Rafael Nadal’s Madrid Open resurgence continued with a 6-1 6-7(5) 6-3 win over Pedro Cachin on Monday, earning the Spaniard a first Masters 1000 fourth round appearance in two years.
The 37-year-old has now racked up three consecutive wins, his best streak since the US Open in 2022.
He will go on to face No. 30 seed Jiri Lehecka in the last 16 after the 22-year-old edged past Stefanos Tsitsipas’ conqueror, Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
Nadal came out firing as he broke serve in the opening game of the match.
There was no holding back from the 22-time Grand Slam champion as he ripped his heavy topspin forehand and pulled Cachin around the court.
Cachin fended off two break points in the fifth game with forehand winners, but Nadal was not to be denied and broke to lead 4-1 with a winner down the line.
Nadal closed out an impressive set with another break when Cachin sent a forehand long.
Cachin was in firm control of the second set as Nadal seemed to lose focus, the Spaniard making numerous unforced errors which Cachin quickly capitalised on.
The Argentinian raced to a 4-1 lead in the set, with Nadal growing in frustration as he failed to execute shot after shot.
Cachin caught him off guard several times with some deft drop shots, looking like a completely different player compared to his monotone first set.
But Nadal’s frustration turned to aggression and he upped the ante, turning the 4-1 score to 5-5 and saving two set points.
After a pair of double faults and Nadal missing vital shots, Cachin took his sixth game of the set.
Nadal then raced to 40-0 in the ensuing game and the Argentinian shot wide allowing Nadal to force the tie-break – with the elated Madrid crowd standing and applauding the icon.
Cachin took the first three points in the breaker before a netting allowed Nadal back in with his first point.
The contest was scrappy, with a more confident Rafa putting Cachin on the back foot. But Nadal hit the ball wide for Cachin to take the tie-break and the set, prompting a huge celebration from him.
As he has done time and again in his career, Nadal found an extra gear in the decider and looked incredibly impressive, opening with a scorching cross-court forehand.
At 4-2 the clash had been going on for three hours and was still as back and forth as ever, with Nadal netting twice to give Cachin an important game to make it 4-3.
But the veteran saved his best for last and won the next two games in quick succession, no longer making the mistakes he had in the previous few hours.
Victoy was sealed as Nadal outfoxed Cachin, whose shot went long after the pair exchanged drop shots.
Ruud comfortably dispatches Norrie
Brit Cameron Norrie was eliminated from Madrid by world No. 6 Casper Ruud 6-2 6-4.
Ruud wrapped up the first set in just 31 minutes, his serve being broken in the final game of the match, only for Norrie to net and hand the first set over.
The second set was much closer, with the Brit managing to hold his own as momentum changed hands.
At 4-4 Norrie threatened to take control of the tie, but two straight games from Ruud, in which Norrie could barely lay a finger on the Norwegian, saw him advance to the next round.
Ruud will advance to play Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last 16. The Canadian was leading Jakub Mensik 6-1 1-0 on Monday when the Czech was forced to retire in the second set due to injury.