Rafael Nadal has eased concerns about playing back-to-back matches early in his comeback.
Nadal is set to take on 30th-seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round of the Madrid Open. The match will start at 9:15 p.m. local time, just over 24 hours after his last match.
Nadal defeated World No. 91 Pedro Cachin in a three-hour match on Monday. After a tough second set, Nadal emerged victorious to improve to 59-14 in Madrid.
Despite the quick turnaround, Nadal, who recently returned to competition after a long break, is embracing the challenge.
“That’s tennis. I mean, I cannot have any concern in terms of playing tomorrow again. That’s how the tournament works. I need to find a way to be able to play days in a row and still be competitive. I don’t know if I am in that moment yet.”
“Let’s see what can happen tomorrow. But I’m gonna try. I’m gonna do the things the right way to try to be ready for tomorrow. So I cannot worry at all. Just happy to be on court again tomorrow hopefully. Hope to be ready.”
Nadal’s optimism has grown throughout the tournament. His team has been supportive and believes in his progress both physically and mentally.
