2025 ATP General News

[El Dude]

This is a pretty big win for him, I think. Reaching and losing in the Indian Wells final was both good and bad: good because he was playing well and he reached the final; bad because he lost (again) when he was generally considered the favorite. Then he went out in the R64 of the next two Masters.

Winning this title and beating Alcaraz feels larger than just an ATP 500. It tells him that the improvement he showed at IW is not only real but repeatable. I think there's a good chance he's going to be a lot more confident and consistent going forward.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This is a pretty big win for him, I think. Reaching and losing in the Indian Wells final was both good and bad: good because he was playing well and he reached the final; bad because he lost (again) when he was generally considered the favorite. Then he went out in the R64 of the next two Masters.

Winning this title and beating Alcaraz feels larger than just an ATP 500. It tells him that the improvement he showed at IW is not only real but repeatable. I think there's a good chance he's going to be a lot more confident and consistent going forward.

I hope so, consistency is the key going forward, his game suits all surfaces, he has the talent we have all seen that in the past.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

News just in,
Alcaraz will have a MRI tomorrow to decide if he will play Madrid " right psoas muscle/, adductor muscle
Alcaraz has no points to defend till RG, I hope he dosent push himself to play in Madrid.
( source marca/com/tennis)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Zverev with a much needed title ( Munich) since the AO final. We'll see how this sets him up for Madrid and Rome before Roland Garros

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

A final thought before we head to Madrid, Rafa's record of 10 Monte Carlo - Barcelona doubles is a record that probably wont be broken ( well not in my life time anyway

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

In my opinion, Barcelona should be bumped up to a Masters 1000, and Madrid should be downgraded to a 500.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In my opinion, Barcelona should be bumped up to a Masters 1000, and Madrid should be downgraded to a 500.

In my opinion we should scrap Madrid all together both Miami and Madrid are IMG owned and are up for sale at present.
Madrid really has no bearing at all in preparation for Roland Garros, though Barcelona, I dont think it has the capacity to hold a Masters 1000 tournament

 

[mrzz]

I was impressed with Rune today, to be honest. I knew he could generate pace, but what struck me was the he was able to hit deeper than Alcaraz himself! He was consistently pushing Carlos a step or two behind the base line. I mean, they were obviously doing this to each other, but he was getting the upper hand more often than not, and that was something I surely did not expect. Let's see if he can keep that up.


And, by the way, talking about his...

View attachment 10036

Ok, we're getting there. Baby steps, but getting there.

 

[mrzz]

Everybody hates Madrid (and hate is a beautiful thing, don't get me wrong), but I like it a lot.

First, I think people exaggerate massively the effects of the altitude. It is a real, of course, but it is not like we are playing at 3000 meters. It is 700 meters if I am not mistaken. It speeds things up, for sure, but it is not like that we are suddenly playing in a fast court. Tennis has this nice variation from court to court, place to place, it is just a bit more of that.

Second, that big, wide and deep center court. I really love tennis played on those large spaces. It gives another dimension (literally speaking) to the game. I keep waiting for that round the post shot all the time.

Third, I hate all the world for failing to see how great the blue clay experience was. IMO, the whole word just put their ostrich personality, buried their heads in the sand saying "no, no, let us keep old clay", and could not see how nice that was for the viewing experience (and I include players on that). By the way, before anyone says anything about risk of injuries (as people were talking about at the time, citing that it was slippery), data simply does not back that up. I took notice at the time, very few if none players were injured at that tournament, while we had a few in Monte Carlo and Rome in that same year, just for the sake of comparison.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Everybody hates Madrid (and hate is a beautiful thing, don't get me wrong), but I like it a lot.

First, I think people exaggerate massively the effects of the altitude. It is a real, of course, but it is not like we are playing at 3000 meters. It is 700 meters if I am not mistaken. It speeds things up, for sure, but it is not like that we are suddenly playing in a fast court. Tennis has this nice variation from court to court, place to place, it is just a bit more of that.

Second, that big, wide and deep center court. I really love tennis played on those large spaces. It gives another dimension (literally speaking) to the game. I keep waiting for that round the post shot all the time.

Third, I hate all the world for failing to see how great the blue clay experience was. IMO, the whole word just put their ostrich personality, buried their heads in the sand saying "no, no, let us keep old clay", and could not see how nice that was for the viewing experience (and I include players on that). By the way, before anyone says anything about risk of injuries (as people were talking about at the time, citing that it was slippery), data simply does not back that up. I took notice at the time, very few if none players were injured at that tournament, while we had a few in Monte Carlo and Rome in that same year, just for the sake of comparison.

