Best Tennis Reviews

Thursday, April 24, 2025

🎾 WTA Madrid R2: Liudmila Samsonova vs Caroline Dolehide

🧠 Form & Context

Liudmila Samsonova
🇷🇺 Elite ceiling, inconsistent delivery: Samsonova opened her 2025 campaign with a semifinal run in Adelaide and a quarterfinal appearance in Indian Wells—her third WTA 1000 QF in the past year.
📉 Momentum dip: First-round exits in Miami (to Osaka) and Stuttgart (to Alexandrova) have slowed her rhythm.
📍 Madrid comfort: She owns a 3–3 career record here and should benefit from the altitude, which amplifies her flat groundstrokes and big serve.
🧨 Weapons to watch: When locked in, Samsonova is among the most explosive hitters on tour—her ability to control points from the baseline is unmatched when she finds rhythm.

Caroline Dolehide
🇺🇸 Clay-court spark? Came from 1–4 down in the second set against Avanesyan to reel off five straight games—her biggest win of 2025.
📉 Patchy season: Outside Madrid, she’s reached the second round in just two tournaments all year.
📍 Madrid suits her: Made the third round here last year and posted both of her top-50 clay wins in the Spanish capital. The altitude helps enhance her serve and forehand.
⚠️ Against elite opposition: Owns a 3–16 career record vs top-20 players, with all wins coming on North American hard courts.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This matchup will likely be decided by first-strike efficiency and composure under pressure. Samsonova brings raw power and a more polished all-court game, while Dolehide thrives in altitude conditions but has struggled to consistently challenge top-tier opponents.

If Samsonova serves well and finds her groove early, she should control the pace of play. But Dolehide’s comeback win in R1 shows she’s mentally dialed in and comfortable in these conditions. If the American can shorten points and pressure Samsonova’s second serve, she could make this a much closer battle than expected.

That said, the Russian’s ability to hit through the court and her experience at higher levels of the game provide her with a distinct advantage—especially in a venue that rewards aggressive baseline play.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Samsonova in 2 tight sets
Expect heavy hitting, a lot of short rallies, and possibly a tiebreak. Dolehide may hang tough, but Samsonova’s pace and precision should edge her through—if she keeps the unforced errors in check.

🎾 WTA Madrid R2: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro vs Magdalena Frech

🧠 Form & Context

Magdalena Frech
🇵🇱 Downward spiral: Frech has had a rough 2025 so far, winning just 4 of her 14 matches. Since the Australian Open, where she reached the third round, she hasn’t managed to string together back-to-back main draw wins.
📉 Stuttgart struggles: She nearly lost to 37-year-old Sara Errani and then was dismantled by Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-1. Her form continues to dip.
🧱 Missing stability: In 2023, Frech was known for consistency—five quarterfinals or better—but that level has vanished.
⚠️ Altitude hope: The faster bounce in Madrid may help her flat strokes and serve, but only if she finds confidence again.

Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
🇪🇸 Home-soil surge: The young Spaniard is finally finding her rhythm in 2025, winning 6 of her last 8 matches after a slow start to the year. Quarterfinal runs in Antalya and Rouen were turning points.
🚀 Career-best win: Took down world No. 7 Maria Sakkari in Rouen—a huge statement and her best win to date.
🔥 Madrid momentum: Carried that form into Madrid with a 6-3, 6-1 demolition of clay-specialist Mayar Sherif. She looks confident, composed, and energized by the home crowd.
🎾 Clay comfort: Her game is built for clay—heavy topspin, smart point construction, and patience in rallies. The altitude only amplifies her strengths.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This match is all about current form versus experience. Frech has been on this stage before and knows how to hang in rallies, but her confidence is clearly shaken. If she can’t get her first serve working or keep points short, Bouzas Maneiro will drag her into long exchanges and outlast her from the baseline.

The Spaniard is playing with belief, swinging freely, and her topspin-heavy forehand is lethal in Madrid’s conditions. Add in the home support, and she’s a formidable force this week. Unless Frech rediscovers her timing and sharpness from 2023, she may struggle to keep up with the pace and weight of Bouzas Maneiro’s groundstrokes.

🔮 Prediction

Momentum, surface, and belief are all on Bouzas Maneiro’s side. She looks poised for another statement win on home soil.

🧩 Prediction: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in 2 sets
If Frech can’t raise her level significantly, this may be a short affair—possibly under 90 minutes.

