As we approach the clay court season, uncertainty reigns over the ATP World Tour as surprises are in store for the tennis world.
The clay court season is upon us and the first masters 1000 event of the season on clay begins next week. However the tennis community approaches the red dirt with a certain amount of uncertainty and expectation in 2017. This is as the world’s top two players are both doubts to every tournament they play due to their ongoing elbow injuries. Andy Murray is just recovering from his injury and returned to the practice courts in France with Stefano Tsitsipas recently on the clay. Recently he spoke with precaution and could not guarantee that he will play the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters next week.
Meanwhile Novak Djokovic has had a reoccurring elbow injury for five to six months now and is a doubt for every tournament that he plays. Despite recovering in the off season he once again picked up the same injury in Indian Wells during his fourth round defeat to Nick Kyrgios. So can we rely on the Serbian to play the clay court season injury free?
Roger Federer has become the hottest player of 2017, unexpectedly, after winning the Australian Open and winnng the sunshine double in Indian Wells and Miami. Nobody would have expected Federer to have dominated the tennis world in 2017 like he has. Of course as expected he is going to use the clay court season to rest his body and spend time with his family. Therefore you will not see the great man until Roland Garros earliest.
As for the second best player in 2017, Rafael Nadal, he is expected to completely dominate the clay court season and win Roland Garros number ten in May. Right? Well ‘La Decima’ looked likely last year and the obstacle that is the human body played up on Rafa and had to pull out from the tournament. Can his Wrist hold up on the most brutal surface of the tennis season?
All these doubts are leading to uncertainty and opportunity on the clay courts in the European summer. Is Wawrinka consistent enough to dominate the clay? Can Thiem Schedule his tournaments correctly to mount a challenge? Is Tsonga ready to step up on home soil?
All these unanswered questions raises opportunity for the rest of the tour and the next generation. Well we will find out if these questions can be answered starting from next week’s Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, where Rafael Nadal is defending champion. Here are highlights of last year’s tournament:
