Clay season preview

It's been a while since the last time I've written in English, and as long as the most popular post is in Shakespeare's language I feel in the mood of writing again in this language.

So, clay season starts today with the third Masters 1000 of the season in Monte Carlo - also, the first of 3 M1000 played on clay. After Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, we'll also have the Mutua Madrid Open and the Internazionale BNL d'Italia in the same category, and one ATP 500 tour in Barcelona. In addition, of course, one of many ATP 250 is here in my country - Estoril Open, the only combined clay tournament besides Madrid and Rome.

My expectations for men's tournaments are very high to Rafael Nadal. The best player on clay ever (for many people, including me) has the capacity of defending successfully his titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona and winning in Spain and Rome's capital-cities as well - last year he lost both for Novak Djokovic, when Nole was on his outstanding winning streak. That's the very point of this clay season: has Djokovic capacity for defending his 2500 points (Belgrade, Madrid and Rome) in 2012? He's doing another great season with two titles won so far, but he already lost twice - last year he reached Belgrade with four titles and 4500 won, today he "just" has 3000 points this season. Of course he's the world number 1 unquestionably and playing very well, but he's not as strong as he was 366 days ago... and Rafa already knows (at least he should know) why he lost in Madrid and Rome last year. I believe in Nole as I always do but it gonna be tougher this season.

About women's, the principal tournaments on clay pre-Roland Garros are played in Barcelona (two weeks before ATP's one), Stuttgart, Rome and Madrid (this last two are played simultaneously with men). Despite Victoria Azarenka being the #1 with just one loss this season, we don't actually have a female tennis player that stands out on clay. The very Victoria Azarenka is good on clay but not as good as on hardcourt. Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova are also pretty good on the surface, and former Roland Garros champions Li Na and Francesca Schiavone (both in bad shapes) have their best results on clay. And we also have the Germans Julia Goerges (won Stuttgart last season) and Angelique Kerber, that just defeated Caroline Wozniacki in Copenhagen and is one of 2012 surprises.

About Ana Ivanovic, she has few points to defend on clay so she has all of possibilities of improving her ranking in the next months. Ajde

That's all. Thanks for reading,

Pedro Mendes