Every News: Nadal looks to bounce back at Barcelona

Nadal looks to bounce back at Barcelona
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BARCELONA: Rafael Nadal said on Monday he won’t waste time dwelling on his weekend Monte Carlo semi-final loss but instead will concentrate on bouncing back at the Barcelona Open. “What has happened has happened, whatever the reasons are,” the 11-time Barcelona champion said after a promotional appearance at a mini-tennis event in the Catalan capital. “I don’t know the future, but I will go back to work. The job is to find myself,” Nadal said. The 17-time Grand Slam winner, who returned at Monte Carlo after a knee injury, put a positive spin on his Saturday setback against eventual tournament winner Fabio Fognin. “Monte Carlo was a step forward compared to where I was a week earlier,” Nadal said. He was joined at a mini-tennis court set up at an ornate Barcelona classical concert hall by two-time tournament champion Kei Nishikori. The Spaniard will open his title defence on Wednesday against Argentine Leo Mayer, a first-round winner over Marius Copil 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-5. Nadal called his first light hit-out since Saturday’s loss “normal.” “It’s the first day of practice in a different place. I did what I had to do,” he said. He again labelled his defeat to Fognini “one of the worst matches on clay.” “It’s a reality. There is no need to hide it. I don’t see any benefit in denying it.” - ‘Another chance to start season’ - As usual, the 32-year-old Spaniard is focussing on the bright side as the pre-Roland Garros clay season hits full stride.