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Tennis Europe releases season-ending U14 and U16 rankings

Tennis - Mili Poljicak, Petr Nesterov, Linda Noskova and Antonia Ruzic have conquered those four lists

Tennis Europe, the third biggest tennis government body has announced the season-ending U14 and U16 junior rankings, providing us with the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming stars that should make their first steps on the professional Tour in a few years.

The youngsters had a chance to compete in 372 tournaments held across 46 countries and there are almost 5000 players from 81 countries in four different ranking groups. If we take a look at the Top 20 lists from U14 and 16 boys and girls categories, there are 27 different countries represented and 13 of those 80 players have come from the Czech Republic and eight of those have been ranked in the Top 10.

Russia, Serbia and Ukraine are well-represented too and we should see more high-quality players from already established tennis nations from Eastern Europe in the next five or six years. The Croat Mili Poljicak has topped the U14 boys' ranking charts ahead of Luca Van Assche and Konstantin Zhzhenov after winning four doubles and one singles title. The Bulgarian Petr Nesterov was the player to beat in the U16 boys' category, finishing ahead of Daniel Linkuns‐Morozovs and Stefan Popovic, conquering four singles and one doubles title to collect 80 points more than his rivals.

The 13-year-old Linda Noskova has been on fire in 2018, reaching the semi-final in her first ITF junior event and entering Les Petits As Mondial Lacoste final back in January. She won six titles this year to distance herself from Diana Shnaider and Aliona Falei, setting her eyes on even bigger goals in 2019.

In the end, the Croat Antonia Ruzic has managed to close the season as the leading U16 player, just 10 points ahead of her compatriot Tara Wurth! Antonia claimed six titles from seven titles, including Tennis Europe Junior Masters where she beat Wurth in a close final to finish her season on a high note. Top ranked players of the Tennis Europe season-ending U14 and U16 standings: ↓ SHOW RANK ↓ U14 boys' standings:

1. Mili Poljicak (CRO, 2004) 820 2. Luca Van Assche (FRA, 2004) 720 3.  Konstantin Zhzhenov (RUS, 2004) 705

U16 boys' standings:  

1. Petr Nesterov (BUL, 2003) 1200 2. Daniel Linkuns‐Morozovs (LAT, 2002) 1120 2. Stefan Popovic (SRB, 2003) 1120

U14 girls' standings:

1. Linda Noskova (CZE, 2004) 745 2. Diana Shnaider (RUS, 2004) 690 3. Aliona Falei (BLR, 2004) 650

U16 girls' standings:

1. Antonia Ruzic (CRO, 2003) 1220  2. Tara Wurth (CRO, 2002) 1210 3. Klaudija Bubelyte (LTU, 2003) 1140

Tennis Europe Chief Executive Officer Thomas Hammerl commented, “We’d like to congratulate each and every player that took part in the Tennis Europe Junior Tour this year. Every player has a different goal, but for many our circuits represent the first step on the path to one day becoming a professional and competing on ATP/WTA Tours and at the Grand Slams. The Tour continues to grow and 2019 will be no exception, with a host of new features, tournaments, and learning tools for player development coming soon.”

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Tournaments

Tennis Europe Academy Training Camp

At the Tennis Europe Academy in TK Prostejov, Czechia, the clay court season is on the horizon, and 20 promising players from 8 European countries are gearing up for the challenge.

Led by the experienced guidance of experienced Czech coaches: Jaroslav Navratil , who served as captain of the Czech Davis Cup team for 25 years, winning 2 titles, and formerly coached Tomas Berdych, a top 5 ATP player; and David Kotyza , coach of Linda Noskova and former coach of Petra Kvitova, Lucie Safarova, and Karolina Pliskova. Alongside their esteemed coaching team, this year’s diverse group comprises 12 girls and 8 boys aged between 12 and 14.

Throughout this intensive week-long training camp lasting from April 29th until May 3rd, participants engage in a comprehensive program consisting of daily tennis drills and fitness sessions aimed at improving their skills and stamina. Established in 2018 through a collaboration between Tennis Europe, the Czech Tennis Association, and TK Prostejov, this camp is a testament to fostering excellence in tennis development.

Fully covered by the ITF European Assistance budget, the camp covers all essential expenses for the players, including accommodation, meals, and training facilities. Representing a mix of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 member nations, these young athletes are selected by their respective national tennis federations for their exceptional talent and potential.

