"I need to prove myself I'm able to push my body to the limit... I need to lose this fear" - Rafael Nadal on his readiness ahead of French Open 2024

Rafael Nadal started his 2024 Italian Open campaign on a winning note, taking down Zizou Bergs in the first round on Thursday. Despite losing the first set, the Spaniard bounced back with a characteristic display of determination to seal the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in his favor and secure passage to the next round.

At his press conference afterward, the former World No. 1 spoke about his display on the night as well as his readiness for the upcoming French Open. Nadal opined that it is time for him to test his body in the coming days, especially to see if he can push it to the limit and find out whether he can handle the rigors of the game at the highest level.

The Mallorcan admitted that there were some moments during his win over Bergs that he was holding himself back, adding that it is a fear he needs to lose if he wants to go toe-to-toe against the best at Roland Garros and in Rome this fortnight.

"I have Roland Garros in just two weeks and a half, so... Arrive a moment that I need to prove myself if I am able to push my body to the limit that I need to push to feel myself ready for what's coming. I am not talking only about Roland Garros. I am talking about the next match," Rafael Nadal said.

"I need to lose this fear. Matches like today help. Some moments I was moving faster. Some moments not. I need to get used to that, to take that risk. It's a moment to me that happen. If something wrong happens, we going to accept it. But that's the moment to push. I feel more ready to try it than before," he added.

Rafael Nadal further noted that while he did not believe he played well against Bergs in his Italian Open opener, he took a lot of positives from the match and, therefore, hopes to build on that stability in the upcoming matches.

"I see it like a very positive today. Even if I didn't play well, that for me was a little bit in some ways surprising, in another hand not surprising because I didn't play much tennis for almost two years," Rafael Nadal said.

"I need to accept that my level, it's a little bit more on and off. It's not like used to be that was very stable everything. I need to find this stability again. Matches like today helps, no?" he added.

"I am feeling the ball much better on the practice sessions than what I felt in Barcelona and in Madrid" - Rafael Nadal

Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2024 - Day Four

Rafael Nadal acknowledged the improvement he has shown as the clay season progressed this season, stating that he found himself playing better in his practice sessions at the Italian Open as compared to the Barcelona Open and the Madrid Open before that.

The 22-time Grand Slam, more importantly, stated his belief that he is capable of playing even better, and hopes to get there sooner rather than later.

"I felt myself before the match ready to play at the good level of tennis because I am feeling the ball much better on the practice sessions than what I felt in Barcelona and in Madrid," Rafael Nadal said at his press conference.

"I feel myself closer to show something probably much more positive that what I showed since the day of today. Then I need to do it. That's a different story," he added.

Up next, the 37-year-old will take on seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz for a spot in the third round of the Italian Open.