Rafael Nadal said losing two straight matches was hardly the ideal preparation for his Australian Open title defense, but the world No. 2 believes he had no reason to feel alarmed ahead of the season's first Grand Slam starting in two weeks.
Following an injury-ravaged 2022, Nadal lost his United Cup mixed team event opener to Briton Cameron Norrie last week, and Spain's 22-time Grand Slam champion then fell to Australian Alex de Minaur, who claimed a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 win on Monday.
But Nadal, who needed pain-numbing injections on his foot en route to the French Open title and pulled out of his Wimbledon semifinal with an abdominal injury last year, said there were still positives despite his shaky start to the new season.