Patrick Breen (IRL) Alicia Sutton (IRL) Damyan Avramovski (BUL) Raya Markova (BUL) Gustav Brizs (LAT) Elizabete Ozola (LAT) Marina Markina (LAT) Ofir Kermish (ISR) Hila Sol Buhadana (ISR) Daniel Blustein (ISR) Mattis Thorsen (NOR) Margrete Berg (NOR) Oleksandr Tiutchenko (UKR) Daria Bilyk (UKR) Polina Skliar (UKR) Mark Pavcic (SLO) Sara Kovacevic (SLO) Mark Vainberg (MDA) Vasilisa Zarecinaia (MDA) Anastasia Ciuhrii (MDA)

Future Stars Shine in Athens

The IMG Future Stars event at the Tatoï Club in Athens, Greece was back for its third edition. Many of the world’s top 12&U players were invited to play at this exclusive venue, an experience encompassing a smorgasbord of events and activities beyond the tennis tournament.

Estonia’s Elizaveta Anikina , of the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, was the girls’ finalist falling to Ketong Guo (CHN) in the final in three tough sets, with the Chinese player taking the title 6-4 4-6 6-4. Congratulations are also in order for another Mouratoglou player Yanru Li (CHN) who won the boys’ title by defeating Daniel Gardality (USA) 6-1 6-4 in the final.

Many other European players fared well, with Simona Novakova (SVK), Korana Barisic (CRO), Jonas Waelti (SUI) and Vakhlin Arkadii all making the semifinals. As it was an invitational event and not officially a Junior Tour event, no points are awarded on the Tennis Europe rankings. It is encouraging nonetheless to witness European youngsters performing at such a high level at an international event of this calibre.

The 2024 edition of the event has now come to another successful end and Tennis Europe was on site this week to provide a first taste of the Junior School to many of the world's best 12 & Under players that were in attendance. Tennis Europe’s new Coaching video was discussed as well as the topics of Parents and The Tennis Family.

Also on hand at the start of the event were Holger Rune and Francisco Cerundolo who fielded questions from the young players in a press conference. Rune then delighted fans by playing an exhibition against some local talents and stuck around to sign plenty of autographs for the children.

Players were also treated to various activities including a workshop with Patrick Mouratoglou and Mike James; a WTA/ATP Tour day; an off-court masterclass with Sven Groeneveld and the Head of IMG Tennis Max Eisenbud; and a workshop on the important topic of Mental Health. The participants were also spoiled for entertainment: the Greek night festivities gave them a taste of the local culture and they particularly enjoyed a guided tour of the Acropolis, along with all the extra tennis workshops and training sessions.

As mentioned, the event takes place at the renowned Tatoï Club, the home club of Greek star Maria Sakkari. By virtue of their results in Athens, the winners of the event have earned a spot at the 14&U Eddie Herr International Junior Championship to be held at the IMG Academy in Florida.

We also look forward to seeing many of these players at the Carlos Moya 12&U festival, our season ending event in Mallorca, now in its fourth year. The Tennis Europe event invites the top-performing 12 & Under European players to the season-ending championships for this age group.

For more information, go to the IMG Future Stars website .

For more about the Tennis Europe Junior Tour and the Carlos Moya 12&U Festival, click here .

Romero Calvo & Perez win their first singles titles

This has been another busy week on the TEJT, with events taking place in Spain, Azerbaijan and everywhere in between. Here’s a quick glance back at this week’s action:

22nd Nacho Juncosa Memorial | Vic, Spain | 16&U Cat.1

Now a staple on the TEJT, this event brings together the top of the crop of Europe’s 16&U players as well as many local players who want to get a taste of playing against Europe’s best without venturing far from home. 

Serena Romero Calvo , is one of these players, with all her five previous TEJT trophies coming from events in Spain. She now claims her first ever singles tournament victory, with a tough 4-6 7-5 6-3 win over Oliwia Sybicka in the final. The Pole has also enjoyed her fair share of victory in Spain, playing particularly well there, and has claimed her fifth trophy in two years on Spanish soil. 

Roberto Perez (ESP) also won his maiden TEJT singles title, in a 7-5 6-2 win over Niccolo Satta (ITA) in the final.

An all-Italian Boys’ doubles final saw Federico Gargano & Satta beat Francesco Pansecchi & Alessandro Maina 6-3 6-4. Sybicka teamed with Nikol Marie Jarolimkova (CZE) to pip Vlada Razina & Nina Andronicou (CYP) at the post in the match tiebreak, taking it 3-6 7-5 10-7.

