Top Storylines to Follow During the 2016 Grass Court Season
The clay-court swing concluded with a bang at Roland Garros as Novak Djokovic finally completed the elusive career Grand Slam and Garbine Muguruza upended Serena Williams for her first major title.
While they bask in their accomplishments, play shifts to the grass with Wimbledon almost here.
Events are underway on the freshly trimmed lawns of Nottingham, s-Hertogenbosch and Stuttgart, where Roger Federer is making his long-awaited return from injury after sitting out the French Open.
As Federer begins his quest for an eighth Wimbledon crown, he'll join other hopefuls like Andy Murray and Milos Raonic, who are looking for some way to slow the Djokovic train.
Also searching for answers is Williams, who continues to come up short as she chases history. Will the confines of the All England Club get her past that hurdle?
That's one of several storylines that stands out as the grass-court campaign kicks off.
Dive in for a deeper look at what else to watch for.
Milos Raonic Begins Partnership with John McEnroe
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One of the ATP's premier young talents, the 25-year-old Raonic is desperately chasing success at the majors.
He's leaving no stone unturned to get where he wants to go. And aiding in that mission at Wimbledon will be someone who knows a little about what it takes to be a champion: John McEnroe.
As of now, McEnroe will remain a consultant for Raonic rather than a full-time coach. In the time they have together, he'll impart as much wisdom as he can to his enterprising new pupil.
Raonic explained his reasoning for bringing McEnroe into the fray to The Telegraph's Simon Briggs:
"I want to improve at coming forward and I want to improve at putting more pressure on my opponents. If you see great volleyers, most of the time the volleys are pretty easy and it's because of positioning. It's those things that I want to [improve], those instincts where I put myself in the court, how I position myself.
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We all know how lethal Raonic's serve is, especially on the Wimbledon grass where he reached the 2014 semifinals. But to present a stiffer challenge to players like Djokovic, Murray or Federer, he needs to continue supplementing his game.
We'll soon find out if McEnroe's presence will be the key to getting him to a maiden Grand Slam final.
Is Madison Keys Ready to Take the Next Step?
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As her peer Muguruza lifted the trophy in Paris, Keys had to be thinking: "Is my time to shine next?"
The 21-year-old Keys should feel encouraged seeing a young star enter the Grand Slam club. There may not be a full-fledged changing of the guard yet, but more doors are opening for players like Keys.
Now she needs to figure out how to harness all her potential.
Her best result at a major so far is a trip to the 2015 Australian Open semifinals, which she later followed up with a spot in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Though she's lost in the fourth round at the last three Grand Slam events, Keys is poised to be a factor at the All England Club.
A big server with equally intimidating ground strokes, Keys can maker her move at Wimbledon. The faster courts suit her style of play well. On this surface, she can more freely impose her will on opponents.
If the pieces come together, Keys could be primed for a stirring run on the lawns.
Andy Murray Seeks Payback
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Tired of playing second fiddle to Djokovic, a determined Murray hopes a return to grass will change the recent dynamic in their rivalry.
Runner-up to Djokovic in this year's Australian Open and French Open finals, Murray's record against him now stands at 10-24, his only recent consolation a victory over the Serb for the Italian Open title.
So why is he confident that things can improve at Wimbledon?
"We only played twice on grass, I won both those matches," Murray told the Daily Mail (h/t Press Association). "... I will try and have a good run on the grass. If we meet on the grass, I'll try and learn from the last few weeks' matches and see things I could have done better."
Murray famously bested Djokovic for the 2013 Wimbledon crown, a year after beating him there during the Olympic Games. Those experiences will imbue him with confidence should they square off yet again at a major.
Playing on grass comes more naturally to Murray than other surfaces. With his beefed up game, he'll present a tougher test for Djokovic in London.
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Garbine Muguruza Goes for the Channel Slam
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The Channel Slam is one of tennis’ most challenging tasks, as the transition from clay to grass is always tricky even for the best players.
But Muguruza is ready to go for it.
