Madrid Open 2012: Novac Djokovic and Stars at Risk for an Upset

The beautiful 2012 Madrid Open has just only just begun and household names are already being upset. 

Rafa Nadal was out to avenge his defeat against Novak Djokovic in last year's final match before being upset by fellow Spanish player Fernando Verdasco.  It was his first defeat on clay in 23 matches.

But he may not be the only one to experience the bitterness of an early exit.

Novak Djokovic

Defending champion Novak Djokovic has had to overcome struggles in his first two matches, and he has not been happy about it. Via espn.co.uk:

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"That was not tennis, either I need football shoes or some advice on how to play on this court. I cannot find the words to describe this court. It's really tough to play like this on a center court. We cannot change anything this year, but my first impressions are not good. I don't want to be the one complaining, but I say honestly what I feel.”

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Obviously Djokovic is not impressed with the new blue clay courts the Madrid Open is sporting this year.

Djokovic, the No. 1 player in the world, advanced through the first round easily as was to be expected. 

However, the second round proved to be a scare.  Djokovic advanced 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 past Daniel Gimeno-Traver, but not without a challenge.

Djokovic was clearly frustrated afterwards, much of it directed at the new court.

The field is only going to get tougher in Madrid and if Djokovic can't contain his frustration and focus on the task at hand, he won't repeat as the Madrid Open Champion.

Victoria Azarenka

On the women's side, Victoria Azarenka is ranked No. 1 in the world but much like Novak Djokovic, she hasn't been immune to the upset scare.

Top-seeded Azarenka struggled past Czech Andrea Hlavackova 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).

She also blamed court conditions, stating via CNN, "The surface is a bit slippery, but it's the same for all of us."

However, it sounds like she has a little more control over her frustrations about court conditions compared to Djokovic.

The biggest potential upset will not be the court conditions or lack of focus, it will be Maria Sharapova.

Sharapova trained on the blue clay courts last week and she is playing very nicely on the blue clay.  In her match with Klara Zakopalosa she fired 18 winners and won 6-4, 6-3.

A victory by Sharapova over Azarenka would likely vault Maria back to the No. 1 spot.

It may not be the biggest upset we have seen, considering Sharapova's victory over Azarenka a couple weeks ago in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, but Azarenka is a heavy favorite to win the Madrid Open and currently leads her overall series with Sharapova.