Elsewhere on the TEJT this week:

• ZLTC Brno Cup | Brno, Czechia | 16&U Cat.2 Czech Sara Oliveriusova adds another title to her already impressive TEJT tally of 16 titles and 7 runner-up trophies in singles and doubles. Compatriot Dominik Vagner wins his maiden 16&U title, having won three 14&U singles titles in 2023.
• 21º Torneo Internazionale | Maglie, Italy | 12&U Cat.1 Nicolas Lyam Basilone (ITA) and Ania Curuia (ROU) took this week’s big 12&U event, setting themselves in good stead for a spot in Mallorca, with the Romanian picking up her first singles title of the year, while Basilone earns his second Category 1 winner’s trophy.
• Favorit Cup | Pazardzhik, Bulgaria | 14&U Cat.3 Local Georgi Georgiev adds a winner’s trophy to his runner-up one from Iraklion, while Ofir Manhard (ISR) wins her first TEJT title of the year
• Mladost Grill Open | Zagreb, Croatia | 14&U Cat.2 Croat Sophia Santos wins her first title of the year (see post from X below), as does French boy Evan Giurescu .

For the rest of this week’s tournament winners, click here .

In the coming weeks

12&U players will have another chance to make their mark in a Category 1 event, this time in Rakovnik at the Neride Cup. The TEJT will also remain in Azerbaijan (Baku) for another week and will also make stops in the Netherlands (Amsterdam), Bosnia & Herzegovina (Zenica) and Albania (Tirana), amongst others.

Also, big events are coming our way in May, including the 16&U Category 1 in Rome taking place at the famed Foro Italico. Check out the complete TEJT schedule here .

Kovackova & Lorimer claim landmark singles titles in Maia

Jana Kovackova and Eric Lorimer are this year’s Maia Super Category champions. The Brit has bagged his biggest ever win on the TEJT and adds to his Category 1 win at Tim Essonne earlier in the year. Kovackova, on the other hand, continues from strength to strength.

She has now earned her second Super Category win on the 14&U circuit this year, having won in Stockholm a few weeks ago. The 14&U Race to Monte-Carlo leader also picked up her first ever 16&U win last month at the Category 1 event in Torelló. 

Kovackova beat Viktorija Cesonyte (LTU) 6-2 6-2 in the girls’ final. After the match the #1 ranked player stated that she was extremely happy with her level and the way she played. “Winning here feels good,” was all she needed to say, as her tennis had spoken for itself. 

Lorimer was declared the champion yesterday after his opponent, Plamen Kolev (BUL) pulled out of the final after injuring himself in the semis, despite winning the match. The Briton was pleased with his performance in Maia, “this week I played very well and executed my game excellently, being really aggressive and going forward. I played some tough matches, especially in the quarters against Izan Bañares who was a finalist in Tarbes.” The Brit won that match 6-4 1-6 7-6(6) after saving four match points in a contest that felt like a final in itself.

“It was a great feeling to play Izan and beat him. I would have preferred to play the final and show what I can do on the court. Overall, I’m happy but it’s not the way I wanted it to go. Plamen played really well this week and he deserved to be in the final and it’s just a shame he couldn’t play.” (Photo: finalists Lorimer & Kolev)

Kolev got through his semi against France's Charles Rossillol 6-3 7-5 after being 1-5 and 0-40 down in the second set. The Bulgarian had previously won his quarterfinal over top seed Johann Nagel-Heyer (GER), who withdrew due to a stomach upset, yet another walkover in a boys’ draw beset by misfortune.

As has been the tradition in recent years, the boys and girls take turns playing either indoors or outdoors. This year it was the girls’ turn to take advantage of the roof, and it certainly didn’t hurt those with faster games.  Tea Kovacevic (BIH) and Anastasiia Nikolaieva (UKR) progressed to the quarters and semis respectively but were both halted by Kovackova. Laura Chlumska (CZE) and her doubles partner Ayse Bal (TUR) also made it to the last eight and last four respectively, however could not get past the scrappy never-say-die attitude of Cesonyte. The Lithuanian wore down her bigger hitting opponents, keeping her unforced errors to a minimum while patiently eliciting them from her opponents.

