It is a first which he would have done well in his immense career.
Rafael Nadal started a season with two consecutive defeats.
Two weeks before the Australian Open, which begins on Monday, the 36-year-old champion lost twice in three sets against Alex de Minaur (24th in the world) and Briton Cameron Norrie (14th), at the occasion of a new tournament for mixed national teams, the United Cup.
To discover
Australian Open: men's schedule and results
Australian Open: ladies schedule and results
Nothing dramatic, especially since his opponents are not second knives.
But what worries (a little) is that the warrior who abhors defeat no longer knows how to win a match since the end of last year.
Since the US Open, at the beginning of last September, he has lost seven of his last eight matches in the best of three sets, with, for only victory, a meeting without stake in the group stage at the Turin Masters in November against Casper Ruud …
Read alsoAustralian Open: Djokovic spared the draw, obstacle course for Nadal
The Mallorcan leaves a funny impression in recent months.
As often, his body sent him…
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