After spending over three hours on the court and securing a tough win, Rafael Nadal felt hopeful again. Nadal faced his most challenging match yet at the Madrid Open, defeating Pedro Cachin 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3 on Monday.
Despite the tough battle, Nadal didn’t show any signs of physical issues, securing a spot in the round of 16 at the clay-court tournament which he had won five times before.
“It’s a good sign. Today, I didn’t feel any discomfort in my body, but I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to be completely sure,” he said. “I’m doing my best to stay positive and keep chasing my dreams. Tomorrow brings new opportunities to compete and play in front of this amazing crowd, which means everything to me.”
Nadal’s next opponent is Jiri Lehecka, ranked 31st. He mentioned the importance of finding a way to maintain his competitiveness over consecutive days.
“I’m not sure if I’m at that stage yet,” the 22-time Grand Slam champion admitted. “Let’s wait and see what tomorrow brings.”
At 37 years old, Nadal is focused on preparing for the French Open next month. Despite concerns about his physical condition, he has managed to win three matches in Madrid following his recent injury layoff.
Nadal started strong against Cachin, but the Argentine fought back in the second set. Despite facing two break points while serving for the set, he managed to win the tiebreaker.
In the final set, Nadal seemed less relaxed and showed signs of tiredness. Although his shots weren’t as consistent, he secured three breaks to clinch the victory, much to the delight of the local fans at the Caja Magica.
“I took more risks in the third set, but it’s tough after being away from competition for so long,” Nadal commented. “It’s been a while since I played a match like this. I’m not sure how I’ll feel tomorrow, but I’m happy to have won three matches in a row.”
After congratulating Nadal at the net, Cachin asked for his shirt as a souvenir, which Nadal happily obliged.
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner didn’t perform at his best but managed to defeat Pavel Kotov 6-2, 7-5. Sinner, who has been dealing with a hip problem, will face 16th-seeded Karen Khachanov in the next round.
“I’ve been struggling a bit with my right hip,” Sinner revealed. “We’re working on finding a solution, and I don’t think it’s anything serious. Some days, like today, I feel it more, while other days are a bit better.”
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev faced a tough challenge against Sebastian Korda but rallied to win 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Fifth-seeded Casper Ruud defeated Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-4.
