ATP 500 Barcelona Open 2023

[Rattie]

The draw is now out for next week, this time with Alcaraz and Sinner on opposing sides of the draw.

Seeds:
1 Carlos Alcaraz
2 Stefanos Tsitsipas
3. Casper Ruud
4. Jannik Sinner
5. Francis Tiafoe
6. Karen Khachanov
7. Cam Norrie
8. Alex de Minaur
9. Lorenzo Musetti
10. Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina
11. Grigori Dimitrov
12. Dan Evans
13. Roberto Bautist-Agut
14. Denis Shapovalov
15. Francisco Cerundolo
16. Yoshihito Nishioka

https://twitter.com/x/status/1647243637351395328

 

[Rattie]

Yeah I’ve reported myself for calling this an ARP M1000, so hopefully the mods will change it soon. LOL

Done

 

[DSH]

It will be interesting to see if Alcaraz can handle the pressure of being the defending champion in the upcoming tournaments.
Barcelona, his first trial by fire.

 

[Chanwan]

It will be interesting to see if Alcaraz can handle the pressure of being the defending champion in the upcoming tournaments.
Barcelona, his first trial by fire.

I think he can, hoping for a healthy Alcaraz and another Alca-Sinner classic

 

[dking68]

I think he can, hoping for a healthy Alcaraz and another Alca-Sinner classic

I don’t know if Sinner will even play this tournament

 

[Chanwan]

I don’t know if Sinner will even play this tournament

Why not?

 

[dking68]

Why not?

Hasn’t he been making a lot of semis and finals lately? Also I think it would be best to peak at the masters and hopefully make a final rather than tire out himself at Barcelona even though he has a really good draw imho

 

[Jonesy]

Sinner to win it all just because it isn't a big title.

 

[dking68]

Sinner to win it all just because it isn't a big title.

I don’t think he should play. Think he should just focus on Rome and Madrid

 

[Jonesy]

I don’t think he should play. Think he should just focus on Rome and Madrid

That would be smart, but unless he has an injury i don't think he will pull out.

 

[Rattie]

His hair grows quickly!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1647601890404737026

 

[Rovesciarete]

Charlie is rightly considered the biggest fav but it will be interesting how the clay season progresses and how players are going to adapt. Barcelona is generally kinder to attacking baseliners than Monte Carlo.

 

[dking68]

Charlie is rightly considered the biggest fav but it will be interesting how the clay season progresses and how players are going to adapt. Barcelona is generally kinder to attacking baseliners than Monte Carlo.

So it should help sinner a lot then. Interesting. They meet in the finals

 

[bluetrain4]

Tiafoe with a tough matchup between the winner of Ruusivuori and Bublik. I wanted him to get at least one win in Barcelona. I have no idea what to expect of him on European clay this spring.

 

[DIMI_D]

Alcaraz or tsitsi will win this I think

 

[Chanwan]

Alcaraz or tsitsi will win this I think

Next best thing after Alca-Sinner would be Alca-Sissy

 

[mike danny]

Next best thing after Alca-Sinner would be Alca-Sissy

With Alca owning Sissy again.

 

[Rovesciarete]

The favourites according the clay ELO:

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(1)Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)	​	100.0%​	91.4%​	77.4%​	62.2%​	44.3%​	27.0%​

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(2)Stefanos Tsitsi (GRE)	​	100.0%​	90.8%​	75.9%​	60.2%​	36.8%​	21.7%​

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(4)Jannik Sinner (ITA)	​	100.0%​	83.4%​	69.8%​	48.7%​	29.7%​	17.3%​

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(3)Casper Ruud (NOR)	​	100.0%​	92.4%​	69.4%​	48.6%​	24.2%​	11.7%​

 

[dking68]

The favourites according the classic ELO:

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(1)Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)	​	100.0%​	91.4%​	77.4%​	62.2%​	44.3%​	27.0%​

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(2)Stefanos Tsitsi (GRE)	​	100.0%​	90.8%​	75.9%​	60.2%​	36.8%​	21.7%​

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(4)Jannik Sinner (ITA)	​	100.0%​	83.4%​	69.8%​	48.7%​	29.7%​	17.3%​

Player	​	R32​	R16​	QF​	SF​	F​	W​
(3)Casper Ruud (NOR)	​	100.0%​	92.4%​	69.4%​	48.6%​	24.2%​	11.7%​

Tsitsipas has a higher ELO than sinner?

 

[Rovesciarete]

Clay ELO, not classic. Overall Tsitsipas is of course due to injury sadly not as strong as his Elo suggests. yElo would suggest this ranking:

Rank​	Player​	Wins​	Losses​	yElo​
1​	Daniil Medvedev​	28​	3​	2237.8​
2​	Novak Djokovic​	15​	1​	2125.7​
3​	Jannik Sinner​	21​	5​	2115.6​
4​	Carlos Alcaraz​	17​	2​	2112.7​
5​	Taylor Fritz​	20​	6​	2026.6​

 

[Rovesciarete]

Passaro seems to pass Verdasco. 6-1 in the first set. Nice and sad to see.

 

[Baseline_Bungle]

First tour-level win for Arnaldi, with a convincing performance against the always-unpleasant Munar. Top 100 just inches away...

