Self-searching for Nadal in Barcelona, after Monte Carlo loss
Rafael Nadal said he won't waste time dwelling on his weekend Monte Carlo semi-final loss but instead will concentrate on bouncing back at the Barcelona Open.
"What has happened has happened, whatever the reasons are," the 11-time Barcelona champion said after a promotional appearance at a mini-tennis event in the Catalan capital on Monday.
"I don't know the future, but I will go back to work. The job is to find myself," Nadal said.
The 17-time Grand Slam winner, who returned at Monte Carlo after a knee injury, put a positive spin on his Saturday setback against eventual tournament winner Fabio Fognini.
"Monte Carlo was a step forward compared to where I was a week earlier," Nadal said.
He was joined at a mini-tennis court set up at an ornate Barcelona classical concert hall by two-time tournament champion Kei Nishikori.
The Spaniard will open his title defence today against Argentinian Leo Mayer, a first-round winner over Marius Copil 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-5.
Nadal called his first light hit-out since Saturday's loss "normal" . - AFP
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