TENNIS: all to clay for

[JaneJeffer]

sorry

Sky are very helpfully showing the replay (I'm off out soon) so I'm some of the first set. NuRa looks massive against Joao- but there is acually only an inch difference. It's just that Joao is more compact I suppose.

It's like a football match listening to it. No-one is even bothering to keep the noise down. I think things are different for these younger players (I wouldn't want to be living close by- it's nearly 12 ).

It's a great first set.

It looks like the weakness with Jodar's game is his physicality when things go on longer than he is used to at the moment. Started to get cramps in the 3rd set, by the sounds of things. Fortunately for him, Fonseca had lost his focus. Be interesting to see how he deals with 5 set matches.

It's really odd listening to the commentary, because I swear it sounds like they are saying 'Nadal' rather than Jodar at times .

Massive racquet smash from Joao when he was broken in the 3rd set. I think that was the turning point.

I really have to go out now.

I will watch the end later. (It's great being abole to speed through the ad breaks).

I kept hearing Nadal as well Raahh, I wasn't sure if it was just my ears playing tricks on me. But actually Jodar and Nadal do sound similar, with the stress on the second syllable.

I agree about NuRafa needing to improve his fitness/endurance, that seemed to be an issue for him in Barcelona too when he lost to Arthur. He actually reminds me quite a lot of Jannik at a similar age, who also had some issues with physicality, and seems to still have a slight weakness in that area. Of course his solution is just to win every match quickly in straight sets

Casper has started well. I'm glad that leg injury he picked up in Monte Carlo appears not to be serious.

Ice I'm glad it's not just me, with the Nadal/Jodar confusion

Jodar is quite Jannik like- hopefully he can work on his stamina. To stereotype- the Spanish players are famous for their stamina. He is still pretty young- and has seemingly come form nowhere, in a very short space of time, though.

His dad is a P.E teacher, apparently. .

Casper has started well. I'm glad the injury seems to have been minor/treatable. And the raspberry kit is a vast improvement.

ooh- what is happening??

A fight?

Just bloody chuck them out, ffs.

I have just realised, that my tv has paused at some point - and the match is a lot further on, than I realised!
I was still halfway through the first set! .

ADF likes the moonballs- I'm not sure he's winning any points from them- they are just making the rallies longer.

Ooh- a break back.

Well done Casper!

Expected more from ADF, but I hope he can do better in Rome.

The clay coloured top really suits Daniil

I missed the Daniil match, sadly. I'm assuming he did not get booed as much as he did the other day!

I only saw half of it. It was very civilised

I’ve been watching bits of the women’s matches. Linda Noskova has knocked Coco out (was quite a topsy turvy match). Aryna and Naomi had a good battle and it was close. I didn’t see Mirra’s match but it showed her crying at the end so not sure what happened there (she won).

I thought Coco was on her way to winning that match

I was a bit surprised by the Coco result (she seemed well on her way to winning when I stopped watching)- but Linda Noskova can play really well when she gets going.

Casper really has got a tough draw, seeing as he's defending his title- he plays Stef next who might be feeling a bit more positive than he has done recently.

Having said that, Casper played well today.

I do want Casper to win.

Yes that's definitely a rough draw Raahh. It must be hard to play a good player who's been out of form, because you never really know which version is going to show up.

So many good matches today. Hoping to see at least some of Casper's match as well as Lore vs Jiri Lehecka and Flavio vs Daniil. Jannik is playing Cam Norrie. I was surprised to learn they've never played, I feel like Cam is always playing Carlos.

Jannik and Norris have got an early start - I’m surprised that they’ve not played each other before - I think they have practised together before?

I might have to watch it as I seem to have become an (accidental) Cam super fan (if I see him at Wimbledon I’ll be in the queue for one of his towels )

A Norris super fan Fizzy, what a prospect! At least it won't be too long a queue for the towel
It's definitely very unusual for the top seed to get the first match of the day. I think Jannik's been bumped from the preferred afternoon slot by NuRafa!

A Norris Super Fan
I was surprised to see this one scheduled so early.

And Jannik needs to stop carrying his towel in his mouth. I hate that. It's a Kyrgios thing. Stop it.

Not going well for Norris- he will be hoping for Pannik to turn up, Which is looking unlikely at this point.

It’s only accidental because every time I get chance to watch some tennis Norris is on!

Probably won’t be seeing much more of him in Madrid though