ATP Madrid 2021 day 5 HIGHLIGHTS: Rafa Nadal got the quarters!

Rafael Nadal qualified for the quarter-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open 2021, thanks to the victory in in straights sets for 6-3 6-3 against Alexei Popyrin. The Australian wasted three consecutive break points that would have allowed him to extend 2-0 in the first set.

Instead, ahead 4-1 and serve, the 20 Grand Slam champion hit a bad drop shot and broke the serve for the first time. The Australian's last blast in the first set, and in the whole game in general, came in the eighth game, but Nadal was good at recovering from 0-30 and extinguishing his opponent's enthusiasm.

In the second set, there was only one player on the pitch, the same player who is considered by all to be the king of clay-courts. Now Rafa, in the quarters, will meet Alexander Zverev, who defeated Daniel Evans.

Dominic Thiem beat Alex De Minaur, while John Isner eliminated Andrey Rublev. Daniil Medvedev lost his match to Cristian Garin in three sets. Bad performance by Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek tennis player did not affect the most important moments of the game and suffered the solidity of Casper Ruud.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3vOXy2y