Australian Open 2021 - ''The biggest victory is my back is better' - Nadal serves ominous warning

Updated 13/02/2021 at 23:30 GMT

Rafael Nadal says the biggest victory of the day was that his back was getting better, after seeing of Great Britain's Cameron Norrie in straight sets to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open. Nadal has suffered with a back injury in the first week of the tournament but looks on his way to full fitness heading into the second week.

Rafael Nadal (Australian Open 2021)

Image credit: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal says his 'back is getting better' after beating Great Britain's Cameron Norrie in straight sets to reach last 16.

Nadal has suffered with a back injury during the first week of the tournament in Melbourne, but was pleased to tell reporters that today was the first day that his back was better,

"The back was not getting better each day. It was getting better today," said Nadal, who is tied with Federer on 20 Grand Slam singles titles.

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"This was the first day I feel an improvement, and that's the most important thing for me today, more than any other thing."

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"I need to come back to my normal serving," Nadal, who now faces Italian Fabio Fognini, said. "Of course I was not serving my normal serve for the last 15 days.

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"Today is the first day that I started to serve again my normal serve. So of course I didn't serve bad, but I can do better, I think. And I'm looking forward to do it better."

"The biggest victory is the back is better for the first day."