Tennis - ATP 500 - Barcelona Open - Real Club de Tennis Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain - April 25, 2021 Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates with the trophy after winning the Barcelona Open against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas REUTERS/Albert Gea
(Reuters) - World number two Rafa Nadal said his gruelling 6-4 6-7(6) 7-5 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Barcelona Open final on Sunday could prepare him for long battles ahead in the European claycourt season.
The 34-year-old, who claimed a record-extending 12th Barcelona title, suffered a back injury in Melbourne earlier this year before he was beaten by Tsitsipas in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Get 30% off with our ads free Premium Plan!
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
