Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain, ATP Masters 1000, 2019

[tented]

DATE: May 5-12, 2019
SURFACE: Clay
PRIZE MONEY: €6,536,160
FIELD SIZE: 56
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Alexander Zverev

About Madrid

Madrid is the capital of Spain and its most populous city, located on a high plane, at 667m (2,188 ft). The population of the city is almost 3.2 million with a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.5 million. It is the third-largest city in the EU, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-largest in the European Union after London and Paris. It's a sports town, home to not only the storied Real Madrid, but Atlético Madrid, a great football rivalry, and one of the most beautiful bull rings in Spain. It's wonderful picture gallery, The Prado, is one of the greatest museums in the world. But Madrid is best taken in by neighborhoods, small restaurants or tapas places. It wears its sense of World Capital lightly, and can still feel like a rather small city, if you know where to go.

 

[tented]

The Draw:

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Crappy draw for the Canucks to have each other and the winner plays Rafa.
I can see Roger making the quarters but he is not getting past Thiem.
This is a loaded draw.

 

[Federberg]

I'm not sure Roger can get past Gasquet on clay mate. Frankly I'm not bothered at all. I wouldn't complain if his dalliance on the dirt is mercifully short

 

[Federberg]

I'm really hoping FAA takes out Shapo. I want to see him play Rafa. That would be something to see

 

[herios]

I'm really hoping FAA takes out Shapo. I want to see him play Rafa. That would be something to see

Felix has better results on clay than Denis. He is the favorite in that match, IMO.

 

[Federberg]

Felix has better results on clay than Denis. He is the favorite in that match, IMO.

agreed

 

[don_fabio]

Nadal has a good draw considering that Thiem is on another side. Also his nemesis Fognini ended up for a possible R3 battle against Dominator. I don't think Nadal would like to see Don Fabio in R3 after that loss in MC.

Would like to see my countryman Coric go against the Zverev and winning that one.

Can Wawrinka finally make a good run maybe to QF against Nadal?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Crappy draw for the Canucks to have each other and the winner plays Rafa.
I can see Roger making the quarters but he is not getting past Thiem.
This is a loaded draw.

Well, Roger might have to play Fokina in R2 (Roger's opening match) and this kid is on an upswing.

As for Thiem, I agree with you that Roger won't get past Thiem. However, there is a chance that Fog might beat Thiem before that.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Well, Roger might have to play Fokina in R2 (Roger's opening match) and this kid is on an upswing.

As for Thiem, I agree with you that Roger won't get past Thiem. However, there is a chance that Fog might beat Thiem before that.

Whine..whine ..whine before the first ball is struck

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Whine..whine ..whine before the first ball is struck

I am not whining. I am ok with Roger going out early.

I would consider Roger's clay season successful, if he can get out of it without any major injuries.
Anything more is just a pleasant bonus.

 

[Moxie]

The Federer/Thiem portion is the toughest. Rafa doesn't have it too hard. Will be interesting to see how Djokovic comes out after a lay-off. He doesn't have the hardest road to hoe. Del Potro is unlikely to come strong out of the gate, and will probably cave early to Lajovic or Djere. Also Cilic is likely to lose early. Maybe face Schwartzman and Struff.

 

[Moxie]

Can Wawrinka finally make a good run maybe to QF against Nadal?

Wawrinka is likely to see Medvedev/Pella, then Nishikori, if he gets past them. I don't like his chances of getting that far, and if he does get to Nadal, I don't think he beats him. As a Nadal fan, I'd worry more about Medvedev. I think Wawrinka is mostly done.

 

[mrzz]

I agree with GSM, Fokina Davidovitch is a tricky opener for Federer. At current form, however (even if Federer has not played on clay), I think he completely trounces Gasquet. Agreed that FAA x Nadal would be great.

Thiem x Fognini should be a great, great match. Potential classic, actually. I would say Average Thiem beats Average Fognini almost 90% of the time, but if "peak" Fognini shows up, it would take peak Thiem to beat him (in that case I think Thiem wins 60 to 70% of the time). Problem is that peak Fognini only shows up once in a blue moon.

Anyway, two extremely good R1's:

Schwartzman x Cecchinato
Medvedev x Pella

A few good ones:

Lajovic x Djere (two felow Serbs and pretty good clay courters. Djere has an ATP 500 win on clay, Lajovic a MS final. Go Dusan!)
Gofin x Fucsovics
Munar x Kachanov (Kachanov will have to go back to winning ways the hard way, Munar is a fine clay courter playing at home)
Auger-Auliassime x Shapovalov

And some with good potential, and/or interesting match-ups

Kyrgios x Struff (given the playing styles)
Fognini x Edmund (could be good if Edmund was not on a comeback trail after injury)
Coric x Pouille (would be quite good if Pouille were close to his best)
Ferrer x Bautista-Agut

 

[Moxie]

I agree with GSM, Fokina Davidovitch is a tricky opener for Federer. At current form, however (even if Federer has not played on clay), I think he completely trounces Gasquet. Agreed that FAA x Nadal would be great.

Thiem x Fognini should be a great, great match. Potential classic, actually. I would say Average Thiem beats Average Fognini almost 90% of the time, but if "peak" Fognini shows up, it would take peak Thiem to beat him (in that case I think Thiem wins 60 to 70% of the time). Problem is that peak Fognini only shows up once in a blue moon.

Anyway, two extremely good R1's:

Schwartzman x Cecchinato
Medvedev x Pella

A few good ones:

Lajovic x Djere (two felow Serbs and pretty good clay courters. Djere has an ATP 500 win on clay, Lajovic a MS final. Go Dusan!)
Gofin x Fucsovics
Munar x Kachanov (Kachanov will have to go back to winning ways the hard way, Munar is a fine clay courter playing at home)
Auger-Auliassime x Shapovalov

And some with good potential, and/or interesting match-ups

Kyrgios x Struff (given the playing styles)
Fognini x Edmund (could be good if Edmund was not on a comeback trail after injury)
Coric x Pouille (would be quite good if Pouille were close to his best)
Ferrer x Bautista-Agut

Thanks for the good tips for my draw challenge.

I am noting that a few of the players on offer here are either still playing tomorrow, or played today. I'm trying to factor that into choices.

 

[don_fabio]

Wawrinka is likely to see Medvedev/Pella, then Nishikori, if he gets past them. I don't like his chances of getting that far, and if he does get to Nadal, I don't think he beats him. As a Nadal fan, I'd worry more about Medvedev. I think Wawrinka is mostly done.

At the moment Medvedev is a much bigger danger for Nadal than Wawrinka considering the consistency and fast Madrid conditions. I also don't think that Wawrinka can hurt Nadal especially on clay.

However, I have a hard time accepting that Wawrinka will never come back somewhere close to his previous '15-'16 level. I'm a bit of a romantic and would love to see some more of that one handed backhand beauty destroying opponents, so I have to continue dreaming that he still has a spark of brilliance left in him.

 

[herios]

I'm not sure Roger can get past Gasquet on clay mate. Frankly I'm not bothered at all. I wouldn't complain if his dalliance on the dirt is mercifully short

Gasquet is coming back from surgery. He should not be dangerous at this stage.

 

[herios]

First match in the main draw completed, Struff beat Kyrgios 7-6, 6-4.

 

[kskate2]

Dude even tried an underhanded serve. Bye bye Nicky.

 

[herios]

Dude even tried an underhanded serve. Bye bye Nicky.

He will never grow up