Week 19 - WTA Premier Mandatory ($7M) - Madrid, Spain - Clay

Michael D · All-time great

Week 19 - WTA Premier Mandatory ($7M) - Madrid, Spain - Clay

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Weeks 19 - WTA Premier Mandatory ($7M) - Madrid, Spain - Clay

RedSquirrel · Satellite level

A quick turnaround for Jo as she is scheduled for the 5th (last) match on court tomorrow. Probably will be around 4pm to 5pm (ish)

flamingowings · All-time great

Sakkari is also down to play her match tomorrow.

wolf · Tennis legend

Why do they start main draw on a Saturday? Absolute stupidity from the WTA.

JonH · All-time great

I guess they aim to play all first round matches by end Sunday. Is the 2nd round Monday and Tuesday and a Saturday final?

I guess that works for the TV schedules. So jo is probably on as late as she can be. But that's hard, presumably travel over this evening to Madrid, settle into hotel and straight onto courts tomorrow. Not a glamorous life really, is it.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

To fit all the matches in with it being a 64 person draw with no byes, running simultaneously with the men and for less overlap with Rome. Petra is Petra, but she won Prague last year on the Saturday, played in Madrid on the Sunday and ended up winning that tournament as well. Mertens won Rabat on the Saturday and beat compatriot AVU on the Sunday, but beaten Prague finalist Buzarnescu lost her R1 Madrid match the next day.

It would be nice to have a compassionate day off and to play her and Sakkari's match on the Monday - one solution might have been to start the men on Saturday as well and have the R1 matches spread over 3 days like the French open and both finals on the Sunday, but I guess they didn't think 2 or 3 players (2 this year) suffering were enough to change their schedule and tight turnarounds are not unheard of.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

JonH wrote:
I guess they aim to play all first round matches by end Sunday. Is the 2nd round Monday and Tuesday and a Saturday final?

I guess that works for the TV schedules. So jo is probably on as late as she can be. But that's hard, presumably travel over this evening to Madrid, settle into hotel and straight onto courts tomorrow. Not a glamorous life really, is it.

That's correct.

indiana · Tennis legend

Unfortunate but it is very tight with 2 big men's and women's draws in Madrid and Rome in successive weeks.

I think it very understandable to want R1 completed by Sunday.

So more the wider tournament schedule than blame on the WTA for their Madrid schedule.

Most of the leading players have been nowhere near Rabat or Prague and if you play them you should know the possible consequences. And still if there is a consequence it will be down to you having had a good week.

flamingowings · All-time great

Are the draw sizes different? Some (ATP) Masters get byes, don't they and the same for the women?
Anyway, many a tournament has been had and then either the finalists have a small "injury niggle" or they play one match and then pull out injured (Petra and Eastbourne...?) to fullfill the commitment (I personally call it "one and done") The "Sunshine Double" is notoriously difficult to do; the same applies I think to Madrid and Rome* (but I don't think they have a nickname for that)

*Rafa aside, obviously

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Sakkari is currently 0-5* against Suarez Navarro and has only won 8 points so far.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Ace Ventura wrote:
Sakkari is currently 0-5* against Suarez Navarro and has only won 8 points so far.

Sakkari has got it back to 2-5. Additionally both the 2 losing semi finalists Tomljanovic and Van Uytvanck have also been beaten. On the face of it not too easy to play in Rabat one day and Madrid the following.

JonH · All-time great

When does Rome kick off, is that Saturday also? Quite conceivable we have unseeded players (women and men) in last 4 of Madrid and Rome expecting them to be playing over next weekend in the opening round there...presumably they have more foresight between Masters events?

ROSAMUND · Futures level

ROSAMUND wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
Sakkari is currently 0-5* against Suarez Navarro and has only won 8 points so far.
Sakkari has got it back to 2-5. Additionally both the 2 losing semi finalists Tomljanovic and Van Uytvanck have also been beaten. On the face of it not too easy to play in Rabat one day and Madrid the following.

Sakkari lost 3-6 3-6 in the end. Jo's match might take a little while to start as the preceding mens qualifying looks like it might go to 3 sets.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

ROSAMUND wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
Sakkari is currently 0-5* against Suarez Navarro and has only won 8 points so far.
Sakkari has got it back to 2-5. Additionally both the 2 losing semi finalists Tomljanovic and Van Uytvanck have also been beaten. On the face of it not too easy to play in Rabat one day and Madrid the following.

Sakkari lost 3-6 3-6 in the end. Jo's match might take a little while to start as the preceding mens qualifying looks like it might go to 3 sets.