Game of throws: Big four to reunite in Madrid Masters

Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray to feature in event ahead of French Open

MADRID: As the French Open looms closer, all eyes are on Madrid Masters as world number one Novak Djokovic returns to the Spanish capital for the first time in three years, aiming to forget his blip at the Monte Carlo Masters with a strong challenge expected from a resurgent Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic was stunned in his opening match in Monte Carlo by the unheralded Czech Jiri Vesely, to lose for the first time in 2016 other than when he was forced to retire with an eye infection against Feliciano Lopez in Dubai back in February.

The Serb’s absence cleared the way for Nadal to land his first Masters title in nearly two years and the Spaniard extended his perfect start to the European clay-court season by claiming a ninth Barcelona Open last week to equal Guillermo Vilas’s record of 49 clay-court titles.



Nadal will be eager to claim his 50th on home soil having reached the final in Madrid in six of the past seven years, although he was comprehensively beaten by Andy Murray as the Briton claimed his first Masters title on clay in last year’s final.

Murray has had an inconsistent season as he has dealt with the extra burden of becoming a father for the first time in February.

Yet, despite Djokovic’s dominance over the past year, Murray believes the 11-time Grand Slam champion can be stopped in the tournament that starts today.



“Everyone and anyone can be beaten, but at the moment Novak’s consistency is making him just that little bit harder to beat,” said Murray.

Djokovic, Nadal and Murray will be joined by Roger Federer in the Spanish capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2016.

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