TENNIS: Madrid, Rome and on to Paris

[JaneJeffer]

Who's going to get the last quarter final place?

I don't mind who wins.

Sascha is playing well and coming up to the net more which can't be easy because he's 6' 6" you know

I think Stef and Sascha played so well last night they made it look like it was easy when you knew if anyone else was playing either of them they would be struggling.

Sascha was in good form and said lovely things about Carlos afterwards.

Looking forward to it.

It really should be a good match.
A lot will depend on who is commentating.
If Robbie is around no doubt 'sen-Sascha-nal' will get an airing.

Probably be Petch and Greg just to wind us up!

Sam should do it because she's secretly a bit of a Sascha fangirl

I'd love if they got Martina in the box but I doubt it.

Jane it really should be Martina and Sam, but you're right, we will get Greg and Petch.

It's always fun to see what outfits Annabel/ Danni and Catherine turn up in.

Prime clearly have money to burn, because they have a lot of pundits milling about, most of the time not doing very much (or assessing the coughs of players).

It's on quite late though. It will be interesting to see how that affects play, since the heat obviously has an effect on the bounce of the ball etc (so they keep telling us) Oh an altitude.

*and

Might tune into the doubles later.

They are showing Carlos practice- there are a lot of people watching.

Deja vu - someone is having an ankle taped up in the doubles.

Well done to Skupski and Koolhof.

I didn't watch but congrats to them. They look very summery.

Feli looking nice in his suit - Skupski and his partner looking very pink

I’m hoping for a Carlos win - he might as well finish the week off - the atmosphere for his match yesterday was amazing

I’m always a bit confused about the altitude at Madrid - I never think of it being very high up and it only really seems to affect Rafa

Apparently it makes the ball heavier or lighter I can't remember which Fizzy. Sascha is used to high altitude anyway ho ho

Catherine is a vision in fuschia

They are very pink.

Fizzy I never understand the altitude thing. It must be a thing- and they never mention it anywhere else, that I notice.

They do mention Monte Carlo being at sea level- and how Rafa prefers that.

Monte Carlo just auto corrected to Carlos .

Thanks Jane - I’m not sure either

Im not sure that they use the plates to put things on Catherine (does she mean like fruit or something?)

I'm not quite sure what is going on with Catherine's hair.

Catherine is very funny on Instagram. She's the Bridget Jones of tennis. She had her hair done in beachy waves and her nice outfit the other day then next photo she had spilled coffee all over herself and was in the loo trying to rinse it out and her top was absolutely drenched

I can relate to her.

She does make me laugh.

Martina!

I like watching Djokovic stranded.
It's funny.

Grr

Oh goody. Commentary is going to be fun.

Prime going a bit fuzzy. Hopefully it won't glitch on me now.

I always find it a problem with the later matches, Prime decides it doesn't like being on this long

What was Carlos doing then?

Fizzy he is doing a Nadal- I hope he doesn't hit his head anywhere

That's some reception.

We've said it numerous times already- but he's come a long way since he lost to Rafa on his 18th birthday.