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For many who like their clay slightly bit sooner with a touch of altitude, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz spotlight a ramped up ATP Madrid Open 2022 draw. And get this: Nadal, Djokovic and Alcaraz are all in the identical half of the draw.
Why the obsession with these three stars now? Nadal returns from a fractured rib sustained at Indian Wells and launches his much-anticipated clay court docket marketing campaign. Presently the all-time chief in Grand Slams gained at 21, Nadal will look so as to add one other at Roland Garros– with world primary Djokovic one behind searching for to cease him. Human firework Carlos Alcaraz, winner of three ATP tournaments this year, can also be aiming to place himself for Slam primary.
Madrid, a warm-up to the warm-up in Rome, has a appear and feel not like another occasion on tour. The present court docket, Manolo Santana, has been described as having comparable enjoying circumstances to an indoor court docket and is one among three courts in Madrid with a retractable roof. What does this imply for viewers and followers? Serves matter greater than they often do on clay.
Nadal has gained this occasion 5 instances, and his topspin forehand works nicely in Madrid with the added altitude making the Spaniard’s balls particularly jumpin-jumpin.
High Half Madrid Open ATP Evaluation
Seeing the highest half of this draw, any participant on this aspect received very unfortunate. The probabilities of anybody aside from Nadal, Djokovic or Alcaraz popping out of this half are extremely unlikely. By chalk, Nadal would face Alcaraz in a possible quarterfinal whereas Djokovic’s subsequent highest seed can be Casper Ruud. The world primary has been struggling to get better from a viral sickness and would want to get via probably Gael Monfils, Andy Murray or Dominic Thiem, Hubert Hurkacz, clay court docket star on the come-up Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and/or never-easy Roberto Bautista Agut. It’s not the hardest draw Djokovic has ever confronted, however it’s not definitely not cake.
I don’t anticipate Nadal to go deep as a result of he’s nonetheless in restoration, and this is not his optimal clay.
The primary spherical eyebrow-raiser is the steel-hipped 2015 Madrid champion Andy Murray towards the returning clay court docket stalwart Dominic Thiem. Nobody is aware of the true type of man. This match will go a good distance in understanding it.
Backside Half Madrid Open ATP Evaluation
These gamers gained the lottery by not having Djokovic, Nadal or Alcaraz of their method. An out-of-form Alexander Zverev tops the seeds at quantity two– and he has gained the Madrid Open twice (2018, 2021). I see him lastly settling down a bit and making a deep run, if not successful. The German’s speedy first serve performs particularly nicely in Madrid, and on return, his top isn’t bothered as a lot by heavy kicks to the backhand.
For that very same cause, I favor tall gamers with huge serves like Taylor Fritz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Reilly Opelka.
The primary spherical match on this half to set the alarm for is Fritz and workhorse Jenson Brooksby. It’s a distinction in American kinds. I see Fritz popping out forward solely as a result of he’s already warmed up clay in Monte Carlo, shedding to Davidovich Fokina within the quarterfinals there.
To sum up, serves imply extra, and aces will be had for the massive servers, however not as a lot as arduous court docket or grass. It’s in between. Excessive-altitude bounces profit taller gamers. Males preferring the timing of slower clay courts may take into account Madrid their “nuisance Masters” and be looking forward to Rome and Roland Garros. For these causes, I’m a tad extra bearish on Tsitsipas, Ruud, Diego Schwartzman, and Tommy Paul– all gamers you’d usually favor on clay. Grigor Dimitrov, like Tsitsipas with the one-handed backhand, is at a drawback with the excessive bounce.
My ATP gamers to observe in Madrid:
SF: Djokovic, Alcaraz, Fritz, Zverev
F: Alcaraz, Zverev
Winner: Alcaraz
Ladies’s Draw
Madrid staggers its males’s and girls’s event, and the women are underway. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was upset by Amanda Anisimova, an American who has proven flashes of nice kind in 2022. Two-time champion Simona Halep has a new coach in Patrick Mouratoglou, however she faces Spaniard Paula Badosa in a troublesome check. Halep continues to be getting organized, and Badosa is creating right into a top-flight WTA star.
Garbine Muguruza appeared snug early on this event, as did Naomi Osaka, who may discover this specific clay in Madrid extra amenable to her huge serving sport. Notably, Emma Raducanu got here via her first spherical match solidly after firing her coach once more final week. The sooner floor may go well with her timing greater than a few of the different surfaces, however she’s received expertise in her part with enormous serving Elena Rybakina and Maria Sakkari.
My WTA gamers to observe in Madrid:
SF: Rybakina, Sakkari, Anisimova, Badosa
F: Rybakina, Badosa Winner: Badosa
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