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[Aileen]

I think it'll be out on Friday, probably around noon.

The big thing about this tournament is that Madrid is situated at an elevation of 646 meters (2,119 feet) above sea level, so players have to acclimatise themselves to the change in altitude, and also the way that that affects the speed of the ball since it makes it travel faster through the air.  Now this year they've got blue clay to contend with as well, and I've read that it's a faster surface than the red stuff, despite les deux messieurs Français in the video claiming there's no difference.  Could be a very interesting tournament!

[OldScotSupport]

The ATP website is not yet showing which of the top eight are playing. Still showing who played last year. Does anyone know the major line-up?

Not sure about that OSS.  I've heard Andy critisised as arrogant but unclear on what basis.

Exactly my point, Ruth. People do not understand Andy's politeness, shyness and basic humility. Hence he is categorised as arrogant because he does not throw himself about as super stars tend to do.

[Aileen]

Thanks Aileen.  I imagine the players are already there then trying to acclimatise to elevation and blue clay.  

Another reason the blue clay is unpopular is because the top players, including Andy, feel that it's detrimental to have a change of colour immediately after Madrid, when they transfer to Rome, because the ball is seen differently depending on the colour of the court and they won't have much time to adjust to that should they go deep into the tournament here.

[TheMadHatter]

Here's the entry list:

http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?t=199197

1 Djokovic, Novak SRB 1
2 Nadal, Rafael ESP 2
3 Federer, Roger SUI 3
4 Murray, Andy GBR 4
5 Ferrer, David ESP 5
6 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried FRA 6
7 Berdych, Tomas CZE 7
8 Fish, Mardy USA 8
9 Tipsarevic, Janko SRB 9
10 Isner, John USA 10
11 Del Potro, Juan Martin ARG 11
12 Almagro, Nicolas ESP 12
13 Simon, Gilles FRA 13
14 Monfils, Gael FRA 14
15 Lopez, Feliciano ESP 15
17 Gasquet, Richard FRA 17
18 Dolgopolov, Alexandr UKR 18
19 Mayer, Florian GER 19
20 Verdasco, Fernando ESP 20
21 Monaco, Juan ARG 21
22 Melzer, Jurgen AUT 22
23 Cilic, Marin CRO 23
24 Granollers, Marcel ESP 24
25 Stepanek, Radek CZE 25
26 Raonic, Milos CAN 26
27 Troicki, Viktor SRB 27
28 Anderson, Kevin RSA 28
29 Wawrinka, Stanislas SUI 29
31 Youzhny, Mikhail RUS 31
32 Chela, Juan Ignacio ARG 32
34 Roddick, Andy USA 34
35 Kohlschreiber, Philipp GER 35
36 Tomic, Bernard AUS 36
37 Berlocq, Carlos ARG 37
38 Andujar, Pablo ESP 38
39 Bogomolov Jr., Alex RUS 39
40 Davydenko, Nikolay RUS 40
42 Baghdatis, Marcos CYP 42
43 Llodra, Michael FRA 43
44 Istomin, Denis UZB 44
45 Seppi, Andreas ITA 45
46 (Q)
47 (Q)
48 (Q)
49 (Q)
50 (Q)
51 (Q)
52 (Q)
53 (WC)
54 (WC) Marti, Javier ESP
55 (WC) Nalbandian, David ARG
56 (WC) Ramos, Albert ESP

Alternates
IN Young, Donald USA 46
IN Bellucci, Thomaz BRA 47
IN Nieminen, Jarkko FIN 48
IN Ferrero, Juan Carlos ESP 49

Nishikori, Benneteau, Soderling and Ljubicic are those who have withdrawn since the entry deadline.

[Tessie]

I've always said that Queen's should be at least a 500 event.

Yes and alot of the players support that.

[Aileen]

Ruthie - there must have been two interviews with David Frost. The intro to the one published here says "the scene of our get-together was Queen’s Club in London" - and there was a picture of the two them there posted on facebook.

The one filmed for Al Jazeera was quite clearly in Monte Carlo!

That is really weird, Elena.  I've never listened to the video, so just assumed the Mail article was the transcript of that.

Yes Queen's should be a 500.  Absolutely ridiculous that it isn't given its prestige value.  Maybe prestige alone counted for something years ago, but things have moved on in the tennis world.

[Aileen]

^^ Loved that!  The only one I got right was Britain's place in the medals' table in Beijing.  Not sure why Andy felt so embarrassed except that, as a sportsman, he perhaps felt he should know the all answers.