Rafael Nadal avoided an early defeat in Madrid. Photo: Reuters
Belgian David Goffin, a veteran fighter on the professional tennis circuit, will take part this Thursday and will eliminate Spanish Rafael Nadal in the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 in Madrid. But not. Ultimately it was 6-3, 5-7 and 7-6 (5) for a long-suffering victory for the Spaniard who in the next round would face the winner of the duel between British Cameron Norrie and the Spaniard. Carlos Alcaraz. Yes, there could be a rivalry of generations in the quarterfinals.
Goffin, 31, saved two match points against the second set and after working out for more than an hour and a half, will soon clinch a massive victory over the former world number one and five -time winner of this tournament – four in them. in the Magic Box.
But Rafa should not give up. It was three hours and ten minutes of a great battle in Madrid brick dust.
Belgian tennis player David Goffin after being defeated by Rafael Nadal in Madrid. Photo: EFE
Nadal’s smile faded after saving four match points and wasting another four. Amazing. Now it is necessary to see if the physical demands Goffin has put on him will have an impact on the next games of the Majorcan, who has not played for six weeks due to a crack in his rib.
Previously, Russian Andrey Rublev defeated British Daniel Evans 7-6 (7) and 7-5 on Thursday to also enter the top eight of the tournament.
Rublev, who defeated Novak Djokovic in the ATP 250 final in Belgrade, will be measured in the quarterfinals along with Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, fourth seed, who defeated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, executioner of Diego Schwartzman, 6-3 and 6-4.
Zverev benefited from Musetti’s retirement. Photo: AFP
German Alexander Zverev, second favorite and current champion of the tournament, also advanced to the next round after the withdrawal of Italian Lorenzo Musetti when the German won 6-3 and 1-0. In the quarterfinals he will face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime who dispatch Italian Jannik Sinner by a convincing 6-1 and 6-2.
The loss of Andy Murray due to illness, in addition, caused Novak Djokovic, number one in the world, to advance to the quarterfinals very early without playing, where he will face Polish Hubert Hurkacz, who won this Thursday. of rivalry against the Serbian. Dusan Lajovic for 7-5 and 6-3.
Source: Clarin