Having witnessed this, in the final Kovackova came out with all guns blazing and was too strong for Cesonyte. When broken back to love at 3-1 in the first set, she immediately struck back with a barrage of winners, punishing any short balls or second serves for clean winners.

Early on, the Czech hit a number of unforced errors when pushed back by deep loopy topspins. Nevertheless, she took the first set 6-2 and then went into another gear, even hitting clean winners off first serves. Arguably she saved her best tennis for the final, peaking when it mattered most. She imposed her game on Cesonyte and was unpeturbed by the Lithuanian’s counterpunching match play, which her two previous big-hitting opponents both fell victim to. In just over an hour Kovackova had won her 10th TEJT singles title.

Kovackova teamed with compatriot Katerina Zajickova to beat Chlumska and Bal in the final. The all-Czech combo saved three match points in the championship tiebreak, before claiming the win on their first match point, nabbing the title 6-3 4-6 12-10.

A visibly elated Giorgio Ghia and Giuseppe Samarelli won the boys’ doubles title. The exuberant Italian pair got the better of Brits Niall Pickerd-Barua and Scott Watson , also winning the title in a deciding tiebreak, 4-6 6-3 10-8.

More from Maia

For all draws and results from Maia, click here | For photos, click here .

Elsewhere on the Junior Tour

it was a curious case of second-time-lucky for some of this week’s winners:

• Aqua Gala Open| Beograd, Serbia | 14&U Cat.2 Lucas Alexandru Milos (ROU) won his first ever TEJT 14&U singles title and second overall. Local Ena Ilic adds to her Bitola Open title from 2023, also winning her second tour singles title.
• National Sport Park Open | Tirana, Albania | 14&U Cat.3 Eric Ten (SWE) and Alexandra Shreider (UKR) also claimed their second TEJT singles titles. 
• Atik 23 April Cup | Antalya, Turkey | 12&U Cat.1 Keeping with the theme of notching a second TEJT win, Emilia Henningsen (DEN) won her second TEJT singles title as did Platon Gripich in the boys’ singles.

For all of this week's results and more, click here .

Coming Up...

There are 11 Junior Tour tournaments being held this week, including some of the Tour’s best-known events. The 16 & Under circuit is headlined by the 22nd Nacho Juncosa Memorial in Vic, Spain. The famous Mladost Grill Category 2 event sees some of the top 14 & Unders in action in Croatia, while Italy hosts the 21st edition of the much-loved Trofeo Maglie 12 & Under event.

Look out for Tennis Europe at the IMG Future Stars event in Athens. Many of the world’s top 12 & Under players are in action at the exclusive event, where a special Junior School session will form part of the off court attractions.

Home players taste success at Development Championships

This year’s ITF/Tennis Europe 14 & Under Development Championships have come to another successful conclusion. Players from 10 'Tier 1' developing nations participated in the various events over two weeks at the Club Megasaray, in Antalya, Turkey, which played host for another year.

This year’s big winner was Kerem Genc (TUR) who won the boys’ singles tournament week 1 and then again in week 2 coupled with the doubles trophy. Tea Kovacevic (BIH) and Ayse Bal (TUR) were the week 1 and week 2 girls’ winners.

ITF Development Officer for Europe Vitor Cabral was present all week and noted that “it always very interesting to see the exchange and comradery between teams grow as the days went by and between the players and coaches.”  This was clearly on display at the opening ceremony with teams proudly displaying their flags and mingling as well as training with players from other nations throughout the week.  

14&U Boys

As mentioned, Genc won both tournaments, mirroring last year’s Championships when another homegrown talent, Kaan Isik Kosaner , scored the double win. In the week 1 final, Genc, the second seed, beat top seeded compatriot Mehmet Toprak Erçin 6-1 6-4 in the final. In the final of the week 2 event, Genc again got the better of Erçin, taking the match 6-0 7-5, and in a further show of domination, the two Turks combined to win the doubles event as well. In week 1, the doubles title went to Marko Aleksovski & Aleksandar Grujic of North Macedonia.

14&U Girls

Bal proved to be a fast learner. While Kovacevic beat her in the week 1 semis before going on to take the title, however in week 2 the roles with reversed, with Bal getting revenge over the Bosnian in the semis before proceeding to take the title. Kovacevic won the week 1 final 6-1 1-0 (ret) over Sara Mitevska (MKD). In the week 2 final, the North Macedonian was thwarted once more, with Bal taking the decider in a 6-3 1-6 6-2 tussle. 

