16-Year-Old Darwin Blanch Draws Rafael Nadal in Madrid Open First Round
American teenager Darwin Blanch, 16, has drawn 22-time Grand Slam singles champion Rafael Nadal in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open. The youngster’s hilarious three-lettered reaction to the draw, “Guys, I play Nadal, wtf,” went viral on social media.
Blanch, who trains at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s academy in Spain alongside Carlos Alcaraz, is ranked No. 10 in juniors and made his tour-level debut at the Miami Open. He lost in the first round to eventual quarterfinalist Tomas Machac.
Despite his limited experience, Blanch has shown promise, reaching the semifinals at M15 events on the ITF World Tennis Tour twice this year. He also reached the semifinals in the boys’ singles event at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2023.
In 2022, Blanch became the second-youngest player to ever earn an ATP ranking point at age 14 years and 5 months. He was born two years after Nadal won his first Roland Garros title in 2005.
The match between Blanch and Nadal will be a significant challenge for the young American. Nadal is one of the greatest players in tennis history and has won the Madrid Open five times. However, Blanch has nothing to lose and will be hoping to make a statement against the legendary Spaniard.
