The Spaniard claimed his first victory over a top-20 opponent since 2022.
Rafael Nadal avenged his defeat to Alex de Minaur from Barcelona with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over the Australian on Saturday to extend his stay in Madrid on his final appearance at his home tournament but admitted he still "needs time" to return to his competitive peak.The pair traded breaks once more before entering a tiebreak, which Nadal sped to a 6-2 lead.
Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a surprise second round exit at the hands of world number 118 Thiago Monteiro in Madrid on Saturday, while Iga Swiatek cruised into the last 16 on a rainy day at the Caja Magica.Through to the third round in Madrid for the second time in three appearances, the top seed will face Jordan Thompson or Pavel Kotov for a place in the last 16.