17:52
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 5-1
Alcaraz seems to be able to endure the pain and is still playing accordingly, but the injury has already caused a clear break in his game. Nadal is clearly the better man at this stage.
17:47
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 4-1
It goes on! Nadal makes his last point on his own service and makes it 4-1.
17:39
The next break!
The game is interrupted again and again it has a medical background. This time, however, the emergency takes place in the stands, where a doctor was frantically called. What exactly happened is unclear, but in any case, all the best from this office to the person affected!
17:36
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 3-1
Outwardly, Alcaraz doesn’t make an inhibited impression from his body language or anything like that.m However, you can tell in the actions themselves that this injury is still showing its after-effects.
17:32
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 3-1
At first glance it doesn’t look like it. Alcaraz doesn’t move well, he lacks liveliness. Nadal gets the break to zero!
17:31
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 2-1
Tape bandage and painkillers should now be the solution to the problems with the ankle. Can the 19-year-old recover quickly and shake off the health problems?
17:26
Medical timeout!
Carlos Alcaraz needs medical help! The youngster twists his ankle when changing direction. Under the initial shock, he gives a thumbs-up that it can go on. When changing sides, however, it becomes apparent that he needs help from the physio department first.
17:22
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 2-1
That will do Nadal good! The veteran secures a sovereign service game. Nadal keeps throwing in stops, which sometimes work, especially in this service game.
17:19
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 1-1
That’s an exclamation point! Carlos Alcaraz gets the game after 0:40 and equalizes to 1:1.
17:18
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 1-0
And again Alcaraz fends off the breakballs! On the third breakball, he goes into the serve and volley on the second serve, but is rewarded for his bravery. A strong performance by the youngster!
17:16
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 1-0
But the momentum can of course change quickly. Rafael Nadal suddenly has three break points! We remember: This was also the case at the beginning of sentence one. Alcaraz fought back, but then gave up the game anyway.
17:14
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 1-0
Take a deep breath with Rafael Nadal! The Mallorcan, who is known to have major problems with his own serve today, is trembling because of his service. In the end, however, it is now 1-0 in this first set, the way it is played is irrelevant.
17:11
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 0-0
But the 35-year-old’s first service game is hard-fought again. It’s about debut again and again.
17:08
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2-6 0-0
The audience naturally took both players to their hearts. While in the first round you still had the feeling that the underdog received a little more support, the spectators have now clearly sided with Nadal and are trying to help him get back into the game.
17:02
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2:6
In the end it went pretty quickly. Alacaraz serves very confidently and gets the decisive game to win the set with zero.
16:58
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2:5
That could have been it, the preliminary decision in sentence one. Alcaraz defends himself again with high balls, Nadal does not manage to convert them into pressure. In the end, Alcaraz has more staying power here and is 5: 2.
16:57
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2:4
Nadal also has to serve against a possible breakball at 15:30, but is completely caught on the wrong foot by the return from Alcaraz. The youngster follows up boldly and gets the two breakballs!
16:53
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2:4
At 15:30 from his point of view, Alcaraz has the pressure on his side. But the 19-year-old stays cool, serves well and makes it 4-2. So he keeps the break up his sleeve.
16:48
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 2:3
Again no sovereign service game by Nadal, who is lucky that the ball falls just next to the line. In the end, however, he was able to get his service through for the first time and shortened it to 3:4.
16:41
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 1:3
There is reason for the challenger to celebrate even when he serves on his own. Alcaraz gets the 3-1 here with a service winner!
16:37
R Nadal – C Alcaraz 1-2
Viewers are treated to a break festival in the early stages of the game! Again the serve doesn’t come through. At breakball, Alcaraz plays a high ball that Nadal wants to take early on, but hits unclean. The ball lands in the net and the youngster takes the lead again.
16:33
R Nadal 1-1 C Alcaraz
The two “fight” each other early on at eye level. So far it has mainly depended on who finds the better start to the rally. This advantage can often be used up to now.
16:27
R Nadal 1-1 C Alcaraz
Well then, yes! Rafael Nadal gets the break! Because Alcaraz has to go over the second serve twice and even makes a double mistake the second time, it’s now 1-1 here.
16:24
R Nadal 0-1 C Alcaraz
Alcaraz finds his rhythm in time and actually manages to destroy all of the opponent’s opportunities.
16:22
R Nadal 0-1 C Alcaraz
However, it looks like a re-break right here! Alcaraz does not serve optimally and is faced with three breakballs.
16:19
R Nadal 0-1 C Alcaraz
There’s the early break! Alcaraz serves high and Nadal doesn’t manage to build up the pressure as a result. Alcaraz uses this to a strong forehand winner down the line.
16:18
R.Nadal – C.Alcaraz 0-0
There is a first break chance right here in the first game! Nadal actually has the rally under control, but then fires a light forehand into the net.
16:16
R.Nadal – C.Alcaraz 0-0
Nadal starts the game with his own service and can immediately secure the first point. However, Alcaraz quickly has a point on the scoreboard.
15:47
Third match
The Spanish generational duel has already happened twice on the tour. Rafael Nadal came out on top both times. This was last the case in March in Indian Wells, where the Mallorquin won in three sets.
15:33
Shooting star Alcaraz
On the opposite side today is the player who quite a few see as the legitimate successor to the Mallorcan. Exactly one year ago, Carlos Alcaraz, now 19 years old, was number 120 on the court in Madrid. Today he is number nine in the world and will continue to climb next week. The young Spaniard has finally arrived at the top of the world.
15:17
Difficult round of 16
As a big favorite, Rafael Nadal went into the round of 16 with Goffin, but then had more trouble than expected. With 7:6 in the third set he managed a late victory, which also cost a lot of energy. Nadal, who was injured for a long time at the beginning of the year, is now back on a good physical level and would like to do the full program again this week.
15:08
Warm welcome!
Hello and welcome to the ATP tournament in Madrid! The quarter-finals in the Spanish capital are on Friday. The Spanish duel between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, which will meet at 4 p.m., is awaited with excitement.