Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts during his 2021 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament singles quarter-final match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev at the Caja Magica in Madrid on May 7, 2021. (Photo by AFP)

Rafael Nadal has crashed out of the Madrid Open after a straight sets defeat at the hands of Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals.

Nadal, who is a 5-time winner at the event, started on the front foot and took a 4-2 lead, but Zverev roared back to break him twice, before claiming the set 6-4.

The German then powered ahead in the second, breaking Nadal’s serve again and served it out on his first match point to seal a career-first win on clay against the Spaniard. He will next take on 3rd seed Dominic Thiem.