“I think I played a solid match for a lot of time, then was a tough moment in the middle of the second set but I think I resisted well and very happy for the victory”, Nadal said on court.
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Rafa Nadal was worn out from his Rio Olympics exertions after emerging from an injury absence to win doubles gold, but the Spaniard perked back up with his trip to NY for the U.S. Open.
Although the Spaniard is not fully recovered from a wrist injury, which left him sidelined for two and a half months, he said he was exhilarated at the thought of heading into the last grand slam of the season.
Nadal also pulled out of Wimbledon 2016, due to a persistent wrist injury which is still a cause for concern. “I couldn’t practise”, the Spanish fourth seed said at Flushing Meadows on Friday.
Nadal admitted he was exhausted following his impressive display at the Olympic Games after competing in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Nadal went straight from Rio to compete at the Cincinnati Masters, where he was beaten in the third round by Borna Coric of Croatia, and he concedes that he is still working his way back to full fitness. “I am hitting very well the backhand, but it’s true that the forehand I need time”, he said.
Performing at the highest level in seven best-of-five set matches – which he will need to do if he is to win the title – might be a bit of a stretch but no one will take him lightly, even if he continues to say that he is feeling a little pain in his wrist. So I think today I can start the forehand, I think my normal forehand, but still needs time to feel that I am more confident on my wrist.
Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion, won 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and will face Italian veteran Andreas Seppi for a place in the last 32.
“The real thing is I arrived there and I made a decision to go there and just at the last moment because I thought that I would not be ready for the competition”.
World number 107 Istomin posed a few problems for the 14-time Grand Slam victor, who showed off some impressive shots.
Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion in NY, tackles Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.
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“When you go to the Olympics and finally you win a medal, it’s just the most important thing that you can do”.
