Rafael Nadal: 'I struggled against Jack Sock, it was evident'

The 20-time Major winner Rafael Nadal has struggled a lot this year, missing many tournaments and dealing with injuries. The Spaniard had to skip the ATP Cup due to a back injury and gave his best to overcome the pain at the Australian Open to reach the quarters. Rafa wasted two sets to love advantage against Stefanos Tsitsipas, and it was his last match until Monte Carlo in April. Throwing everything on his beloved clay season, Nadal entered five tournaments on the slowest surface and won titles, but not the one he wanted the most. After early exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid (early for his standards), Rafa went all the way in Rome for his 36th Masters 1000 title, beating Novak Djokovic and hoping for more at Roland Garros. Nadal reached his 14th semi-final in Paris, never losing a match at his favorite Major after passing the quarter-final stage. That had to change, though, as Novak beat him in four sets after an epic battle that lasted for over four hours.

Struggling a lot in the fourth set, Nadal had nothing left in the tank, and he later revealed that he endured a foot pain that still bothers him! The Spaniard could not train for three weeks and had to skip Wimbledon and the Olympic Games for significant setbacks. Changing his schedule, Nadal made a debut at the Citi Open in Washington last week, facing Jack Sock in the second round and scoring a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 victory in three hours and four minutes. Still feeling the pain in his foot, Rafa overcame a break deficit in the final set and claimed it in the tie break to prevail and advance into the next round. Rafa fended off eight out of ten break chances and stole Jack's serve thrice. The Spaniard fired 41 winners and 17 unforced errors, and it was barely enough to get him through in a high-quality contest that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. Rafa served at 47% in the opening set and had troubles in a single game when he fended off three break chances.

Rafael Nadal withdrew from Toronto and Cincinnati due to a foot pain.

After that, he broke the American's serve twice in a row to take it 6-3 and gather momentum. Nadal grabbed the fifth game with a forehand crosscourt winner and clinched a break in the next one when Jack netted a forehand. The Spaniard cemented the lead with a hold at deuce and wrapped up the set with a forehand return winner at 5-2 thanks to another break of serve and his 13th winner. Sock closed the second set's second game with a booming serve, and Nadal held at 30 in the next one to remain 3-2 ahead. The home player grabbed his first break at 3-3 when Nadal netted a forehand and held at 15 to build a 5-3 lead. Serving to stay in the set, Rafa fended off three set points in the ninth game and forced Jack to serve out for it. Staying calm, Sock sealed the set with a service winner in game ten, gathering a boost ahead of the decider and looking good to challenge Nadal even more.

Rafa hit a forced error at the beginning of the final set to fall behind and squandered a break chance in the second game before holding at 15 to reduce the deficit. Digging deep, Nadal broke back in game six to level the score at 3-3 and extend his chances. Jack saved a break point in the eighth game and held after three deuces to level the score and increase the drama. Rafa earned the ninth game with a hold at 15, and Sock closed the tenth game with a forehand winner to send pressure back to the other side. The more experienced player sealed the 11th game with a service winner, and the encounter went into a deciding tie break when the American held at love! The Spaniard opened a 3-0 gap with a running forehand winner at the net and moved 5-0 up with a drop shot winner. Doing everything right, Rafa emerged at the top with a forehand down the line winner at 6-1 to celebrate the hard-fought victory. Nadal lost to Lloyd Harris in three sets the following day and withdrew from Toronto and Cincinnati due to ongoing foot pain.

"I have been in pain for a couple of months; I wanted to try to compete in Washington and Toronto, even at this state. People saw I struggled a lot against Jack Sock. My left foot hurt even during practice sessions, and I hoped it would get better. That's why I came to Toronto, hoping to move better and enter the competition. That was not the case, and I had to withdraw," Rafael Nadal said.

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