The draw ceremony for the Mutua Madrid Open was held on Monday afternoon on the Caja Magic. With Carlos Alcaraz (wrist) out of the season’s second clay-court Masters 1000 match, Jannik Sinner is clearly an amazing title favourite. Nonetheless, the street to the trophy just isn’t a simple one for the world No. 1. Final week’s ATP 500 winners, Arthur Fils in Barcelona and Ben Shelton in Munich, are additionally within the high half of the Madrid Masters bracket.
Fils and Shelton are on a collision course for the spherical of 16, with the winner probably in line to fulfill Lorenzo Musetti within the quarters and Sinner within the semis. It’s a completely loaded a part of the draw. In truth, Shelton’s opening match may come towards Matteo Berrettini; Fils will probably go up towards Monte-Carlo semifinalist Valentin Vacherot in spherical three.
Following a bye, Sinner awaits both a qualifier or a fortunate loser. The Italian may face Tommy Paul within the final 16 and both Joao Fonseca, Alex de Minaur, or Barcelona runner-up Andrey Rublev within the QFs.
The underside half is way softer on paper. Among the many contenders to achieve the ultimate are Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Bublik, former runner-up Felix Auger-Aliassime (2024), and defending champion Casper Ruud. Medvedev has not but gained a sport on this clay-court swing, as he bought double-bageled 6-0, 6-0 by Berrettini on the Monte-Carlo Masters.
First-round matches to observe in Madrid are Berrettini vs. Raphael Collignon, Terence Atmane vs. Miomir Kecmanovic, Botic van de Zandschulp vs. Alexander Blockx, and Fabian Marozsan vs. Ethan Quinn.
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and in addition maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You may comply with him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