Bal and Kovacevic were on the podium yet again for the doubles. In Week 1 Bal teamed with Ecrin Lal Yavuz for the win, while in week 2 Kovacevic won the trophy with Zana Kunosic . 

Other events 

• As was the case last year, there was a 12&U training camp run by Cabral in week 1, followed by a tournament for the youngsters in week 2. Honours went to Andrej Temov (MKD) in the boys’ singles and Milena Zanoci (MDA) in the girls’ singles.
• Tennis Europe Development Manager Maciej Szymonski presented a session of the Junior School in the first week, covering various topics including Agents & Sponsorship and Social Media.

Upon the conclusion of the event, Cabral also noted that the 2024 tournaments and training camp were “the smoothest in terms of logistics and organization. It’s a brilliant example of cooperation and experience over the years between ITF and Tennis Europe with the Turkish Tennis Federation and the local organization. I can say that we are all one team in these events. We have seen a lot of good matches during these two weeks.”

Long established as one of Tennis Europe’s flagship development activities, the Championships were devised to provide top-level playing opportunities for the most promising talents from emerging tennis nations in Europe. This year saw participation from players representing Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldova, and hosts Türkiye. Former competitors over the years include the likes of Jelena Ostapenko, Simona Halep, Marcos Baghdatis and Grigor Dimitrov.

For full results from the Championships, please click here (Week 1) and here (Week 2). Click here for pictures.

Latest rankings

Nikola Bartunkova: Wimbledon junior tennis finalist provisionally suspended by ITIA

Nikola Bartunkova, the promising 18-year-old tennis player from the Czech Republic, has received a provisional suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP), according to a statement from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

In the statement released on May 9, the ITIA said that “Bartunkova, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 226 in April 2024, provided samples while competing at an ITF W50 event in Trnava, Slovakia, in February 2024, and an ITF W75 event in Maribor, Slovenia, in March 2024.

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“Both the February and March samples were split into A and B samples and the subsequent analysis found that the A samples contained trimetazidine, which is prohibited under the TADP, in the category of hormone and metabolic modulators (section S4 (4.4) of the 2024 Prohibited List),” the statement said.

“Trimetazidine is a non-specified substance, and Bartunkova did not possess a valid TUE for the substance. Analysis of the B samples have since confirmed findings in the A samples.”

Trimetazidine, a drug normally used as heart medication for its ability to enhance blood flow, is at the centre of the anti-doping scandal currently roiling the Chinese Olympic swimming team .

Bartunkova now has a “short deadline” to provide an explanation for the B sample confirming the A sample, before the ITIA decides whether or not to proceed with formally charging her with an anti-doping violation. According to ITIA documentation, “in the case of analytical findings, a player is most likely to be charged with use/attempted use and presence of a prohibited substance.”

While provisionally suspended, Bartunkova is prohibited from tennis events run by members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Federation Francaise de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association, including attendance and coaching, as well as playing.

Bartunkova, who is currently ranked world No 282 in singles on the WTA Tour, is regarded as one of the most exciting players of her generation.

Her heavy-hitting, front-foot attacking style won her plaudits when she reached the junior final at Wimbledon 2023, losing out to U.S. talent Clervie Ngounoue. Bartunkova has since surpassed Ngounoue in the rankings.

If you’d like to follow our tennis coverage, please click here

(Photo: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

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Why Europe’s tennis clay season – Nadal or no Nadal – should be on your radar

Channel the Martians. 

They arrive at the Monte Carlo Country Club or at Madrid’s Caja Magica in April, or they touch down at the Foro Italica in Rome or Roland Garros in Paris in May. They see humans chasing a fuzzy yellow ball around rectangles of red dust. They quickly send word back to headquarters.

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“ Seriously, they’re just like us… attempting to figure out who this Rafa character is that everyone keeps talking about… apparently some sort of deity… more soon.”

In America, except for the super-serious tennis fans in Texas and South Carolina, the crack of baseballs on bats heralds the spring. In Europe, and for tennis fans everywhere, it’s the swoosh of shoes sliding across all that ground-up red brick and the soft “pop” of that fuzzy yellow ball bouncing off the dirt. 

Here comes the clay. This is Part I of tennis on the organic surfaces: a little more than two months of terracotta attrition; rallies that go on and on and on and on; and socks so saturated with the red crumbs that they sometimes get tossed in the garbage instead of the washing machine.

