Nadal’s Open preparations on track with Melbourne title

Monday, 10 January 2022 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Rafael Nadal

MELBOURNE (AFP): Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open preparations remain on track after he beat American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 in the final of the Melbourne Summer Set on

Sunday.

Nadal decided to play the lower level tournament to get some match practice after missing much of 2021 with injury and COVID.

He has not been totally fluent this week and was pushed hard by the American qualifier, but Nadal had too much experience for the 24-year-old serve-volleyer.

It was Nadal’s 89th title on the ATP tour and the win ensures he has won at least one singles crown every year for the past 19 years.

Cressy, who had to win through two rounds of qualifying just to make the main draw, started nervously but became more confident as the match wore on.

The American had a set point in the tiebreak but couldn’t convert and once Nadal claimed the first set, the final result was almost inevitable.

Nadal will be aiming to break the record for most Grand Slam singles titles at this month’s Australian Open.

He is currently tied on 20 titles with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, but with Federer injured and Djokovic in doubt because of visa issues, Nadal has a chance to go one ahead of his great rivals.

Nadal was playing his first tournament since August after injury and then contracting COVID.

He said while he was sick, he couldn’t get out of bed for days on end, but once he began to recover, he had no doubt he would come to Australia to try to win his second title at Melbourne Park.