Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs LIVE: Tennis result and latest updates as Spaniard battles through at Italian Open

Rafael Nadal battled past Belgian underdog Zizou Bergs to reach the second round of the Italian Open.

The Spaniard continued his preparation for the French Open later this month with a hard-fought victory in Rome, taking the decider to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory having fallen behind to an impressive Bergs. While clunky to start, Nadal warmed to his work and showed real stamina to outlast the 24-year-old, setting up a meeting with Hubert Hurkacz.

The 14-time Roland Garros champion has said he expects to retire after this season after he spent most of last year nursing a hip issue that required surgery but a muscle tear in Brisbane stalled his comeback in January.

The 37-year-old returned to the tour last month as the clay swing begun and he got valuable match practice in Barcelona and Madrid, with the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome this week a third straight tournament in which to test himself.

The 22-time grand slam winner will now hope to get more sets in his legs ahead of a potential farewell to the French Open, which begins in Paris on 26 May.

Follow all the action from the Italian Open in our blog below:

Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs - live updates

• Rafael Nadal beats Zizou Bergs in three sets to progress to the second round of the Italian Open

• Belgian qualifier Bergs took the opening set 6-4

• Nadal answered 6-3 to force a deciding set before sealing victory

• Nadal is gearing up for the French Open at Roland Garros, which begins at the end of May

• The Spaniard returned from injury to compete in Barcelona and Madrid last month in his final season before retirement

Rafael Nadal embraces ‘challenge’ of returning to regular playing schedule

15:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Rafael Nadal said he is encouraged by his steady progress after returning from injury last month, as the 14-time French Open champion continues his preparation for Roland Garros at this week’s Rome Masters.

Nadal, who has said he expects to retire after this season, spent most of last year nursing a hip issue that required surgery, before a muscle tear in Brisbane stalled his comeback in January.

The 37-year-old returned to the tour during the clay swing for tournaments in Barcelona and Madrid, and is fit enough to play his third event in a row in Rome.

Rafael Nadal embraces ‘challenge’ of returning to regular playing schedule

Rafael Nadal through to second round

15:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Nadal will have to be much better than that if he is to go deep in Rome, but for a player so used to blowing away opponents like Zizou Bergs on clay, a battling win and plenty of time on court may not be the worst thing. A clash with Hubert Hurkacz should offer a better gauge of where his level is - surprisingly, the pair are yet to meet on tour.

Rafael Nadal on advancing to second round in Rome

15:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The heavens have opened in Rome, meaning there is a short delay before the broadcaster is able to collar Rafael Nadal for a chat beneath a brolly.

Here he is: “That was not my best match, I was practicing better than I played, but I found a way to win. That’s so important at the beginning of a tournament. My game is more unpredictable than before, I haven’t played much tennis for the last two years. I think I can do much better than today and I hope to in the next round.

“It’s always emotional to play in these sort of events. The crowd have always been amazing with me, supporting me since the beginning. I’m super excited to be able to play one more time here.”

Nadal will face Hubert Hurkacz, the seventh seed, next in Rome.

Rafael Nadal beats Zizou Bergs to progress to second round!

15:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle

There it is! Rafael Nadal seals a battling victory in Rome, putting away Zizou Bergs (4-6, 6-3, 6-4) in a hard-fought contest to progress to the second round of the Italian Open.

It wasn’t Nadal at his best, but a performance of serious stamina suggests the Spaniard is in good nick as he gears up for Roland Garros.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 6-3, 5-4 Zizou Bergs

15:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Zizou Bergs stays alive. The intensity seems to have dipped a little from the Belgian as we near the three-hour mark in this back-and-forth encounter, but he ensures that he’ll force Nadal to serve victory out.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 5-3 Zizou Bergs*

15:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Rafael Nadal is in a battle here, but he’s just about finding enough. He falls to 0-30 but is soon pumping his fist in celebration, drawing an errant backhand block before rifling a forehand winner. A slap into the net and it’s 5-3.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 6-3, 4-3 Zizou Bergs

15:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An impressive service game from Zizou Bergs, finding the outside of the line to seal it as the chair umpire overrules his line judge.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 4-2 Zizou Bergs*

14:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The concession of three exceptionally soft points by Rafael Nadal gives Zizou Bergs a serious sniff of breaking back. But Nadal tightens his game up and Bergs falters, punching a couple of groundstrokes long to cede control.

