Main-draw action at the Madrid Masters gets underway on Wednesday, when Stan Wawrinka kicks off his fortnight against Maxime Cressy. Emil Ruusuvuori and Ugo Humbert are also aiming for a place in round two.
Maxime Cressy vs. Stan Wawrinka
Will Cressy thrive in fast conditions at high altitude for the Mutua Madrid Open, or will the clay-court surface under his feet get the best of him? To say that clay is by far the American’s worst surface would be a gross understatement. He is 18-27 lifetime on dirt, including 9-21 dating back to the start of 2020. So far this season Cressy is 0-2, with losses to Roberto Carballes Baena in Marrakech and Matteo Berrettini in Monte-Carlo.
It doesn’t get any easier with Wawrinka on the other side for the net for first-round competition on Wednesday. Wawrinka may be past his prime at 38 years old, but he has won 10 ATP-level matches in 2023 (three more than Cressy) and he has always been a force on clay. Even in Madrid, where Cressy’s serve-and-volley tactics may have some chance of working, the Swiss will likely dish out a free clay-court lesson.
Pick: Wawrinka in 2
Emil Ruusuvuori vs. Ugo Humbert
The draw is not a good one for Ruusuvuori and Humbert. Not only is this a tough first-round matchup, but the winner also has to go up against none other than top seed and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The only previous meeting between Ruusuvuori and Humbert also came in a first-round matchup on clay, and it did not disappoint. At the 2022 French Open, the Finn survived 6-2, 2-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2. Since then Ruusuvuori has been the better player (he is ranked No. 41 to Humbert’s 77th), although the Frenchman has at least been in somewhat revitalized form this season. Ruusuvuori should be able advance once again, but it will likely be another competitive contest–especially in quick conditions.
Pick: Ruusuvuori in 3
WWW?