🎾 WTA Madrid R2: Belinda Bencic vs Clara Tauson

🧠 Form & Context

Belinda Bencic
🇨🇭 Mom-mode magic: Since returning from maternity leave, Bencic has found her groove. She opened 2025 with a title in Abu Dhabi, followed by a solid run to the fourth round in Melbourne and a quarterfinal finish in Indian Wells.
🎂 Momentum milestone: She marked her daughter’s birthday with a dominant 6–0, 6–2 win over Zeynep Sönmez, her first clay victory of the season after an early exit in Charleston.
📍 Madrid memories: A semifinalist in 2019 and quarterfinalist in 2021, the altitude and pace in Madrid clearly suit her game.
🧠 Match IQ: With one of the sharpest return games on tour, Bencic thrives in pressure moments when she’s in rhythm.

Clara Tauson
🇩🇰 Stuttgart setback: Held match point against Potapova in a long, dramatic match before falling 6–2, 6–7, 3–6. It was a missed opportunity but proof of her rising level.
🔥 Breakthrough year: Tauson has been a model of consistency in 2025 with a title in Auckland, final in Dubai, and strong performances in Linz, Indian Wells, and Miami.
📉 Madrid challenge: Still looking for her first main-draw win at this tournament, but her power game could benefit from the faster conditions at altitude.
📈 Building belief: Despite recent heartbreak, she’s playing like a top-tier threat again.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a true stylistic contrast: Bencic relies on timing, angles, and precision while Tauson brings a more direct, aggressive game built around power off both wings. The Madrid clay rewards clean ball-strikers with tactical depth—and that’s where Bencic shines.

Tauson’s power could give her an early edge, but Bencic’s ability to absorb pace and redirect it—especially on quick clay—could turn this into a battle of discipline. If the match becomes a war of attrition or comes down to key break points, Bencic has a slight edge in composure and court awareness.

🔮 Prediction

Both players are in strong form, and this could be a high-quality three-setter. If Tauson gets hot and serves well, she can hit through anyone. But Madrid favors players with feel and balance, and Bencic has proven she can handle the conditions.

🧩 Prediction: Bencic in 3 sets
Look for Tauson to push early, but Bencic’s consistency, altitude awareness, and return game could prove decisive.

🏷️ Labels: WTA Madrid, Bencic vs Tauson, Madrid Clay 2025, WTA Round 2, Tennis Preview, Match Prediction

🎾 ATP Madrid R1: Kei Nishikori vs Aleksandar Vukic

🧠 Form & Context

Kei Nishikori

🇯🇵 Still dangerous when fit: Showed flashes of brilliance with a runner-up finish in Hong Kong earlier this year.
🩼 Fragile health: Withdrew from Miami and retired in Houston—his physical reliability is uncertain at best.
🏟️ Madrid memories: Five straight QFs or better from 2013–17, including a 2014 final—Madrid suits his game perfectly.
🔙 If he's moving well: He can still dictate rallies with precision, variety, and strategic nous.

Aleksandar Vukic

🇦🇺 Confidence crisis: On a 9-match losing streak, including several close three-setters where he couldn't finish.
🧠 Mental block: Has had multiple leads slip away during this clay swing—match management is a clear concern.
📉 Madrid déjà vu: Lost R1 here in 2023 to another Japanese player (Taro Daniel) in three sets—patterns repeating.
🔥 Must keep it short: To win, he’ll need to go big early and avoid extended rallies where Nishikori excels.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This match is a battle of contrasting form and fitness. Vukic has tools—big serve, clean groundstrokes—but lacks confidence and consistency late in sets. Nishikori, by contrast, brings elite court craft and Madrid pedigree, but his body is his biggest opponent.

If Nishikori is physically sound, he should be able to draw errors from Vukic with his variation and defensive reads. If not, and this drags into a physical third set, Vukic could finally catch a break.

🔮 Prediction

✅ Winner: Kei Nishikori in 2 tight sets

He’s more tactically composed and historically excellent in Madrid. But if this goes the distance, fitness could flip the script in Vukic’s favor.

🎾 ATP Madrid R1: David Goffin vs Alexandre Muller

🧠 Form & Context

David Goffin

🇧🇪 Veteran revival: After a winless start to 2025, Goffin has caught fire with a QF run in Munich and a shock win over Alcaraz in Miami.
🔥 Battle-tested: Eight straight matches have gone three sets—he’s showing old-school Goffin grit and timing again.
📍 Madrid credentials: QF in 2017, nearly beat Nadal in 2022—his game fits Madrid’s fast clay when firing.
📈 Climbing again: Back inside the top 100 and gaining confidence with each win.

