Rafael Nadal urges caution ahead of Madrid Open campaign: "The goal is to finish the tournament alive"

Rafael Nadal has urged caution as he laid bare his goal for the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open campaign.

Nadal, a five-time Madrid Open winner, returned to action at the Barcelona Open earlier this month after spending several months out with a hip injury he sustained at the Brisbane International in early January.

The Spaniard's Barcelona Open campaign started brightly as he outclassed Flavio Cobolli in the first round. However, his run in Barcelona was cut short in the second round by Alex de Minaur.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner is set to face 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch in the first round of the Madrid Open on Thursday, April 25. Ahead of his encounter with the youngster, Nadal told the press what he wants to accomplish in the prestigious ATP Masters 1000 tournament in the Spanish capital.

Rafael Nadal asserted that his "goal is to finish the tournament alive". Nadal also pointed to the ever-changing dynamics of sport to stress his need to compete to change his poor run of luck with injuries since the beginning of 2023.

"The goal is to finish the tournament alive, in physical terms. Madrid has given me everything, so... we'll see. In sport things can change very quickly. If I'm not there to try to make it change, the change won't happen. But I'm here giving myself a chance, to see if I find better feelings," Nadal said.

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"It hurts me" - Rafael Nadal after second-round loss to Alex de Minaur at the Barcelona Open

Rafael Nadal in action against Alex de Minaur at the 2024 Barcelona Open

Following his 5-7, 1-6 defeat to Alex de Minaur in Barcelona, Nadal told the press that he is not in a position to compete in long matches. While the Spaniard, for the most part, managed to keep pace with de Minaur in the first set, he was no match for the Australian in the second.

"Losing the first set, I couldn't fight for the match and it was over. I play with what I have and there are moments that don't matter. Nowadays, I can't afford to play a three-hour game," Nadal said.

The former World No. 1 also admitted to feeling hurt by the defeat, as it was his last outing at the Barcelona Open, a tournament he has won 12 times.

"Everything has a beginning and an end, and it is not a drama. It hurts me because I would have liked to fight for the tournament, for what is to come. The 6-1 in the second set is what had to happen today," Nadal added.

Rafael Nadal can set up another clash against de Minaur at the Madrid Open if he gets past his first-round opponent, Blanch.