Rafa Nadal’s fairytale in Madrid ends here. The native champion of Manacor had to surrender in the last minute today’s round of 16 of the Spanish Masters1000 to Czech Jiri Lehecka (n.31 ATP). 7-5 6-4 the score in favor of the latter who made the most of his power and athletic freshness in the face of a Rafa who was unable to keep up the pace. It will therefore be Lehecka who will face the Russian in the quarter-finals Daniil Medvedev.
In the first set you can admire the contrast of styles: the Czech’s powerful tennis contrasted with the Spaniard’s variations in rhythm and sharp balls. Nadal takes his turns serving with authority, creating the chance to go ahead by a break in the eighth game. Well done to Lehecka for saving himself, thanks to some excellent winners. In the hot phase of the partial, Tomas Berdych’s pupil showed a decidedly appreciable repertoire between rebound shots and runs to the net. Some of the latter are decisive for winning the fraction with a score of 7-5.
In the second set the Czech takes advantage of the favorable inertia to put Rafa under pressure and break his serve with a splendid acceleration of his backhand. Lehecka then constructs three counter-break points, but Nadal erases them with the champion’s pride. He does everything Mallorcan to hold on to the challenge, but his serving opponent is inaccessible, combining an unreal average speed (217 km / h) with precision. The Iberian champion’s Madrid adventure ends with a backhand down the line in the corridor, but the Manolo Santana Stadium gives its hero a heartfelt ovation upon his exit from the scene.
Reading the statistics71% of first serves on court and 89% of points won (7 aces) made a big difference in Lehecka’s favor, given the Spaniard’s 68%, often forced to build the point from behind.