Gutsy stuff from the Spaniard. Bergs slaps his heel in frustration.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 6-3, 3-2 Zizou Bergs

14:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Zizou Bergs sweeps the clay away with his foot like an angry archeaologist unhappy with his find, a foot fault and a net cord clip leading to a double fault to grant Rafael Nadal a break point. Thankfully for the Rome surface, the Belgian saves it, and eventually fights to a hold.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 3-1 Zizou Bergs*

14:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Here comes Rafa. He’s into his flow now, fluent forehands and backhands used interchangably to create the angles needed to play his opponent out of each point. A hold to 15.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 6-3, 2-1 Zizou Bergs

14:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Nadal breaks! Classic clay court fare from the Spaniard, biding his time before unleashing that fabulous, fierce forehand. Zizou Bergs tries his best to cling on but is eventually shaken out of the game as Nadal starts to turn the screw.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 1-1 Zizou Bergs*

14:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Lovely court manipulation from Nadal enables him to hold, popping a winner past a stranded Zizou Bergs.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 0-1 (30-15) Zizou Bergs

14:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A moment of concern for Rafael Nadal as he takes a tumble mid-rally, but he rolls back to his feet in one movement...and wins the point! Briliant! What agility from the veteran, bouncing around like a teenager again and having the coolness and calm to finish it with a disguised drop shot.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 6-3, 0-1 Zizou Bergs

14:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Nothing to overly concern the Belgian in the first few skirmishes of the decider, up to 40-0 in good time. But a forehand volley on the approach slides wide before Nadal pushes Bergs off balance.

What a shot that is, though! Nadal appears to have fought back to deuce as a check volley drops towards the floor, but Bergs contorts his wrist around it and curls it inside the tramlines. Remarkable - and just the sort of shot he might need if he is to pull off a famous victory.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 0-0 Zizou Bergs*

14:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Zizou Bergs disappears between sets, apparently requesting some caffeine with his energy levels perhaps just sagging. He’s matched Rafael Nadal blow-for-blow for long periods of this match - but a decider against a man with so much experience of taking things deep on clay will test his stamina.

Rafael Nadal levels the match!

14:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A break point for Zizou Bergs is passed up, the Belgian overeager to assert himself and thudding a backhand too far.

And Rafael Nadal surges to the set, a magnificent retreating overhead followed by a forehand winner. We’re going to a decider.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 5-3 Zizou Bergs

14:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An enjoyable exchange at the end of Zizou Bergs’ service game, Rafael Nadal pressing the red button to release a howitzer forehand and Bergs answering with a missile of a first serve. Nadal will serve for the set.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 5-2 Zizou Bergs*

14:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A bit of bother for Rafael Nadal at 15-30, a blaring speaker distracted him and forcing a serve errant. The umpire kindly gives it back to him, but Nadal sends it long regardless. His second strike is handy enough, though, and Bergs pats a backhand into the net’s midriff after a mid-length rally.

What a volley! That’s remarkable from Zizou Bergs, shovelling out a winner from down by his left ankle after Nadal had appeared to have swept his legs out with a vicious forehand.

The Belgian can’t capitalise, though - Nadal moves within a game of levelling the set.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 4-2 Zizou Bergs

13:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Rather more comfortable for Bergs on serve.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 4-1 Zizou Bergs*

13:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It was 3-1 in the first, of course, and Zizou Bergs is sticking in there, tugging a third backhand winner of the match out of Nadal’s reach to fight back to deuce.

Advantage is his with another of those guided forehands. A long rally leaves him a couple of chances to put Nadal away but he’s unable to, a ball floating long prompting a roar of “vamos!”

Nadal closes it out.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 3-1 Zizou Bergs

13:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A settler for Bergs, holding with relative ease as Nadal’s forehand malfunctions on a couple of occasions.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 3-0 Zizou Bergs*

13:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Nadal’s into his stride now, a loquacious forehand winner whispering to the net cord as it clears it by centimetres on its way to the corner, before two unreturnable serves.

Rafael Nadal* 4-6, 2-0 Zizou Bergs

13:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Two more points follow in game two before Zizou Bergs finally gets on the board in the set with a well-judged inside-out forehand.

But two break points soon arrive as Nadal emerges from the longest rally of the match with the point. A double fault and the game is his - Rafa is on the charge.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 1-0 Zizou Bergs*

13:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Back into action, and Rafael Nadal needs all of two shots to take the first game of the second set.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 0-0 (40-0) Zizou Bergs

13:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A long delay here while the medical team attend to the stricken individual.

Rafael Nadal 4-6, 0-0 (40-0) Zizou Bergs

13:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Nadal wins the first three points of the set before the players pause while an unwell spectator is attended to right at the top of one of the stands. A water bottle and some medics race up the steps - let us hope that they have just overheated and are soon on the mend.

Zizou Bergs wins opening set 6-4 against Rafael Nadal

13:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Restlessness in the crowd and a cry from Rafael Nadal as he makes his 15th unforced error, the Spaniard seemingly struggling to stay in the sort of rally he has dominated for so long on this surface.

A backhand return is dragged wide. And a flying flicked forehand seals it in style - Zizou Bergs takes the first set 6-4!

Rafael Nadal 4-5 Zizou Bergs*

13:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Now then. A double fault from Nadal concedes 0-30.

And that’s long, too, the Spaniard erring on his forehand.

Three break points: an ace up the centre; but a double fault and the game is Zizou Bergs’! He’ll serve for the opening set.

Rafael Nadal* 4-4 Zizou Bergs

13:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A bit more variety from Zizou Bergs, recognising a chance to seal another game with a delicate drop shot that Rafael Nadal can’t hustle to return. A comfortable hold.

