Tennis-Nadal battles past Bergs in Italian Open first round

Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 9, 2024 Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning his round of 128 match against Belgium's Zizou Bergs REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

(Reuters) - Ten-time champion Rafa Nadal overcame losing the opening set to defeat Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs 4-6 6-3 6-4 and reach the Italian Open second round in Rome on Thursday, as the Spaniard's steady progress continued.

Nadal, who last won the title in Rome in 2021, was given a stiff test by the 24-year-old in a match which lasted almost three hours on centre court, and now faces Polish seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz.