Questions for Top Tennis Stars as the 2015 French Open Approaches
From the sun-soaked hard courts of the United States to the red clay of Europe, the last four months have been an action-packed journey full of drama and speculation.
And now the true fun begins.
It's finally time for the second Grand Slam of the year, as seasons and perhaps legacies hang in the balance. The stakes are indeed high entering this French Open.
Here's a look at key questions facing several of the men and women inside the Top 10. Over this next Parisian fortnight, prepare for the intensity level on the terre battue to hit full throttle.
Will Carla Suarez Navarro Continue Her Torrid Spring?
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It's easy to overlook the 5'4" Carla Suarez Navarro. But the diminutive Spaniard plays with immeasurable heart and determination.
At 26, Suarez Navarro is enjoying by far the best stretch of her career. With the most wins (31) on the WTA Tour in 2015, she's been a model of consistency. Aside from her first-round loss at the Australian Open, Suarez Navarro has reached at least the quarterfinals in each of the other 10 events she's played.
Three trips to finals (Antwerp, Miami, Rome) may have ended in losses, but they highlight the tremendous strides Suarez Navarro has made. Now at a career-best mark of No. 8 in the world, she keeps raising the bar for herself.
What makes her so dangerous despite her lack of height? An exquisite one-handed backhand she can paint the corners with is a huge weapon, as are her steady forehand and fleet footwork. Those tools make her a tough player to hit winners past—especially on clay.
Suarez Navarro is a natural on the surface. She'll be in her comfort zone in Paris, where she reached the quarterfinals last year. Based on her recent performance, it's easy to see her matching that feat.
Has Andy Murray Truly Turned the Corner on Clay?
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Andy Murray has undergone a renaissance lately on the dirt. But the true litmus test is coming.
Until a few weeks ago, Murray had not only failed to win a title on clay in his career, but he had never even made a final on the surface. Then came Munich. And then Madrid.
Within the span of days, he had captured championships at both tournaments. That run in Munich, which culminated in a victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber, was only a prelude to his majestic march in Spain. At La Caja Magica, Murray crushed Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori and Rafael Nadal in succession.
In that final against Nadal, Murray coasted to a lopsided 6-2, 6-3 win, bludgeoning his foe with precise backhands all afternoon.
Flying to Rome with supreme confidence, Murray went for the trifecta. Yet the accumulation of 10 matches in 12 days forced the exhausted Scot to withdraw before his third-round meeting with David Goffin.
He could have flirted with another title, but the 28-year-old made a wise decision to save himself for the French Open. Sporting a perfect 10-0 record on clay so far this year, he'll head to Paris with the best possible preparation.
A two-time semifinalist (2011, 2014) at Roland Garros, Murray must still prove, however, he can beat Novak Djokovic and Nadal when it matters most. Don't discount Nadal despite his recent troubles, and Djokovic especially has proved to be a thorn in Murray's side this season.
One thing is clear: Murray will finally take the court against any opponent knowing he can win—and thrive—on clay.
Is Simona Halep Ready to Win Her First Major?
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No longer an under-the-radar player, Simona Halep secured her place among the elite of women's tennis last year with her scintillating run to the French Open final.
Will she go one step further this time on the dirt and claim a piece of Grand Slam glory?
To do it, Halep will have to channel her absolute best form. And we haven't seen that level yet this clay-court season.
In Stuttgart, she lost in the quarterfinals to Caroline Wozniacki. The Romanian followed up that result with a disappointing second-round defeat to Alize Cornet in Madrid. Even a strong week in Rome was tempered by her inability to hold on against Carla Suarez Navarro in the semifinals of the Italian Open.
An elite mover and well-oiled baseline presence, Halep still lacks a go-to weapon to bail her out of long points. Against most players, that counterpunching style works. But against big-hitting players like Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova, she's at a disadvantage.
There's no doubt Halep has the talent and tenacity to win a major, and the clay in Roland Garros offers her a good opportunity. Only time will tell if she can take advantage in the crucial moments.
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Did Roger Federer Peak at the Right Time?
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There have been plenty of bumps in the road this clay-court season for Roger Federer.
Yet his run to the final in Rome seemed like a turning point for the better. Was it a mirage, or is the Swiss maestro peaking at the most crucial portion of the tennis calendar?
We'll soon find out.
His decision to skip Miami this spring in favor of extra training before Monte Carlo didn't pay off. Instead, Federer stumbled in the third round against Gael Monfils. He rebounded with a title at the inaugural Istanbul Open, but he was less than convincing that week, needing three sets just to survive Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Diego Schwartzman.
Emotional currency from that Turkish trip dried up in Madrid when Federer lost his opening match to Nick Kyrgios. Despite the chasm in age between the two, it was the young and audacious Kyrgios who surged in the crucial moments.
Hesitant on even participating in Rome for most of the proceeding weeks, Federer indeed traveled there for extra match preparation. That decision worked.
Federer picked up straight-sets wins against Tomas Berdych and Stan Wawrinka at the Italian Open, playing his best tennis on the dirt in quite some time. Though his mission for a first title there ended at the hands of Novak Djokovic, the Swiss showed flashes that his best tennis may not be far away.
Champion at Roland Garros in 2009 and a four-time runner-up at the event (2006-2008, 2011), Federer will be eager to make amends for his early exit last year. If he can avoid landing in the same quarter as Rafael Nadal, there's no denying Federer has the pedigree in Paris to make a deep run.
