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Darwin, 16, faces Rafael, 37, in his second career ATP match.
Then he reacted like this:
“I’m going to face Nadal, what the hell?”
American tennis talent Darwin Blanch, 16, made his ATP Tour debut last month when he fell to Czech Tomas Machac in the Miami Open.
Now, in the Madrid Open, the promising junior’s second career ATP match awaits.
And it’s not just anyone he’s up against.
Blanch was drawn against one of the world’s all-time best tennis players – 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, 37.
“I’m going to face Nadal, what the hell?”, the 16-year-old wrote on Snapchat, along with a shocked selfie, on Monday after the draw.
Supported by Alcaraz
In an interview with the ATP tour’s own media channel, Blanch describes in more detail the feelings surrounding the draw.
– I am very tense, of course a little nervous. But I’m just very happy to play against Rafa. I’m ready to go out and enjoy every moment, says Blanch.
Although the Miami-born talent now trains in Madrid every day, he expects to have the crowd against him.
– I know that there will be a lot of spectators and that they will be against me. But I’ve always liked playing in front of an audience, says the 16-year-old.
He is also supported by a training colleague ahead of the Madrid Open debut.
– This moment will be very helpful for his career. It was very important for me when I met (Nadal) in 2021 for the first time. I just told him to go out and enjoy himself, says world number three Carlos Alcaraz, 20, who trains at the same academy as Blanch.
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Wasn’t born when Nadal won in 2005
Blanch and Nadal are separated by 21 years and 117 days. Which is the largest age gap ever in an ATP Masters 1000 match since the tournament format was introduced in 1990. A fact that exemplifies the age difference is that Blanch was born two years after Nadal won his first Grand Slam title at the 2005 French Open.
In recent years, Nadal, who is at the end of his career, has been heavily injured. Which means that it could very well be his last ATP appearance at home in Madrid this week.
The question is whether it ends against a 16-year-old already tomorrow (Thursday).
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