Clay Season 2017

With Fed-magic hard court season still massaging our tennis brains with those "super" happy feelings, clay court season is just about to start and it looks more unpredictable than ever.

Do you all remember the years when we would all turn the zzzz  button on because we knew Nadal would win virtually everything!

So, although the "king of clay" has lost his crown, it is right that we start this chapter of 2017 with his words:

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"I am at a very high level of tennis and I believe I am ready to win titles. I already played three finals this year. I have good hopes that I going to be ready for Monte Carlo.
Always when I am playing that well, on clay always helps a little bit more for me. I need to work hard to be ready for that. If I am ready for that, I think I am very excited about playing back on clay again."

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Is this just sponsor talk, or does Nadal have a real chance to win big again?

With Murray and Djokovic having terroble season so far, maybe some other players may seize the opportunity now that Federer has announced he is not playing it.

And who could it be?
Stan, Berdych, Kyrgios?

Berdych???  Why Berdych?

I hope for Stan or Thiem.  Clay is not the greatest surface for Kyrgios but he could do some damage too.  I expect Rafa will be in the mix - perhaps even the best player on clay this year, even though I do not expect he will dominate.  Djokovic is difficult to predict.  If he comes back focused, he could sweep clay, but if he continues his recent form, he might fail to win anything.  Similar with Andy.  He could do quite well or quite poorly.

Strange season so far with Andy and Novak being so uncharacteristically poor.

summerblues wrote:Berdych???  Why Berdych?

I hope for Stan or Thiem.  Clay is not the greatest surface for Kyrgios but he could do some damage too.  I expect Rafa will be in the mix - perhaps even the best player on clay this year, even though I do not expect he will dominate.  Djokovic is difficult to predict.  If he comes back focused, he could sweep clay, but if he continues his recent form, he might fail to win anything.  Similar with Andy.  He could do quite well or quite poorly.

Strange season so far with Andy and Novak being so uncharacteristically poor.

He played really well against Fed in Miami.

As for Kyrgios, he is now serving better than ever and I think will be able to translate & execute his one-two tennis well on clay.

He did beat Fed in Madrid two years ago.

With the absence of form from both Murray and Djokovic, it's really quite difficult to gauge how they will fare on the red stuff. No Federer until RG and again Nadal like the other 2, hard to gauge if he is about to embark on a tear.

Wawrinka it always depends on which side of the bed he got up on. If Dimitrov could finally get his head straightened he could do damage. Has the power and legs, but not the brains. Thiem has the game for clay, but can't seem to find any form.

Almost feels like a season that will be decided by default rather than purpose.

We don't know how those two will fare.  I believe Murray and Djok's form will turn around. Djok is favourite for me. He will be hungry - and you don't go from dominating to being totally useless.  You'll see.

What goves you the confidence Djokovic is going to be back, Daniel?

Is it "facts" and "proofs" or your gut feeling?

I expect if Murray and Djokovic are to clean up the Clay, it will be very much at the detriment of the field not playing at their best. I don't expect Murray and Djokovic to come out and sweep the field to one side. The surface and style certainly feeds to their strengths of long punishing rallies, however an ounce of aggressive shotmaking might generate an AO-esq surprise.

Murray is injured, lot of pressure to defend all the points.

Nole needs his confidence back. That doesn't fall from the sky.
Even then, he is beatable.

When you look at it, it is shame Fed is not playing. He'd clean it.

Class is permanent. We see time and time again great players who have a bad year only to come back and show their worth. Obviously they can't do it as they get older as much, but Djok still has at least 2 slams in him. It's foolhardy to write him off.  I remember everyone doing that to Federer before the 2012 Wimbledon Championship - and to Ronnie O'Sullivan before he won the World Champs twice in a row. 

Class shines through in the end.

monte carlo draw out
djokovic and nadal in same half 
that should be interesting if they meet

murray and wawrinka is the same half 

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nadal-murray-djokovic-monte-carlo-2017-draw