Racket Response: Another setback for Juan Martin del Potro?

12:52 PM ET

Depending on how you look at it, the Madrid Masters told us a lot about what we can expect in Rome this week and then the French Open, which starts on May 22.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic had few roadblocks en route to the title. But red-hot Rafael Nadal succumbed to Andy Murray in a straight-sets semifinal bout.

While that had to be considered an upset, it was nothing compared to the chaos on the women’s side, which saw the top five seeds all exiting the park by the third day.

But there was other news as well. Our writers weigh in:

Leonardo Ayala (@ESPNtenis): Wrist pain again? Juan Martin del Potro has steadfastly denied the rumors.

“I am recovered, and that is what matters,” Del Potro said in a news conference at Buenos Aires, where he took some days off after playing in Munich and Madrid.

This was contrary to a statement the Rome Masters 1000 tournament issued, which stated Del Potro would not play there because of pain in his left wrist. After undergoing surgery three times, this seemed alarming.

Del Potro and his entourage, though, said Rome was never in his plans this year. If his name had been submitted for Rome, his camp explained, it was only because when registrations were due, Del Potro was still recovering and had not yet decided a final schedule for 2016.

So what does his schedule look like then? He has an invitation for Nice next week and then he would play Roland Garros under a protected ranking.

Carl Bialik (@CarlBialik): Tennis tournaments typically end on a Saturday or Sunday a week or two after they began. But if you’re an American man on European clay, your week has historically ended in after just a day or two.

Each year before the French Open, there are three Masters tournaments on …

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