WATCH: Rafael Nadal thrills crowd with stunning overhead backhand winner in ATP Finals opener against Taylor Fritz
Rafael Nadal's first outing in the 2022 ATP Finals didn't go as well as he would have hoped, ending with a 7-6(3), 6-1 loss to Taylor Fritz on Sunday night. But there were still moments to savor for the 22-time Grand Slam champion, and one particular act of brilliance got the crowd to its feet.
Deep in the first set, Nadal and Fritz were involved in a long rally when a backhand from Fritz clipped the net and forced a charging Nadal to rush the net. He then made a forehand forward running pass to stay alive in the point, to which Fritz responded with a lob. The Spaniard then pulled out his famous overhead backhand reverse smash at the net, making a very difficult winner, much to the delight of his team and fans seated in the stands.
What a shot from Rafa! The reverse backhand smash! 🇪🇸🔥🐐 https://t.co/pOLhLUoBOK
The 'Rafa special' came on the first point of the final game before the tie-break with Fritz serving at 5-6. The Spaniard lost the tie-break and thus the first set, after which Fritz built on the momentum and bagged an early break in the second set. On his ATP Finals debut, the American closed out the match by winning five consecutive games in the second set.
A lack of match time once again hurt the Spaniard's chances as he looked far from his best in the 2022 year-end championship opener. This was just his second singles match since his US Open exit, with the previous match coming at the Paris Masters.
Rafael Nadal takes on Felix Auger-Aliassime in a virtual knockout match at ATP Finals 2022
Rafael Nadal faces Felix Auger-Aliassime in his next match at the 2022 ATP Finals in a do-or-die situation for both players. A loss for the Spaniard would certainly come as a decisive knockout blow with regard to qualification for the semifinals, while a loss for Auger-Aliassime would keep the Canadian youngster just about alive in the tournament, but make his semi-final qualification highly improbable.
The 36-year-old reflected on his next match, admitting the challenge posed by a player like Auger-Aliassime as well as the importance of the match on Tuesday afternoon.
"It's a match like a normal tournament already, because the loser will go out of the tournament normally,” the Spaniard said in his post-match press conference after the loss to Fritz. "(I) just accept that I need to do better things. I hope to be ready to make that happen. He finished the season playing unbelievable, winning [three] tournaments in a row, playing so well. Another big challenge."
Nadal and Auger-Aliassime have faced each other twice on tour so far, with the Spaniard having won both of their previous matches, including a five-set epic at this year's French Open.