Tennis' Big Questions Answered

We’re getting to the time of the year where questions start to accumulate.

Have no fear; I am here to provide some insight to what is gong on in the men’s tour and what we can expect from the rest of year.

Can Rafael Nadal win a fifth French Open?

Well, this is complicated. While many see Nadal winning his fifth consecutive, and Roland Garros as being a virtual lock, it may be trickier than one might think. He now has a few legitimate threats on clay in Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

That does the mean that, if Nadal plays his game to perfection, like he usually does, then Djokovic and Murray can beat him. However, everyone has bad days. It could be trouble if Nadal has one of those bad days in the latter rounds of the French against one of these able contenders.

Will Rafael Nadal win a calendar year Grand Slam?

Smart moneys says, "Most likely, no." Had this onslaught on the men’s game started two years ago, Nadal would have had a great chance, given the talent in the field. With the way the tour scheduling and the growing competition has evolved, it is not a given that the only man with a realistic shot at beating Nadal on any surface, Roger Federer, can only meet him in the final.

Nadal now has to contend with immense talent in the quarterfinals and the semifinals, as well. It is not hard to envision a scenario wherein Nadal would have to play Andy Roddick, Murray, and Federer in the last three rounds of a slam to arise, victorious.

With a little luck of the draw, Nadal also could find top seeds knocked out early and cruise to a Wimbledon championship. Unfortunately, I do not see this happening at the U.S. Open. Murray, Djokovic, and Federer have all had tremendous success at Flushing Meadows, and Nadal’s downfall has not come from an opposing player, but from injury and fatigue.

What has been the biggest surprise on clay this season thus far?

Murray has been the biggest surprise. I know that all of the critics are chomping at the bit to tell me that he has had a stellar season thus far, so why would it not extend to the clay? The answer is that clay is a completely different animal. Murray had never enjoyed a successful run in a Masters clay court tournament up until last week. For that, he should be commended. He should also be commended for going out and hiring Alex Corretja, who has helped mold him into a grinder. Bravo, Andy. Bravo.

A strong second place has to go to Stanislas Wawrinka. His victory over Federer was most likely the biggest win of his career and he has taken his game to a new level.

Will Roger Federer pull himself together?

It's hard to say; the clay court season is long and arduous. The points are longer and the rallies are mentally taxing. Federer is suffering from a lack of confidence and the clay courts are not the best place to replenish that.

Many have been calling for Federer to take some time off or hire a coach. It may not be the worst idea. However, I go to the school of hard knocks and believe that the best medicine is to get your butt on the practice courts and work out the kinks. I'm not sure if Federer can manage that; he is 27—about to be 28—and he now has a family. It could be time for him to do some serious career soul-searching.

Will Novak Djokovic be the Novak of old, again?

It is up to Djokovic. His biggest problem has been consistency. Even when he was at the top of the game at the beginning of last year, he would seemingly take a tournament off or play very lethargicly. We remember his performance at Key Biscayne last year, the early round exit, and the criticism that followed. Then we remember the infamous scene at the U.S. Open.

All of that aside, Djokovic has the tools to be great and could easily be the heir to the No. 1 throne. His downfall will not be his game but, rather, his mental status.

What does Andy Murray’s future hold?

The future is bright for Andy. He is a young gun with a lot of upside. He is also coming in at a time of great talent in the men’s game. He has to contend with a lot from many. Murray has a very specific counter-punching game and it is fun to watch. However, counter-punchers usually enjoy short shelf lives because it does not take long for someone to rally with them. Lleyton Hewitt ran into this problem, as did Agassi for a bit, early in his career.

Hopefully, Murray can be more like Agassi and less like Hewitt. Agassi transformed his game to include heavy ground strokes and very deceiving serves, coupled with the best return of serve in the game. Murray may need to take a page out of Agassi’s game and start now.

Who could surprise fans for the remainder of the year?

My money is on Stanislas Wawrinka. I think that he has the tools and the mindset to fly in under the radar. He has had some great results and could be a force with which to be reckoned on clay.

Who has the biggest let down been?

Without a doubt, the French contingent has been the biggest letdown. Jo Tsgona, Gael Monfils, Giles Simon, and Richard Gasquet have sunk to a new low. Gasquet proved to be the head case that he has always been and he has been incognito this year due to injury. The other three have been more down than the stock market and need to pick up some speed to make it through the rest of the year.

If I have missed some questions or you have a question you would like and answer to, please do not hesitate to post a comment.