It’s a glorious time of year. The grass of Centre Court at Wimbledon may deliver an unmatched sense of peace when the eyes come upon it, either in person or on television, but is there anything in the sport that hits more than the burnt orange of a freshly swept clay court when the bright sun of a European afternoon catches it just right?

For some players, it’s the next shot at a new start. For those who thrive in the dirt, the Casper Ruuds and Iga Swiateks of the world, stepping onto clay after three months of hard courts is like coming home. It’s also a journey back in time, as electronic line-calling goes away, replaced by umpires descending from their chairs to study the ball marks that tell the tale of in or out . 

Here’s what we are looking out for as tennis in its dirtiest version gets underway.

Any discussion of clay court tennis has to begin with Rafael Nadal, the so-called King of Clay , the winner of 1,468 French Open singles titles – OK, it’s actually just 14. 

Nadal has essentially been sidelined with a series of injuries around his problematic left hip since the 2023 Australian Open. He attempted to come back in January  but suffered another injury after three matches. He played an exhibition match in early March in Las Vegas, then pulled out of Indian Wells , presumably to get into optimal shape for his beloved clay.

Then he pulled out of this week’s tournament in Monte Carlo — one of his favorites and his most successful event other than the French Open. 

“These are very difficult moments for me, sporting-wise,” Nadal wrote on social media . “You have no idea how hard it is for me not to play these events.” 

The use of the plural “events” was troubling. How many more? 

Nadal’s participation, even in a somewhat diminished form, changes the math in any clay court tournament. He will celebrate his 38th birthday in June, in the middle of the French Open, but if he is doing his sliding and heaving and curling forehands in Paris, it will be a can’t-miss event.

 But will he or won’t he? Is this the end?

Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and the hunt for a graceful and glorious exit

The next Rafa?

Iga Swiatek has a ways to go before she gets into Rafa territory. That said, she has won three of the last four French Opens. She’s still only 22. This could go on for quite some time. 

Swiatek has made no secret of her worship of Nadal and her game on clay excels for the same reason his does. The surface gives her those extra split seconds to hunt her powerful forehand and it pops the ball right into her strike zone. 

She hasn’t been the banker this year that she has been at certain points in her career. Big hitters have taken her out in Australia and Miami.  

Then again, she was undefeated on red clay in the spring of 2022. Last year she won two of her four tournaments during the spring clay season and made the final of a third (Madrid). She has an aura on the clay that she doesn’t have anywhere else; the only question now is how big will it grow.

Stefanos 2.0?

Stefanos Tsitsipas has played so far below the promise of his career the past 10 months, even the promise of early last year when he made the final of the Australian Open. 

He has won just one tournament since then, in Los Cabos last summer, which is not exactly the destination of choice for the best of the best. His last four Grand Slams have been quarterfinals, fourth round, second round, fourth round. This was a player who was a one-time heir apparent, a Tour Finals champion at 20 years old.  

Tsitsipas is a beautiful watch on just about any surface, but clay is where the grace and dynamism of his game really takes off. He slides as well as anyone and just genuinely enjoys the dance that is tennis in the dirt. Too often during these down months, he’s let players pick on his one-handed backhand, which is as flashy as ever, but he can struggle to get on top of the big, high-bouncing forehands of the best players. He has struggled to keep the game simple, to bully opponents with his big serve and forehand the way he did during the best stretches of his career.

Now he is back in the dirt again. Perhaps most importantly for one of the more outwardly philosophical players on the tour, he sees the restorative opportunities of the surface. He speaks longingly of the days when he swept his own court and has compared watching a messy court swept clean at the end of a set to a “cleansing of the soul.” 

The Greek has tumbled out of the top 10, but speaking with him in Indian Wells last month, the brightness and optimism was all still there. The clay is his best chance to come alive once more. 

Will Sabalenka get her Porsche?

That may be the most mundane of questions when it comes to Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time Australian Open champion and world No 2.

Last month, Sabalenka’s former boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, fell to his death in what Miami police have ruled an apparent suicide. Though Sabalenka and Koltsov were no longer together, she referred to his death as an “unspeakable tragedy.” She and her tight-knit team have been working hard to move on but to also grieve.

It’s not clear what state of mind Sabalenka will be in when she plays the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, but she has made no secret of her desire to collect one of the great prizes in the sport — the Porsche near the main court where the players compete. Some years it’s a Boxster, some years it’s a Carrera, last year it was a Taycan.

