Well, Rafael Nadal is out of the Madrid Open, having enjoyed an admirable run to reach the Round of 16 before falling to Jiri Lehecka’s inspired tennis.
The 22-year-old was favoured by the conditions ahead of the clash, and he would utilise them well to dominate throughout.
His legendary opponent did not break his service once as Nadal had predicted, and in the end, that proved pivotal.
However, it still marks an important week for Nadal regarding his fitness, as he has proven to himself that his body is still capable of competing across a hectic schedule.
That was, despite having to try and overcome something ‘almost impossible’ against the Czech Republic player.
Rafael Nadal reviews his Madrid Open loss
Speaking after his spirited defeat against the big-serving Lehecka, Nadal was rather frank in his assessment of the match.
That was, despite the emotional send-off that the organisers at the Madrid Open had planned, complete with banners, a video and a trophy regailing his five wins at the event.
However, given how his opponent was playing, it always felt like this might have been a step too far for the 37-year-old, who had already endured an arduous week filled with far more tennis than he has played in the last few years.
He summed up the match by telling Tennis TV: ‘For a long period of time it was my best first set, my best tennis since I came back in Barcelona. My forehand starts to move around the way that I need. I am very pleased.
‘Yesterday having a long match for me and the opponent played unbelievable, his serve was huge. But even more here in Madrid with the altitude makes the returns almost impossible but I had my chances in the first set, I was super happy with the way I was able to react after a three hours match yesterday so my body held up.’
Rafael Nadal needs one thing if he is to compete at Roland Garros
Whilst he has held his own in almost every match he has played since his comeback last month, there is one outstanding deficiency that should surprise no one.
After all, you do not lose the technical quality that he possesses, but during his prime years, it was his raw physicality that few could compete with.
Able to make the most unbelievable shots when he seemed dead and buried, he always had his unrelenting work ethic to fall back on should things have been failing him.
However, it has become abundantly clear that, should the match drag on, he now tires quite dramatically.
Against Lehecka, even if he had won that second set, there never really felt like he had any chance of a comeback, with that third set almost certain to be too much.
And even the match before, he showcased a notable drop-off against Pedro Cachin from the first and second set.
With Roland Garros just less than a month away now, he needs to build up his fitness in preparation for five-set matches, or else face an early exit.
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