Rafael Nadal (Photo : Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal will attempt to continue his impressive start at the 2016 Rio Olympics, when the King of Clay battles Italy's Andreas Seppi in the second round of the men's tennis singles category.
After concerns over his form heading into Rio, Nadal shrugged off any of it following a convincing win over Argentina's Federico Delbonis 6-2 6-1. Nadal, who is coming off a left wrist injury that sidelined him for more than two months, admitted he isn't 100 percent yet, but reiterates his eagerness to not miss the Olympic Games after missing the London Olympics back in 2012.
"My wrist is not perfect. My wrist needs more time," Nadal said. "If it was a 'normal' tournament on the circuit, I wouldn't be here."
"There's only one chance every four years to experience an Olympic Games. It's something unforgettable. I missed the last one in London, so I didn't want to miss this one."
Nadal has won six of his seven head-to-head career matches against Seppi, who advanced into the Round of 32 after defeating Ukraine's Ilya Marchenko in three sets. But after the trend of shocking losses at the quadrennial event, which includes Novak Djokovic's stunning defeat against Juan Martin del Potro, Nadal must hope he carry his momentum from his recent match.
On the other end, Djokovic's absence would mean a greater opportunity for Nadal to win his second Olympic Gold Medal. The potential semifinal clash between Djokovic and Nadal at the Olympic Games could have been a major roadblock for the Spaniard's campaign. But with the Serb out of the tournament, there is a clear path for Nadal towards a Tennis Olympic glory in Rio de Janeiro.
Meanwhile, the winner between Nadal and Seppi will get to face Japanese wildcard Yuichi Sugita or France's Gilles Simon in the third round. Sugita beat American Brian Baker 5-7 7-5 6-4, while Simon handled Borna Coric in straight sets 6-4 7-6(1).
Live streaming info and score updates
Watch 2016 Rio Olympics tennis men's singles: Rafael Nadal vs Andreas Seppi live via NBC. Live score updates will be available during game days at ATP World Tour's official website.
