Struggling with a rib injury, Rafael Nadal was forced to skip the start of his beloved clay season. The Spaniard withdrew from Monte Carlo and Barcelona, and he should be back in action in a couple of weeks in Madrid. Rafa lost to Alexander Zverev in the quarter-final in Caja Magica a year ago, failing to reach the clay-court Masters 1000 semi-final for the third straight event!Seeking the first Madrid Open title since 2017, the Spaniard experienced the third consecutive loss against the German and the first on clay. Speaking about the match, Rafa stated that he had the upper hand in th …