The marquee matchup of the Madrid first round will take place on Monday, when Novak Djokovic goes up against Kei Nishikori. Fellow Frenchmen Lucas Pouille and Benoit Paire are also part of a jam-packed schedule.
Kei Nishikori vs. (10) Novak Djokovic
Djokovic and Nishikori will be squaring off for the 14th time in their careers when they collide in round one of the Mutua Madrid Open on Monday. The head-to-head series stands at a dominant 11-2 in Djokovic’s favor, but all 13 of their previous meetings came long before the status quo for both players changed to what it is now. In fact, they have not faced each other since the 2016 World Tour Finals. Last season was an injury-plagued disaster for Djokovic, and each man has struggled with various issues in 2018. The 12th-ranked Serb is just 5-5 for the season and threw away at least some semblance of momentum picked up in Monte-Carlo by losing right away in Barcelona to Martin Klizan.
Nishikori’s comeback from a wrist problem has been up and down, highlighted by a Challenger title in Dallas, a semifinal result in New York, and a runner-up performance in Monte-Carlo. Predictably, he retired from his first match in Barcelona a few days after losing the Monte-Carlo final to Rafael Nadal. This one will almost certainly come down to which player is in better shape physically, and that is basically impossible to decipher given the significant questions with which both men head into this Masters 1000 tournament. But if all other things happen to be equal, a clear edge in current form goes to Nishikori.
Pick: Nishikori in 3
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(15) Lucas Pouille vs. Benoit Paire
It will be an all-French affair when Pouille and Paire go head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers at the ATP level on Monday. Pouille has won all three of their previous main-tour encounters, but Paire at least managed to prevail in the final of the 2015 Mouilleron le Captif Challenger. They have faced each other only once on clay, with Pouille getting the job done 6-3, 6-2 three years ago in the Hamburg quarterfinals.
The 2018 campaign has been an all-or-nothing roller-coaster ride for Pouille, who has either lost his opening match or reached the final in all eight of his tournaments. He has two runner-up finishes, one title (Montpellier), and five immediate exits–including most recently in Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo and Bucharest. Paire’s performances have been more ordinary, with two semifinal showings, one quarterfinal performance, and a third-round appearance in Miami–where took advantage of an out-of-sorts Djokovic. The world No. 49 is capable enough on clay and playing well enough right now–albeit just barely–to capitalize on his opportunity against another slumping opponent.
Pick: Paire in 3
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WYG?
Djokovic will win.
Pouille over Paire.
As a rule, never pick Paire. (Or Herbert FTM.)
Still sticking with your predictions Hawkeye? lol
I enjoy the frisson of watching Paire. You never quite know when he will lose the plot.
Djokovic is still a shadow of his former self n’est ce pas?
Paire and Herbert are two of those players who only when you don’t pick them.
Win
Pouille and Djokovic in 2
Watching Djokovic and Nishikori it’s hard to believe we’re watching the leading Japanese player and the former No.1 ranked player.,
Very boring match! Both are far from their best obviously, it’s so hard to watch this one, when it’s so full of errors from both and they can hardly string two good serves together.
Djoko still the better player of the two but I doubt he can survive for long.