Rafael Nadal crushed Darwin Blanch and advanced in the Madrid Masters 1,000 | tennis today

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Rafael Nadal during the match against the American Darwin Blanch at the Caja Mágica in Madrid.

Photo: AFP – OSCAR DEL POZO

Rafael Nadal’s staging at the Masters 1000 in Madrid was hopeful, comfortable, without any surprises, which facilitated an incontestable victory against a rival for now a minor, the young American Darwin Blanch, a guest of the organization, who never questioned the transfer of the five-time champion towards the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open.

If the winner of twenty-two Grand Slams needed minutes on the court and confidence, he acquired them upon his return as a competitor to the Caja Mágica. He made his return to Madrid, after last year’s absence due to injury, an incontestable process, as reflected by the scoreboard. 6-1 and 6-0. It was an hour and four minutes on the track fueled by good feelings, moments of level and confidence.

On a packed center court, plagued with a visible and expected emotional charge, Nadal felt the heat of a public willing to push the best Spanish athlete ever to the end. To respond with encouragement to possible physical setbacks that may affect the day-to-day life of the Balearic Islands.

🇪🇸 @Rafael Nadal another appointment with Madrid is won.

The Spaniard beats Blanch 6-1, 6-0 in his debut at the Manolo Santana Stadium.#MMOPEN

— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) April 25, 2024

Nobody wants to be part of the public on the last day in Madrid of the Balearic Islands. Hence the effort to prolong the stay of the spirit of the event.

The rival unintentionally contributed to this. Darwin Blanch may be a promising tennis player, but at the age of sixteen, when Manolo Santana took to the court, he showed that he still has a long way to go to be part of the big moments, to question the triumph of high-level players. In fact, the American left-hander arrived at the Caja Mágica as a guest, and with only one professional game on his service record. The first round of the Miami Masters 1000 that he lost to the Czech Tomás Machac.

The meritorious American, a pupil of the Ferrero Tennis Academy, was overwhelmed by the environmental impact in which he was involved. He was unable to hide his nerves and tension, to overcome the impression of having one of the best players in history in front of him, of being surrounded by thousands of spectators and to respond to the impact of the moment.

Twenty-one years and 117 days separate Nadal from Blanch. The Spaniard made his debut in Madrid, at 17, in 2003, on a hard court, in the fall. And he lost to Alex Corretja. He later reigned in Madrid. Both in the Casa de Campo, on hard court, and in the Caja Mágica, on clay.

Now, at 37, he faces his final journey in Madrid in the year of his farewell as a professional. But he soon dispelled the doubts. He did not need to push himself to overcome the first section of the box. Given the inexperience of his opponent, he easily led 3-0 in the first set. The only good signs from his opponent came with the serve. Two straight shots in a row that the Balearic player came back from.

In the fourth the American played the game of honor, aware of his rival’s superiority. More accustomed to minor tournaments, Darwin Blanch found no response to Nadal’s push, becoming more and more comfortable on the court and on a surface at his whim.

There was no more of the American while the Balearic continued doing his thing. Nadal won nine games in a row to complete the victory of the first set and accelerate in the second, which he closed and sentenced in just over an hour.

The five-time champion in Madrid crossed the first stage. Australian Alex de Minaur, with whom he played a week ago, is waiting. The Balearic Islander is rushing to spend as much time as possible in Madrid.

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