Daniil has to redeem himself

After a stinging 6-0 6-0 defeat in Monte Carlo, unworthy of any professional player, Daniil is going to redeem himself — or not...

The Russian says it took him a few days to get over his defeat; even for a guy like him who usually keeps things in perspective, it wasn’t easy. We’re talking 6–0 6–0 with a pathetic attitude, the version you never want to see but that often pops back up as soon as the clay season starts. It’s no secret to anyone that Medvedev hates clay, and even if he’s won titles and had good tournaments on it in the past, it’s still the place where he can completely lose it; that match in Monte Carlo is far from an anomaly. We’re expecting a champion’s reaction, but I’m staying clear‑eyed about the fact that Madrid is crap for him. He’s already made the quarterfinals here, but I can reply that he’s already made the semis in Monte Carlo and that didn’t stop him from tanking, even though he lives there too. I really have no confidence in him.

He’s up against a player he beats all the time: Marozsan. A stat that’s deceptive, because their matches are always tight and Marozsan is still capable of giving him a hard time. The Hungarian used to be a giant‑killer and he’s still very interesting in that outsider role; he often lacks clutchness at the end of sets and doesn’t really have a killer instinct, but he has the level to compete with a bunch of good players on clay. If the Hungarian plays his match and pushes Daniil to the point of blowing up, then there’s a big upset to go for.