In a thrilling match at the Madrid Open, Rafael Nadal battled past Argentina’s Pedro Cachin to secure a spot in the last 16. The Spaniard, who is bidding farewell to the Madrid clay in what he anticipates to be his final season, showed his resilience as he overcame Cachin in a hard-fought encounter lasting over three hours.
Despite dropping the second set in a tiebreaker, Nadal showcased his trademark determination to clinch the decider and seal the victory. With his eyes set on a memorable final run in Madrid, Nadal will face Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the next round, aiming to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
However, it was not all good news for British player Cameron Norrie, who bowed out of the tournament after a straight-sets defeat to fifth seed Casper Ruud. Despite a valiant effort, Norrie fell short against the Norwegian, who maintained his momentum after winning in Barcelona last week.
Ruud’s victory sets up an intriguing clash with Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the next round, promising more exciting action in the Madrid Open.
Meanwhile, Italian top seed Jannik Sinner continued his impressive form, securing a straight-sets victory over Russia’s Pavel Kotov. Sinner, eyeing his fourth title of 2024, showcased his dominance on the court, overcoming a tough challenge from Kotov to advance to the next round.
In another thrilling encounter, third seed Daniil Medvedev staged a comeback after dropping the first set to beat America’s Sebastian Korda. Medvedev’s resilience and determination were on full display as he fought back to secure the win and move one step closer to the title in Madrid.