Sabalenka can no doubt afford to buy a Porsche. She wants to win one, though. After losing to Swiatek in the final last year, she pretended to smash the windshield with the runner-up trophy.

Sabalenka was a point away from the French Open final last year before losing to Karolina Muchova. She can play on the clay and beat Swiatek in Madrid last year. A new Porsche would be a nice kickstart to her 2024 clay season. 

Jannik Sinner’s next step

Jannik Sinner is the best player in the world right now. He doesn’t rate himself all that highly on clay.

“Usually I struggle there,” he said recently.

And yet the first time most people heard of Sinner was when he made the French Open quarters in 2020. 

He’s beaten basically everyone great on hard courts the past year. Can this version of Sinner translate to clay? There’s no reason it shouldn’t. He’s a magical mover. His fitness is right up there now. This season could be the missing piece that assuages any doubts about the completeness of his game — even if most of the world doesn’t have any of those doubts left.

We’ve bought in. Has he?  

Can power thrive on the soft stuff? 

Short answer, probably not. Ask Pete Sampras.

That said, Ben Shelton and Danielle Collins , both big hitters, won clay court tournaments in Houston and Charleston last week.

The wins come with fat asterisks. The red clay in Houston and the green stuff in Charleston play differently than the real deal. Also, both draws lacked the best players, especially those who skipped them to get more time on the authentic European stuff where they thrive.

And yet, there was something about the way Shelton played, almost defying the clay rather than adapting his power game to it, that whet the appetite for his second journey through European dirt. He barely played on the stuff as a junior or in college. 

Given his power, Shelton vs the clay is irresistible force vs. immovable object territory. He is big and fast and strong with a left arm that can hit through any court… Maybe. If he can figure out how to move on clay — and he’s working on it — there are fun times ahead. 

Collins, meanwhile, has rivalled Sinner for that current best player in the world title during the past month, winning the Miami Open, the biggest trophy of her career, and then following that up last week with another in Charleston in what she says will be her final season. The efforts earned her more than $1million in prize money and 1,500 rankings points.

Clay is supposed to be Kryptonite for a big hitter like Collins. She will lose at some point. But when? She’s absolutely wrecked most of her opponents in the past three weeks. Right now, other than Swiatek, she’s the name no one wants to see next to theirs in a draw.

I am keeping an eye on…

• Novak Dkokovic flying solo. He fired his longtime coach, Goran Ivanisevic, last month. He hasn’t named a permanent replacement and is going it alone for now. Will he yell at an empty chair in his box when things go south?
• Mirra Andreeva. Clay is where the 16-year-old Russian broke out last year, but she has only played two matches since her loss in the Australian Open. She pulled out of Miami with arm tendonitis.
• Matteo Berrettini on the comeback road. He won a title in Morocco last week on clay but then looked lost on the surface in a flat defeat to Miomir Kecmanovic in Monte Carlo. Still, winning a clay title at all is impressive for a power player, especially one on the way back from injuries like those that the Italian has suffered. A solid campaign would set him up very well for the grass, where he has thrived when healthy.
• Ons Jabeur. Because no one can make a ball dance on clay like she can.
• Gael Monfils at the French Open. He’s healthy and getting fitter by the moment. It might be the loudest tennis match of the year — something he achieved in five sets on one leg against Sebastian Baez last year at Roland Garros, when cheers from a whipped-up home crowd could be heard a mile away.
• Carlos Alcaraz’s sore right forearm.

Four predictions sure to age poorly… 

• Coco Gauff wins the French Open. She made the final two years ago. People underestimate her on clay because she is American. Bad idea, especially with Brad Gilbert teaching her how to win ugly by making matches physical and the clay giving her extra time on her forehand.
• Djokovic wins the French Open. The world has said it’s the era of Sinner and Alcaraz. Djokovic says he’s the best clay court player not named Rafael Nadal. He’s right.
• Alcaraz wins Madrid. Madrid for him will be what Monte Carlo has been for Nadal, where he gets his red clay roll going, for a while.
• People will be talking about Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic a lot by June, wondering where the 23-year-old and his shortest of shorts have been all this time.

Don’t forget to leave your predictions in the comments.

