Rafael Nadal advances to round 3
Rafael Nadal defeated American prospect Darwin Blanch and successfully advanced to the second round of the Madrid Open. 6-0, 6-One. In his next match, Nadal faced Alex de Minaur, the Australian of the tournament. 10The 7th seed in what promises to be a challenging tournament. Just two weeks ago, De Minaur beat Nadal at the Barcelona Open. 7-5, 6-One A scoreline that initially suggested the Spanish champions might struggle in Madrid.
The central court was packed to capacity, energized by the unexpected appearance of King Felipe. VI. The enthusiastic support seemed to sway De Minaur, and Nadal, boosted by his home advantage, showcased his legendary skill and experience to secure his victory.
The first set was closely contested, with both players trading service breaks and forcing a tiebreaker. Nadal started strong in the tiebreaker but de Minaur fought back to save three set points. But the Australian ultimately faltered, handing the set to Nadal with a double fault.
In the second set, Nadal took the early lead by breaking De Minaur’s serve. His calm play and strategic approach allowed him to maintain the upper hand and secure the set and the match.
The win marked a major milestone in Nadal’s comeback and delighted the Madrid crowd, who were now looking forward to at least one more thrilling match from the tennis icon.
Seeds work as expected
Most of the top seeds continue to progress smoothly through the tournament. The likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev and Ben Shelton have moved forward comfortably.
Casper Ruud is also doing well, in contrast to his early exit last year. His recent performances in qualifying for Monte Carlo and Barcelona suggest he is ready for success in Madrid.
However, the tournament saw some confusion. Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro’s early elimination of Stefanos Tsitsipas was shocking. Tsitsipas may have struggled in back-to-back finals in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. Another surprise was the departure of Grigor Dimitrov at the hands of Czech talent Jakub Mensik. Despite Dimitrov’s strong form and high seeding, Mensik won in three sets. 6-2, 6-7, 6-three.
