Burning Questions to Follow at the 2015 Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Masters is the Grand Slam of the Midwest, the last stop on the road to the U.S. Open and one of the most historic events in American tennis. Needless to say, there’s plenty at stake in the 2015 edition.
While action is still underway at the Rogers Cup in Toronto and Montreal, the top men and women will soon land in Mason, Ohio, to kick off a thrilling week of action at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
Because Cincinnati is the final tune-up event before the U.S. Open, it always takes on added importance as players desperately fight for momentum. And the draws this year will be absolutely loaded.
Defending champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams headline their respective fields, though worthy challengers like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Maria Sharapova and others are eager to steal their crowns.
Who will boost their chances before New York?
We’ll soon have answers. Until then, here are a few more burning questions looming over the tournament, which starts on Saturday.
Has Rafael Nadal Truly Turned the Corner?
1 of 7
Rafael Nadal's well-chronicled struggles with injuries, confidence and poor results have plagued him since last summer. But perhaps for the first time in a while, there's a glimmer of hope.
He may finally be reassembling the pieces.
A recent title on the Hamburg clay helped wash away some of the aftertaste left by a dismal second-round Wimbledon loss. So far in Montreal, he's kept that momentum going with a pair of straight-set wins.
Although it's still way too early to declare Nadal back to form, it's refreshing to at least see early signs of progress. His recent attempts at improvement came mostly in vain as the losses have piled up in 2015. But his unrelenting drive and optimism kept him searching for answers.
Winning small events will do little to quell doubts about his future. Places such as Montreal and Cincinnati (where he won the 2013 title) are more important for the Spaniard as he fights for a return to relevancy.
What Is the Status of Petra Kvitova's Health?
2 of 7
Petra Kvitova was supposed to emerge as a serious threat to Serena Williams in 2015. So much for that plan.
Kvitova has endured a bumpy season, to say the least. Titles in Madrid and Sydney are undeniable bright spots, but they can’t hide the Czech’s poor results at the Grand Slam level, where she’s failed to even reach a quarterfinal.
When Kvitova won Wimbledon last summer, many saw it as a portal toward more sustained success. That hasn’t happened, thanks to inconsistent play and other factors.
Mentally exhausted, Kvitova took a sabbatical this spring and skipped Indian Wells and Miami. Though she put together a fairly successful clay-court season, she fell in the third round at Wimbledon.
And now health problems threaten to set her back further.
Recently diagnosed with mononucleosis, Kvitova looked meek in an early-round loss in Toronto this week. Now, her outlook for Cincinnati and the U.S. Open may be compromised.
The delicate nature of that illness skews an exact recovery timeline. Though she intends to play in Cincinnati, Kvitova is likely still not close to 100 percent.
Is Andy Murray Ready to Pressure His Rivals?
3 of 7
Andy Murray's return to form in 2015 has him inching closer and closer to his rivals.
Will he take that next step in Cincinnati?
He's rapidly making up ground on Roger Federer for the No. 2 ranking, a subplot that shouldn't be overlooked the next few weeks. A strong finish in Cincinnati, where he lost to Federer in the quarterfinals last year, would further close the gap between the two.
How Murray performs should he face Federer or (especially) Novak Djokovic is the bigger question, however. As strong a season as the Scot has put together, the one glaring blemish is his recent track record against both men.
Federer is undefeated in their previous four meetings dating back to the 2014 Australian Open, a streak which includes his dismantling of Murray last month at Wimbledon. Against Djokovic, well, you probably know the story. The Serb is a perfect 8-0 in their rivalry over the past two seasons, sweeping Murray aside all four times they've played this year.
There's no question Murray is back on the path to Grand Slam contention. But to reach his destination, he has to prove he can beat his peers.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Does Maria Sharapova Have Time to Build Momentum Before the US Open?
4 of 7
Like Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova also faces questions about her health.
The last time we saw Sharapova on a tennis court, she suffered another lopsided defeat to Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Adding injury to insult, she strained her right leg during training for the summer hard-court season. As a result, she had to pull out of Toronto, which robbed her of valuable match preparation for the U.S. Open.
Sharapova is scheduled to return in Cincinnati, so keep a close eye on her movement. Never the most nimble of players to begin with, the 2011 champion could still be hindered and ripe for an upset.
As the clock ticks toward the voyage to New York, how Sharapova looks physically this next week will be something to monitor.
Can Novak Djokovic Win Cincinnati for the First Time?
5 of 7
With the French Open the most notable exception, there aren’t too many events Novak Djokovic hasn’t won already in his illustrious career. But a maiden title in Cincinnati remains elusive.
Djokovic has reached the final four times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012). On each occasion, he’s fallen short. Two of the losses came at the hands of Roger Federer; the other defeats were to another rival, Andy Murray.
The Djoker has never managed to have the last laugh here for some reason.
But Djokovic is clearly in the zone right now and should be considered the favorite to finally fill in that hole on his resume. Buoyed by his Wimbledon victory, he’s looked indestructible so far in Montreal.
Watch for him to make another run at the title in Cincinnati and continue his stranglehold on the No. 1 ranking.
Who Will Stop Serena Williams?
6 of 7
Cincinnati didn't become a top WTA event until 2009 when it was upgraded to Premier 5 status. That previous lack of cache is the main reason why Serena Williams hadn't won the tournament in the past.
Yet she added another trophy to her massive collection with a takedown of Ana Ivanovic in last year's final. Expect her to make a serious push at defending her title.
Williams has soared so far and above the rest of women's tennis in 2015 that she has to be considered the prohibitive favorite every time she steps on the court. Even at 33 years old, she's taken her game to another level. Just look at that nearly pristine 40-1 record. She's virtually unbeatable these days.
Continuing that success in Cincinnati will be crucial. Why? Because as she attempts to complete a calendar Grand Slam in New York next month, Williams needs to be sharp.
And no one steps up and conquers pressure like she does.
Will Roger Federer Defend His Title After a Long Layoff?
7 of 7
No player holds more Cincinnati titles than defending champion Roger Federer. There’s just something about the annual trip to Ohio that brings out the best in the Swiss maestro.
Will a seventh crown soon be in the works?
A six-time (2005, 2007, 2009-2010, 2012, 2014) winner at the event, Federer will look to conquer Cincinnati once more. But he’ll do so after an extended layoff.
Forgoing the Rogers Cup for extra rest, Federer last played a competitive match in the Wimbledon final. That decision to skip Montreal puts added pressure on him to perform well in Cincinnati, his only warm-up tournament before the U.S. Open.
For the 34-year-old, the next week will therefore be a litmus test. He’ll quickly have to sharpen his game on these fast hard courts with little preparation time left before New York.
With Andy Murray charging hard at his No. 2 ranking, Federer will have added incentive to stay on top in Cincinnati.
All statistics are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com and WTATennis.com unless otherwise noted.
Joe Kennard is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
