Rafael Nadal recently confessed that he has shown significant improvement in his game since three weeks ago when he was losing to every upcoming player at his own academy.
The Spanish player made it to the fourth round of the Madrid Open for the 18th time after a tough three-set victory over Pedro Cachin from Argentina. This is the first time since the 2022 US Open that Nadal has won three consecutive matches.
Furthermore, the last time he won three matches in a row on clay was during the 2022 French Open. While the possibility of Nadal securing another title in Madrid is currently minimal, the 37-year-old is satisfied with the progress of his body and game within just one month.
Following his victory over Cachin, Nadal expressed his joy at being back on the tour, competing, and winning matches against other professional players. This starkly contrasts with a few weeks ago when he was losing to his students at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.
“Three weeks ago I was losing to every kid at my academy. And now I’m competing again against the players from the ATP circuit and winning matches.”
Nadal is set to face young Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the round of 16. Unlike the first week where he had a day off between matches, the 14-time Roland Garros winner will not have that luxury prior to his match with Lehecka scheduled for Tuesday.
Although Nadal has never played against Lehecka before at any level, he mentioned that he would be surprised if he won the match, according to Portuguese journalist Jose Morgado. Nadal is evaluating his chances, with his health being a crucial factor.
This is his longest tournament run this year, improving his season record to 6-2 with the victory over Cachin. He aims to reach the quarterfinals in Madrid for the 10th consecutive time.
