Rafael Nadal scores winning Rome return, survives Zizou Bergs in first round

ROME, Italy— Rafael Nadal pulled off a vintage comeback at the Internazional BNL d’Italia, roaring back from a set down to defeat Zizou Bergs, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, score his 70th win in Rome, and book an intriguing second-round clash with No. 7 seed Hubert Hurkacz.

WATCH: Rafa's incredible stop-drop-and-roll shot in the third set

The 10-time champion, who has never lost two matches in a row on clay, shook off a slow start to find some of his best tennis, delighting the Campo Centrale crowd as he outlasted the Belgian qualifier in two hours and 53 minutes.

"Well, today was not a good match for me," Nadal said after the match. "I mean, I didn't play the way that I really think I can play and I need to play. I was able to find a way to win, and that gives me the chance to play in two days again, to show myself, especially, that I can do it much better than today. That's the feeling I have on my practice sessions.

"Of course, improvement, it's important because the biggest improvement is that I still playing. That's the biggest thing and the most important thing for me."

Nadal arrived to the Foro Italico in the midst of what is, by all accounts, his tennis farewell tour, having missed most of the last 18 months of action due to various injuries. The 22-time Grand Slam champion previously suggested he was unlikely to play past Roland Garros or the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, but recently announced he would participate at the 2024 Laver Cup in September—the same event Roger Federer played his last match in 2022.

Few knew what to expect from the Spaniard coming into this clay-court season after he withdrew from Masters 1000 tournaments at the BNP Paribas Open and Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. His return to action at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell ended in the second round with a straight-set loss to Alex de Minaur, but the former world No. 1 showed flashes of his best form at the Mutua Madrid Open, where he avenged the De Minaur defeat en route to the fourth round.

Nadal spoke candidly about the challenges that come with preparing for tournaments at 37 years old, but nonetheless felt optimistic about his form ahead of his first round in Rome.

“The line is going up, without a doubt,” Nadal confirmed of his progress during his Media Day interview on Wednesday. “So yeah, I mean, happy to be today where I am because one month ago for me was almost impossible to think that I will be able to play in Barcelona, then in Madrid, and now being here in Rome.”

Still, the unseeded former champ found himself against an opponent with plenty of momentum in Bergs, who not only won two matches to qualify but enjoyed a successful stint on the ITF Challenger tour, reaching a final in Sarasota and winning a title in Tallahassee.

The 24-year-old Belgian peaked at No. 103 in the ATP rankings last month, but played far better than his best ranking after falling behind an early break to Nadal on Thursday, winning five of the next six games as Nadal struggled with his range and 16 unforced errors. Three double faults helped hand Bergs the break back and some strong serving from the qualifier helped him take the opening set in 47 minutes.

Nadal began the second set with a similar advantage, but this time held off Bergs’ attempts to break back and put the pressure on to force a third set.

Bergs kept battling as Nadal served for the 62-minute second set but it was Nadal who brought the crowd to their feet, saving a break point and leveling the match with a wicked inside-in forehand winner—his 12th of the match.

Nadal maintained that momentum early in the decider, pulling off an incredible stop-drop-and-roll point on serve and dictating play with his forehand as in times of old to break Bergs in the third game. Just as he threatened to run away with the match entirely, the match took another dramatic turn when Bergs staved off a double-break deficit and raced out to a 0-40 lead on Nadal’s serve.

On the brink of losing his lead, Nadal reeled off the next five points to hold on and dug out of a 0-30 lead in the next game to put himself on the brink of victory.

Serving for the match, Nadal opened with a strong overhead and got to a pair match points with an ace. He would only need one to edge over the finish line in just under three hours.

Awaiting him in the next round will be the seventh-seeded Hurkacz, who receieved a bye through the first round; the pair will be facing off for the first time.