ATP Madrid: Landaluce, la speranza spagnola, non supera l’esame di Altmaier. Van Assche e Seyboth Wild positivi.
The first day of matches for the Masters 1000 in Madrid saw many first-round matches take place. After the impressive victory of Luciano Darderi against Gael Monfils, here is a summary of the other matches on this Tuesday, April 24th.
M. Navone def. A. Popyrin 7-5 6-2
An unprecedented match between the two players who have recently shown their potential with positive results in their recent outings. In Monte Carlo, the Australian defeated Rublev, the defending champion of the tournament. Now, he faces Navone, who has been making his mark on the ATP circuit with two finals and a semi-final in the last 3 tournaments. Navone’s game plan is based on medium-high speed exchanges, with the usual “clay court” trajectory. Popyrin counters the opponent’s strategy by using the serve and volley to take away time from the Argentine athlete. The first set progresses “On serve” until Navone surprisingly breaks Popyrin at 5-all. Navone’s game is disruptive, keeping Popyrin at bay without using overwhelming speed, putting him in difficult positions and gaining ground. The Australian throws his racket to the ground before the end of the first set, showing a lack of confidence and control over his game. Navone closes the first set with a score of 7-5. Despite a seemingly positive start from the Sydney player, it is a mere illusion as he continues to alternate between basic errors and winners. Navone, on the other hand, remains solid and offers little room for errors. Even Popyrin’s powerful serve falters significantly. Navone responds vigorously and breaks Popyrin at love in the seventh game of the second set. The Argentine closes the match without hesitation, winning the second set 6-2. A great opportunity for Navone, who will meet Holger Rune in the next round.
T. Daniel def. A. Vukic 6-2 6-7 6-1
Daniel starts strong, quickly taking the lead in the first set. Both players are not typical clay-court specialists, evident in their low-trajectory baseline exchanges. Daniel is precise and ruthless in the early stages of the match. After an initial setback, Vukic finds his rhythm, utilizing his powerful forehand to devise a new strategy against the fierce Japanese player. He attempts to slightly increase the trajectory in the second set to change the pace and prevent Daniel from getting inside the court. Despite his efforts, the Australian falls behind with a break in the second set, and Daniel is cold in repairing any mistakes. Daniel seems like a wall, always finding a solution to keep the ball on the other side of the court. Despite his immense confidence, he stumbles near the finish line, allowing Vukic to equalize the set. The Japanese player experiences a psychological breakdown and plays a clumsy tiebreak. The match seems to indicate a potential turnaround in favor of the Australian, but Daniel proves his superiority in the third set: a quick and painless 6-1 victory. He advances to the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open, where he will face the challenging Tallon Griekspoor.
J. Munar def. N. Borges 7-5 6-4
Home favorite Jaume Munar makes his debut against the Portuguese player Nuno Borges. Munar absorbs the energy of the crowd in Madrid and gets fired up. He starts the match with a very positive attitude. Both players engage in a fast-paced match. The Spanish player quickly secures a break but falters in the eighth game of the first set, losing his service at love. From that moment on, the match continues point by point, with neither player willing to give an inch to the opponent. They battle with determination; Munar displays an extreme defense and forces Borges into making errors. With sheer determination, the Spaniard snatches the break and goes up 6-5. He delivers an almost flawless service game to seal the set with an ace. Munar’s exceptional physical condition stands out, as he maintains maximum intensity throughout the match. Munar secures a two-set victory in a match that perhaps deserved a third set for the intensity shown by both players.
T. Seyboth Wild def. R. Safiullin 6-4 6-4
A strong performance from the Brazilian Seyboth Wild as he defeats the Russian Safiullin with back-to-back 6-4 sets in 1 hour and 26 minutes. The 24-year-old South American’s keys to victory were his effectiveness on serve (winning 81% of points on first serves) and his consistency from the baseline, as indicated by the number of winners (30 to 11 unforced errors). The first set progresses smoothly for Seyboth Wild, who breaks in the third game without facing any break points. The second set is slightly more eventful, but the result remains unchanged. Double breaks in favor of the Brazilian – first and third games – secure a comfortable victory. In the next round, he will face Lorenzo Musetti, with whom he has no previous encounters.
In this way, the Masters 1000 in Madrid kicked off with exciting matches and surprising victories, setting the stage for more thrilling tennis to come.
