Madrid Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Conqueror Thiago Monteiro Makes Near Impossible Rafael Nadal Wish for a Selfish Reason

Arantxa Sanchez Stadium witnessed a major upset on Saturday! Thiago Monteiro (118) stunned world number 7, Stefanos Tsitsipas with a 6-4,6-4 victory in the second round of the Madrid Open. But the 29-year-old Brazilian didn’t want to stop there. He has already expressed his desire to win a title and reach the Top 50 in the upcoming days. But there’s another wish that he wants to fulfill in his career! Thiago Monteiro wants Rafael Nadal to play for a few more years so that he can play a few matches against him in his career.

Although Monteiro has trained with the tennis stars in the past, he has never played a competitive match against the ‘Big Three.‘ During a recent interview with Punto de Break, the Brazilian was asked to reflect a bit on that. Monteiro made his pro debut in 2011. How does it feel to have not met these greats of the tennis world ever in a competitive match? “I know, I know. For me, it would be a dream come true, of course. Yes, I was able to train with Nadal, Djokovic and Federer, but I never had the opportunity to face them in an official match. I hope Rafa lasts a couple more years,” Thiago Monteiro said.

He further went on to add, “I would love to play against him and have that experience, for me it would be a dream.” After this recent triumph against Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Brazilian is currently oozing confidence. Monteiro said, “It gives me, like, big confidence to know that in a good day, I can play, like, at a high level against these big guys.“ He now wants to utilize this winning momentum and make a deep run into the tournament in Madrid this year.

It’s quite surprising to see that even a week ago, the name that wasn’t very familiar in the tennis world is now on everyone’s lips. That’s the beauty of the game! What does Thiago Monteiro have to say on this?

While Rafael Nadal may be hogging headlines in Madrid, it’s Thiago Monteiro who’s relishing the limelight

Stefanos Tsitsipas was on a 10-1 record on clay before entering into this contest. It wasn’t easy for the Brazilian to outclass the in form player in just two sets. But he kept believing in himself and utilized the conditions better than the Greek tennis star. “For sure one of the biggest wins of my career,” Monteiro’s reaction to his victory against Tsitsipas. Over the years, Thiago Monteiro has faced quite a few ups and downs in his life both on and off the court.

But how does it feel to get all the limelight all of a sudden? “Tennis is like this. One week can change the whole year, the whole plans that you have. You just need to keep working hard and to keep trying to enjoy it, take this opportunity, when it appears,” Monteiro said. How far do you think this left-handed 29-year-old Brazilian can go in the 2024 Madrid Open? Share your thoughts with us in the comment box. Let’s know whether he could really make an entry to the Top 50 in the upcoming years.