WATCH: Rafael Nadal's Barcelona Open R1 opponent alerts world of Spaniard's resurgence as he walks away after a crushing defeat

The return of Rafael Nadal was the main talking point in the first round of the 2024 Barcelona Open. Even Nadal's R1 opponent Flavio Cobolli could not contain his excitement after their match as he announced the Spaniard's comeback.

The 37-year-old Nadal made a triumphant return to the tennis court with his 6-2, 6-3 win over Cobolli at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday (April 16). He last played in January 2024 before feeling discomfort in his hip in Brisbane. This was also his first match on clay after 681 days since winning the French Open 2022.

Italy's Flavio Cobolli after his straight-sets defeat to the 22-time Grand Slam champion, was seen talking to the spectators on his way out of the court. Cobolli with a happy face, alerted the world of the Spaniard's resurgence.

He said:

"Rafa is back."

Here you can watch the clip:

The 12-time Barcelona Open winner was at his fluent best against the 62nd-ranked Cobolli. Nadal will next face a tougher opponent, fourth-seeded Alex de Minaur, on the court that is named after him.

While speaking during the post-match interview, Nadal gave his opinion about his comeback.

He said:

"I tried it (Laughs) a lot of times in my career to do that [to come back]. Every time it is more difficult, especially when you advance in age, it's even tougher. Yeah, I'm going through tough moments but I'm able to be on the tour for a few days and practice with the guys and to compete means a lot to me. Still enjoyable enough to keep doing."

"It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times" - Rafael Nadal on Carlos Alcaraz

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Ahead of the Indian Wells Masters in March, Rafael Nadal faced Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match in Las Vegas, which the younger Spaniard won 3-6, 6-4, [14-12].

After their match, Nadal praised the two-time Grand Slam winner and joked that it is a good thing that he will not face Alcaraz more often in the coming days, indicating this might be his last season on tour.

He said:

"It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times."

The southpaw continued by saying Spain is lucky to have a player like Alcaraz, who has a big future ahead of him.

He was quoted as saying:

"As a fan, I will enjoy watching him for many years hopefully! He’s a big challenge. It’s completely different generations. In Spain, we should be very, very happy about having someone like Carlos coming. He’s an amazing player. He’s only 20 years old and he’s already won two Slams and a couple of important tournaments."

Carlos Alcaraz won the Indian Wells Masters 2024 by defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final, whereas Rafael Nadal withdrew from the competition as he felt he was not ready enough.