Madrid Open 2024: Rafael Nadal vs Darwin Blanch; Preview, Head-to-Head, Prediction

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is all set to make his second appearance ever since he found his way back at the European clay court season. After ending up in the second round on his run for the Barcelona Open title, the tennis star looks forward to making another attempt, starting with a showdown against Darwin Blanch.

The 16-year-old American, who recently started his ATP tour journey with a match at the Miami Open, also looks forward to seeking glory against the ‘King of Clay’. But who among the two is more likely to move ahead in the tournament? Let’s find out!

Rafael Nadal vs Darwin Blanch: Preview

As the Mutua Madrid Open will soon be done with the qualifying rounds, the fans will witness a headline match this Wednesday. Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is set to face off against American wild card Darwin Blanch, who is just 16 years old. Nadal, having 22 Grand Slams under his belt, is also a five-time champion at the tournament in Madrid.

On the other hand, Blanch has only played one ATP Tour match so far and is relatively new to the professional circuit. As Blanch found out that he was set to face Nadal in the opening match, his reaction came out to be both funny and justified. Posting a Snapchat selfie with Nadal, he expressed his surprise, saying, “Guys I play Nadal wtf.” This will be Blanch’s second ATP Tour match after making his debut at the Miami Open last month, where he also competed as a wild card.

Nadal vs Blanch: Head-to-head

Looking at the head-to-head stats between Rafael Nadal and Darwin Blanch, the score remains zero as the American has just recently started his journey as a professional player on the ATP circuit.

However, the match still stands to be worthy as Nadal has recently healed himself from an injury that made him stay away from the scenes for a long time. Now that he is finally back on the clay courts, the fate of his last year as a professional player remains to be determined.

Prediction: Nadal to win in straight sets

Both Rafael Nadal and Darwin Blanch have had a close number of ATP Tour matches this season. Looking at Nadal’s limited presence, the tennis star recently made a strong return at the Barcelona Open. He impressed fans with his classic style but faced a tough loss to Alex de Minaur in the second round. Despite that, Nadal’s presence in Barcelona boosted him up 132 places in the rankings to 512, allowing him to enter the Madrid Open using a protected ranking.

Nadal’s history at the Madrid Open remains impressive, having won it a record five times before. On the other hand, Blanch has only played one ATP Tour match before, which also ended in a straight-set defeat. Therefore, it’s likely that Nadal will secure a straight-set victory in their upcoming match, setting up a rematch against Alex De Minaur.