Preview of Mutua Madrid Open 2024

• Level: ATP Masters 1000
• Prizemoney: €7,877,020
• Surface: Clay
• Singles: 128 

Tournament Overview | The Mutua Madrid Open is about to get underway! Will Carlos go three in a row, or will Rafa farewell his home tournament in style with one final historic run?

The Madrid Open is an anomaly within the clay court season. The courts play significantly faster than Roland Garros and favour the aggressive baseliner with sound clay court craft, hence Carlos’ recent domination here.

Also, check out our WTA Preview for the 2024 Madrid Open.

Draw Analysis  

Top seed Jannik Sinner should have a straightforward run to the quarter finals, where he will face Nordic star Casper Ruud. This could be quite a mismatch with Sinner’s flat terminator-like forehand up against the outrageous RPM’s that the Norwegian puts on the ball. Ruud however could potentially play rising star Joao Fonseca, whose blistering ground stroke pace could cause all sorts of problems for the clay court specialist.

When rivals Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev take to the court against one another, we can always expect fireworks. It may not be pretty, but it’s always entertaining. The pair should progress to the quarter finals. However, potentially standing in Tsitsipas’ way is the greatest clay courter to ever walk the earth, Rafael Nadal. It’s a tough ask for Rafa but he is one of the best on clay for good reason and 5-time champion here, so never count him out.

Alexander Zverev is a genuine chance to take out this tournament. The German has won here twice before, his devastating serve making him very tough to break on the quick clay courts. He will potentially face Etcheverry in the second round. The Argentine is coming off a semi-final appearance in Barcelona, his mental fortitude and consistent game make him a tough opponent for anyone. Hubert Hurkacz and Taylor Fritz also loom in this area of the draw, however neither seem like real threats to Zverev at the Caja Magica.

After returning from injury, Carlos Alcaraz occupies the final sector of the draw. Standing in his way are two ground stroke crushers Andrey Rublev and Jan Lennard Struff. The German could be a danger to Carlos as he has recently taken out the Bavarian International. Jan Lennard is a perfect example of a big server who doesn’t usually thrive on clay but can excel in faster conditions, making him a genuine threat to Carlitos.

Player to Watch

Joao Fonseca is a seriously exciting ATP prospect. Boasting an Alcarazesque combination of raw power, agility and spin this guy can seriously play. He seems to be the next gen’s next gen player, and after bursting onto the scene a few months ago he has shown strong results on the challenger tour.

The Brazilian doesn’t have an easy first few rounds but is trying to prove that he’s the real deal, I think the Madrid Open would be the perfect place announce himself to the tour. Watch this space, Joao Fonseca has some genuine grand slam potential.

Predictions for the 2024 Madrid Open

When betting on the Madrid Open, my semi-final final prediction consists of two electrifying matchups, Alcaraz vs Zverev and Sinner vs Tsitsipas. These four players are all aggressive baseliners rather that classic clay court grinders. They will all be hoping to use the speedy surface to their advantage playing first strike tennis. 

Sinner is my pick to win his first Mutua Madrid Open. After losing in Monte Carlo, Jannik should be out with a vengeance. Don’t be shocked to see the Italian potentially blast through the draw here in the Spanish Capital.