As play slows down on the dirt, the key will be how Federer holds up from the baseline. If he does well there, he could be setting himself up for another memorable summer.
Can Maria Sharapova Keep Her Momentum Going?
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After a series of puzzling losses following her defeat in the Australian Open final, Maria Sharapova shrieked and clawed her way out of that slump with another successful conquest of the Italian Open.
That victory couldn’t have come at a more opportune time as the Russian sets out to defend her crown at Roland Garros.
In Rome, Sharapova looked like a far different player than the one who lost in the first round at Miami and Stuttgart. Buoyed by her semifinal showing in Madrid, she upped the ante and earned a hard-fought win against Carla Suarez Navarro for the title.
Battling inconsistency and a leg injury for a large portion of the spring, she's finally rebounded on her preferred surface. A two-time champion (2012, 2014) at Roland Garros, Sharapova will be favored to reach a fourth straight final.
By securing that title in Rome, Sharapova guaranteed herself of the No. 2 seed at the French Open. And that means she wouldn't have to face her kryptonite, Serena Williams, until the finals. That's a huge deal.
Not many players can hang with Sharapova in baseline encounters. On clay, her extra height means the ball bounces right into her strike zone, allowing her to unleash monster groundstrokes. That formula carried her to a pair of championships already in Paris. It may soon lift her to another one.
How Will Rafael Nadal Respond to Recent Woes?
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Defeated. Humbled. Regressed. There are many words that can describe Rafael Nadal and his escalating swoon, but perhaps the most fitting is vulnerable.
The King of Clay has never entered his favorite tournament with this much uncertainty surrounding his game. As he attempts to maintain control of the Roland Garros throne for a 10th time, he’ll have to summon all his inner reserves to turn the tide.
It used to be routine for the Spaniard to go through a clay-court season unbeaten. Not this time. Nadal has already suffered an unfathomable (by his standards) five losses this year on the surface. The times they are a-changing.
Each of his past four events on dirt has ended in straight-sets heartbreak. First, there was Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlo semifinals. Then, a third-round upset in Barcelona to Fabio Fognini. Even a berth in the Madrid final did little to ignite him, and he fell soundly to Andy Murray. His latest reality check? A flat quarterfinal loss to Stan Wawrinka in Rome.
Publicly questioning the state of his own confidence, Nadal hasn't found any sustainable rhythm on the court. That once lethal forehand? It's prone to more errors and mishits than the previous years combined. His backhand, too, has lacked its usual rally-changing properties.
For the first time ever, Nadal will head to the French Open without a European clay title in tow. And he'll be seeded possibly as low as seventh.
It's an inevitable fall for a player who reigned so high, and the true mark of Nadal's fortitude will be determined in Paris. Working in his favor is the fact that only one man—Robin Soderling in 2009—has ever outlasted him in a best-of-five sets match on clay. But for much longer will he still earn the benefit of the doubt?
With Djokovic eager to steal his crown away, Nadal will quickly have to find solutions to the problems that have plagued his game in 2015. If he does, it may be his most triumphant accomplishment yet.
What Is the Status of Serena Williams' Health?
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Serena Williams always exudes an aura of excellence and strength every time she steps on the court. But even she was in another zone entirely to start 2015.
Unbeaten for the first quarter of the season, Williams was working on another lengthy win streak to add to her resume. And then her body intervened.
In the semifinals of Madrid, the world No. 1 first noticed discomfort in her right elbow while playing Petra Kvitova. Unable to put all her muscle into the ball, she fell meekly to the Czech in straight sets.
Cut to Rome. Williams opened the tournament with a dismantling of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Still, she felt pain in the elbow and pulled the plug on her title defense. Instead of risking further damage, she smartly opted to save herself additional strain.
How that elbow responds will shape the tournament. If she's back to full health, Williams should sail toward another championship in Paris. But if she's hindered and can't produce her usual level of power, then the door opens for other players.
Who Will Stop Novak Djokovic's Quest for a Career Grand Slam?
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It all comes down to these next two weeks for Novak Djokovic as he resumes his quest for an elusive French Open crown.
And he’ll have his best chance yet to secure a career Grand Slam in the French capital.
Djokovic has demolished everyone in his path since October, capturing the Australian Open, World Tour Finals and the last five Masters Series events he's entered. At 35-2 in 2015 with five titles and an active win streak of 22 matches, the Serbian is on pace for a legendary season.
What better way to cement his dominance than with a first Roland Garros title.
He's already come perilously close, reaching the final in 2012 and 2014 and appearing in four other semifinals at the tournament. His frequent roadblock? Rafael Nadal.
But with his rival battling inconsistency, Djokovic will arrive in Paris as the prohibitive favorite for the first time. He's been vocal about his intent to shake that burden off his back, and based on his current form, who would bet against him?
When he takes the court these days, Djokovic rattles opponents with his sterling (and still-improving) game. Finding a way to best him from the baseline seems downright impossible. The only thing that could possibly throw off the world No. 1? Nerves.
How Djokovic handles the pressure will not only define the next fortnight but will shape his legacy.
Expect him to rise to the challenge.
All statistics are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com and WTATennis.com unless otherwise noted.
Joe Kennard is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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