2005 : Rafael Nadal's first Roland-Garros title 2007 : Darwin Blanch's year of birth 2023 Boy's singles semi-finalist 🆚 14-time Roland-Garros winner, what a matchup in the first round of the @MutuaMadridOpen 🍿 #MMOPEN
2024 Madrid Open ATP PREVIEW: Rafael NADAL set for last stand as Carlos ALCARAZ and Jannik SINNER lead field
ATPTuesday, 23 April 2024 at 17:41
The Madrid Open will take place between April 22 and May 5 at the incredible Caja Magica in the Spanish city and the ATP draw has now been confirmed. Our preview looks ahead to two weeks of ATP 1000 action and the runners and riders as the second clay court big hitter begins.
No Novak Djokovic? No problem as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, a certain Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev will fit in quite nicely into a tournament that always dominates the pre Roland Garros chatter.
Alcaraz doubts, Nadal's final stand and Sinner with World No.1 in sight
But while on paper this tournament looks superb. Carlos Alcaraz in particular will begin his title defence with some doubts despite the noise coming out of the Carlitos camp being one of cautious optimism so to speak. The Spaniard has had to withdraw from the last two tournaments in not ideal preparation. Those being the Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open.
But unlike Djokovic for instance who seemingly is planning to miss certain tournaments like he often does to prioritise Roland Garros, Alcaraz has spent the last few weeks with discomfort in his right forearm which didn't heal sufficiently enough to play last week. So the signs are on the wall that even if he is at 80% fitness, he may not have enough at least this week to remain the champion.
This is where a crop of different players come in. Two players will be highlighted later in the preview, but Jannik Sinner has a golden chance to head towards his home tournament in Rome (Turin aside of course) and be within touching distance of Novak Djokovic's World No.1 spot. Sinner has said it is not in his sights as most players do. But will this dominate his thinking ahead of the next portion of the clay court tilt. Losing in the semi-final of Monte-Carlo to Tsitsipas, he could face Lorenzo Sonego early on and then Ruud or Dimitrov in the latter stages in a pretty rough draw. So if he is going to do it, insert he will have to do it the hard way here.
The King of Clay Rafael Nadal makes final appearance at Madrid Open?
Rafael Nadal though might soak up some of that pressure cooker like atmosphere that Sinner might feel though. The Spanish legend will likely play his final stand at the Madrid Open. Him saying as such in Barcelona makes it likely for this tournament too. The record five-time champion will likely push through to play this week given it is his home country. Rome organisers though will look on a bit sheepish though as he could then decide to skip Italy as he is unlikely to be 100%. He could face an early loss though and one of seismic proportions.
He faces a talent that practices with Alcaraz and has been highly touted in Darwin Blanch or as he is known to the player himself and also social media as a younger Ben Shelton. Some have quipped that Nadal has an easy draw facing the lowest ranked player in the field. But still very much one that could make big headline news if Blanch wins. To think, Nadal won Roland Garros first in 2005 and Blanch was only born in 2007. Baton passing perhaps?
Tsitsipas and Ruud forerunners outside of top names
A bit like in the WTA, the ATP is not really blessed with riches when it comes to players being on the top of their game at the moment. Most in the higher echelons of ATP are either injured or out of form and this is where a certain clay court specialist clean up crew come in.
That being Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud. Similar to Danielle Collins in the WTA, they have been the leading lights two weeks on the spin with Tsitsipas winning in Monte-Carlo and Ruud getting the hoodoo of not winning past ATP 250 in Barcelona. Facing off in the final against each other both weeks, they are perhaps the two most on form at the moment.
Both have experience of going the distance at Roland Garros and are both very adept on clay so it is very much a tournament begging for their run to continue or for it to come to a screeching halt early doors. Either way, a duo to look at certainly amidst the struggle of others.
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