The Grandstand
1,193 FOLLOWERS
Find latest news, match previews, match recaps, photos, predictions, live reports and much more on this site.
The Grandstand
8h ago
Round one continues at the Madrid Masters on Thursday with young American Alex Michelsen taking on fellow rising star Joao Fonseca and Czech teen Jakub Mensik facing German veteran Yannick Hanfmann.
Alex Michelsen vs. (WC) Joao Fonseca
This battle of the youngsters will be one to keep an eye on. American Alex Michelsen turned pro last year at age 18 with reasonable success. Michelson is ranked 70th in the world. The American won two matches at the Australian Open and also had good success in Los Cabos, where he made the quarterfinals. Michelsen played a couple clay events already this year, in ..read more
The Grandstand
15h ago
Rafael Nadal spoke to the media at the Mutua Madrid Open prior to his first-round match against Darwin Blanch on Thursday. Nadal admitted that he is less than 100 percent physically but is happy to be able to play.
“The goal is to be on court and enjoy as long as possible,” the 37-year old Spaniard said on Wednesday. “Try to finish the tournament alive in terms of body issues and enjoy the fact that I will be able to compete one more time on the professional tour and here at home in Madrid. A place that has given me everything in terms of support.
“So, let’s see. I mean, in this sport, I’ve s ..read more
The Grandstand
15h ago
Envision a vacation that mixes the exhilaration of tennis with the thrill of casino gambling. These days, a lot of the best casino resorts have first-rate tennis facilities, which makes them the ideal locations for aficionados of sports and gaming. These resorts offer the best of both worlds, whether your preference is to play a round of tennis or a few hands of blackjack. You may take advantage of these luxuries combined at some of the best casino resorts that are explored in this guide. Prepare to find your next travel destination!
Why Choose a Casino Resort with Tennis Facilities?
C ..read more
The Grandstand
20h ago
First-round action at the Madrid Masters is wrapping up on Thursday, when Tomas Machac takes the court against Emil Ruusuvuori. Lorenzo Sonego and Richard Gasquet will battle for the right to face Jannik Sinner in round two.
Tomas Machac vs. Emil Ruusuvuori
Machac’s career has been short and the 2024 campaign is still in its relatively early stages, but he is enjoying by far his best season on tour. The 23-year-old Czech is 11-6 at the ATP level and has climbed to 50th in the rankings. His results include a third-round performance at the Australian Open, a quarterfinal run in Miami, and succes ..read more
The Grandstand
1d ago
Thanasi Kokkinakis successfully came through Madrid qualifying and will be part of the opening main-draw schedule on Wednesday. Kokkinakis will try to keep it going against Jack Draper, while Fabian Marozsan faces Aslan Karatsev.
(Q) Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. Jack Draper
Draper and Kokkinakis will be squaring off for the third time in their careers when they meet in round one of the Mutua Madrid Open on Wednesday. They have already faced each other once this season, when Kokkinakis won a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 thriller on the hard courts of Los Cabos. That was preceded by another marathon match, in whi ..read more
The Grandstand
2d ago
It will be a tale of two generations when Rafael Nadal plays his first-round match at the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday. His opponent is 21 years his junior — 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch.
This Masters 1000 tournament is owned by IMG and Blanch is an IMG client, which explains why he was given a main-draw wild card. The story was the same in Miami, where Blanch drew an in-form Tomas Machac in the opening round and lost 6-4, 6-2. That marked the teenager’s first-ever appearance on the main tour.
Blanch then took his talents to the red clay of Spain–an expected decision since he has spent ..read more
The Grandstand
2d ago
Main-draw action at the Madrid Masters gets underway on Wednesday, when Chris Eubanks goes up against Botic van de Zandschulp. Facundo Diaz Acosta and Denis Shapovalov are also taking the court in round one.
Botic van de Zandschulp vs. Chris Eubanks
Eubanks and Van de Zandschulp will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in round one of the Mutua Madrid Open on Wednesday. Their only previous meeting came earlier this season on the hard courts of Auckland, where Van de Zandschulp prevailed 7-6(5), 6-2.
Clay should give the 28-year-old Dutchman even more of a ..read more
The Grandstand
2d ago
In a significant change dating back to last season, Masters 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome are now two-week events instead of one and the draw sizes have increased to 96 (the 32 seeds get byes in a bracket of 128). Yes, that means they are on par with Indian Wells and Miami.
Madrid’s prestige was not enough to lure Novak Djokovic into the field, as he is skipping it for a second consecutive year. However, a couple of the biggest names are on tour are back after missing Madrid in 2023: Rafael Nadal and Jannik Sinner. Those two guys are obviously at very different points in the ..read more
The Grandstand
2d ago
While tennis stars are celebrated for their skills on the court, many also find themselves drawn to the adrenaline-fueled atmosphere of the casino. From Wimbledon champions to emerging talents, these athletes revel in the allure and excitement of casino gaming during their off-court moments. Whether it’s the thrill of the roulette wheel, the strategic challenge of blackjack, or the anticipation of hitting the jackpot on the slots, tennis stars embrace the entertainment and glamor of the casino life.
Delving deeper into their off-court pursuits, it’s not uncommon to find tennis stars enjoying t ..read more
The Grandstand
2d ago
The women don’t play in Monte-Carlo, so the Mutua Madrid Open marks the first of two clay-court Masters 1000 tournaments, which was preceded by a WTA 500 in Stuttgart. Elena Rybakina will be looking to make it two titles in as many weeks and conditions in Madrid should be good for her game, but she could be challenged by the usual suspects such as No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Here are my best bets for the women’s 2024 Mutua Madrid Open.
Aryna Sabalenka (+650)
Sabalenka may not be at her very best on clay, but it is nonetheless no surprise at all to see ..read more