Title dispute: will Rublev be able to repeat last year's success in Madrid

The men's Masters and the women's thousandth in Madrid are among the most prestigious clay starts of the season, where Russian tennis players often show a vibrant game. The current men's winner is our compatriot Andrey Rublev, who will start the tournament with a match against the most experienced Gael Monfils. Iga Sventek won the women's super Tournament last year, and Mirra Andreeva of Russia reached the quarterfinals. The tournament will be a serious test before Roland Garros and promises numerous intrigues with the participation of our athletes.

The chances of Medvedev and Rublev

Andrey Rublev arrived in Madrid as the reigning champion. Last year, he survived a dramatic final against Felix Auger-Alliassim, but now he has an even more difficult task ahead of him — to defend the title. Rublev has not been able to do this yet at any ATP tournament. Andrey himself is skeptical about his chances of defending the title.

— I have never defended the title before, so the probability is very low. Usually in most tournaments where I win, next year I lose in the first round," admitted the 27-year-old Russian.

His journey begins in the second round with a match against French veteran Gael Monfils, whom he recently beat in Monte Carlo. Andrey is unlikely to experience problems this time, but in the third round, the dangerous Frenchman Arthur Fis (13th seed) may be waiting for him. If you stand up to this progressive opponent, then next comes a duel against Ben Shelton (12), and in the quarterfinals a match with Alexander Zverev, who just won the tournament in Munich, is possible. Rublev is traditionally not bad on the ground, but will he have the moral strength to go all the way without misfires?

Daniil Medvedev has never shone in Madrid — his best result here is only the 1/8 finals. This year, the former world number one has a chance to improve his statistics, but already in the fourth round, young Dane Holger Rune, with whom Medvedev has a tense history of confrontations, may be waiting for him. Besides, this opponent is on the rise after the title in Barcelona.

Rune starts against Flavio Kobolli or Fabian Marojan. In the third round, his potential opponent is Sebastian Korda (23), and in the fourth round there may be a match against Medvedev (9). The Russian will start the tournament with Serbian Laszlo Jere. The long-term leader of our tennis does not always feel confident on the ground, although he won the last title at the moment on this particular surface. If he and Rune meet for a place in the quarterfinals, it will be one of the most interesting matches of the first week.

Medvedev started the current clay season at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he lost to Australian Alex de Minaur in the third round. (2:6, 2:6). After that, Daniel had a little rest before Madrid and, hopefully, gathered his thoughts. In any case, his claim to reach the quarterfinals does not seem impossible.

Novak Djokovic (4) — has not won a tournament so far this season, but Madrid is one of his favorite places. The great Serbian will start with a match against Matteo Arnaldi or qualifier. Hugo Humber (22) can wait for him in the third round, and Francis Tiafoe (16) in the fourth. If Novak passes these tests, then in the quarterfinals he will most likely be met by Jack Draper, who has already won Indian Wells this year.

Early departure: why Medvedev and Rublev cannot find stability

Star Russian tennis players are at risk of dropping out of the top 10 for the first time in many years.

Carlos Alcaraz (4) — as the main favorite of the home Masters. The Spaniard arrived in Madrid in great shape — he won the title in Monte Carlo and the final in Barcelona. His first opponent is Yoshihito Nishioka or Zizu Bergs, and Jiri Legechka (26), who reached the semifinals last year, can wait in the third round.

The hope of Myrrh

World number one Arina Sobolenko starts the tournament with a match against the winner of the qualification, but in the fourth round she may face a serious test in the person of Amanda Anisimova (15). The American not only won this year's tournament in Doha, but also leads in personal meetings against Sobolenko with a score of 5:2. If the Belarusian passes this barrier, then Chinese Zheng Qingwen (8) or Spaniard Paula Badosa (9) will be her likely opponents in the quarterfinals.

American Jessica Pegula (3) and Italian Jasmine Paolini (6) are the main contenders to exit the second part of the grid. However, a surprise may come from Ekaterina Alexandrova (21), who may get Victoria Azarenka or Olga Danilovich in the first match. If the Russian woman passes this stage, then in the third round she will most likely be met by the newly—minted Australian Daria Kasatkina (14), and then by the same Pegula.

Tough start: what to expect from Rublev and Medvedev in Monte Carlo

Daniil won a crazy match against Khachanov in the first round, and Andrei, led by Safin, will start the clay season with Monfils.

Mirra Andreeva (7) reached the quarterfinals in Madrid last year, and this season she has already won two prestigious tournaments — in Dubai and Indian Wells. Her path in Madrid is difficult: matches with Czech Karolina Mukhova in the fourth round and with Corey Gauff in the quarterfinals are possible. If Andreeva can overcome this path, it will be a new breakthrough for her into the elite of world tennis and an excuse for the not very successful tournaments in Miami and Stuttgart.

Mirra's journey in Madrid will begin with a match against Renata Sarasua or Marie Bouzkova, and Magdalena French (27) may be waiting for the 17-year-old Russian in the third round. But the main challenge is a possible quarterfinal against Corey Gauff (4). The American is not in the best shape yet, but she is always dangerous on the ground. If Andreeva passes this stage, she will face a duel with Iga Sventek (2) in the semifinals. Last year, the Russian stopped in the quarterfinals against Arina Sobolenko. Now they are in different halves of the grid, and their meeting is possible only in the final.

Iga Sventek starts against Alexandra Eala or Victoria Tomova. The Polish woman's main rivals on the way to the semifinals may be Madison Keys (5) or Emma Navarro (11). Russian Diana Schneider (13-) has a difficult grid. The first match is against Katie Volynets or Petra Kvitova. In the third round, she will face Elena Ostapenko (23) or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. If Schneider overcomes these stages, then she will play with Sventek in the fourth round.

The tournament promises an intense struggle from the first rounds. The first matches of the main draw will start on April 22.