Veteran Rafael Nadal rolled back the years with a dominant straight-set victory over Alex de Minaur at the Madrid Open. The 37-year-old Spaniard avenged his recent Barcelona Open defeat to the Australian with a 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 win.
This triumph marks a sweet return to form for Nadal, who is playing his final Madrid Open on clay as he winds down his illustrious career. He’ll face Pedro Cachin next after the Argentine’s win over Frances Tiafoe.
Despite ongoing physical challenges, Nadal remains optimistic: “I’m happy to compete at this level. If my body allows, I’ll see how far I can go.”
Other notable results include comfortable wins for British No. 1 Cameron Norrie and Italian rising star Jannik Sinner. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev recovered from a set down to secure his place in the next round. However, Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered an upset defeat to Thiago Monteiro.
