After a tough victory over Argentine Pedro Cachín at the Madrid Open, Rafael Nadal acknowledged that his level is “more unpredictable” than it used to be.

After battling injuries all year, Rafael Nadal defeated Cachín 6-1 6-7(5-7) 6-3 on Monday in three hours and four minutes, displaying potential to revive his career before the French Open next month.

After battling injuries all year, Rafael Nadal defeated Cachín 6-1 6-7(5-7) 6-3 on Monday in three hours and four minutes, displaying potential to revive his career before the French Open next month.

The Spaniard, who has won a record five titles in Madrid, has only played in three ATP Tour events this year, and this is the first time he has advanced to the fourth round of an event since 2022.

Following the match on Monday, Rafael Nadal told reporters, “I cannot predict what’s going to happen tomorrow, what can happen tomorrow, or what level I’m going to show tomorrow.”

“I’m more unpredictable than what I used to be …
Nobody knows what can happen during the night and how I wake up [Tuesday] morning and that’s the truth.”

When the two met at the net, world No. 91 Cachín said that playing against Nadal had been a “dream” and asked to keep his opponent’s towel or shirt.

Prior to their departure from the court, the 22-time grand slam champion dutifully gave Cachín one of his purple t-shirts.

The emotional moment occurred at the conclusion of a close match in which Nadal had won the first set with relative ease and then had to contend with a comeback in the second.

After a double break, he recovered and saved two set points, but Cachín tied the match in a tie-break.

But the 37-year-old showed his power in the decisive set and won easily—it was the first time he had played more than two sets of tennis since the beginning of January.

Nadal, who defeated world No. 10 Alex de Minaur in the second round, will play Jiří Lehečka of the Czech Republic on Tuesday in the round of 16.