Top seed Rafael Nadal beat American qualifier Maxime Cressy 7-6(6), 6-3 to win the Melbourne Summer Set 1 ATP 250 event and build up momentum heading into the Australian Open. It was Nadal’s 89th title on the ATP tour and this victory ensures he has won at least one singles crown every year for the past 19 years.
Rafael Nadal was playing his first tournament since August after injury. He dominated the game and put the youngster under serious pressure from the start. However, Cressy had a set point in the tiebreak but could not convert it. Then in the next set, Nadal didn’t give him any chances and won the game in straight sets. Nadal said that, while he was not in perfect shape, he was happy with his form so far.
“Exactly where I would like to be is being 100 percent healthy from last year, playing until the end of the season, and not having come back after five, six months away from the competition. So of course I am not exactly the place that I want to be. But I am very happy. If we put everything together and analyze all the things that I went through the last five months, including the Covid, of course, I am happy. The only thing that I need is to stay healthy and spend time on the court, in official matches.” he added
Rafael Nadal will be aiming to break the record for most Grand Slam singles titles at the Australian Open starting this month. He is currently tied on 20 titles with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. But with Federer injured and Djokovic’s presence still in doubt because of visa issues, Nadal has a chance to go one ahead of his rivals.