Novak Djokovic appeared alone in the press room of the Magic Box and claimed that he had no expectations on his return to Masters in Madrid three years after his previous participation. This Saturday, on the Manolo Santana track it has been seen in its defeat (6-3 and 6-4, 1h 41m) against Matteo Arnaldi, the 44th world, why the Balkan said what he said 48 hours before. The Serbian tennis player still does not find himself, lacking rhythm and trustworthy, very uncomfortable in the long exchanges against the Italian, a fast player from the bottom of the track, with a two -handed set and an neat right. It is Nole’s second consecutive stumble, in his first 1000 Masters match, something unpublished until today in the Madrid tournament, after two weeks ago he also gave in Montecarlo against the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (35º of the ranking) In another “horrible” confrontation, as he described.
The situation of the winner of 24 Grand Slams, already without Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer in the circuit, is right now. Djokovic said several weeks ago that he has “gasoline in the tank”, but his last appearances have generated a sea of doubts about his future. He records four losses to the first in his last five tournaments – he also lost in the debut in Indian Wells and Doha, in addition to Montecarlo and Madrid – although in Miami reached the final, in which the young Czech Jakub Mensik (23rd) imposed himself.
“For me [el triunfo] It is incredible, because with Novak, the strongest in history, I am already happy to have played, ”said Arnaldi, 24, as soon long exchange, much heavier and slower than the electric player of San Remo, who broke the service to the first attempt. contrabreak In the first partial, but the failures – 32 not forced by 18 of his rival – condemned him in which he may be his last visit to Madrid, a tournament he has won three times.
His tennis seems so fragile now that Djokovic does not remember the competitive animal – one of the best of all time – that was. With the second service, only 40% of the serves won-for 51% of its rival-and failed to convert most of the breakage points: it only transformed one of the five of which it arranged, for three of three of Arnaldi, which in the second manga saved a 0-40 when it was 4-3 above.
-The defeat of the Balkan also leaves a very open male painting in the tournament, which lives the first postnadal year without the presence of Jannik Sinner, the world number one, sanctioned three months by doping, or Carlos Alcaraz (3rd), injured in Barcelona. Also now without Djokovic, who did not lose his first two meetings in whipped land since 2006 – he said in Montecarlo and Barcelona – and that he says he is with his mind to arrive in conditions to Roland Garros, the next great objective of a tennis player who has already won everything and who at the moment still does not meet.
Gauff and Andreeva move forward to eighths
The American Coco Gauff, number four in the world, has defeated her compatriot Ann Li (62nd) in two sets (6-2 and 6-3, 1h 7m) on Saturday and has qualified for the round of 16 of the Masters in Madrid, which matches her best result in the tourna Tuesday turns 18, has lying to the French Magdalena Frech (27th) in two sleeves (7-5 and 6-3, 1h 42m) to reach eighths. Last year, still being a teenager, made rooms. Conchita Martínez’s pupil has already raised the Dubai and Indian Wells Masters 1000 this season.
This afternoon will be the turn of the world number two and current champion of the Masters, the Polish IgA Swiatek, which is measured with the Czech Linda Noskova (31st) not before 20.00 on the Central Track Manolo Santana. In the male painting, the British Jack Draper (6th) see the faces with the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor (34º) around 19.00.
Tomorrow Sunday the great game of the day star in the Central (not before 13.00; Tedeport) the number two in the world and champion twice in Madrid, Alexander Zverev, and the Malaga Alejandro Davidovich (29th), the only Spanish who is still alive in the tournament after the withdrawals of Carlos Alcaraz and Paula Badosa and the defeats of Pedro Martínez, Roberto Bautist Martín Landaluce, Cristina Bucsa, Carlota Martínez and Jessica Bouzas.
