The clay court season is in full swing with both the ATP and WTA tours stopping off in Madrid for the Mutua Madrid Open. With a top class field gathered in both the mens and women’s events, we take a look at a tasty treble ahead of Tuesdays action.
Jan – Lennard Struff vs Alexei Popyrin
Jan – Lennard Struff comes to Madrid fresh off the back of a finals appearance in Munich, coming up short in the final against the in-form Georgian, Nikoloz Basilashvili.
The German has some good clay court form under his belt and enters this encounter against Australian Alexei Popyrin as the slight favourite.
Popyrin has come through 2 rounds of qualifying to reach this stage, but his clay court form has been mixed, with the Australian not being able to get past the 2nd round in his last few clay court events. In what looks set to be a tight affair, with both players strong on serve, we think the German might just have enough to earn the win and continue his good form.
Albert Ramos Vinolas vs Taylor Fritz
Another player entering Madrid in top form is Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas. Emerging victorious in last weeks Estoril Open to secure his 3rd ATP title of his career, Ramos Vinolas a former French Open semi-finalist, is truly at home on the clay.
His opponent, American Taylor Fritz isn’t a natural to the surface and his clay court record this season backs this up. In Fritz first clay court event of the season he was able to make the semi-finals in Cagliari succumbing to eventual winner Lorenzo Sonego. He then suffered a first round defeat in Monaco losing in straight sets to Roberto Batista-Agut.
Surprisingly the odds makers have installed the big serving American as the favourite for the clash but we think it will be the Spaniard who will maintain his good form and come out on top.
Cameron Norrie vs Filip Krajinovic
World number 48, Cameron Norrie faces off against Serbian and world number 36 Filip Krajinovic in what promises to be another tight affair. The Brit has always had the game for the clay, with the surface suiting his counter attack style. He enters this weeks tournament in top form. Making the quarter finals in Barcelona before losing to eventual champion Rafa Nadal, he went two steps further the following week, losing a tight 3 set battle in the Estoril final.
Krajinovic has had a mixed start to the clay season losing in the last 16 in Monte Carlo, the quarter finals in Belgrade and the second round in Munich.
On his day, the Serb is arguably the better player but we will side with Norrie to continue his good form and emerge victorious. This will be the first meeting between the pair.
A $10 parlay on Struff, Ramos-Vinolas and Norrie all to win will return $100.
Odds are correct at time of publishing.