WATCH: Zinedine Zidane, King of Spain Felipe VI in Madrid Open stands as they witness Rafael Nadal play for ‘most probably’ the final time in home

Rafael Nadal earned his 408th ATP Masters 1000 clay victory of his career.

WATCH: Zinedine Zidane, King of Spain Felipe VI in Madrid Open stands as they witness Rafael Nadal play for ‘most probably’ the final time in home

King of Spain Felipe VI, Zinedine Zidane and Vinicius Jr. showed up for Rafael Nadal epic (Via Imago/screengrab X)

Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane and King Felipe VI of Spain were spotted in the stands at Caja Majica, eagerly watching Rafael Nadal face off against Alex de Minaur in the third round of the Madrid Open. This came shortly after their previous encounter at the Barcelona Open, just a few days ago.

The ‘final’ Madrid Open of Nadal has caught the attention of stars and legends in other sports. Roger Federer’s retirement in 2022 was heartfelt, but Nadal’s seems to be more of a battle after just returning from injury. The Spaniard had returned to the Barcelona Open after over two months away. He won his first-round tie but fell short to a ferocious de Minaur in the second round.

Nadal, who was at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday to watch the El Classico (Real Madrid vs. Barcelona) is a big fan of Real Madrid. It was not a surprise that French legend Zidane was in the stands. Zidane sat alongside his wife, Veronique, while Brazilian star Vinicius Jr. sat behind them.

FS Video

It was not the first time that King Felipe VI was in attendance to watch Nadal play at the Madrid Open. He was in the Caja Majica in 2022 to watch Carlos Alcaraz play Rafael Nadal in what was the best match of the tournament. For most of the match, the King was seen giving an ovation to both stars.

The match between Nadal and de Minaur certainly lived up to expectations, captivating the crowd with its intensity. Nadal emerged victorious in two sets, prompting a resounding ovation from both King Felipe VI and Zidane in the stands.

Rafael Nadal beats Alex de Minaur to reach the third round of the Madrid Open

Rafael Nadal beat Alex de Minaur 7-6(6), 6-3 earning his first Top 20 win since November 2022. The Spanish maestro showcased his beautiful forehand display as he revenged his Barcelona loss in an hour and 17 minutes.

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal (Via Imago)

The victory was Nadal’s 408th in the ATP Masters 1000 clay tournament. He denied de Minaur the chance of achieving a feat that only Novak Djokovic has done. Djokovic remains the only player to beat Nadal in back-to-back clay tournaments (Madrid and Rome) in 2011.

Nadal will now face World No.91 Pedro Cachin in the third round on Monday. The Argentine defeated 20th seed Frances Tiafoe in the second round 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 to earn a place in the Round of 32.

In case you missed it: