ATP Madrid Open draw: Djokovic and Alcaraz set to clash, Zverev headlines top half
The Madrid Open men’s singles draw has been released – and Novak Djokovic is projected to face Carlos Alcaraz in the last four.
Fourth seed Djokovic has been drawn in the same half as second seed Alcaraz at the Masters 1000 event, meaning the two former champions could be set for a semi-final showdown.
The pair famously met in the last four back in 2022, where Alcaraz prevailed in a three-set thriller on his way to the first of two back-to-back titles on home turf.
Second seed Alcaraz comes into the tournament under a slight injury cloud following an apparent issue in his Barcelona Open final loss to Holger Rune.
The 21-year-old is reportedly undergoing a scan on Monday to determine the severity of a lower back problem, though he may be aided by receiving a round-one bye in Madrid.
Assuming Alcaraz plays, he will start his campaign against one of Zizou Bergs or Yoshihito Nishioka in round two, before a projected meeting against 26th seed Jiri Lehecka in round three.
The Spaniard is then expected to face 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov in round four before a quarter-final against sixth seed Alex de Minaur, in what would be a rematch of their last-eight clash in Barcelona.
However, de Minaur’s section is an open one, with 17th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti also placed here.
If action in Madrid follows the seedings, Alcaraz would then face fourth seed Djokovic in the semi-final, though the Serbian has been handed an intriguing draw.
Djokovic will face a qualifier or Matteo Arnaldi in round two, before a projected third round against 32nd seed Sebastian Baez.
The Serbian is then expected to face 16th seed Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round before a projected quarter-final against fifth seed Jack Draper.
After an opening-round bye, Draper could face Tallon Griekspoor in round two, before a projected round-three encounter versus former finalist and 30th seed Matteo Berrettini, and a fourth round versus 11th seed Tommy Paul.
Meanwhile, the top half of the draw is headlined by top seed Alexander Zverev, who returned to world No 2 on Monday after his triumph in Munich on Sunday.
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However, the two-time Madrid champion has not been handed the easiest draw in his quest to capture a third title.
Zverev will face one of Roberto Bautista Agut or Jaume Munar in round two and potentially 28th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in round three.
That could then be followed by a fourth-round clash versus 13th seed Arthur Fils, who beat Zverev in Miami last month, and then a quarter-final against seventh seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev.
The Russian could face Gael Monfils in his first match and then 25th seed Alexei Popyrin, who beat him in the Canadian Open final last summer, in the third round.
Rublev could then face 12th seed Ben Shelton or 22nd seed Jakub Mensik in round four.
The second quarter of the draw is headlined by third seed Taylor Fritz, who will look to find some form after an injury lay-off at the beginning of the clay swing.
Fritz, who is projected to face Zverev in the last four, begins his campaign against Christopher O’Connell or Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
The US star could then take on 27th seed Hubert Hurkacz in round three and 14th seed Casper Ruud in round four, before a projected quarter-final against Barcelona champion Rune.
Eighth seed Rune faces a tough opener against one of Flavio Cobolli or Fabian Marozsan, before projected contests versus 31st seed Brandon Nakashima and ninth seed Daniil Medvedev.
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