Tennis: Rafael Nadal is missing for his return to Cincinnati

Not on the pace and often overtaken in exchanges, Rafael Nadal did not send the best signals twelve days before the US Open, eliminated as soon as he entered the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati on Wednesday by the 152nd player in the world, Borna Coric.

It's the big surprise of the day, which came very late at night, which even the interruption by the rain for 1h20 could not prevent.

And this even if the Spaniard, 3rd in the world, made his return to Ohio after six weeks of absence.

He had not played since July 6 due to an abdominal tear, which then forced him to forfeit before his semi-final at Wimbledon.

“We don't expect to play at an incredible level immediately,” he warned a few days ago.

The facts proved him right, even if we could expect him to pass this 2nd round without incident, against a poorly ranked opponent, who is looking to revive after a shoulder operation.

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"Rafa" finally lost, not without a struggle, 7-6 (11/9) 4-6, 6-3 after almost three hours.

And his level appeared far from that displayed during the first half, when he won the Australian Open and Roland-Garros.

“He played better.

But it's hard to take a lot of positive things out of this game.

I have to train, I have to go back better, that's the truth, ”he agreed, without hiding his disappointment.

Nadal played "very badly"

On the hard surface of Cincinnati, where he won in 2013, the 36-year-old Mallorcan has often been in tow, a rare thing, in the exchanges (38 winning shots for Coric, against 22).

He also made big mistakes at the worst times, like this forehand that was too uncrossed, which spoiled a set point in the tie-break, and this double fault which then offered the first set to rival.

Returning to a set everywhere, Nadal did not have this second wind which usually pushes him to force decisions.

Unlike the Croatian, who broke to lead 4-2, without ever being worried about his serve.

“I had chances in the decisive game and I played very badly.

When you come back from injury, if you win the first game, things get better - that was not the case today,” he summed up.

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Only positive point, he did not complain about the abdomen, nor about his left foot, he who has to deal with recurring pain due to necrosis of the scaphoid bone.