Rafael Nadal took a moment to celebrate one of his academy’s brightest prospects as Martín Landaluce delivered a breakout performance at the 2026 Miami Open.
The 20-year-old Spaniard, a product of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, pieced together a remarkable run from qualifying to the quarterfinals of an ATP Masters 1000 event.
Rafael Nadal Praises Martín Landaluce’s Breakout Run at the Miami Open
Landaluce’s rise has been steadily building over the past few years. The Madrid native first caught global attention by lifting the boys’ singles title at the US Open in 2022, a triumph that helped him climb to the No. 1 junior ranking in early 2023.
His transition to the professional circuit has been steady, highlighted by two ATP Challenger titles and his participation in the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah. Central to that journey has been the Rafa Nadal Academy, where Landaluce has trained since childhood, benefiting from a system that has also shaped some of Spain’s brightest talents.
Nadal’s recognition arrived shortly after the run concluded. The Spaniard took to Instagram Stories to repost Landaluce’s Miami farewell message, adding a meaningful note: “Congratulations. Great tournament! On to the next challenges!”
How Martín Landaluce Reached His First Masters 1000 Quarterfinal
His career reached a historic milestone this month in Miami. Entering the tournament as a qualifier ranked World No. 151, Landaluce embarked on a dream run to his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal. His campaign began in the qualifying draw, where he secured his place in the main event with two hard-fought victories.
He first defeated Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, followed by a comeback against Thiago Agustín Tirante, where he rallied from a set down to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. In the opening rounds of the main draw, Landaluce dispatched American Marcos Giron 6-3, 7-6(6), before securing a massive 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4 upset over the 17th seed, Luciano Darderi.
MORE: Martin Landaluce Details ‘Deep’ Rafael Nadal Talks Before Miami Heroics
He then continued his streak in the third round by overwhelming the 14th seed Karen Khachanov with a 6-3, 7-6(2) victory. The peak of his run came in the Round of 16 against Sebastian Korda, the 32nd seed who had just upset Carlos Alcaraz.
After dropping the first set, Landaluce then saved a match point in the second-set tiebreak to eventually prevail 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4. His dream run ultimately ended in the quarterfinals with a 7-6(1), 7-5 loss to 21st seed Jiri Lehecka.
This achievement made him the first player born in 2006 to reach a Masters 1000 quarterfinal, joining an elite list that includes only Nadal and Alcaraz for their respective birth years, and propelled his live ranking to a career-high of World No. 103.
