Arnaldi wants a feat in the Magic Box | ATP Tour

Madrid

Arnaldi wants a feat in the Magic Box

The Italian extends his best participation in the Magic Fund

April 30, 2025

Matteo Arnaldi seeks more than an isolated victory in the Mutua Madrid Open.

The Italian attracted looks in the Magic Fund eliminating the twice Novak Djokovic champion during the first week of competition. Now, far from suffering a hangover for the result, he has a ticket for the quarterfinals in his hands.

No. 44 of the PIF ATP Rankings held on his shoulders the weight of expectations, defeating the American French Tiafoe 6-3, 7-5 to place himself among the eightest eight in the Madrid clay. In a match full of poise, where he barely delivered a service shift in the final stretch, Arnaldi kept his head cold to find the path to victory. If the effort of the first rounds promised a mental toll sooner or later, the Italian has managed to keep it under control.

“I know French perfectly, we had played in Wimbledon last year,” said the Italian, who placed 1-1 in the Lexus ATP Head2head history. “He is a very strong player, he plays very well in advance. I have tried to move him and have the initiative.”

The triumph of Arnaldi was also a support for his talent at the first line of the circuit. The Italian, who is going through one of the best moments of his career at age 24, has achieved victory in his last three duels against Rivals of the Top 20. Next to his triumphs over Tiafoe and Djokovic in the Magic Box, he brought the impulse to overcome Andrey Rublev in Indian Wells.

Arnaldi landed in Madrid with the responsibility of giving a 180 degree turn to its European season of whipped land. After blaming his visits to Barcelona and Montecarlo, the Italian has managed to unleash his talent on the surface to become an exceptional protagonist in the capital of Spain.

“In Montecarlo I failed to be myself on the track. I came from a hard surface tour, it is never easy to adapt and play that first tournament,” said Arnaldi. “Montecarlo is my house. I grew up half an hour from this place, whenever I go to the clues I get nervous and I have never achieved a victory. Many things got together to play at a low level.”

“It came from a complicated moment,” the Italian acknowledged. “I had lost two first rounds, so for me it was important to win the first game. They are victories that give you confidence. With Novak I just went out to do my best tennis. After that game, I felt much safer than myself, I have been able to make the tennis that I have always wanted. The key was the first game.”

The Italian, who walks full of illusion in the Magic Fund, looks for a key leap to his season. His access to the quarterfinals in Madrid assured him of seven positions until occupying No. 37 of the PIF ATP Live Rankings. An prize for the constancy that is managing to gather during these last months in the circuit.

“I have always loved tennis,” he explained. “I like spending time in the gym, feeling well prepared physically and I love jumping to the court. I think that when all those things are combined, they become the player that I am today.”

Now, Matteo will play in Madrid in Madrid an unprecedented ATP Tour duel against British Jack Draper, winner 6-2, 6-2 against the American Tommy Paul.

Did you know what …?
Matteo Arnaldi has reached a semifinal ATP Masters 1000. The Italian climbed to the penultimate round of Montreal in the 2024 season, a deed that allowed him to enter the top 30 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time in his career. In Madrid, where you already compete with an attention comparable to the great favorites, you will have the opportunity to match your best result in a tournament in the golden category of ATP Tour.