The Top Storylines to Watch at the 2015 Madrid Open

The 2015 Madrid Open will be the first Masters event of the season without the Master himself. Novak Djokovic may be absent, but the top storylines to watch are still as engaging as ever.

Rafael Nadal has lost to Djokovic and Fabio Fognini in his first two clay appearances of the year, but he could be one step closer to going all the way in the absence of the world No. 1.

Martina Navratilova's stint coaching Agnieszka Radwanska has come to a premature close. How the Pole responds to this setback will be one of the most intriguing storylines of the week.

The following four slides will discuss and analyse the top stories to follow in Madrid this week.

How Will Nadal Fare?

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Novak Djokovic’s absence isn’t exactly a bye to the Madrid final for Rafael Nadal. His chances of a first title of substance this year do seem a little more realistic though.

For a start, the nerves Nadal has confronted recently would need to subside. He’ll also require his muscle memory to be in pristine condition if he is to lift a 10th French Open title.

Madrid would be the best place to get those muscles working.

After reaching the semi-final in Monte Carlo, latent optimism finally sprang for Nadal. Defeat in Barcelona muddied the waters again. Matt Wilansky summed up this feeling when he wrote for ESPN that his path to success is now “fraught with roadblocks.”

However, we are talking about a man who has won this tournament two years running. He knows the required dimensions and the shots needed to make the most of them.

Make no mistake; Madrid could prove a significant step in Nadal’s year.

Who Will Take Advantage of Djokovic's Absence?

Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press

The perennial question asked by tennis fans concerns those tenacious young challengers to the top. When will they be truly unleashed?

Milos Raonic was given enough slack to beat Rafael Nadal in Indian Wells, but losing to John Isner in Miami saw him reined back in.

Defeat to Isner in Florida suggests sustainability is a challenge the likes of Raonic are still negotiating.

Grigor Dimitrov failed to reach the quarter-finals in five successive tournaments before seeing off Stan Wawrinka to reach the final eight in Monte Carlo.

This is hardly form that will leave Novak Djokovic quaking. Kei Nishikori has shown promise, but the likes of Raonic and Dimitrov need to make Madrid count.

Will Petra Kvitova Find Her Form?

Mic Smith/Associated Press

Forget tennis balls, Petra Kvitova must have a mystic ball.

She wrote in her column for BBC Sport last month that everything was “going to be perfect” in the Czech Republic’s Fed Cup tie against France. Perfect, indeed. 

Kvitova saw off both Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia in two sets to atone for losing to Carla Suarez Navarro in successive tournaments.

If only Kvitova could have seen further into the future, she would have known Stuttgart would be far from perfect. Losing to Madison Brengle in straight sets means Madrid becomes about re-asserting herself.

She has talent, there is no question of that. Twice a winner at Wimbledon, Kvitova has the strength to crush opponents. Three titles from her final eight tournaments of last year show the potential is there.

Right now, it’s lying dormant. After beating Olga Govortsova, Kvitova can concentrate on plotting her route to a much-needed final.

How Will Radwanska Do Without Martina Navratilova?

Alik Keplicz/Associated Press

When do you start expecting results to turn after appointing a legend to stand in your corner?

Not even Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic could answer that. For them success was imminent and sustained. For Agnieszka Radwanska, the script has gone a little differently.

Simply put, the moment never came for Radwanska under the tutelage of Martina Navratilova. Time was not on their side.

Navratilova announced her departure from camp Radwanska in the wake of the Pole’s loss to Sara Errani in Stuttgart. She had been working with Radwanska just four months.

Radwanska must now go back to square one. She sits in ninth place in the rankings and will demand an instant response to Navratilova’s departure in Madrid.

A 6-4, 6-3 win over Lara Arruabarrena in the first round has at least bettered her last outing. Radwanska will be praying she leaves her mark on Spanish clay.