Rafael Nadal has secured his spot in the last 16 of the Madrid Open after a grueling battle against Argentina’s Pedro Cachin. Despite dropping a set, the 37-year-old Spaniard prevailed with a 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 victory after three hours and six minutes on court. This marks Nadal’s final appearance on the Madrid clay, as he anticipates this to be the last season of his illustrious career. Up next, Nadal is set to face 30th seed Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the next round, scheduled for Tuesday.
Unfortunately, it was not a favorable outcome for Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who suffered a defeat at the hands of fifth seed Casper Ruud in straight sets. Ruud, fresh off a victory in Barcelona last week, triumphed over Norrie with a 6-2 6-4 win, setting up a clash against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the upcoming round.
In other matches, Italian top seed Jannik Sinner continued his impressive run, securing a 6-2 7-5 victory over Russia’s Pavel Kotov. Despite a tough battle in the second set, Sinner’s resilience paid off as he advanced to the next round, remaining a strong contender for his fourth title of 2024.
Third seed Daniil Medvedev also showcased his resilience, overcoming a set deficit to defeat America’s Sebastian Korda with a scoreline of 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 6-3. Medvedev’s victory sees him progress to the next round of the tournament.
Credit: BBC Sport
