Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain, 2023 - Masters 1000

[Moxie]

Madrid with its high altitude is a “wannabe” red clay tourney.

Just to be clear, Madrid is not "high altitude." It's at 2188 feet on average. "High altitude" is considered above 5000 feet. It is high for a tennis tournament, most of which are played at or around sea level, and it does make the balls fly, a bit. The bigger problem is the surface, which is mostly some clay dusted over concrete, as I understand it. Having lived there, I feel a bit protective. Other than tennis, no one would ever talk about the altitude in Madrid. You won't be gasping for air when you visit.

 

[Jelenafan]

Just to be clear, Madrid is not "high altitude." It's at 2188 feet on average. "High altitude" is considered above 5000 feet. It is high for a tennis tournament, most of which are played at or around sea level, and it does make the balls fly, a bit. The bigger problem is the surface, which is mostly some clay dusted over concrete, as I understand it. Having lived there, I feel a bit protective. Other than tennis, no one would ever talk about the altitude in Madrid. You won't be gasping for air when you visit.

You should having to eat dinner Madrileño time…; )

 

[Moxie]

You should having to eat dinner Madrileño time…; )

I still eat like a Madrileña! I just finished dinner an hour ago. Seriously, I heard them doing it on TC again today. "It's 6pm, and people are just coming back from lunch and siesta, and 5 hours to go before dinner!" It's barely an exaggeration. I lived with a perfectly normal middle class family in Spain during my college year abroad, and we ate dinner every night between 11:30pm and midnight. (A light meal. The heavy one was lunch, at 3-3:30pm. Siesta usually finishes at 5-ish. And, for the record, they don't usually sleep, just "chill.") Spaniards do not sleep. I don't know how to explain it.

 

[don_fabio]

I still eat like a Madrileña! I just finished dinner an hour ago. Seriously, I heard them doing it on TC again today. "It's 6pm, and people are just coming back from lunch and siesta, and 5 hours to go before dinner!" It's barely an exaggeration. I lived with a perfectly normal middle class family in Spain during my college year abroad, and we ate dinner every night between 11:30pm and midnight. (A light meal. The heavy one was lunch, at 3-3:30pm. Siesta usually finishes at 5-ish. And, for the record, they don't usually sleep, just "chill.") Spaniards do not sleep. I don't know how to explain it.

That's pretty late eating time. Sunset is also late compared to where I live and we are all in a same time zone, so that's a bit weird for me when I find myself on Iberian Penninsula.

But they take thie Siesta seriously in Spain and in Italy, lot's of shops and restaurants close after 1:30-2pm. In Croatia we also like to rest after lunch which is usually around 1pm, but no one is closing a shop/restaurant, everything is open from the morning to the evening. I admire Spanish and Italians how they approach their early afternoon hours.

Siesta is more about chosing to do nothing and relax as I understand, instead of just lie down and sleep. I can't nap in the afternoon, never did, but my wife can fall asleep even with all the noise around, a good lunch is enough to put her out of service for the next 2 hours

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just to be clear, Madrid is not "high altitude." It's at 2188 feet on average. "High altitude" is considered above 5000 feet. It is high for a tennis tournament, most of which are played at or around sea level, and it does make the balls fly, a bit. The bigger problem is the surface, which is mostly some clay dusted over concrete, as I understand it. Having lived there, I feel a bit protective. Other than tennis, no one would ever talk about the altitude in Madrid. You won't be gasping for air when you visit.

Madrid is still considered 'high altitude' the balls fly though the air quicker than other clay big clay tournaments taking away the advantage of traditional clay courters have on the surface namely their ability to keep their more attacking minded opponents back behind the baseline, or to manoeuvre them with heavy top spin to open the court for a winner, force an error or surprise them with a drop shot, With conditions in Madrid it gives the edge to proficient clay courters with a more aggressive mindset
Other considered 'high altitude' tournaments on the tour are Gstaad and Kitzbuhel..

 

[Kieran]

Can anyone tell me how Lajovic has suddenly become a beast?

 

[don_fabio]

Can anyone tell me how Lajovic has suddenly become a beast?

I guess he is full of confidence right now. FAA also coming after some break, first match on clay against hot opponent. Dutzee said he changed his mentality a bit, he is trying to find positives even if things are not working as he would like and not to get down just because of the lost matches.

