Tennis: Rafael Nadal accumulates playing time in Madrid

“Don’t stop me now”, spits the stadium sound system: Rafael Nadal, who is attempting a final return to form at almost 38 years old despite his battered body, reached the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 in Madrid on Monday by continuing a third victory in a row, a first since the summer of 2022.

It took more than three hours for the Spaniard with 22 Grand Slam titles to overcome the Argentinian Pedro Cachin (ATP 91) 6-1 6-7 (5/7) 6-3 in the third round. He will face young Czech Jiri Lehecka (31st) on Tuesday for a place in the quarter-finals.

“We will see in what state I wake up tomorrow (Tuesday). Well, I hope,” “Rafa” fingers crossed.

“I’m really enjoying playing here. All this time that I accumulate on the court this week has very great value for me, both emotionally and tennistically, he added. And I have a new opportunity tomorrow.”

Nadal had not won three matches in a row since the 2022 US Open (defeat in the eighth against the American Frances Tiafoe), roughly the moment from which the physical struggles no longer gave him any respite.

Three matches won in less than a week is as many for Nadal as since the start of 2024 before the Madrid tournament (two in Brisbane, one in Barcelona).

These three consecutive victories also increase his mileage barely a month before Roland-Garros (May 26-June 9), the sacred ground of his fourteen triumphs that he will not tread again, he warned when arriving at Madrid, only if he feels “ready enough”.

In the previous round on Spanish clay, he scored his first victory against a top 20 player since November 2022, defeating world No.11 Alex de Minaur (7-6 (8/6) 6- 3).

Change of atmosphere on Monday for his third appearance this year in the “Caja magica” in Madrid: roof open, sun out for a while, barely a few “Raaafa, Raaafa, Raaafa” timidly raised from the stands, it was no longer much -thing of the temple to the glory of Nadal.

Against an opponent ranked 91st in the world, who had not won a match since October before his improvement in Madrid, Nadal did not have to bring out the heavy artillery in the first set. Patiently constructed points, until finding the fault and accelerating or pushing Cachin to make a mistake, were enough.

Everything got complicated afterwards, when his ball started to hurt less, and the Argentinian found his rhythm.

Trailing 4 games to 1, with a double break behind, Nadal managed to equalize at 5 all after dismissing two set points. When, after a new exchange of breaks, he finally gave in to the decisive game, nailed by a passing on a volley serve that was too daring, and the clock showed 2 hours 12′ of the match, we were worried about his physical ability to hold on to the shock.