The first part of the season on hard courts has delivered its verdict after the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami, while the clay court is looming.
Two major tournaments, memorable matches and a few lessons: the WTA and ATP circuits offered, as every year, a rich American tour in March. The Indian Wells and Miami tournaments (Masters 1000 for men, WTA 1000 for women) smiled more on Daniil Medvedev and Elena Rybakina than on Caroline Garcia. They also offered two crisp new episodes of a now major rivalry on the men’s circuit, that between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Back on this month across the Atlantic with our consultant, Arnaud Clément.
Caroline Garcia, the state of alert
The return to earth is brutal for Caroline Garcia. On a cloud in 2022, with the coronation at the end of the season Masters, the Habs are marking time this year. Finalist all the same in Monterrey at the beginning of March, she did not know how to continue in the United States, exited twice by Sorana Cirstea, in the round of 16 in Indian Wells, then as soon as she entered the running, in the third round in Miami. Above all, the Lyonnaise saw her physical trainer Laura Legoupil end their collaboration, a few months after the departure of her trainer Bertrand Perret.
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“We feel that she is touchedanalyzes Arnaud Clément. It’s always a tricky situation, with a season that has already started and the clay court is just beginning, especially for a Frenchman with Roland-Garros. There is an urgent side, but I think she will succeed. When her coach left, she knew how to bounce back immediately by winning the Masters. What also reassures me is the speech that Caroline could hold, the certainties that she had been able to integrate, on how she wanted to play in particular. Certainties that she did not have when she climbed so high in 2017.“
La folle series by Daniil Medvedev
Already five finals in 2023, and 24 wins in his last 25 games for the Russian. Down at the end of January to 12th in the world after his failure at the Australian Open (eliminated in the 3rd round), Daniil Medvedev has since been a player on a mission. He won 19 games in a row after the disappointment in Australia, before being stopped in the final in Indian Wells by a great Carlos Alcaraz. “It’s the kind of series where even when he’s playing average, he gets away with it because he’s built up a lot of confidencebelieves Arnaud Clément. This is what made its great strength last year.”
A little missed during the title match in California, the Russian did better than recover in Miami, against Jannik Sinner. Medvedev will pass fourth in the world on Monday after his title in Florida. “It’s the Daniil capable of winning a Grand Slam or becoming number one again, this year or next, continues our consultant, former world number 10. He has weapons to be able to get out of good matches, even on clay or grass, which are not his specialties. Especially since he will again be a high seed, with good tables.”
We can’t stop Elena Rybakina!
Wimbledon 2022 was not just a feat without a future. Elena Rybakina is firmly establishing herself as one of the major players on the circuit. On her way to the title in California, then the final in Florida lost against Petra Kvitova, she offered herself the gratin of the WTA: Iga Swiatek (world number 1), then Aryna Sabalenka (n°2) in Indian Wells, and Jessica Pegula (#3) in Miami. Not a small performance, in two tournaments with very different conditions between the dry heat of the Indian Wells desert and the humidity of Miami.
“She is not number one, but we wonder if she is not the one who will eventually settle downasks Arnaud Clément. I don’t know if she’s the most complete player, but she might be the strongest, yes. She often serves at more than 190 km/h, and she can put anyone five meters from the ball.“The season on earth could also smile on her, she who had revealed herself in the Grand Slam by reaching the quarter-finals at Porte d’Auteuil in 2021.
Alcaraz-Sinner, it’s not just tomorrow anymore
Another big name on the North American tour is Carlos Alcaraz. Winner in Indian Wells, he could not go after the double, falling on a bone named Jannik Sinner. The Italian and the Spaniard have long been expected as the future of tennis, they are more than ever the present. And their healthy rivalry, tinged with true friendship off the courts, gave us a daunting semi-final in Miami. “It’s going to become a classic.” abounds Arnaud Clément.
“Their match reminded me of the Djokovic-Nadal-Federer generation. We have Alcaraz doing a demo in Indian Wells, and we see Sinner thinking he needs to raise the bar. Alcaraz will lift a whole generation up, as Federer was the engine to carry Nadal or Djokovic.“
Djokovic, number 1 without playing
Absent in the United States since still unvaccinated, Novak Djokovic recovers the throne of the ATP ranking on Monday, after the coronation of Daniil Medvedev in Miami. The Serb took advantage of these weeks without a tournament to train on clay, in Monte-Carlo. After the American tour, it is indeed a brand new season that begins, on the ocher earth that appeals so much to Rafael Nadal. “Novak Djokovic will be ready straight away, he knows himself so wellpredicts Arnaud Clément. Even the periods when he is not playing, he manages to be good right away.“
