French Open lead-up review

The lead up to the French Open is nearly complete. Three Masters events and a handful of ATP 500 and 250 tournaments are done or nearly there and there is nowhere else to go now but Roland Garros itself. For some the run up proved invaluable, giving some much needed match play and confidence. For others, one high profile clay legend in particular, it was less than satisfactory, if not potentially disastrous. The tennis review looks at the winners and losers of the French Open lead-up 2014.

Winners:

Novak Djokovic

Up until his wrist injury in the semis of Monte Carlo, Djokovic was the player to beat this season. The injury meant he sat out Madrid but he came back at Rome to beat Nadal in the final. That win will reassure fans that the wrist should not be a problem come Roland Garros. More importantly, it also demonstrates Djokovic’s mental state and the state of his game. Having only played 4 clay matches all season, to come and grab the Italian Open out the hands of 7 time champ Nadal is nothing less than the stuff of a future Roland Garros champion. How soon in the future that will be depends on how Djokovic copes with the pressure of winning his first French Open crown in a few weeks time.

Martin Klizan

Klizan came back from being ranked in the 100s to winning the ATP250 event in Munich as a qualifier, and beating ATP 250 clay court event king Fognini in the final. The 24 year old Slovak has threatened to break through for a while now. Could this be his time?

Nicolas Amalgro

Amalgro grabbed his first win over Nadal and at home, too, in Barcelona. That victory took it out of him as he won only one more match this clay season, but the win over Nadal was progress for the world no.22 and it will be interesting to see what confidence he takes from it in Paris.

David Ferrer

Another player who got a victory over Nadal on Clay-his first since 2004, and in Monte carlo, too. Ferrer also challenged Djokovic in Rome and looked every bit the French Open 2013 runner up. Can he go one better this season?

Dominic Thiem

The ATP’s most promising youngster turned it on against Monte Carlo champion Stan Wawrinka in Madrid. It was a big win for the youngster and further proof he has what it takes to be a contender on the ATP tour.

Milos Raonic

Raonic made the semis of Rome and was a breaker away from knocking out Djokovic. Critics purred about his improved backcourt game. Could that big serve and better back-court play bring Canada something special at Roland Garros?

Andy Murray

The highlight of an underwhelming season was Murray’s aggressive play which took Nadal to 7-5 in the third in their Rome encounter. The sight of Murray moving forward and taking on the net to push Nadal all the way was worth seeing, and something we hope to see once more at Roland Garros.

Kei Nishikori

For a set and much of the next one, Nishikori looked every bit an ATP 1000 champion in Madrid. A groin injury got the better of him, and Nadal had a say in things, too, but expect Nishikori to make a statement well worth listening to at the French.

Losers:

Rafael Nadal

Only 1 title for Nadal this clay court season. For the king of clay that is something of a disaster. Low on confidence and beaten by Alamgro, Ferrer, Djokovic and oh so nearly by Nishikori, the Mallorcan has not been so vulnerable on red clay since 2004. That year he failed to win the French-will this year be the same?

Roger Federer

Federer came up short in the Monte Carlo final. He then missed Madrid to be at the birth of his twins and was angry and frustrated as he lost to Chardy in Rome in a third set breaker. This year saw Federer as  loser only on the courts though, but a winner when it came to fatherhood, and which one was more important to the Swiss, who was ready to miss the French for the birth of his sons, was never in doubt.

Stanislas Wawrinka

It seemed in Monte Carlo, Wawrinka had what it took to put together something of a run in the clay season. But the Swiss flopped in Madrid and Rome and his lack of consistency is worrying as the French Open looms.

Fabio Fognini

Fognini proved himself to be quite the clay-courter last season but in the lead up to the French his best result was making the Munich final. The Italian went out early in his other events, a sad state of affairs for the tour as few players are as easy on the eye as when the Fog is on.

Grigor Dimitrov

Dimitrov made the Rome semis but more was expected of him this clay season. He may go under the radar at Roland Garros though after his underwhelming display, which may prove to be something of a blessing for the ATP’s most marketable star.