Rafael Nadal continued his French Open preparation by fighting back from a set down to beat Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs in the opening round of the Italian Open in Rome.

The former world number one, a 10-time champion in the Italian capital, won 4-6 6-3 6-4.

Nadal, 37, has indicated he plans to retire after the 2024 season.

Although not at his best, the Spaniard said he “found a way to win” on his favoured clay surface as he builds up to what is expected to be his final appearance at the French Open later this month.

“My game is more unpredictable than before, I haven’t played much tennis for two years but I think I can do better than that,” Nadal added.

Having made his return from a three-month injury absence at the Barcelona Open in April, Nadal reached the last 16 of the Madrid Open last week before falling to Czech player Jiri Lehecka.

In Italy, Nadal got off to a tough start on the surface he has so long favoured.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion broke for 3-1 in the opening set but Bergs, ranked 108 in the world, immediately cancelled out the advantage before a double fault gifted the 24-year-old the break and he served out the set.

But, after a medical emergency in the crowd halted play one game into the second set, Nadal looked much more comfortable.

He quickly raced to a 3-0 lead and this time kept his composure, unleashing a forehand winner and fist pumping towards the crowd as he levelled the match.

Nadal once again broke early in the third set before overturning a 40-0 deficit and saving three break points to move 4-2 ahead.

A powerful forehand winner eventually secured the win and booked Nadal’s place in the second round, where he will face Polish world number nine Hubert Hurkacz.

“I have Roland Garros in just two weeks and a half,” said Nadal. “I need to prove myself if I am able to push my body to the limit, 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. 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. I feel more ready to try it than before.”

Britain’s Jack Draper also made it through to the second round with a 7-5 6-1 win against Croatia’s Borna Coric.

Draper served eight aces and did not face any break points as he also hit 22 winners in the win to set up a second round match against defending champion Daniil Medvedev.

Fellow Briton Dan Evans faces Italian Fabio Fognini in Rome.

Everton boss Sean Dyche says planning for next season is difficult due to the uncertainty over the club’s takeover.

Miami-based investment group 777 agreed to buy a 94% stake in the club in September 2023 but the deal is yet to be ratified.

The Premier League have set four conditions to green light the deal but 777 has suffered financial strife in the past month that has threatened the takeover.

“Ever since I got here I have been trying to manage a situation when the goalposts move significantly at any given time,” said Dyche.

“That’s the shifting sands at this football club, currently. I’ve said many times you want to put a base into the football club to build from and it’s not quite there yet.”

Everton were docked a total of eight points by the Premier League this season following breaches of the division’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

The Toffees were initially hit with a 10-point deduction for the first charge but that was reduced to six on appeal, while their appeal for the second four-point charge is set to be heard within the next fortnight.

Everton secured their Premier League status with a 1-0 win against Brentford on 27 April, which provided some much-needed certainty at the club as Dyche looks head to the summer transfer window.

Dyche confirmed the club are assessing transfer targets ahead of the window opening, while owner Farhad Moshiri can sign off contract renewals before any prospective takeover is completed.

“We’re having to manage different situations the best we can,” he said.

Dyche said the club must “keep moving forward” regardless of off-field issues.

Everton host Sheffield United on Saturday in their final home game of the season, before travelling to Arsenal on the last day on 19 May.

Scotland fly-half Finn Russell will start for Bath against Newcastle on Friday after recovering from a “significant” groin problem which has kept him out for the past five weeks.

The 31-year-old sustained the injury during Bath’s Investec Champions Cup defeat by Exeter on 6 April.

Russell will start for Bath at number 10 alongside Ben Spencer at scrum-half when the team travels to bottom-of-the-league Falcons, for the first of their final two regular-season Premiership matches.

Bath are third in the table, one point behind Saracens in second and five points off leaders Northampton, as they aim to secure a top-four spot and place in the play-offs.

Russell’s Scotland team-mate Cameron Redpath will also start in the centre for the first time since recovering from an ankle ligament injury.

Props Tom Dunn and Thomas du Toit also come into the front row, to complete four changes to Bath’s starting XV from the defeat by Saracens in their last outing.