Zizou Bergs (ATP 108) was not too disappointed on Thursday after his defeat against Rafael Nadal (ATP 305) in the first round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament on clay in Rome. The 24-year-old Limburger, from qualifying, lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 against the legendary 37-year-old Spaniard, ten-time winner of the event, at the end of a great fight lasting 2h53.
“It was a bit unreal,” he said after his defeat. “I told him at the net that it had been a great honor. When I was little, he was my idol. I’m super happy with the way I performed on court. I played to win, I felt good, and I produced convincing tennis. I managed to win the first set, even if he gave me a few gifts. Then he showed flashes of the legendary player he is. I don’t know if I could have made better choices, because I had chances, but in the important moments, all the credit went to him. »
“Taking one last look at the crowd as I left the court, I said to myself, ‘What a match! It was great’. Then I thought about the opportunities again. It hurt a little. Now that didn’t last long. I am also very proud to have created these opportunities for myself. I couldn’t control his outbursts, but my reactions. I managed to remain very consistent throughout the match, which I am happy with. I am not far from opening the door to another dimension. »
