Examining the performances of the most notable players from the second three months of the season, as well as their prospects heading into Q3.
Rafael Nadal
During the 2017 clay court season, Nadal solidified his place as the greatest of all-time on this surface. He won his tenth titles at three separate events: Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and most importantly the French Open. He also won in Madrid, with his only loss in Q2 coming against Dominic Thiem in Rome. Nadal has an almost 2,500 point lead in the Race to London year-to-date rankings. Many years in the past, Nadal has built upon the momentum of his clay results on the grass at Wimbledon and the summer hard courts. However, it’s been six years since Rafa has been past the fourth round at Wimbledon, and four years since doing so at the U.S. Open. Nadal himself has expressed concern over how his knees will feel on the grass courts in London, and he was the only top player to not play a grass court warm-up event. If Nadal is healthy, based on his recent dominance, he should be a big factor this summer.
Dominic Thiem
Thiem was the second best player on the clay in 2017, with his season highlighted by victories over Nadal in Rome and Djokovic in Paris. He is currently number three in the Race to London. But Thiem has played a tournament almost every single week of the year. Has he overplayed and exhausted himself? He lost meekly to Djokovic in Rome and Nadal in Paris, and was defeated early in two grass court events by much lower-ranked players. Wimbledon has been his worst-performing major, having never been past the second round. An early exit in London is very possible, but could be a blessing in disguise. Some rest may be best for Thiem’s chances on the summer hard courts.
Stan Wawrinka
Following lackluster results throughout the European clay court season, Wawrinka rounded back into form by defending his title in Geneva and returning to the French Open final, where he was soundly defeated by Nadal. Wimbledon is the one major title that has eluded Wawrinka, having never advancing farther than the quarterfinals. Stan lost in his only grass court match leading up to Wimbledon, falling to eventual champion Feliciano Lopez at Queens Club. He also appeared to be dealing with a knee injury at the event. Realizing grass is his weakest surface, Wawrinka has enlisted the help of Paul Annacone, who coached the two greatest grass court champions of all-time in Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. It will be interesting to see if Annacone can help to improve Stan’s Wimbledon performance. Looking to the hard courts, Wawrinka will be the defending champion at the U.S. Open, but has yet to successfully defend a major title.
Alexander Zverev
The young German player has taken his game to another level in 2017. He’s ranked number five in the Race to London, ahead of both Murray and Djokovic. He won the biggest title of his career by defeating Djokovic in the final at the Rome Masters. Zverev then suffered a letdown at Roland Garros, being eliminated in the first round by Fernando Verdasco. The 20-year-old rebounded on the grass, making the semifinals and a final in his two grass court warm-up events. Zverev seems due for a major breakout, having yet to advance farther than the third round at a major. It would be surprising if he failed to make the second week at Wimbledon or the U.S. Open.
Andy Murray
Murray’s struggles throughout 2017 are well documented, but he had his best run of the season in making the semifinals at Roland Garros, losing in a match of the year candidate to Stan Wawrinka. But Murray surprisingly dropped his opening round match at Queens Club, withdrew from two exhibitions with a hip injury. The defending Wimbledon champion’s status is very much in doubt heading to the All England Club. Moving ahead to the U.S. hard court season, Murray will look to improve upon recent years. The British #1 has not been past the U.S. Open quarterfinals since winning the title in New York five years ago.
Novak Djokovic
A year ago Djokovic walked into the All England Club holding all four major titles. What a difference a year makes, as he arrives this year with no majors and many questions surrounding his drop in level of play. This was the first year since 2012 that he failed to win a European clay court Masters title. Djokovic will have some new faces in his player’s box at Wimbledon this year. After joining him for the first week in Paris, Andre Agassi plans to spend the full two weeks with Novak at Wimbledon. It was also just announced that former Wimbledon semifinalist Mario Ancic will join the coaching team for Wimbledon. Djokovic usually does not play at all between Roland Garros and Wimbledon, but he decided to get some grass court matches in by entering Eastbourne, where he defeated Gael Monfils to take the title. That could be just the momentum the three-time Wimbledon champion was looking for to try and turn around his season.
Roger Federer
After sitting out the entire clay court season to rest, Federer returned for the grass, where he lost his opening match in Stuttgart to close friend Tommy Haas. But Roger quickly rebounded the next week by winning his record ninth title in Halle, defeating Alexander Zverev in only 53 minutes. The seven-time Wimbledon champion appears to be back in top form just in time for his best major. Federer has not won the U.S. Open since taking his fifth straight title in 2008, but this year may be his best chance in New York in quite some time.
