The ATP and WTA Madrid Open continues on Friday with a host of star names entering the fray in the Spanish capital for both men and women.
Two-time men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz, who has not been seen since losing to Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals in Miami, returns from injury against Alexander Shevchenko while defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is in action against Magda Linette.
Tennis tips for the Madrid Open
- Jen-Lennard Struff will beat Jaume Munar @ 8/15
- Fabian Marozsan beats Francisco Cerundolo @ 5/6
- Mirra Andreeva will beat Linda Noskova at 3/4
- Barbora Krejcikova will beat Jaqueline Cristian @ 1/2
Accumulator returns 6/1
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Fit Struff can return home with hope
Only Alcaraz proved too strong for Jan-Lennard Struff in Madrid last season and the 2023 runner-up can begin his bid to go one better with victory over Spanish hopeful Jaume Munar.
Struff’s appearance in last year’s final was a surprise, but the German, now approaching veteran status, has enjoyed a solid career and he finally lived up to his potential last week by winning his first title on the ATP circuit in Munich.
The 33-year-old was given five days to recover after his emotional win over Taylor Fritz and it will likely be too much for Munar, who has won just two straight main draw matches this year.
Marozsan relishes the Masters 1000 events
Fabian Marozsan has reached a career-high ranking of 37th in the world thanks to a string of excellent performances in Masters 1000 tournaments and the Hungarian is on course for a victory over Francisco Cerundolo.
Marozsan makes his Madrid debut this week, but he relishes competing in elite events, reaching at least the fourth round in his four previous appearances at this level – in Rome and Shanghai last year and at Indian Wells and Miami this season – and compiling a 14-4 record.
The 24-year-old won two Challenger Tour titles on clay last season and he can defeat Cerundolo, who has not been at his best this year.
Rising star expected to defeat Czech rival
Linda Noskova beat Mirra Andreeva in their first meeting in Brisbane earlier this season, but fortunes could reverse on the clay of Madrid.
Andreeva, who turns 17 next week, had a slow start to the year following her breakthrough 2023 campaign, but the Russian did her best on this surface, winning back-to-back ITF clay court events this season. last before qualifying for the title. the last 16 in this event.
Noskova, on the other hand, struggled under these conditions and is worth fighting for.
The French Open winner looks in a class of his own
Jaqueline Cristian cruised through qualifying in Madrid before beating Magdalena Frech in her first main draw match, but the Romanian could fall short when she faces former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Krejcikova has struggled with injuries this season and it’s a tough opening match, but she is a top-notch player at her best, as she demonstrated with a run to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in January.
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