The tennis season has arrived on the first large pivot within the calendar as each the ATP and WTA Excursions put together to transition from the 2 large North American hard-court occasions in Indian Wells and Miami to the purple clay of Europe.
The fast-paced, hard-hitting, hard-court motion will give technique to the lengthy rallies and grinding techniques that include clay. It’s a special type of tennis, however gamers at this time appear extra adept at making the change from one floor to a different.
Traditionally, “clay-court specialist” was a phrase heard yearly round this time. For probably the most half all these gamers now not exist in at this time’s sport or in the event that they do, they don’t seem to be gamers able to sustaining a High 50 presence.
Onerous-hitting gamers who take pleasure in a sooner sport like Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina for instance have discovered success in recent times even when the purple filth slows issues down. Final yr, we noticed Sabalenka triumph in Madrid after which make the semifinals at Roland-Garros whereas Rybakina captured the title in Rome.
For the Canadians, clay was a floor that historically challenged our gamers, however that too has modified in recent times. Maybe we will credit score Genie Bouchard with altering that dynamic together with her sudden run to the semifinals of Roland-Garros ten years in the past as a 20-year-old.
Learn additionally: 5 Canadians Kicking Off 2024 Clay Season
Leylah Annie Fernandez has proven loads of clay court docket prowess, making the finals of the Junior French Open in 2019 and later as a professional, she was a win away from the semifinals in 2022 earlier than harm hampered her in a tricky quarter-final loss to Martina Trevisan.
For the boys, Denis Shapovalov has made one clay court docket ultimate, in Geneva in 2021, in addition to two clay court docket Masters 1000 semifinals going again to Madrid in 2018 and Rome in 2020.
And who can overlook when Shapovalov pushed the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, to the brink of their 2021 quarter-final in Rome the place the Spaniard ultimately prevailed 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3). The Canadian avenged the loss within the third spherical of the identical occasion the next yr, albeit in opposition to a physically-hobbled Nadal.
Felix Auger-Aliassime for his half has made two clay court docket finals, each in 2019 in Lyon and Rio De Janeiro. These two clay court docket occasions had been in reality the primary two ATP Finals of his profession.
Learn additionally: Shapovalov – 2024 Version
The clay-court swing this yr may have additional which means and significance for these trying to characterize their nations on the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games that may happen this summer season. Preserving the theme of floor adjustments alive, Olympic hopefuls must transition from clay to grass after which again to clay once more when the occasion will likely be hosted at Roland-Garros.
Tennis Channel contributor and analyst Gill Gross appeared this week on the latest episode of Match Level Canada and he shared the next ideas on the influence that the Olympic Video games may have being on clay this time round.
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“The distinction between the surfaces it not what it was,” he noticed. “What I’m most to see is how if results the grass season, as a result of it’s a extremely bizarre factor this yr going clay – grass – clay and there are talks about sure gamers – is there a de-emphasis for a participant who isn’t that good on grass anyway – may they skip it?”
This yr’s clay court docket season additionally has a bit of additional on the road by way of the No. 1 rating on the ATP Tour. The red-hot Jannik Sinner may cross Novak Djokovic within the rankings through the clay court docket swing and change into the No. 1 participant on the planet for the primary time in his already spectacular profession. Sinner has 1730 fewer rankings factors to defend over this stretch of the season than Djokovic does with three Masters 1000s and a significant on the schedule.
On the WTA, Iga Swiatek appears totally entrenched within the prime spot and it might be laborious to think about her faltering on clay of all surfaces. She leads No. 2 Sabalenka by over 2000 rating factors as of Apr. 1 and is getting into the portion of the yr the place she appears much more unbeatable than ordinary.
Benefit from the transition to the clay courts. Be sure you try the Nationwide Financial institution Open clay court docket Energy Rankings as nicely this week to see who our consultants are backing on this essential a part of the tennis season!
The WTA’s greatest return to Toronto this summer season for the Nationwide Financial institution Open August 4 to 12, 2024 at Sobeys Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. Get your tickets at this time!
The ATP’s greatest return to Montreal this summer season for the Nationwide Financial institution Open August 3 to 12, 2024 at IGA Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. Get your tickets at this time!
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