A jam-packed slate of fourth-round action at the Madrid Masters is highlighted by a showdown between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. Friends and familiar foes Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov are also squaring off.
(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs. (13) Alexander Zverev
It will be a rematch of the 2022 Mutua Madrid Open final when Alcaraz and Zverev meet again in the Spanish capital on Tuesday, this time in the fourth round. Alcaraz’s incredible run to last year’s title included back-to-back upsets of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic before erasing Zverev 6-3, 6-1 to lift the trophy.
However, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Alcaraz in this matchup. In fact, that is the 19-year-old Spaniard’s only win in four tries. Zverev prevailed twice during the 2021 season in easy straight sets and he avenged the Madrid setback by beating Alcaraz 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7) in the French Open quarterfinals. Of course, Zverev got injured in his next match and has not been the same since. The 16th-ranked German is finally picking up some momentum, but nothing suggests that he is particularly close to Alcaraz’s level. The top seed is 25-2 in 2023 and looks to be well on his way to another Madrid title.
Pick: Alcaraz in 2
(10) Karen Khachanov vs. (5) Andrey Rublev
Rublev and Khachanov will be going head-to-head in a second consecutive Masters 1000 tournament. A couple of weeks ago in Monte-Carlo they also met in the round of 16 and Rublev rolled 7-6(4), 6-2. That leveled the head-to-head series at 3-3 (2-2 on the main tour).
After getting past his doubles partner, Rublev went on to capture the biggest title of his career in Monte-Carlo. The world No. 6 hasn’t looked back, either. He finished runner-up in Banja Luka one week later and so far in Madrid has defeated Stan Wawrinka and Yoshihito Nishioka in straight sets. Khachanov, on the other hand, needed three sets to survive both Thiago Monteiro and Roberto Bautista Agut. There is no reason to think anything will change from what we just witnessed in Monte-Carlo.
Pick: Rublev in 2
I didn’t see this thread.
It’s true that Zverev isn’t the player he was but boy was that first service game mentally flaky from him. 2 dfs. Loads of ues. I have seen him play way better than this this year.
Listening to the commies go on and on about Alcaraz does my head in.