Nadal raised an aggressive match and frequently went up to the net
In official matches, the Manacorí remains undefeated against Ruud
norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud won this Sunday for the first time against Spanish Rafael Nadal in an exhibition match in Quito that ended with two sets to zero (4-6 and 4-6), and where both athletes strove to please the Ecuadorian public.
before some 12,000 spectators who practically filled the Rumiñahui Coliseum, in QuitoNadal and Ruud offered a show worthy of the current number two and three in the world, respectively, in the ATP ranking.
While this victory will not count Ruud within the official records, The Norwegian can already say that he has been able to prevail over the Mallorcan tennis player before an audience delivered to see his rival, the only winner in the history of tennis of 22 ‘Grand Slam’ titles.
In official matches, Nadal remains unbeaten against Ruud after winning the 2022 Roland Garros final and, recently, at the ATP Masters Cup, held in Turin (Italy).
The Nordic seemed to adapt better to the conditions of the ultra-fast track that had been prepared for the occasion, with a synthetic ground that became even faster and more electric with the altitude of the Ecuadorian capital, located at 2,800 meters above sea level.
With these conditions, Ruud knew how to take advantage of his powerful serves and won many points with his forehand by taking Rafa to the bottom and to the limits of the track.
While, The tennis player from Manacor was looking to make the court short and go up to the net very frequentlywhich gave good results and Ruud rarely knew how to damage him at close range.
Nevertheless, the height made him miss several winners that normally he does not fail, and that here they left him off the track, something unusual for him.
“It has been difficult to play at altitude, but I promise to return to improve”, Nadal said at the end of the match.
“It has been an unforgettable experience. I was able to see the center of Quito this morning and the reception has been spectacular. It’s an awesome city,” she added.
There were also pleasant moments, when Nadal took a child out of the audience to play a point against Ruud and the constant inattention of the ball boys that the Spanish took with philosophy and humor.
The Norwegian took the two sets by breaking serve in each of them and not lose his at any time, which made him a champion of the KIA Quito Bicentennial Cup.
This party is part of uNadal’s exhibition tour of Latin America which already took him in previous days to Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile and Belo Horizonte (Brazil), while after Quito he will go to Bogotá and Mexico City.
In Buenos Aires and Belo Horizonte he also faced Ruud, whom he won on both occasions and whom he will be measured again in Bogota and Mexico Citywhile in Santiago de Chile the athlete from Manacor beat the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo.