VIDEO: Eugenie Bouchard Looks on as Rafael Nadal Has His First Practice Session on Arthur Ashe

It is difficult to imagine that Rafael Nadal will be playing at the US Open for the first time since his title-winning run in 2019. With the legendary Spaniard back on the court, preparing for the last Grand Slam of the season, the eyes of the entire tennis world are on the 22-time Grand Slam Champion, and Canadian star, Eugenie Bouchard was no exception as she recently shared a picture of Rafa on her social media account.

Back in 2019, Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev three years back in the summit clash to win his fourth US Open title. However, his injuries have kept him away from participating in the tournament since. Nonetheless, the former World Number 1 will return to Flushing Meadows this year with an eye on capturing his 23rd Grand Slam title.

Rafael Nadal hits the courts at the US Open

The 36-year-old arrived in New York early owing to his disappointing campaign at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, where he lost to Borna Coric in the round of 32. However, Nadal hasn’t wasted any time as he took to the courts at the US Open. The Spaniard recently practiced at the Arthur Ashe stadium.

Subsequently, Eugenie Bouchard took to Instagram to share a glimpse of Nadal’s practice session. She posted a picture of Nadal practicing on one of her Instagram stories.

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Further, Nadal also shared a picture from his training session on his official Instagram handle. He said, “First practice on Ashe… focus!”

With Novak Djokovic’s participation at the US Open this year unclear, Nadal will be the favorite to clinch the title in Flushing Meadows. However, he will receive a stern challenge from the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Nadal’s disappointing comeback

The Spanish legend didn’t have an ideal comeback this time around, as he lost in the second round of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. The eventual champion, Borna Coric, won against Nadal in a three-set thriller and later defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the summit clash to clinch the title in Cincinnati.

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Nonetheless, Nadal is infamous for delivering top performances when it matters the most. Moreover, he also has a chance to move to the top of the ATP rankings if he digs deep in the US Open.