A wild year! The unconvincing Djokovic, the positive Nadal and the predatory youth. Who will be this year’s clay king?

This year’s tennis season is definitely not boring. Gone are the years of clear dominance of one or two players. The clay court season is in full swing and the question is who will be its king? Novak Djokovic still holds the world number one position, but several tennis players are threatening him.

Novak Djokovic

Just last year, Djokovic was attacking the calendar grand slam. But Djokovic failed to win all the majors. This year, his efforts are focused on smaller goals.

The Serbian tennis player has not won a single tournament so far this year. He hasn’t even played in a final. And even his first appearance on clay hasn’t changed that.

He failed to convince at the Masters in Monte Carlo. After his victory against De Minaur, which did not even impress him, he was eliminated in the semi-finals by Casper Ruud.

Last year, he beat him in the final of Roland Garros. But Djokovic’s defence in Paris this year will be a level harder than last year. The pack of competitors is large.

The predatory youth

Jannik Sinner of Italy has made a great start to the new season. He has his first Grand Slam title from Australia and a long winning streak. But he was stopped in Monte Carlo by Tsitsipas of Greece. The next two Masters tournaments will tell a lot about Sinner’s clay form.

If anyone was expected to have a good run on clay, it was Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz. Hand problems slowed him down. He’s not even playing in Barcelona.

The 20-year-old is taking everything sportingly and should be ready to return soon. Last year, he was the closest of all the players to the title of clay king. If he is healthy, there is no reason not to believe that he won’t be the one to challenge for the top spot.

Holger Rune is considered to be a great talent, but he still needs a lot of work. There’s a lot going on around him. After the Monte Carlo tournament, he even went on to criticize the ATP Tour.

But if he puts his energy in the right direction, he can do great things on clay. These days in Munich, he’s trying for a unique third triumph in a row.

We’ve already mentioned Greek Tsitsipas. He dropped out of the ATP top ten this year, only to return soon. The scalp of Sinner and the final triumph over Ruud gave him confidence. Immediately after the tournament in Monte Carlo, he continues his run in Barcelona.

At twenty-five years old, he already has experience. Tsitsipas is definitely one of the favourites for the upcoming tournaments culminating at the French Open.

Nadal’s farewell

The Spanish legend bids farewell to the clay tournaments where he has achieved so much. He won one match in Barcelona and was no match for De Minaur. Nadal believes that he will improve step by step. He’s keeping his head down. He talks about his competitiveness more than his victories.

The upcoming Masters in Madrid should be a bit better and the next progression should come in Rome. The pinnacle could be nothing less than the French Open. ” God’s will be done in Paris,” adds the Spanish tennis player.

Whether his farewell will be more symbolic or full of success is hard to say. It fits perfectly into the story that is currently unfolding on the ATP tour.

Source: ATP, Rafael Nadal Fans