ATP Masters Madrid: Thiem and Zverev would probably celebrate a reunion
Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev start this week at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid. Despite the poor performance in Munich, the German is one of the favourites. It's different with Thiem.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Apr 30, 2022, 08:33 am

Although he has lost the two previous games in Madrid against Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem would probably not object to a third meeting with his German buddy in the Caja Magica. Because this game is only possible in the final, a tempting prospect for the Austrian on a comeback tour. But ultimately also for defending champion Zverev, who left Munich with more questions than answers. With his third championship, he actually wanted to initiate the trend reversal in a season that has so far only brought one participation in the final: in Montpellier, where Zverev lost to Alexander Bublik.
skymadrid2022
The two top players in their country are therefore somewhat unsettled about the second ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year. Dominic Thiem is still waiting for his first sense of achievement after his comeback, the 28-year-old has lost the previous three games against Pedro Cachin at the Challenger in Marbella, against John Millman in Belgrade and most recently against Benjamin Bonzi in Estoril. On the plus side there is a set win against Millman, at least.
Murray like Thiem with little match practice
The first round task for Thiem in Madrid is definitely interesting and in no way hopeless. Andy Murray, who triumphed in Madrid in 2015, is returning from his self-imposed sand abstinence. So the Scot has no match practice, in this respect Thiem even has a little advantage. There have been four games between the two Grand Slam champions so far, the balance is balanced. The prospects after that are initially bright, Denis Shapovalov as a possible second-round opponent hasn't exactly played the stars from the sky in the past few weeks. Novak Djokovic would probably wait in round three. A hurdle for which Thiem, like Murray, would need a lot of start-up and even more tailwind.
Alexander Zverev, on the other hand, greets from the bottom of the tableau. Looking at the tableau, Monte Carlo is threatened with deja vu with a quarter-final against Jannik Sinner and a potential meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals. Zverev's appearance in Munich was characterized by nervousness and an amazingly weak forehand, and Holger Rune also pulled the tooth out of the reigning ATP world champion with his stops. After the defeat against Tsitsipas in Monte-Carlo, this was Zverev's second defeat in a row in which he really had no chance. In all other matches he lost this year, the native of Hamburg always sat in the driver's seat. Then suddenly he threw the keys out the window.
On the other hand: Alexander Zverev also traveled to Madrid last year after a poor performance in Munich. And on the way to his second triumph, he not only defeated Dominic Thiem, but also Rafael Nadal and Matteo Berrettini in the final. At least for the German number one, everything is always possible.
Here is the individual tableau in Madrid
madrid map