Dario Puppo analyzed the hot topics of the Masters 1000 in Madrid during the last episode of Tennis Mania, broadcast of the OA Sport YouTube channel. The Eurosport commentator focused mainly on Rafael Nadal’s victory against the Australian Alex de Minaur, then analyzed the possible path of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on the red clay of the Spanish capital, then closing with a joke on the programming and calendar of the tournament on the Iberian crushed brick.
On the arbitration issue that saw Nadal as protagonist with Fergus Murphy: “It’s not nice that certain champions are so embarrassed in handling certain situations. I’m seeing embarrassing things, I understand that the ATP is busy on many fronts, but it’s important and the question of how the matches are managed comes first, especially on clay. Certain circumstances that have happened are unacceptable. For example, yesterday Medvedev asked before the match what the falcon should be called: we have reached this level. We need clarity and common sense from the referees“.
On Nadal’s performance with de Minaur: “The Australian certainly didn’t play well, but it’s also normal on clay to be conditioned by seeing Nadal on the other side of the net and being conditioned. Then yesterday Rafa regained some match rhythm and confidence, but it cannot be said that today’s top 10 are of a low level considering de Minaur’s performance. There are the Australian’s demerits, but on the other hand an excellent performance from Nadal“.
On the conditions in Madrid and the difficulties to be faced: “The ball travels a lot in Madrid: Tsitsipas couldn’t turn to the right side since the conditions were so fast. Compared to Barcelona there are totally different conditions, it’s not easy to adapt quickly from one week to the next. Everyone plays well, the average level is high, just look at yesterday’s performances of Monteiro with Tsitsipas and Mensik against Dimitrov“.
About the path of Alcaraz and Sinner: “The Alcaraz board is very interesting: it will have Seyboth Wild which will not be easy at high altitude and then there is Struff. We’ll see if he has forearm problems, but he might have more problems than the straight match with Shevchenko. It won’t be easy for Sinner either: Ruud could pay something physically, but he certainly shouldn’t be underestimated in a possible fourth“.
A joke also about the schedule of the day in Madrid: “Will we ever see an evening session with Ruud or whoever at the Italian Internationals like yesterday in Madrid? The Spaniards always play Alcaraz and Nadal in the afternoon. Sinner must not be put in the evening in Rome, but we have seen how he has never done like the organizers of Madrid. The owner of the house should be supported if possible, especially if he is number 2 in the world. Alcaraz has forearm problems and is helped by playing in the afternoon, the same for Nadal with the ball jumping more“.
