Can anyone beat Rafael Nadal? That ship, for the moment, has passed. Instead, the first question that needs to be answered in Madrid is whether anyone can take a set from him—he’s won a record 46 straight on the surface dating back to the last May. The second question of interest this week will be: Who might emerge as the most likely player to reach the final at Roland Garros, and lose to Rafa?
Click here for the draw.
To say that Madrid isn’t Nadal’s favorite clay-court event isn’t saying all that much; he’s the defending champion. But he hasn’t won it, like, 10 times. The altitude and the courts make the ball move a little faster in the Spanish capital, so it is theoretically possible for a hard-hitting opponent to get it past him here. Could anyone in this quarter do that often enough to threaten him? Nadal might open against Gael Monfils, which should be entertaining, even if the match isn’t competitive. In the quarters, Rafa could play the man he beat in the final here last year, Dominic Thiem. The Austrian is the last player to knock off Nadal on clay, in Rome last spring. Which may be why Rafa beat him so badly in Monte Carlo a few weeks ago.
First-round match to watch: Pablo Carreño Busta vs. Borna Coric
Semifinalist: Nadal
Match point from Nadal's win over Tsitsipas in Barcelona Open final: