Rafael Nadal moves effortlessly into the second round and teaches a 16-year-old talent a lesson in the process. His next opponent is much more dangerous for the Spaniard
The Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has won the generational duel at the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid and moved into the second round without any problems. The 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner clearly won his opening match against 16-year-old Darwin Blanch from the USA 6:1, 6:0.
The age difference of exactly 21 years and 117 days between Nadal and Blanch was the biggest ever between two opponents at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Nadal predicted a “great future” for Blanch afterwards, but this time the young American “made mistakes that I was able to take advantage of”. Nadal showed his greater experience and class against the overtaxed teenager right from the start. Just how fit the 37-year-old really is after a long injury break will only be proven in the round of the best 64. The Australian number ten seed Alex de Minaur, who inflicted a painful second-round defeat on Nadal at the comeback tournament in Barcelona the previous week, will be waiting there
Nadal back in Paris?
His performance on clay in Madrid is also likely to have a major influence on Nadal’s decision as to whether or not he will compete at the French Open, which begins in a month’s time. “I won’t play in Paris if I feel like I did today,” the 14-time French Open winner said on Wednesday, causing a stir. Nadal, who has been repeatedly set back by injuries, wants to end his career in 2024.
His opening opponent Blanch, who made his debut on the ATP Tour just a few weeks ago at the tournament in Miami, admitted before the biggest match of his career to date: “I’m very excited and, of course, a little nervous.” And that’s how the wild card holder played in the end
Out for Hanfmann and Maria
Yannick Hanfmann also suffered a first-round exit. The 32-year-old from Weinheim was beaten 4:6, 6:7 (3:7) by Jakub Mensik from the Czech Republic. Germany’s best tennis player Alexander Zverev will enter the competition on Friday against the Croatian Borna Coric after a walk-through in round one.
The women’s singles competition will now take place without German participation. Tennis player Tatjana Maria (36) was eliminated after losing 3:6, 1:6 to Viktoria Azarenka from Belarus. Laura Siegemund, who had fought her way through two successful qualifying rounds to secure a place in the main draw, had already been eliminated by Croatia’s Donna Vekic on Wednesday. Former world number one Angelique Kerber is skipping the tournament after contracting the virus and does not want to return until Rome.
