I was 3/8 on today’s R16.

The silver lining? I picked Zverev and Nadal (ha ha), who should face-off in the final on Sunday.

I suppose that’s what’s so disappointing about Del Potro losing (and even Djokovic to a lesser extent since he’s been struggling): despite my irrefutable claim that the clay evens the playing field and indeed journeymen have a shot at a top 10-20 player, on a good/bad day, the top guys usually impose their game authority.

Zverev could get hit right off the court if Big John has that Miami form, but this is all together different. Don’t listen to me, but Zverev should reach that SF.

Safe to say Shapovalov v Edmund could be a real treat as those boys have made everyone aware of their ATP1000 self-esteem. Denis’ attacking tennis proved too much for the big lumbering Raonic and Edmund has a lot of confidence, given the names he’s dropped on his way to tomorrow’s round.

Brilliant to see youth filling the void here and granted this complicates my position that a bunch of no-names are finding the weekend in Madrid, that clay doesn’t facilitate high quality tennis. Shapo and Edmund have both proven they’re legitimate future threats on this tour, the Canadian looking for his second 1000 SF.

Up top Anderson v Lajovic is, really, anyone’s. The Serb, despite my grumblings, was hitting the cover off the ball from both sides and no one here on the Mcshow Blog staff is going to turn his/her nose up at the one-hander. He really took it to Juan Martin. Bravo.

Lastly, how about that service game from Schwartzman, trying to consolidate his break to put the second set back on serve. Two DFs in a row to hand Nadal his second break of the set, giving the Spaniard a pass to serve-out the match and break McEnroe’s record. The nerves got to the diminutive Argentine for sure. Tough to watch that as he looked to perhaps get the set to a TB.

Congratulations to Rafa.

I will have to revisit some of my 2017 Fedal narrative. Like 2017, the tour has become a theater to feature the two greats cement their legacies and their kinship, virtually dwarfing the rest of the tour.

Back to tomorrow’s QFs. I had Thiem under the proverbial bus. I had one of my R16 picks (Coric) already in the QF, as he was up a set and serving for the match at 5-4. Not so fast.

Has the Austrian risen from his hibernation? Granted, he won the Argentina Open in February this year, but otherwise he’s been seemingly waiting for this clay schedule to stoke the fire. And indeed, we do beliem in Thiem.

Can Dom pick-up where Diego dropped the ball?

Enjoy!