 

[Kieran]

I guess he is full of confidence right now. FAA also coming after some break, first match on clay against hot opponent. Dutzee said he changed his mentality a bit, he is trying to find positives even if things are not working as he would like and not to get down just because of the lost matches.

Thanks for that! It is great that he’s blooming now, because the trend with players who are doing okay on the second and third tier is that they fade away, but there he was beating Novak and now he’s putting into FAA’s face. Dutzee seems to have said the right things to him. How you react to adverse results and experiences well dictate how slowly or quickly you’ll improve…

 

[tented]

I guess he is full of confidence right now. FAA also coming after some break, first match on clay against hot opponent. Dutzee said he changed his mentality a bit, he is trying to find positives even if things are not working as he would like and not to get down just because of the lost matches.

I think at least part of what has given some guys extra confidence is the fact that the Big Three have become so diminished, compared to their previous level. One’s gone (Roger), one’s on the verge of being gone (Rafa), and Novak is still winning a lot, but not running through fields like he used to. Some guys are no longer feeling as if they’ve already lost the match before stepping on court; they now walk on court knowing they have a real chance at winning. It’s a great thing, really.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Interesting comments from Taylor Fritz today regarding the conditions in Madrid.Says the altitude really dosen't benefit his game because he dosen't need the altitude to make his ball quick.

 

[don_fabio]

I think at least part of what has given some guys extra confidence is the fact that the Big Three have become so diminished, compared to their previous level. One’s gone (Roger), one’s on the verge of being gone (Rafa), and Novak is still winning a lot, but not running through fields like he used to. Some guys are no longer feeling as if they’ve already lost the match before stepping on court; they now walk on court knowing they have a real chance at winning. It’s a great thing, really.

I agree with you.

The players now feel that they have a chance against everyone, because there is no more absolute dominance that we have seen for probably 15 or so years. This is good for the sport, there will certainly be more unpredictability than we are used to seeing in the era of the big three, who killed all hope for the players due to the hard to reach level of play.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The best 1st set of tennis Thiem has played this year, he has come to play, 6-3 against Tsitsipas, lets see what he has left in the tank for the remaining match

 

[kskate2]

I don’t think they rehearse it as such, although Serena was trying to affect her opponent, I believe, given what we knew of her. With Alcaraz I think he’s genuinely grunting and busting a gut late in the second set, but in the third set he’s giving the impression of it being a huge grunty effort, when it plainly isn’t. I doubt he’s aware of it, he’s just so relieved to be in the third set.

I think Rafa faced a similar issue at Wimbledon and he pulled his opponent up on it…

Not to be petty here, but wanted to present the facts. Serena didn't grunt when she was playing Stosur, she hit a winner and shouted cmon before the ball even bounced in the court. Yes, she did it to affect her opponent and pump herself up because she was getting spanked. Rightly the umpire dinged her w/ hindrance warning.

 

[kskate2]

The best 1st set of tennis Thiem has played this year, he has come to play, 6-3 against Tsitsipas, lets see what he has left in the tank for the remaining match

And then he promptly takes a ciggie break in the middle frame. Decider coming.

 

[don_fabio]

Thiem is looking good here in a 3rd set. I just tuned it, Tsitsipas didn't miss a first serve for about an hour of play, crazy stat.

 

[Moxie]

Steph shanks his forehand a lot, it seems to me. I know it's a function of the 1-hander, but it seems to happen to him more. Any else think so?

 

[Moxie]

Excellent serving game there from Dom. This is the best he's looked in ages.

 

[Kieran]

Not to be petty here, but wanted to present the facts. Serena didn't grunt when she was playing Stosur, she hit a winner and shouted cmon before the ball even bounced in the court. Yes, she did it to affect her opponent and pump herself up because she was getting spanked. Rightly the umpire dinged her w/ hindrance warning.

It’s not petty at all! Thanks for the reminder, I’d thought it was the old delayed reaction grunt. I have a vague (and likely faulty) memory of someone like sharapova grunting when she hit a drop shot. Could be wrong on that too, but wouldn’t be surprised if I’m not…

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Theim's FH losing the plot

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Tsitsipas not converting his BPs could come back to haunt him