"Last three years I didn't put foot on the grass; the most important thing is that I am at Wimbledon 2022 and I won the first match" - Rafael Nadal

Second seed and two-time champion Rafael Nadal began his 2022 Wimbledon Championships campaign with a victory on Centre Court on Tuesday. The Spaniard overcame a tricky test from Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, winning 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in three hours and 36 minutes to advance to the second round.

The 36-year-old won the first two sets with relative ease before the Argentine, who was making his Wimbledon debut, began a mid-match comeback and took the third. Though the Mallorcan found himself a break down in the fourth set, he used his experience to win eleven consecutive points and end Cerundolo’s challenge.

Speaking after the match, Nadal said that he’s happy to be back at Wimbledon after not contesting at the grasscourt Major in the last three years.

“For me, it has been three years without being here, without playing on this amazing surface. So, I am very happy to be back. It's always amazing to play here on this court and I can't thank everyone enough for the support,” Rafael Nadal said.

Besides two exhibition matches at the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic last week, Nadal has not played on grass in three years. His last competitive match on the surface was a semifinal defeat to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2019.

The three-year gap means that Nadal will need time to get back up to speed, and the Spaniard acknowledged the same.

“Yeah [it still takes me time to get used to the surface], it's not a surface that we play very often, especially in my case. Last three years I didn't put foot on the grass court. I know every day is a test and today has been one of these important tests. I knew at the beginning of the tournament, especially under the circumstances that I arrived here, that victory in the first match is the most important thing” Nadal said.

“For me, the most important thing is I am in Wimbledon 2022 and I won the first match,” he added.

Besides his 14th French Open win earlier this month, Nadal has been in the news for his struggles with a chronic foot injury and the new course of treatment he underwent to compete at Wimbledon.

Elaborating on how he felt physically and mentally, the 22-time Major champion said that he was unable to compete in grasscourt events leading upto Wimbledon due to his age.

“It's always that when you play well in Roland Garros, there is not much time in between. I used to remember the old beautiful days when I was playing the final of Roland Garros and the next day I was practising at Queen’s [Club Championships]. My body is not allowing me to do this anymore. I have to take some days off after Roland Garros and, of course, everybody knows that I had to do something on my foot," he added.

Rafael Nadal will face Ricardas Berankis in the second round after the Lithuanian defeated Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

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Rafael Nadal's hunt for a calendar Grand Slam remains alive

Following the defeat of Francisco Cerundolo, Rafael Nadal improved his record for the season to 31-4. Despite struggling with injuries, the 36-year-old has managed to win both the Australian Open and the French Open, keeping alive his quest for a maiden calendar Grand Slam.

The last man to achieve this feat was the legendary Rod Laver in 1969, while the closest anyone has come in recent times was Novak Djokovic, who fell just short last year when he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.

The victory on Centre Court also saw Nadal register his 306th Grand Slam win, taking him level with Martina Navratilova on the all-time list. He remains tied for fourth place, with Federer (369), Serena Williams (365) and Novak Djokovic (328) ahead of him.