The ATP is a strange place right now in terms of tennis storylines. Roger Federer is injured and recuperating, Andy Murray is about to play a Davis Cup tie right before Indian Wells – something he wouldn’t have done in previous years – and Kei Nishikori lost early in Acapulco. What should we anticipate heading into the spring?
Nick Kyrgios: Can he build off his first title?
There has always been a certain buzz surrounding Nick Kyrgios in terms of tennis storylines. The Australian has a lively personality and an even more lively game. He hits the ball thunderously, most noticeably on serve but also from the ground, especially on the forehand side. Kyrgios knows how to play attacking tennis. Defending and competing – being able to get his hands dirty when things aren’t easily going in his direction – remain sources of concern. However, the more Kyrgios continues with his career, the more it seems he’s going to become a star. Kyrgios ripped through a pretty good field to win his first title in Marseille a few weeks ago. Now, the focus shifts to Masters tournaments on hardcourt and clay surfaces. Can Kyrgios continue to be a strong player against deeper fields and with more match pressure involved? It’s a pretty big story to follow in the coming weeks.
Juan Martin del Potro’s comeback
The biggest tennis storylines on the men’s side are always the kinds of stories which make people ask, “Can this affect the balance of power among top players?” Del Potro’s health is definitely one of those stories. If Delpo can ever stay healthy, and if his wrists can allow him to swing freely on his two-handed backhand, he can be a player who gives everyone else fits, including Novak Djokovic. Delpo simply hasn’t been able to stay healthy. It’s been one of the really sad developments of the past few years in men’s tennis. So many rivalries and great matches were unable to come to fruition, a drawback for fans and journalists who want to see the best in tennis. Del Potro played a memorable Wimbledon semifinal against Novak Djokovic in 2013. He could be such a factor if he stays on court. Everyone’s waiting to see if he can this spring and in all of 2016.
Dominic Thiem’s rise
This is another story involving one of the Young Guns in men’s tennis. Thiem is 18-4 in 2016, and he won two titles in February, in Buenos Aires and Acapulco. What makes those titles more impressive is that they came on different surfaces – clay in Argentina, hard court in Mexico. Thiem is learning how to carry his game from one tournament to the next, one week to the next. His variances in terms of the level of his performance are not as wild. This is what happens when a player grows up and gets into the top 20. He’s not as volatile, not as imbalanced, not as vulnerable to a bad day the day after a good one. Buenos Aires and Acapulco, though, are relatively small tournaments. Can Thiem do well at Indian Wells and Miami? Then he’ll be taken more seriously.
Rafael Nadal in crisis
This is the biggest tennis storylines on the men’s side right now. Rafael Nadal appears to have very little left in the tank as a series of injuries have worn him down. His career shouldn’t be written off just yet, but all signs are discouraging. There’s really nothing to give the Spaniard optimism for the future. He couldn’t reach the finals of small tournaments in South America – tournaments that came on clay, where he’s become the best player on that surface in tennis history. When Nadal’s not winning on clay in the small events, there’s nowhere else for him to go. He has to find a way to build himself up in Europe during the spring clay season. If he does nothing on clay in April and May and early June, it might be a sign that he’s reached the end of the road. His deterioration further underscores how impressive Roger Federer’s run has been. Although he’s dealing with some knee issues now, his remarkable run as an elite player throughout all this time is nothing short of spectacular.
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