OK. So having arrived back from Madrid, I thought I would give a more detailed view of the match.

I spoke at some length with the coach before the match and he told me that Alex had been hitting the ball very well all week. We noted that making the SF was a good week, particularly as he hadn't done it against a couple of WCs and a retirement, but that he had beaten some very good players en route. However, the number of matches, including doubles was an issue and fatigue apparently played a major part towards the end of the doubles final the previous day.

So Alex approached the match knowing he probably needed to come out firing and to win it in two sets if he was to stand a chance. And come out firing, he certainly did. On his own serve, he attacked at every opportunity from both wings and hit several outright winners that had the crowd (50+ people) applauding enthusiastically. Alex hits his backhand particularly flat and he was able to keep his German opponent on the back foot. Indeed, in many rallies, Maden found himself 2 or 3 metres behind the baseline and scrambling. Maden however, a tall and very stylish player, maintained control on his own serve by mixing things up. (ATP site has him 6'1" but perhaps his skinny frame made him look much taller). He had a powerful 1st serve but used it sparingly, mixing it with kickers and slice even on 1st serve. This kept Alex guessing and in the early stages, he found it difficult to get into the rallies.

Towards the end of the set, Alex twice had 0-30 on the Maden 2nd serve. Each time, Maden went wide to the forehand and Alex went for the outright winner, missing by a whisker long on each occasion. Had either of those gone in, we may very well have been looking at a different result in the 1st set at least. Maden hung on both times though.

In the end, it was Alex who was broken at *4-4 and as I mentioned earlier, he suffered a bad bounce at 40-30 when when he was on top in the rally. In truth, both players suffered from bad bounces. Their seemed to be a spot (ridge) about a metre inside the baseline at one end from where the ball could hit you on the ankles or in the face. As I said both players suffered equally so it didn't affect the result, other than possibly Alex letting it get to him rather more than the placid and controlled German.

Having lost the 1st set, I think Alex knew in his heart that he didn't have enough left in the tank to go three sets. Despite that, he hung on to his serve after a long opening game in the 2nd. In the next game, the German went flat down the T on the first point and for once, Alex read it perfectly. Stepping inside the baseline, he hit a superb clean winner off the back hand return. The German then obliged with a DF and an error and Alex found himself *2-0 up. Alex tried to cling on in the next, saving 2 BPs from 15-40 with two big serves, but after several deuces, Maden broke back.

From then on, the game was up really. Alex was half a step slower than the first set and that made attacking more difficult. It also allowed the German to play much closer to the baseline, from where he began to use angles and drop shots to great effect, keeping Alex on the move. Alex's coach later described him as a "very intelligent" player, which is an excellent description. He didn't blast winners, but it played more like a game of chess. Sadly Alex's legs weren't up to it from this point and the German completed a deserved victory.

But let's not despair. Alex showed enough in that first set (and earlier in the week) to show that he has the game to compete and beat players in and around the Top 250 mark and providing he stays healthy, I can see him climbing back up the rankings. Afterwards, he was naturally disappointed, but not dispirited and recognized the fact that on the whole, it was a good week.

He is now hoping for a Tuesday start next week to get an extra day¡s rest and will skip the doubles to cut down on his workload.

On a lighter note, the whole match was played to the backdrop of some very entertaining music. There was obviously a party going on in a nearby park and given the playlist, I assume it was a kids' party. By the end of the 3rd game we have already been through "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", as well as Ghostbusters and the Sesame Street theme tune. Alex admitted afterwards that he nearly burst out laughing at one point while preparing to serve to sound of "Don't Worry, Be Happy".

Finally, I have now come to a gentleman's agreement with Alex that the next time I see him play, he will not know that I am there until after he has won. I have seen Alex play 4 times now and have yet to see him win a match. I think I am a bit of a jinx sadly. Having said that, the previous three defeats were: Mischa Zverev (Marseille ATP), Mate Pavic (Portugal Futures) and David Goffin (Wimbledon) so I think there may be factors in there other than just my presence.