When Rafael Nadal takes the court for his first-round match at the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday, he will be facing a player 21 years younger than him – 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch.
Blanch, an IMG client, received a main-draw wild card for this Masters 1000 tournament. This is not the first time he has faced tough competition, as evidenced by his match against Tomas Machac in Miami where he lost in straight sets. Despite this, Blanch is making a name for himself in the tennis world having trained at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Tennis Academy and currently ranked No. 1,028 in the world.
On the other hand, Nadal is back on the court for his third tournament of the season and second on clay. After a solid performance in Barcelona, where he reached the quarterfinals, Nadal will be looking to continue his momentum in Madrid. Facing an inexperienced opponent like Blanch, Nadal is the clear favorite to come out on top.
Prediction: Nadal to win in straight sets.
