Nadal, Djokovic, Swiatek - Five questions about the start of the clay court season
Since yesterday, Monday, the "big" ATP tour has also started operating on ashes. We have a few questions to start with...
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Apr 05, 2022, 06:28 pm
Question 1: When will Rafael Nadal return?
A few days ago it was said somewhere in the depths of the internet that the Spanish grandmaster was eyeing a start in Barcelona. The tournament in the Catalan capital starts on April 18, Nadal 's last appearance dates back to March 20 in the Indian Wells final. That would only be a four-week break for a broken rib. Quite optimistic according to the original forecasts. It would be a bit more realistic to compete in Madrid. There will only be played there from May 2nd.
Question 2: Who will end Iga Swiatek's series?
Iga Swiatek has now won 17 matches in a row, winning the titles in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami one after the other. All on hard court. The competition should not be happy too soon, however, because the Pole has proven with her triumph at the French Open in autumn 2020 that she can also do well on red ashes. Swiatek will already face strong competition at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart from April 18 - because nine of the ten best players in the world are at the start there. And also Angelique Kerber. Which has already won in Stuttgart. And who has been the only player in recent weeks who actually had a chance of winning against Swiatek.
Question 3: Will the Americans finally show up on clay?
We don't want to be so presumptuous and demand a triumph in Roland Garros from the US players. But such a small title on European ashes in between? Taylor Fritz showed in Indian Wells that a big coup can work on hard court. But the sand poses too many mysteries for Americans. Jenson Brooksby would have the finesse, but he lacks the routine. Maybe Reilly Opelka, in 2021 in the semi-finals in Rome, will strike at the altitude in Munich?
Question 4: How much bite does Naomi Osaka have on clay?
The differences between the surfaces are disappearing more and more, only a deep low with a lot of rain over, for example, Rome really makes the clay courts so deep and slow that they are really contrary to the power play of Naomi Osaka . But with the Japanese it is probably the attitude that has prevented greater success on the cinders so far. On hard courts, Osaka knows that on a good day she can beat any opponent. On clay, she seems to act as if she knew she could lose to any opponent. After all: She copes well with the feeling of being the hunter, Osaka explained in Miami. So that the experienced huntsman Wim Fissette can give the right tips for the title hunt.
Question 5: How successful will Djokovic, Thiem and Wawrinka be?
The answer from the industry leader from Serbia is obvious: Novak Djokovic will be very, very annoying, with a certain anger in his stomach and well rested. Given Rafale Nadal's current problems, Nole is arguably the clear favorite for the French Open title. Dominic Thiem would like to be at least a little annoying - until Roland Garros, the same should apply to him as to Stan Wawrinka: that nobody likes to come up against one of the two early in the tournament.