Alexandre Muller

🇫🇷 Breakout season: Broke into the top 40 earlier this year and arrives with less pressure on clay than in previous seasons.
🌱 Madrid struggles: 0–2 in previous qualifying attempts here. Making his main draw debut this year.
🛠️ Solid game, few weapons: A consistent baseliner, tactically disciplined, but lacks a true finishing shot.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Goffin’s timing, variety, and anticipation could prove decisive against Muller’s more mechanical baseline game. The altitude in Madrid helps clean strikers like Goffin who can take the ball early and redirect pace with ease. Muller is solid but doesn’t carry the shot tolerance or firepower to regularly hit through Goffin—especially if the Belgian continues to grind like he has in recent weeks.

Expect a chess match of patterns, angles, and mid-length rallies—with Goffin seeking to exploit depth and open up the court. If Muller can extend points and test Goffin’s endurance, he has a shot, but the Belgian’s current form and Masters-level experience should be enough to tip the balance.

🔮 Prediction

✅ Winner: David Goffin in 3 sets

It’ll be close—maybe even ugly—but Goffin’s grit and Madrid pedigree should be just enough to frustrate and outmaneuver the Frenchman.

🎾 ATP Madrid R1: Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs Hamad Medjedovic

🧠 Form & Context

Tomas Martin Etcheverry

🇦🇷 Clay-court stalwart: Built his 2023 breakthrough on clay, including a Roland Garros quarterfinal run and a Top-30 debut.
📉 2025 regression: Just 9 wins from 22 matches this year. His recent clay form (1–3) has been uninspiring, with his lone win in Monte Carlo aided by Moutet’s injury.
⬇️ Pressure cooker: Slipping outside the Top 50 and needing points badly—especially after early Madrid exits in 2023 and 2024.

Hamad Medjedovic

🇷🇸 Fast-clay specialist: His serve-heavy, aggressive style thrives at elevation—perfect for Madrid’s altitude-enhanced conditions.
📈 Trending upward: Qualified in Barcelona and nearly beat Ruud in a high-quality R2 match. Looks sharp and confident heading into Madrid.
📍 Madrid familiarity: Reached R2 here last year as a qualifier—comfortable with the pace and surface bounce at the Caja Mágica.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Etcheverry’s game is built on physicality, depth, and topspin-heavy attrition—but recent matches show a lack of conviction. He's defending less territory and getting pushed behind the baseline far too often. On Madrid’s quicker clay, that spells trouble.

Medjedovic, meanwhile, brings firepower. His big serve and heavy forehand are tailor-made for altitude conditions, and his recent form suggests he’s found a groove. If he can keep first-serve percentage high and dominate with forehand +1s, Etcheverry will be forced to play defense from compromised positions.

Madrid’s speed rewards risk—and right now, Medjedovic has more momentum, more confidence, and a better fit for the conditions.

🔮 Prediction

✅ Winner: Hamad Medjedovic in 2 tight sets

Etcheverry is capable of turning things around long-term, but the moment favors Medjedovic’s power and Madrid savvy.

🎾 ATP Madrid R1: Damir Dzumhur vs Mattia Bellucci

🎾 ATP Madrid R1: Damir Dzumhur vs Mattia Bellucci – Momentum vs Flash

🧠 Form & Context

Damir Dzumhur

🇧🇦 Resurgent veteran: The Bosnian has clawed his way back into ATP main draws with a stellar 2025 season so far (21 wins), including a semifinal in Bucharest and quarterfinal in Santiago.
📈 Trending up: Once ranked No. 23, Dzumhur is playing with renewed belief and rhythm, using his consistency and quickness to frustrate opponents.
🎾 Madrid comeback: This marks his first appearance in the Madrid main draw since 2018, where he pushed Del Potro in R2.

Mattia Bellucci

🇮🇹 High ceiling, low floor: Burst onto the radar by upsetting Tsitsipas and Medvedev during a sensational run to the Rotterdam semifinals earlier this year.
📉 Form concerns: Outside that run, he’s struggled with consistency—unable to string together wins on other surfaces.
🏟️ Madrid debut: This is only his third career Masters main-draw appearance—still adapting to the intensity and pressure of this level.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This matchup hinges on consistency vs explosiveness.

Dzumhur is a classic grinder—quick feet, early ball striking, excellent movement—traits that play well at altitude, especially on clay. He builds pressure through depth and angles, forcing opponents to take risks.

Bellucci, meanwhile, is a shotmaker who lives and dies by his aggressive baseline play. Madrid’s conditions favor his big lefty forehand and flat shots, but they also punish players lacking patience or timing on clay.

With Dzumhur in rhythm and Bellucci's form wavering, the Bosnian is well positioned to absorb pressure and turn defense into attack. If the Italian doesn’t find his range early, frustration could creep in.

🔮 Prediction

✅ Winner: Damir Dzumhur in 3 sets

Bellucci might come out swinging, but Dzumhur’s steady form, clay comfort, and fitness advantage should help him edge through—especially in the longer rallies.