Here are my 9 takeaways from the tennis week:
Rybakina Is a Threat on Every Surface:
We know she’s won Wimbledon, and came very close to winning the Australian Open, but now the number 1 Kazakhstan player has added another clay title to her resume. Taking out Iga Swiatek, en-route to the Stuttgart 500 title confirms that Elena will be a threat no matter where she plays or what the surface. She already won Rome last year, and her win percentage across all surfaces is remarkably similar (around 70%). Her best result at Roland Garros is reaching the quarter-finals. Current form suggests that should be the minimum to expect.
Ruud Finally Delivers on the ‘Bigger’ Stage:
Casper Ruud is a divisive player. Not because of his personality. But because no-one seems quite sure where to place him as far as ‘great’ players go. This has a lot to do with the fact he had won 10 titles on the ATP Tour, all at the 250 level, but had lost 7 finals at the higher level (including 3 majors and a Tour final). But the drought was finally broken in Barcelona on the weekend, as he got revenge on Stefanos Tsitsipas, who defeated him in the final of Monte Carlo a week earlier. Ruud held the Barcelona 500 trophy high, and deservedly so. Perhaps now, the monkey is off the back, the flood gates will open….
Outdoor European Events in April are Fraught With Danger:
The women in Stuttgart would’ve been extremely happy to play their event indoors this week. Just down the autobahn in Munich, the men were fighting not only against each other, but also against the elements. Rain, wind, cold, hail, and even snow, were present at the ATP 250 event. Players in full length tights and arm warmers, while spectators were rugged up with scarves and puffy jackets. Surely this is not what tennis is about? With the Munich event set to move to a 500 next year, let’s hope the weather is a little nicer for everyone involved.
It’s Never Too Late to Win a Title:
It took 15 years, but German, Jan-Lennard Struff was finally able to celebrate a title victory. Even more special, it came on home soil at the Munich 250. Having lost 3 finals previously, Struff wasn’t going to lose a 4th, defeating Taylor Fritz in straight sets, after earlier dispatching Holger Rune and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Jan-Lennard becomes the third oldest debut champion on the ATP tour, at 33 years and 11 months.
It’s Never Too Late to Win Your Second Title:
Hungarian, Marton Fucsovics, at the age of 32, won his second ever ATP title in Bucharest, Romania, 6 years since claiming his first title in Geneva. Again, as with Struff, it shows that persistence can pay off, and as a tennis professional, you just never know what’s going to happen next week. Unseeded last week, Fucsovics defeated the second, fourth, and fifth seeds, to take out the tournament. He will be close to moving back into the top 50 now.
Emma Raducanu Is Striking Some Form:
In what will be welcome news to British tennis fans, Emma Raducanu appears to be finding some of the form that catapulted her to superstardom, following her unexpected run to the 2021 US Open title. Four clay wins in a row, sees her jump another 82 places in the ranking, as she looks to get back into the top 100. Victories over 3 top 50 players (Garcia, Parry, Noskova), plus Kerber, followed by a hard fought loss to Iga Swiatek, will give her a huge boost of confidence heading into Madrid, Roland Garros, and then into the grass season.
Nadal Can Still be a Danger:
Rafael Nadal made his long awaited comeback in Barcelona last week, and after a relatively uninspiring first round win, a match against Australia’s Alex De Minaur was always going to be a test. Although he eventually went down to the Aussie, the first set in particular, showed that, with a few weeks of matches under the belt, no seed will want to come up against the Spaniard at Roland Garros in a few weeks.
Sloane Stephens Aims For a Major Seeding Again:
Sloane Stephens’ ranking over the past few years has seemingly stagnated around the 30-40ish region, but the former world number 3 is now at 33, and is a very good chance of a Wimbledon seeding. Stephens last week took out the Rouen 250 title in France, defeating 4 top 60 players, in a welcome return to the winners circle. The 2016 US Open champion has shown she can still be a force on the tour.
The Argentinians Keep Coming:
Mariano Navone may have gone down to Marton Fucsovics in the Bucharest final, but his ranking is now at a career high 41. This time last year, the 23 year-old was ranked 230. In 2023 he won 5 Challenger titles, and this year already, he has made the transition to the ATP main tour by reaching the final of Bucharest, and Rio, plus the semis of Marrakech. I don’t think it will be long until he wins his first ATP title.
