Having survived the 3-hour thriller, R. Nadal fulfilled the opponent’s unconventional request | Sports

The 37-year-old veteran defeated Argentine tennis player Pedro Cachina (ATP-91) 6:1, 6:7(5), 6:3 in the third round after a dramatic 3-hour battle.

The Argentinian, who gave a very serious challenge to one of the greatest tennis masters of all time, had an unusual request after the match.

“You made my dream come true, thank you. I’m not sure what the protocol is, but can I have your jersey?” Cachin asked as he shook Rafa’s hand at the net.

“Yes, of course I will. Best of luck to you,” said the master of cards without hesitation, soon handing the opponent a memorable gift.

This victory allowed R. Nadal to extend his impressive streak of victories on clay against opponents outside the top 50. During his entire career, the Spaniard won as many as 162 times and lost the only time – in 2013 in Chile to another Argentinian, Horacio Zeballos.

“I’m enjoying the moment. I’m feeling good right now, but we’ll see how I feel tomorrow morning. I try to keep dreaming, but I dream carefully. Playing in front of this amazing crowd means everything to me,” Nadal revealed.

On Tuesday, Rafa will return to center court in Madrid, where he will look to reach a 10th straight quarter-final. His opponent in the round of 16 will be the Czech Jiri Lehečka (ATP-31).