a great game.
This should broadly be Rafa's horizon, who returned to the locker room after 2 hours and 45 hours of battle which saw him beaten 3-6 6-3 6-4 by Cameron Norrie, No.12 in the world, in the debut of the United Cup match between Spain and Great Britain.
The match filled Sydney's Ken Rosewall Arena to capacity and rewarded those who bought tickets.
Nadal returned to action in official matches after the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
In fact, he had given up the Davis Cup for a series of rich and super-attended exhibitions in South America together with Casper Ruud.
Norrie, who had made belligerent statements on the eve of leaving for Australia, feeling ready to make a further leap in quality, had given an impressive performance the day before yesterday against Alex De Minaur, in the confrontation with Australia.
The indomitable Demon, while throwing his heart and guts on the field, hadn't even managed to annoy him.
The Briton had closed 6-3 6-3, as a ruler.
Left-handed and great regularist, Cameron had completely disrupted De Minuar's pace of play thanks to the depth of his flat backhand and his forehand which was considerably loaded with spin.
A sort of British Nadal, born in Johannesburg but forged by an Argentine coach, Facundo Lugones, who knows well the logic of tennis in which every point is earned by sweating and pushing from the baseline.