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Starting this Sunday, eight players are fighting to win one of the most prestigious titles, the Masters. This Thursday, the draw of the pools was made. Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev make up the Red Group. In the Green Group, Rafael Nadal will be joined by Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime. In the first singles match of the Masters, Ruud defeated Auger-Aliassime, 7-6(4), 6-4. In the second rotation, Fritz defeated Nadal in straight sets, 7-6(3), 6-1.
The first match of the 2022 Masters offered a surprise. After losing the final at the US Open, Casper Ruud defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the opening match. Without conceding a single break point, the Norwegian, ranked No. 4 in the world, played a full match to win in just under two hours, 7-6(4), 6-4. This third consecutive victory over his opponent puts him in a perfect position for the rest of the competition. While the Canadian will have to get back on track in his next match.
In the night session, fans followed Rafael Nadal’s return to the Masters. The No. 1 seed of the tournament with the withdrawal of his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, the Majorcan began against Taylor Fritz, his replacement. If the American was not the most dangerous player of the eight present, he was able to silence his critics against Rafa. For his first time at the Masters, the American defeated Rafael Nadal in two sets 7-6, 6-1. Without rhythm, the Bull of Manacor did not manage to really get into the game, just like his debut in Bercy. The American was decisive in the important moments, taking advantage of some gifts left by the Majorcan (double fault at the beginning of the tie-break). In 2022, the two men had already crossed paths twice. Fritz won the final in Indian Wells, but Nadal got his revenge at Wimbledon in an epic five-set battle. The third round was for the 25-year-old, who won the match and is now in first place in the pool.
