By Chris Oddo | Wednesday April 5, 2017

1. The rest is doing Roger Federer a World of good

On the first day of the year, if somebody had told you that Roger Federer would have his 18th major title and the Sunshine Double in his pocket in early April, how crazy would you have told them they were?

2. Will the 2016 version of Angelique Kerber return?

It does not appear that the German will be able to reproduce her scintillating 2016 form this season. And yet, there she is, No.1 in the world. How long will she stay there? Well, she is a fighter so maybe longer than many are projecting.

3. Speaking of No.1 in the world…

Karolina Pliskova is less than 1500 points behind Kerber in this week's WTA rankings, and less than a thousand behind Serena. The Czech isn’t known for her clay prowess, but one would have to think that No.1 is not just a remote possibility for her at some point this season. She has the game to get there, and her current career trajectory is pointing there. Now let's see if she can pull it off.

4. Rafa’s in better shape than many give him credit for

Sensing a lot of disappointment from Nadal fans due to his sudden inability to solve Roger Federer, but what is there to be disappointed about? He was brilliant on the hardcourts and he is set up to do some major damage on clay, provided that he takes a step forward with his game. Taking a step forward during clay season is something that Nadal has always known how to do. This is his time to shine. Look for him to pick up titles and be a major threat in Paris.

5. Thiem’s time coming?

The Austrian gets picked on for overplaying, and rightfully so, but you can bank on the fact that Dominic Thiem’s best tennis will be played this spring on the surfaces he loves the most. Play all you want Dominic, and show us what you can do.

6. Maria Sharapova’s return is around the corner

The five-time major champion is set to return in Stuttgart in just about three weeks. She’s paid the price for her wrongdoing and it's time to turn the page. It will be great to see her back, and interesting to see how well she plays this season. She has certainly been training hard.

7. Can Novak Djokovic defend Roland Garros title?

Novak Djokovic has suddenly gone from being tennis’s surest thing and most dominant player to one of the sport’s biggest mysteries. How have his fortunes changed so drastically, and will he emerge from this rough period a stronger, more determined player this spring? We’re dying to find out.

8. Dimitrov on clay?

It was a fast start for Grigor Dimitrov in 2017, but he went 1-2 at Indian Wells and Miami. Will the Bulgarian come to the clay with a sense of purpose? Is this really going to be a breakout year for him or was his 16-2 start to the season a tease?

9. Venus is in the mix

Final in Australia. Quarters at Indian Wells. Semis in Miami. Venus Williams is tapping into something this season. Clay’s not really her thing, but would you be surprised to see her in a final in Madrid or Rome?

10. Bouchard struggling

At what point do we just assume that Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard is never going to find the magic that took her to the Wimbledon final in 2014? She’s 5-7 on the season and has now lost five in a row since the Australian Open.

11. Sock Thriving as he matures

Jack Sock hits a career-high ranking of No.15 in the world after reaching the semis at Indian Wells and the quarters at Miami. The best thing about Sock is that he is one of those rare Americans that doesn’t run and hide when clay season comes. Can you say Top 10?

12. Wozniacki making a push

World No.12 Caroline Wozniacki has no points to defend on the clay this year. That’s a nice luxury to have.

13. Rest up, Serena and Andy

When will we see Serena Williams and Andy Murray again? Hard to say, but they will be the ones to watch when they return. These days the smart players get their bodies right while others are out there beating themselves up on tour. Seriously, how many players are looking at what Federer, Nadal and Serena Williams did last year, skipping the second half of the season, and thinking: “Maybe that’s a way to gain an edge?” Murray and Djokovic were beating each other up while chasing No.1 last November, and Federer and Nadal were already focused on Australia. Same with Serena.

14. Nishioka will be missed

Did you guys feel the wave of support that Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka was getting at Indian Wells and Miami? It was great to see tennis fans taking a liking to this young man’s talents. He’s an incredibly unique player. It’s a shame he suffered a knee injury and will miss the rest of the season. Hopefully he’ll be back stronger next year.

15. Del Potro’s season a success so far

Watch out for Juan Martin del Potro. If it weren’t for terrible draws and some rust from a long off-season he’d already be making serious noise. His best tennis is in front of him this season. The key thing right now? He’s healthy and has not overplayed because of all the brutal draws he has had. Ten matches in six weeks and a lot of quality tennis to give him valuable info on where his game is at – perfect. And that backhand? It seems to look better every week.

16. For what it’s worth

The two youngest players in the WTA’s Top 200 are American – CiCi Bellis (54) and Kayla Day (151). Which one has the greater upside?

17. For what it’s worth, Part Deux

Nick Kyrgios is ranked 1st in the ATP in service games won – he’s ahead of Ivo Karlovic, John Isner, Milos Raonic and Roger Federer in that department, which says a lot about the quality of his serve and his ability to defend it.

18. Strange to see

Novak Djokovic currently ranked 22 in the Race to London standings.

19. Also strange to see

Agnieszka Radwanska currently ranked 20 in the Road to Singapore standings. She needs a good clay season.

20. What’s Svitolina’s Ceiling?

It was fantastic to see Ukrainian Elina Svitolina crack the Top 10 in February. Where does she go from here? Does she have the tools to take it higher or will her defensive, grinding mentality always make it difficult for her to eke out wins against elite players?

21. Sascha Zverev could be tough on clay

After a bit of a shaky start to 2017, Alexander Zverev has started to look very strong. He’s an amazing athlete that is very strong on all surfaces. Expect him to have a solid spring.

22. Will we not see Federer in Paris?

If we’re betting we think Roger Federer skips the entire clay season. He sent some mixed messages in Miami after he won the title. He told Brad Gilbert that he would skip everything but “probably” play Roland Garros. In another interview he said the same thing but seemed less sure about making Paris. He also mentioned taking “10 weeks off.” Was that a slip of the tongue or does Roger already know his plan? 10 weeks lands him in grass-cour season. It’s hard to argue with his scheduling after how he managed to nurse himself back to health this winter. Clearly, he knows rest and time away is a big part of his success these days.

23. Kasatkina on clay?

We were thinking that Russia’s Daria Kasatkina was headed for a big season in 2017, but it hasn’t happened yet. Will the Russian finally get her game together on clay? It certainly suits her game style.

24. Wow, Johanna Konta

It's been clear for quite some time that Johanna Konta is a very talented player who belongs in the Top 10. But after she claimed her biggest career title in Miami, it's hard not to wonder if she could move into the Top 5 and start to consistently challenge for the big titles. She has the mental makeup, she has the aggressive game, and she appears to be one of the most consistent players on tour. What, if anything, will hold Konta back?

25a. Biggest ATP surprise

Has to be Federer. After that we think maybe Nick Kyrgios. He has been his usual rambunctious self, but there is something that seems to have crystallized in his mind. He’s becoming a much tougher competitor and showing lots more intensity.

25b. Biggest WTA surprise

Elena Vesnina winning Indian Wells was a big one. Hope the Russian can keep being a singles force in 2017.