Impressive Nadal beats De Minaur at Madrid Open
Five-time champion Nadal is playing on the Madrid clay for the final time, in what he expects to be the last season of his career.
"Tennis hasn't been the issue, it is more the physical issues. If I am able to play tennis, I will see how far I can go. Step by step, let's see how I recover."
Nadal said this week he will only play at the French Open next month if he feels "capable enough to compete". This performance will give him the belief that he can.
Seeking proof of his readiness before Roland Garros, which starts on 26 May, he delighted his home crowd with a display that certainly suggests he can further extend his Madrid farewell.
Nadal had made the perfect start by claiming an early break of serve, but he had to fight back to force a tie-break after De Minaur won four of the following five games.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner took control of the tie-break, establishing a commanding 6-2 lead, but squandered four set points before prevailing.
