Scouting Report: Alcaraz & Zverev lead Madrid field, Djokovic returns to Caja Magica

The clay-court season continues at the Mutua Madrid Open, where the world’s best players will compete for ATP Masters 1000 glory. The top two seeds, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz, are both in form. Novak Djokovic has won three of his 40 Masters 1000 trophies at the event.

What should you keep an eye on at the Caja Magica? ATPTour.com examines 10 things to watch in Madrid.

View Madrid Draw Report: Djokovic, Alcaraz fall in same half

1) Alcaraz at home: The second seed won back-to-back titles in Madrid in 2022 and 2023 and he also brings good form to the Spanish clay. Alcaraz is fresh off a title victory at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and a trip to the Barcelona final. The 21-year-old has won 29 of his 31 clay-court matches in Spain since the start of the 2022 season. He will face Zizou Bergs or Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round.

2) Zverev carries momentum: The German will bring confidence into Madrid following his victory on home soil in Munich, where he defeated Ben Shelton on Sunday in the final. A two-time champion in Madrid (2018 and 2021), Zverev, the top seed who will open against Roberto Bautista Agut or Jaume Munar, will try to snap a streak of two consecutive fourth-round exits at the Caja Magic

3) Battle for No. 2: Zverev and Alcaraz have swapped World No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings twice in the past two weeks. Alcaraz captured the spot after Monte-Carlo and Zverev took it back by lifting the Munich trophy. However, No. 2 is up for grabs in Madrid and throughout the rest of the clay-court season as the stars battle for the coveted top two seed at Roland Garros.

4) Djokovic returns: The former World No. 1 came within one victory of his 100th tour-level title in Miami. Will the Serbian join Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) in the 100-titles club by emerging victorious in Spain? Djokovic is returning to the Madrid Masters 1000 event for the first time since 2022, when he fell to Alcaraz in a final-set tie-break in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. The Serbian is in the same half of the draw as Alcaraz.

Watch Djokovic's extraordinary moments:

5) Rublev’s happy hunting ground: Andrey Rublev will feel well upon his return to the Mutua Madrid Open, where last year he earned his second Masters 1000 crown. The 27-year-old owns an 11-3 record in Madrid according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, where he has advanced to at least the Round of 16 in all four of his appearances. The seventh seed is in Zverev's quarter of the draw.

Watch 2024 Madrid final highlights:

6) Draper, Mensik pursue more ATP Masters 1000 glory: There have been two first-time Masters 1000 champions this season. Jack Draper powered to glory at Indian Wells and Jakub Mensik stunned Djokovic for the Miami crown. That victory was also the rising Czech’s maiden ATP Tour title.

7) Rune Renaissance: Holger Rune arrived in Barcelona on a three-match losing streak, but got back on track in a big way by lifting the trophy at the Spanish ATP 500. Will he keep it up in Madrid? The Danish star, who reached a Masters 1000 final last month at Indian Wells, is 2-2 at the tournament and will play Flavio Cobolli or Fabian Marozsan in his opener.

Watch Barcelona final highlights:

8) Surging Spaniard Davidovich Fokina: Plenty of attention has been focused on Alcaraz, but he is not the only Spaniard shining this season. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin thanks to a consistent season. The Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF alumnus made ATP Tour finals in Acapulco and Delray Beach, and also just advanced to a Masters 1000 semi-final in Monte-Carlo. He could face top-seeded Zverev in the third round.

9) Wild cards to try to repeat Miami success: Among the wild cards are Coleman Wong and Federico Cina, who both made breakthroughs in Miami. Wong defeated Daniel Altmaier and Ben Shelton to reach the third round, and 18-year-old Cina ousted Francisco Comesana in Florida for his first tour-level victory. They will face one another in the Madrid first round. The other wild cards are former Top 10 stars Marin Cilic and Pablo Carreno Busta, and Martin Landaluce.

10) Battle for top doubles team: The top two doubles teams in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings are Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten and Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic. Will either pair triumph in Madrid for the first time? In third place are Britons Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, who made the Monte-Carlo final.