 

[Rattie]

Carlos 3-1 up in the opener

 

[Rattie]

And now a double break up 5-1

 

[Kralingen]

He looks absolutely unstoppable.

 

[Rattie]

He looks absolutely unstoppable.

Hopefully he is!

 

[Hitman]

Alcaraz is a truly rare beast. If he plays like he is right now, it's going to be rough clay season for everyone else. Having said that, he is not being tested at the moment.

 

[marc45]

Carlos not only buzzed his hair but someone finally went to work on the thatch on the back of his neck

 

[Rattie]

Alcaraz is a truly rare beast. If he plays like he is right now, it's going to be rough clay season for everyone else. Having said that, he is not being tested at the moment.

Borges isn’t exactly playing badly though

 

[Hitman]

Borges isn’t exactly playing badly though

Hence why I said that Alcaraz is looking beastly, I am not saying Borges is playing bad, I am saying Borges isn't quite the elite challenge either. I think that is fair.

 

[Rovesciarete]

He is the breaker of serves, rey Carlos Garfia, primero de su nombre.

61% of points won, playing suffocating tennis.

At the end five breaks, 62% of points won. Tough.

 

[Jonesy]

What makes Carlos so interesting is the constant loop of focus routines to keep the mental game up.

 

[bluetrain4]

I thought Tiafoe might win that match when he won the second set and got up 3-1 in the third. That would have been a great win for him, even if he's ranked higher, considering he lost to Ruusuvouri 1 and 2 indoor in Stockholm last year in their only other match.

 

[DSH]

I think he can, hoping for a healthy Alcaraz and another Alca-Sinner classic

That sounds refreshing!

 

[Notorious_Junkballer]

I thought Tiafoe might win that match when he won the second set and got up 3-1 in the third. That would have been a great win for him, even if he's ranked higher, considering he lost to Ruusuvouri 1 and 2 indoor in Stockholm last year in their only other match.

Foe was up 3-0 in the 3rd and had a bp to 4-0. He has never beaten Ruusuvuori, and infact today he broke Ruusuvuori's serve for the first time ever and won his first set against him. Ruusuvuori leads now 6-1 in sets against Foe. This was their 3rd battle. Ruusuvuori beat him also at the ATP 1000 in Canada in -21.

 

[Chanwan]

He is the breaker of serves, rey Carlos Garfia, primero de su nombre.

61% of points won, playing suffocating tennis.

At the end five breaks, 62% of points won. Tough.

Carlos has quickly become must viewing. He's truly something else.

 

[Rovesciarete]

Break and hold, eight points in a row by Jannik. 61% won. El Peque has just a tough time trying to trouble the Sinner.

So far, and it is sad to say, playing against Diego at the beginning helps Jannik to get into the rhythm.

He really lacks right now the weapons to create big problems for the youngster.

DeMinaur serving bagles and baking on.

 

[Chanwan]

Break and hold, eight points in a row by Jannik. 61% won. El Peque has just a tough time trying to trouble the Sinner.

So far, and it is sad to say, playing against Diego at the beginning helps Jannik to get into the rhythm.

He really lacks right now the weapons to create big problems for the youngster.

DeMinaur serving bagles and baking on.

Sinner may not have won a big title yet, but he's also not had a single bad loss this season. Impressive to not have a letdown after the MC disappointment

 

[Rovesciarete]

He hasn't found yet his first serve on clay, once again.

Just now checking the stats: 60% in, 50% won of the firsts, 65% of the seconds. As a returner he wins 65% of Diegos first serves...

Both are among the best returners on clay, but c'mmon.

 

[Rattie]

Poor Diego, his form has deserted him this year. Now at 71 in the live rankings.

 

[Rattie]

It’s blowing a gale on court today.

 

[Rovesciarete]

Yes, but still expect from Jannik a higher win percentage from the first than from the second serve.

De Minaur must have crushed, could not see him. 6-0, 6-1...

 

[dking68]

Sinner may not have won a big title yet, but he's also not had a single bad loss this season. Impressive to not have a letdown after the MC disappointment

I didn’t want him to play this tournament but if he plays this tournament he should try to win it. I want to see him at least as #6 seed by Roland Garros

 

[Julius Caesar]

Musetti really is on fire

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Alcaraz looked fantastic in first round. Glad he’s fully fit again

 

[tennisbuck]

What a showing from the seeds…everyone but Frances got through?

 

[Kralingen]

Tomorrow is going to be epic with a capital E

Alcaraz and Sinner play lower ranked oppoents, but they're hardly the main event..

Shapo-Tsitsipas
Norrie-Musetti
Ruud-Cerundolo

All very compelling matches.

 

[Rovesciarete]

Dimitrov withdrew, walk-over by the Aussie.

So far, so quick and so good for Sinner. Not easy serving against him, more so on clay.

 

[Rovesciarete]

Set 2 confirms it so far, only that he also has phases were it is very difficult for him to serve. Clearly impacted by the allergy, doesn't bode well for Madrid. Without getting that under control it will be impossible to win or even go far in either.

So many breaks.

 

[Slicehand]

Wow i just came home and put the rafa nadal court, i was expecting this match to be over and watch the tsitsi shapo match, but nishioka has taken a set out of sinner! Lets see