Nadal and Djokovic look good for an April clay Masters final.

Novak might have found some needed confidence for this clash in his easy win over Fritz today. Nadal continues to roll, but does conceding five games to Dimitrov reveal some vulnerability. 😀

The other interest concerns seeing how the peasants fare in this city on the Riviera.

Not exactly of said peasantry, but Thiem has lost to Lajovic. A shaky start for the Austrian clay artisan. But that’s clay for ya: gives all matters of tennis talent a shot. Sure, you’d think that Thiem might be able to find a deeper draw here, challenge Djokovic in that top half, but there are several European and South American (and more) professionals who can slide, chip and dust their ways to an unsurprising win.

How about Stan going 6-0 and cruising vs. Cecchinato before losing that match?

We have over a month of this.

Tsitsipas lost to Medvedev, Fognini survives some early round pressure and has just gone up a break on Sascha.

In other words, very typical clay story-lines playing-out. Let’s just get that match we all want and, in fact, need.

Enjoy.