Rafael Nadal 4-3 Zizou Bergs*

12:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A big fist pump from Rafael Nadal as he survives a long, gruelling rally, surging forward but not required to put the point away as Zizou Bergs sends a torpedo up into the galleries.

Rafael Nadal* 3-3 Zizou Bergs

12:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another ill-advised hurry to the net from Zizou Bergs, who is keen to use serve-and-volley as a regular tactic but not quite forcing Nadal on the back foot enough. But otherwise, this is pretty good stuff from the Belgian, showing an ability to slug it out and sealing a hold with a thumping serve that hits a returning Nadal’s racquet and simply drops down at his feet.

Rafael Nadal 3-2 Zizou Bergs*

12:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A chance for Bergs to break back - a couple of meek forehands into the net from Nadal, which come as a surprise after a hard-hitting start to the encounter.

A second serve to attack, too. But no dice, break point saved as the Belgian nets a low forehand scrambling to his right.

Here’s another chance, though, Nadal tame on the backhand this time. And what a way to seize it, a crunching return that the great Spaniard can’t even throw a racket at!

Rafael Nadal* 3-1 Zizou Bergs

12:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Vintage Nadal! A laser beam of a forehand having trapped Zizou Bergs on his backhand side with a series of sledgehammers.

That’s handy, too, Bergs attempting to serve and volley but yorked by a fine return. Three break points...and the second of them is taken!

Rafael Nadal 2-1 Zizou Bergs*

12:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A gorgeous backhand down-the-line drops a foot inside the baseline for Bergs, showing off his shot-making in these early proceedings and not seeming at all overawed to be facing the king of clay. A bunny hop of a bounce just before he strikes sends an attempted repeat of the shot long soon after, though, and a flapped forehand into the net gives Rafael Nadal a second game on serve.

Rafael Nadal* 1-1 Zizou Bergs

12:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That’s a pleasant beginning on serve from Zizou Bergs, though, a booming serve and crisp forehand winner settling him into his work. He has got a good serving game, an upright, powerful strike, though a double fault at 30-0 frustrates the Belgian.

No matter - back in business with an ace. A missed volley but Bergs closes it out.

Rafael Nadal 1-0 Zizou Bergs*

12:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A simple enough start for Rafael Nadal, holding to 15 with a big serve up the centre forcing an error to seal it.

Rafael Nadal* 0-0 Zizou Bergs

12:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A whipped forehand drags Bergs wide, and the Belgian can’t keep his hooked backhand in play. First point to Nadal.

Rafael Nadal* 0-0 Zizou Bergs

12:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right, here we go. Rafael Nadal will serve first.

Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs

12:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A huge cheer for Rafael Nadal as he emerges into the bright Italian sunshine.

Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs

12:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

But the attention will be firmly on Rafael Nadal’s fitness and form ahead of Roland Garros. He’s won this tournament ten times, but even he misses out on the trophy, a deep run here would go a long way towards getting him ready for the cut and thrust of grand slam tennis.

Who is Zizou Bergs?

12:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This is a good chance for Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, with the 24-year-old beginning to threaten the world’s top 100 but still without a really significant win at ATP Tour level. Named, yes, after Zinedine Zidane (or to be more specific a football training drill his father used to complete tagged with the Frenchman’s nickname), the Belgian is coming off some encouraging form on the Challenger circuit in Florida, losing in the final in Sarasota to Thanasi Kokkinakis before besting Mitchell Krueger in Tallahassee to defend his title.

Rafael Nadal next up on centre...

12:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

She really had to work to secure victory, saving a set point in the second to take it to a tie break, but that’s a good win, in the end, for Linda Noskova. The Czech teenager, a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open earlier this year, will hope to build on that second round win on a surface that hasn’t necessarily been her favourite so far in a young career.

Noskova departs as the Rome crowd swells in anticipation for the arrival of Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal embraces ‘challenge’ of returning to regular playing schedule

11:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Rafael Nadal said he is encouraged by his steady progress after returning from injury last month, as the 14-time French Open champion continues his preparation for Roland Garros at this week’s Rome Masters.

Nadal, who has said he expects to retire after this season, spent most of last year nursing a hip issue that required surgery, before a muscle tear in Brisbane stalled his comeback in January.

The 37-year-old returned to the tour during the clay swing for tournaments in Barcelona and Madrid, and is fit enough to play his third event in a row in Rome.

Rafael Nadal embraces ‘challenge’ of returning to regular playing schedule

Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs

11:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Yes, Rafael Nadal is gearing up for another Roland-Garros title tilt this week in Rome, with the Spaniard due seconod on centre court at the conclusion of the match between Linda Noskova and Lucrezia Stefanini. Noskova took the first set but is finding it tough to put a battling Stefanini, on home soil, away - it’s 5-5 in the second.

Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs

11:43 , Luke Baker

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs from the Italian Open.

Nadal is on the comeback trail from injury in his final season before retirement and continues his preparation for the French Open this week in Rome.

Stick with us for full live coverage