We will have to agree to disagree! L'argilla Blu Non E Vera Argilla! translation Blue Clay Is Not Real Clay it has no bearing at all for players and their aspirations for Roma which is true fast clay surface, where I grew up and then onto Roland Garros which is a medium to slow surface depending on the weather conditions. Madrid to me is a very 'cold city' I much prefer Barcelona and the people there seem more friendly to me as well.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

We will have to agree to disagree! L'argilla Blu Non E Vera Argilla! translation Blue Clay Is Not Real Clay it has no bearing at all for players and their aspirations for Roma which is true fast clay surface, where I grew up and then onto Roland Garros which is a medium to slow surface depending on the weather conditions. Madrid to me is a very 'cold city' I much prefer Barcelona and the people there seem more friendly to me as well.

I still love you mrzz, regardless of blue clay

 

[mrzz]

We will have to agree to disagree! L'argilla Blu Non E Vera Argilla! translation Blue Clay Is Not Real Clay it has no bearing at all for players and their aspirations for Roma which is true fast clay surface, where I grew up and then onto Roland Garros which is a medium to slow surface depending on the weather conditions. Madrid to me is a very 'cold city' I much prefer Barcelona and the people there seem more friendly to me as well.

Parlo italiano, amica mia! Tutti queste "z" chi vedi in mio username provengono del mio nome... ce ne ho ancora alcuni di riserva!

Well (switching back to English), the friendly folk in Barcelona are spraying tourists with water or worst. I wonder what people are doing in Madrid then... putting tourists in a bull ring?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Parlo italiano, amica mia! Tutti queste "z" chi vedi in mio username provengono del mio nome... ce ne ho ancora alcuni di riserva!

Well (switching back to English), the friendly folk in Barcelona are spraying tourists with water or worst. I wonder what people are doing in Madrid then... putting tourists in a bull ring?

Tourists in a bull ring in Madrid LOL! give me spraying of water any day
Well one thing I am looking forward to is seeing how Fonseca handles Madrid

 

[Moxie]

I must jump in here and defend Madrid, as a city. @MargaretMcAleer, it is not in the least "cold," nor are the people. If anything, the Catalans of Barcelona are much more insular. Madrid is a fantastic city. It's just not on the sea.

That said, the reasons that some of us object to Madrid as a tune-up for RG is that it's not a deep clay court. It's a light layer of clay over concrete. That, combined with the altitude, makes the court play very differently to other clay courts. My other objection to it is that it is, or was, owned by Tiriac, who forced the tournament on everyone, and often forced Rafa to play it, even when he should have skipped. Tiriac is a bully.

@mrzz, you make good arguments for why you like it. I actually thought the blue clay looked beautiful, and on TV it made it very easy to see the ball. But if the players said it was slippery, I think you have to believe them.

 

[Moxie]

Zverev with a much needed title ( Munich) since the AO final. We'll see how this sets him up for Madrid and Rome before Roland Garros

Sascha won a title he absolutely had to, let's be honest, given it was home turf, and he was facing an American in the final. (First time in ages?) He still comes into the rest of the clay season hardly convincingly. He's got to raise his game and his hunger up by more than a notch, IMO.

 

[Jelenafan]

If anything, the Catalans of Barcelona are much more insular. Madrid is a fantastic city. It's just not on the sea.

Oh my.

Absolutely.

if anything Madrilenos per my anecdotal experience are hospitable and gregarious.

 

[mrzz]

But if the players said it was slippery, I think you have to believe them.

You know I am tough nut to crack, my friend (just like... you!). I believe them, half of me does so, at least. But I also really believe what I said, that people, once they decide that they like (or don't like) something, even before they actually try it, they will find/invent reasons to do so...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sascha won a title he absolutely had to, let's be honest, given it was home turf, and he was facing an American in the final. (First time in ages?) He still comes into the rest of the clay season hardly convincingly. He's got to raise his game and his hunger up by more than a notch, IMO.

Settle okay lol! I just pointed out he finally won a title, since the AO, I am not declaring him a favorite for RG at all lol! your quick to jump down my throat? help me!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I must jump in here and defend Madrid, as a city. @MargaretMcAleer, it is not in the least "cold," nor are the people. If anything, the Catalans of Barcelona are much more insular. Madrid is a fantastic city. It's just not on the sea.

That said, the reasons that some of us object to Madrid as a tune-up for RG is that it's not a deep clay court. It's a light layer of clay over concrete. That, combined with the altitude, makes the court play very differently to other clay courts. My other objection to it is that it is, or was, owned by Tiriac, who forced the tournament on everyone, and often forced Rafa to play it, even when he should have skipped. Tiriac is a bully.

@mrzz, you make good arguments for why you like it. I actually thought the blue clay looked beautiful, and on TV it made it very easy to see the ball. But if the players said it was slippery, I think you have to believe them.

We will have to disagree on Madrid, I found it a cold city and the people I much prefer Barcelona for the people food and art

 

[Moxie]

You know I am tough nut to crack, my friend (just like... you!). I believe them, half of me does so, at least. But I also really believe what I said, that people, once they decide that they like (or don't like) something, even before they actually try it, they will find/invent reasons to do so...

I'm pretty sure they had played on it when they said that.