Madrid ATP 1000

[jimlosaltos]

Rafa Nadal - Forehand
Novak - Backhand
Volley - Frank Sedgman
Serve - Pete Sampras
Mental - Borg/Nadal
Speed - Carlos

The "Build the Best/Perfect Player" exercise is often interesting.

From imperfect memory, Fed once included "touch" as a category and named Marcelo Rios, I believe. I quite liked that. Fed may have named Delpo and Fernando Gonzalez for forehand? I'm 80% on that.

Volleys, Cash, McEnroe, Sedgman ... true greats stroke, stotty.

[stotty]

Joao Fonseca picks his perfect player:

* Juan Martin del Potro - Forehand
* Djokovic - Backhand
* Roger Federer - Volley & Slice
* Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard - Serve

Somewhere here on The 'Gram.

Rafa Nadal - Forehand
Novak - Backhand
Volley - Frank Sedgman
Serve - Pete Sampras
Mental - Borg/Nadal
Speed - Carlos

[stroke]

Joao Fonseca picks his perfect player:

* Juan Martin del Potro - Forehand
* Djokovic - Backhand
* Roger Federer - Volley & Slice
* Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard - Serve

Somewhere here on The 'Gram.

Nitpicking, but volleys, Fed is not quite McEnroe or Pat Cash. Forehand, I still have to go with Nadal.

[jimlosaltos]

Hey, a record is a record !

via OlegS: Jelena Ostapenko might be the first player ever to beat World No. 1 and lose to unranked player *the same week* — and she did both in straight sets!

[jimlosaltos]

Joao Fonseca picks his perfect player:

* Juan Martin del Potro - Forehand
* Djokovic - Backhand
* Roger Federer - Volley & Slice
* Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard - Serve

Somewhere here on The 'Gram.

[jimlosaltos]

Daniil Medvedev assesses NexGens Fonseca, Mencik, Tien on ATP:


“The next generation, especially the guys coming through in the last year are very strong,” Medvedev told ATPTour.com on Media Day in Madrid. “They’ve put themselves on the big stage pretty quickly. Jakub just won a Masters 1000, which is amazing. At 19, I was still playing Challengers. So, it’s great for him.

“I think consistency is the toughest challenge,” Medvedev said. “Everyone has different weapons. If I compare Learner and Joao, they’re two different types of players. Learner is more of a counter-attacking player, but still able to attack with intelligence. Joao is, of course, also very smart, but his game is about pure power. You see some of the forehands he unleashes. It’s about understanding your game better and developing your skills."

[stroke]

If not for Nadal and Djokovic coming along, Fed may have been there February 2004 to 2018 or so.

[jimlosaltos]

Cross posting with Sinner Vs Alcaraz thread. Alcraz's withdrawal in Madrid guarantees that Sinner will join an elite group.

Jannik Sinner is set to become only the 10th player to rank number one for 52 consecutive weeks, a number he'll now reach after the French regardless of results there or in Rome.

List of Top 10 Number One Steaks

1. Roger Federer, a staggering 237 consecutive weeks at number one. Fed became No 1 on February 2004 and did not lose the top ranking ranking until August 2008, the longest debut run in ATP rankings history – and the longest run full stop.


2. Jimmy Connors – 160 weeks


3. Ivan Lendl – 157 weeks


4. Novak Djokovic – 122 weeks


5. Pete Sampras – 102 weeks


6. Lleyton Hewitt – 75 weeks


7. John McEnroe – 58 weeks


8. Rafael Nadal – 56 weeks

9. Andre Agassi – 52 weeks

10. Jannik Sinner – 52* weeks and counting. Sinner became world No 1 in June 2024 after the French Open and is guaranteed to remain atop the rankings regardless of results at Rome aka the Italian Open and Roland Garros.

#

[stroke]

Fonseca is a solid betting favorite vs Paul, with an implied probability of winning at 66% or so. That is something.

[stroke]

Fonseca looks very strong in 1st round win, setting up to me the match of the 2nd round vs Paul. It will be interesting to see the betting odds on that one.

[stroke]

https://www.thetennisgazette.com/news/84574/

[stroke]

Alcaraz withdraws. Fonseca is 1st round today.

[jimlosaltos]

Let's see if I can paste this here from ATP site, reader voting. Huzzah!
Note: Carlos & Nole in same half.


Which former champion will have the best run at the 2025 Mutua Madrid Open?

Carlos Alcaraz 61%

Novak Djokovic 15%

Andrey Rublev 4%

Alexander Zverev 20%

[stroke]

Moutet, keeping it classy, after losing the 1st set and getting a code violation for breaking a racquet in the 2nd set, just decided to retire, as he no longer felt like playing.

[stroke]

Well, new guy on the block gets a boost in the rankings.

I'm a bit surprised at Jack Draper's odds. I think he has a losing record on clay. But, Madrid, altitude ..

Odds are odds. The bookies are eager to take dissenting opinions.