By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday May 9 2023

 

Ons Jabeur is one of many players entering Rome with a question mark by her name.

Photo Source: Getty

Roland-Garros kicks off in less than three weeks, and action at Rome is already underway, which is to say that we are smack dab in the middle of a divine section of the tennis calendar. It’s the sweet spot of the clay season, and there is so much on the line in 2023 as we round the bend and head for what promises to be an amazing finale in Paris.



Today in the eternal city, top players assembled in Rome and talked to reporters at media day, while first-round action kicked off in the new, expanded draws, which now feature 96 players in singles and a two weeks of tennis instead of one.

For the record, the new two-week format at Madrid and Rome is still getting mixed reviews by the players. Ons Jabeur, for one, had nothing good to say about it in press on Tuesday.

“I'm not a big fan,” Jabeur said. “I prefer that the tournaments stay the same…I think a lot of players are talking about it. I think it's better to get the facts straight and talk more to the WTA about it.

“But definitely I can say that 90 percent of the players, they don't agree with it…. I mean, what we try to do is make our sport better. This doesn't help at all.”

We’ll need to hear from more players on this, for sure, and continue to weight the pros and cons…

In the meantime, let’s get to some key clay court questions ahead of Rome, with the last month of clay court tennis as our guide, and the next few weeks on our mind.

1. Will Rome Give Novak a Boost?

Six-time champion Novak Djokovic has used Rome as a springboard to a Roland-Garros run on many occasions, and he’s hoping to do that again this year, after a slow start to the clay season that has seen him win two and lose two, while dealing with an elbow issue. If he’s healthy, now is the time for Djokovic to turn up the volume on his intensity – with Nadal a big if at the moment, Grand Slam title No.23 is calling…

2. Is Coco Gauff Gonna Find her Groove?

Gauff, a Roland-Garros runner-up in 2022, is just 2-2 on the surface this year. She’s in a weird place, having recently parted ways with coach Diego Moyano, and it showed when she was absolutely blitzed by Paula Badosa in her opening match at Madrid, winning just three games in the process.

“It was a tough loss for me. I think you could see that it just wasn't my day, my game, not how I like to appear on court.” Gauff told reporters on Tuesday in Rome. “I've been working really hard since then. I'm feeling good. I'm practicing a lot better.”

Gauff has hired Jarmere Jenkins to serve as her hitting partner, and is enjoying good rapport with him.

“With the coaching change, it's tough. I think I was dealing with making that adjustment. Especially during this part of the season, which is important to me, I felt a little bit of pressure. I feel like I'm just ready to build myself back up into what I know I can be."

The fact remains that clay is a great surface for Gauff – she just needs to find her confidence - and her forehand - in time for the big challenges that lie ahead.

3. Will Rafa Play Roland-Garros?

The question now is not how will he play, but WILL HE PLAY? That’s unfortunate, but it’s where we are at the moment. Fingers crossed for the King of Clay, who is still working to get back to competition after suffering a hip injury at the Australian Open.

4. Can Sabalenka recreate Madrid magic on slower clay?

Rome and Paris will be the biggest challenge Sabalenka faces in 2023. She’s 11-9 lifetime at these two events, and is still trying to learn how to play peak tennis in slow clay conditions. She’s as confident as she has ever been, so expect her to make some noise.

5. Is Casper Ruud Ready to Rebound?

What’s gone wrong with Casper Ruud of late? Even the Norwegian isn’t sure, but he’s not surprised that it hasn’t been easy to back up a truly remarkable season in 2022 that saw him reach two major finals.

He’s trying his best to stay calm and to keep fighting, and he’s hoping that Rome, and a return to his most preferred clay conditions, will help.

“It sort of feels like you have all the time in the world to play,” he said of the conditions at the Foro Italico. “I think that's something that maybe suits my game a little better. I have more time to set up my shots. I have more time when I'm returning from the back of the court and all these things. I think that can be a reason why it's been going well.

"Last year was sort of the turning point of the clay season for me here … Hopefully can turn around here in Rome.”

Ruud won the title in Estoril last month, but has lost three of four since then. He is 11-9 overall in 2022.

6. What if Iga Doesn’t Rome?

Iga’s invincible aura took another hit in Madrid as she lost the final to Aryna Sabalenka, but the altitude and fast-playing conditions in the Spanish capital were never supposed to be her sweet spot. Here in Rome, where she has flat-out dominated and won 11 consecutive matches, a loss would be slightly more alarming when it comes to handicapping her Roland-Garros chances.

At the moment, she still is the big favorite to win both events, given her 31-3 overall record at Rome and Paris, combined. Stay tuned…

7. Is Jannik Sinner on the Cusp of a Breakthrough?

The Italian has been right there against the best players in the world for quite some time, and he’s quite good on clay (underrated on the surface, we think). Sinner has been to the quarterfinals at both Rome and Roland-Garros and owns a 40-18 lifetime record on clay. Given how well he is developing, it feels like something big could be in the offing for the Italian this month.

8. Is Alcaraz the Favorite in Rome?

And if he is the favorite in Rome, and ends up winning it, that would mean that the man we call Carlitos is the favorite to win Roland-Garros as well, correct? My, how the landscape of tennis has changed, and how much the rise of Alcaraz has changed it…

A healthy Djokovic in a dream final against Alcaraz on the second Sunday in Rome will answer this question for us, no doubt.

9. Can Ons Jabeur Get Healthy in Time to Be a Factor?

It’s been such a rough year for the Tunisian. A knee surgery and a calf injury have completely sabotaged the first half of her season, but if she’s healthy, she could really shine on the clay. And there will be a tremendous opportunity for her to gain points in Paris, where she fell in the opening round last year.

If Nadal and Djokovic Don’t Peak, Which ATP Players Are Poised for a Breatkthrough?

We mentioned Sinner. We should also mention Holger Rune. The 20-year-old has been right there all season, and he’s hungry as they come. Already a quarterfinalist at Roland-Garros last year, Rune takes his place in the Rome draw with nothing to lose on his debut, and plenty to prove.