Fresh off her convincing takedown of Serena Williams in the French Open final, the newly minted Grand Slam champion’s stock is soaring. Up to No. 2 in the world, the 22-year-old Spaniard is targeting the top spot, and there’s no reason to believe she won’t get there sooner rather than later.
Powerful and athletic, her game grows deadlier by the day. Muguruza’s primed for a deep run at Wimbledon, where she finished runner-up to Williams last year.
Get used to seeing her lift Grand Slam titles in the coming years, because she’s here to stay.
Will Rafael Nadal Participate at Wimbledon?
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Nadal just can’t ever seem to escape the injury bug for long.
He entered Roland Garros brimming with confidence thanks to titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. After pushing Djokovic hard in the Italian Open semifinals, Nadal seemed destined to get another crack at the Serb in Paris.
Behind the scenes, he was struggling with a left wrist injury that occurred in Madrid. When the pain intensified at the French Open, a somber Nadal withdrew before his third-round match in order to avoid more serious problems.
Citing inflammation in the tendon sheath, a timeline for his return is unclear. As Juan Martin del Potro would attest, wrist injuries are hazardous to play through. Del Potro’s undergone multiple surgeries to correct such problems, spending the last six years in a constant state of flux.
To avoid going under the knife, Nadal is opting for rest and rehab. He won’t play at Queen’s Club, making his participation at Wimbledon tenuous.
It could be a bit longer before we see him on the court again.
Roger Federer Looks to Regain His Groove
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This grass-court season takes on added importance for Federer as he battles not only Djokovic but also Father Time and his own body.
The Swiss Maestro’s had a year to forget so far, with injuries (knee and back) and illness forcing him to skip Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Roland Garros—the first Grand Slam he’s missed since the 1999 U.S. Open.
We’re around the halfway mark of the season, yet Federer’s only played 15 matches. That inactivity currently has him at 15th in the points race, putting his streak of 13 consecutive appearances at the World Tour Finals at risk of being snapped.
Regaining full strength is critical to avoiding that scenario. Fortunately for him, he’s back on his most comfortable surface. And with the newly extended grass calendar, Federer is salivating at the chance to play three tournaments on the lawn.
Booked for Stuttgart and Halle before beginning his bid for an eighth Wimbledon title, the next few weeks present a moment of truth for the aging champ.
Can Serena Williams End Her Slump?
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Taking home Grand Slam No. 22 is proving harder than Williams ever could’ve imagined.
One behind Steffi Graf for the most major singles titles in the Open Era, Williams’ bid to tie that mark has ended painfully short the last three tries.
First, there was a seismic upset at the hands of Italian veteran Roberta Vinci in last year’s U.S. Open semifinals. In 2016, she’s reached both the Australian Open and French Open finals but fallen short against Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza, respectively.
Muguruza overpowered her in a dominant performance, handing Williams consecutive Grand Slam finals defeats for the first time in her career.
Do these losses signal decline setting in for the 34-year-old American, or are they simply outliers?
Either way, the pressure is immense for Williams to defend her throne at Wimbledon and exorcise her recent Grand Slam demons.
Novak Djokovic's March Toward a Possible Calendar Golden Slam
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Turning dreams into reality is what Novak Djokovic does best.
A cathartic French Open victory gave the world No. 1 the hallowed career Grand Slam, making him the first man to hold all four majors at the same time since Rod Laver in 1969.
Now firmly cemented in the discussion for Greatest of All Time status, there’s one way Djokovic could take his legacy into another stratosphere: winning a calendar Golden Slam.
The rarest of tennis feats, the only man or woman to pull it off is Steffi Graf during her legendary 1988 campaign.
Sweeping all four majors and the Olympics during the same year sounds impossible, especially with the increased depth and physicality in today’s game. But Djokovic is accustomed to smashing expectations.
He’s already well on his way, becoming the first men’s player to win the Australian Open and French Open in the same season since Jim Courier in 1992.
First things first: going for a third-straight title at Wimbledon, where he’ll be the overwhelming favorite. Should he keep his throne there, then a calendar Golden Slam will become an even more realistic proposition.
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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