June 22, (THEWILL) – In his first match on grass since 2019, Rafael Nadal defeated three-time Major champion, Stanislas Wawrinka, at the Hurlingham Classic in straight sets 6-2 6-3.
Due to a persistent foot condition, Nadal missed Wimbledon last year, but he appeared in good shape on Wednesday afternoon in Fulham, west London, in front of around 1,300 fans.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion expressed satisfaction with his performance and said the Hurlingham matches will be helpful in preparing for Wimbledon, which starts on June 27.
“It has been a while without playing on grass,” he said. “Since 2019 I haven’t been able to play on grass through the tough moments we went through with the pandemic and last year I got injured. So I am excited to be back where we are today. It has always been a pleasure playing here in Hurlingham. It is special to be back.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
