April 26, (THEWILL) – Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, made a dominant start at the Madrid Open on Thursday, thrashing 16-year-old American wildcard Darwin Blanch 6-1, 6-0 in the first round. The Spaniard will next face 10th seed Alex de Minaur of Australia.
The 37-year-old broke Blanch’s serve in the second game before wrapping up the opening set in just 28 minutes on the clay courts of Madrid. Nadal maintained his ruthless form in the second set, handing out a masterclass to the teenage debutant who is still searching for his first tour-level win.
With an age gap of 21 years and 117 days between the two opponents, it marked the biggest differential at an ATP Masters 1000 event. Blanch struggled with unforced errors, committing 27 in a lopsided encounter that was only his second ATP main draw match.
“I tried to be solid without taking too many risks,” said Nadal afterwards. “Today, he was making mistakes. I’m happy to get through and wish him the best.” The Mallorcan now has a record 57 wins in Madrid, a tournament he has won five times previously.
Nadal will face a sterner test against De Minaur on Saturday after the Australian defeated him last week in Barcelona. The Spaniard is playing his second event since returning from injury in January.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
