ATP Masters Madrid: doubles again with a pre-Olympic note
At the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid there are several double pairings that we could also see in Tokyo. Some players are still looking for a partner.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: May 03, 2021, 07:51 am
Often Marc Lopez could not be admired on the ATP tour this year - only six games are shown for the Spanish veteran, the world rankings reflect this with position 349 in doubles. Most recently in Barcelona Marc started the race with namesake Feliciano Lopez, the end came in round one against Ivan Dodig and Jamie Murray.
Nevertheless, the 38-year-old Marc Lopez could make another big appearance in a few months: that is when Rafael Nadal decides to defend the Olympic gold medal won in Rio de Janeiro with him. Lopez urgently needs points for this, because as of now, the winning duo from 2016 would not be enough for a place in the double grid. In Madrid, Lopez will try his hand at Jaume Munar this week.
Rublev, Khachanov, Medvedev for Russia
With Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov things are different. The two Russians are doing very well in the individual world rankings (at the Olympics, the better placement is used as the entry criterion), and together they bring a highly formidable double to the ashes. In Madrid, Khachanov and Rublev are already in round two after beating Fabio Fognini and Diego Schwartzman.
Another Russian option would be for Daniil Medvedev and Aslan Karatsev , the surprise man of the season, to run together. You know and appreciate each other, at least since the ATP Cup. And Medvedev has already shown at least in round one of the doubles competition in Madrid that he can also be expected in pair skating. He won with Marcelo Demoliner against Neal Skupski and Daniel Evans in straight sets.
Incidentally, the two Britons are just as likely to be expected in Tokyo as Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut (France), Munich finalists Sander Gille and Joran Viegen (Belgium), the over-doubles of the year Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic ( Croatia) and of course the Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.
Zverev with Pütz, Struff or Krawietz
In Germany, the situation is still a bit blurred. Kevin Krawietz , like Alexander Zverev, is a fixed starter. However, Jan-Lennard Struff and Tim Pütz also have Olympic ambitions (provided that Andreas Mies does not get fit in time). Zverev plays in Madrid - as in Miami - with Pütz, who won the title with Hugo Nys in Estoril on Sunday. Just like Krawietz in Munich with Wesley Koolhof, who is back in Madrid with Horia Tecau. The most likely variant for the German Olympic team is probably a reunion between Tim Pütz and Jan-Lennard Struff and the joint attempt at precious metal from von Zverev and Krawietz. If the ranking makes it. Struff also wanted to start in doubles in Madrid, but together with the Australian Alex de Minaur did not get a place in the grid.
The only Austrian starter in the Spanish capital is Oliver Marach , whom I tried this time with Taylor Fritz. Marach would form a logical Olympic double with Philipp Oswald, but ÖTV sports director Jürgen Melzer also has ambitions again. In case of doubt even with Dominic Thiem , who will concentrate on the individual when he returns to the ATP tour in Madrid.
Here the double tableau in Madrid
madridmap