The Spaniard, 2nd in the world, held a set before giving up 7-6 (7/3), 6-1.

"He was aggressive, lined up the huge serves, hit all the balls (...) I had less time than him to do what I wanted on the strikes", commented Nadal, estimating for his part to be a victim of his lack of competition in recent months.

"After all, it's normal for it to happen like this after the five months I've been there," he said.

He dropped out before his semi-final at Wimbledon in July due to an abdominal injury and has since played only three tournaments: Cincinnati (entry elimination), US Open (beaten in the round of 16) and Paris (beaten input).

"But even if it's normal, that doesn't prevent me from being very disappointed, that I think I can do better in the tournament," he added.

Lack of confidence

The Majorcan claims to play much better in training than in competition because, precisely, he lacks competition and the confidence that comes from winning matches.

The man with 22 Grand Slam titles, who has never won the Masters despite two finals, held until the tie-break in the first set, but he immediately gave his opponent the advantage in the deciding game by committing a double fault and never returned.

Rafael Nadal at the end of the season Masters in Turin, November 13, 2022 MARCO BERTORELLO AFP

In the second set, Fritz made the break twice.

The second, he still benefited from a double fault from Nadal, on the fifth break point of the game, to break away 5-1.

In the process, the American concluded on his face-off, without having had to defend the slightest break point in the whole match.

"I had a decent first set, but in the second, I'm very disappointed with the second break. The first, it's fine, it can happen, but the second, no", regretted Nadal.

The 36-year-old Spaniard is now back to the wall and will have to beat his two other opponents in the Green group, Casper Ruud (4th) and Félix Auger-Aliassime (6th), if he wants to go to the semi-finals.

Ruud wins

Ruud made his entry with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 win over Auger-Aliassime.

"It's a great victory, welcomed the Norwegian. I knew that against Félix, who had an incredible series in recent weeks (16 consecutive victories, with three titles at stake in as many weeks, until his defeat in the semi-finals at the Masters 1000 in Paris, editor's note), if I was not able to play at my best level, I would be swept away."

The Norwegian Casper Ruud winner of the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime in Turin, November 13, 2022 Marco BERTORELLO AFP

FAA, in addition to his magnificent series, is also the player with the most indoor wins this season (27 before the start of the Masters).

But it was the Norwegian who added a third victory in two sets in as many games against the Canadian, who had won their first duel on the ATP circuit (in 2019), but who was making his debut in the Masters tournament.

"In recent weeks, even months, when I was playing well I was going back much better than that," analyzed the 22-year-old Canadian, the youngest of the eight participants present in Turin.

Like Nadal, he must win his next two games against the Spaniard and Fritz, if he wants to join the last four.

For Ruud, this first victory takes a weight off his shoulders, even if a duel is looming against Nadal who beat him in the final at Roland-Garros.

"I am happy that this next match (against Nadal) will not be played on the Philippe-Chatrier in the Roland-Garros final because he is unbeatable there", joked the Norwegian who believes in his chances against the Spaniard indoors in end of the season, in a tournament and under conditions where "he has already been beaten".

© 2022 AFP