Rafael Nadal's return from injury was halted by Alex de Minaur as the 12-time champion bid farewell to what will likely be his last Barcelona Open.
The 37-year-old Nadal returned to court on Tuesday for the first time in three months and easily won in straight sets over 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli.
The next day, Nadal lost to world No. 11 De Minaur 7-5, 6-1 in the second round.
Nadal, a 22-time major champion, has indicated he intends to retire in 2024 if he is unable to compete regularly.
The former world No. 1 and current No. 644 has played only five games since January 2023 due to hip and abdominal injuries.
Nadal hopes to be fit enough to return to Roland Garros next month, where he has won 14 times, the most in men's singles.
Facing a player with De Minaur's pedigree is always likely to be a considerable step up and a truer test of his level than against 62nd-ranked Koboli in his return match. .
The 25-year-old Australian tried to test Nadal's movement with a drop shot early in the match, but it proved to be an effective tactic as Nadal took a 2-0 lead and grabbed another break point to make it 3-0. I was able to do that.
However, Nadal held his own and raised his level, producing a number of explosive cross-court backhand winners as he fought back to take a 4-3 lead.
Another backhand winner, this time down the line, pulled de Minaur's string claps, giving Nadal another break point.
This opportunity would have forced Nadal to serve for a set, but de Minaur recovered and won 19 of the next 24 points to take the lead, which lasted more than an hour.
Long absences and day-to-day play meant that Nadal's endurance was constantly tested, especially against opponents known for their athleticism.
De Minaur played smartly in a one-sided second set, breaking Nadal's serve three times and silencing the Barcelona crowd midway through for an impressive victory.
Nadal left the court to a standing ovation and an enthusiastic sendoff, holding his name aloft for what could be the last time.
On the other hand, 2nd place in the British men's ranking is jack draper He reached the quarterfinals of the ATP Tour for the 10th time at the BMW Open in Munich.
The 22-year-old Draper fought back after a rain delay to beat world No. 179 Rudolf Moleker of Germany 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the clay court event.
