The ATP clay court season continues in Spain with the Mutua Madrid Open. This Masters 1000 event welcomes in a 96-man singles draw that features some of the world’s best, including its last two champions: Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. Day one of main draw action features some intriguing matchups, including Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis vs the Spanish Jaume Munar. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the grounds of Madrid. But who will advance?
ATP Madrid Day 1 Predictions
Pavel Kotov vs Oscar Otte
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Pavelo Kotov received a Lucky Loser entry into Madrid’s main draw after Fabio Fognini had to pull out. Kotov lost a three-hour battle in the second round of qualifying but should be ready and confident when he squares off against Oscar Otte. The veteran German picked up an impressive victory over Sebastian Baez last week but has been inconsistent in 2023. I favor Kotov’s ability to dictate the pace in this match and believe he has enough tools to force Otte into uncomfortable positions on the court. I’ll take the Russian in a decider.
Prediction: Kotov in 3
Martin Landaluce vs Richard Gasquet
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Former world No. 7 Richard Gasquet has had a tough start to the clay season but looks to get back on the right track against 17-year-old Spanish wildcard Martin Landaluce. Currently ranked No. 894 in the world, Landaluce has virtually no history in professional tennis matches. Gasquet may be 36, but he has played some solid tennis over the last 52 weeks and should have no problem taking down the young Spaniard. This match will be a good learning tool for Landaluce as he looks to progress in his tennis career.
Prediction: Gasquet in 2
Benoit Paire vs Matteo Arnaldi
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Benoit Paire and Matteo Arnaldi overcame set deficits in the second round of qualifying to push their way into the Mutua Madrid Open main draw. The two qualifiers will now square off with a spot in Round 2 on the line. The veteran Frenchman has a strong contingent behind him and will look to use that to his advantage. Arnaldi, at just 22 years of age, won his first career ATP match last week in Barcelona. The Italian has high hopes in the sport but still has much to prove. I expect both players to come out with energy. In a match that should provide a lot of back-and-forth action, I give a slight edge to Paire. His proclivity for the clay will shine through against the youth of Arnaldi.
Prediction: Paire in 3
Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Jaume Munar
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jaume Munar will square off in Madrid with a significant opportunity to reach the second round of a Masters event (and beyond). Munar has a much better history on the clay. The 25-year-old Spaniard has won seven Challenger titles and has six career top 20 wins on the surface. Kokkinakis, on the other hand, has just four career ATP clay-court victories. This will be his first clay-court match in 11 months, and to expect it to go well would be presumptuous. Munar should be able to dictate the pace of play and force the Aussie to show rally tolerance to make this match competitive. I do not believe Kokkinakis can do that in his current form.
Prediction: Munar in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