(Top photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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Matthew Futterman is an award-winning veteran sports journalist and the author of two books, “Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed” and “Players: How Sports Became a Business.”Before coming to The Athletic in 2023, he worked for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Star-Ledger of New Jersey and The Philadelphia Inquirer. He is currently writing a book about tennis, "The Cruelest Game: Agony, Ecstasy and Near Death Experiences on the Pro Tennis Tour," to be published by Doubleday in 2026. Follow Matthew on Twitter @ mattfutterman

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Stanislas Wawrinka became the latest high-profile tennis player to invest in a luxury Swiss watch brand when he was named as a minority shareholder in the family-owned company Norqain last month. News of the investment — the terms of which were undisclosed — was accompanied by the introduction of two tennis-themed mechanical watches costing £4,550.

The three-time Grand Slam winner is not the first high-ranking tennis player to sink some of his fortune into one of the new generation of high-end watch companies. Over the past 12 months, current world top-10 players Grigor Dimitrov and Casper Ruud have invested in Bianchet and Fleming respectively. Norqain was founded in 2018, Bianchet in 2017, and Fleming released its first watch in March this year. None has disclosed any details of the investments.

For Ben Küffer, Norqain’s co-founder and chief executive, the trend signals a shift in how brands work with sports stars. “The time of having an ambassador on a poster showing a watch is over,” says the 36-year-old, who was approached directly by Wawrinka last year. “We need to write stories for our fans that are credible.” Norqain’s other co-founder is former NHL ice-hockey star Mark Streit who, like Wawrinka, is also Swiss.

According to Küffer, ambassador investment brings that credibility, as does the performance profile of Wawrinka’s watches, which he says are designed to be worn on court. “They’re made for the battle itself, not just for after the victory,” he says, noting the Wild One Skeleton Coral and Gecko models are tested for shock-resistance to 5,000G. Former world number one Rafael Nadal’s long-standing partnership with hyperwatch maker Richard Mille is based on the same principle.

This contrasts with the wearing of sponsors’ watches only for trophy ceremonies. For example, Andy Murray was famously caught on camera after his US Open win telling his team he couldn’t find his Rado watch. Similarly, last year’s Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz, slipped on a gold Rolex Daytona before posing with the trophy.

For smaller brands, much of the appeal of working with tennis players is the year-round global schedule. “Tennis players have a unique opportunity to help open new markets for younger, up-and-coming brands in new territories,” says Merrick Haydon, executive vice-president of the UK arm of the sports marketing agency rEvolution.

Küffer confirms this. “Stan will help us grow our business in Asia, where our network is less established,” he says.

Rodolfo Festa Bianchet, founder and chief executive of Bianchet, says Dimitrov has taken a “substantial minority stake” in his business. “The fact that Grigor is personally representing Bianchet has significantly increased Bianchet’s brand recognition,” he says.

For the players, investment provides an opportunity to be more involved. “I didn’t just want to be an ambassador,” says Wawrinka, who at 39 is in the twilight of his career. “I wanted to define the brand and to open some doors for when I stop playing tennis.” Küffer admits that, since announcing Wawrinka’s investment, he’s had “many” approaches from other professional tennis players.

But the rub-off is not limited to tennis. Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg contacted Wawrinka on Instagram after he posted a picture of Norqain’s brightly coloured Wild One Skeleton Turquoise and, in February, was seen wearing the watch on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert . “I’m not sure he would have done that if Stan had only been an ambassador,” says Küffer.

Haydon says the link between tennis stars and small, independent watchmakers is a natural consequence of how the players work.

“Tennis players operate in incredibly tight-knit teams and place huge importance on surrounding themselves with the right people and building the right environment of trusted characters with a shared vision,” he says. “There are parallels between the make-up of these teams and the family-owned businesses of the watch industry. Rather than simply seeking to enhance their image and earnings alone, it could be these shared values that explain their interest.”

Stepping on to the field of play is nothing new for Swiss watchmakers, who read the sports marketing playbook decades ago. Rolex entered golf and Tag Heuer Formula 1 in the late 1960s. Today, sport is awash with watch companies: this summer, Hublot will sponsor the Uefa European Football Championship in June, before Omega times the Olympics the following month.

Tennis players have a unique opportunity to help open new markets for younger, up-and-coming brands seeking to establish themselves in new territories Merrick Haydon, rEvolution

But, because tennis is an individual sport and players often wear watches while they play, it offers smaller brands less expensive but powerful opportunities to raise their profiles.

Gerald Charles, another young family-owned watch company, lists top-10-ranked Hubert Hurkacz among its “friends of the brand” and, like Norqain, has produced colourful versions of watches inspired by tennis’s grass and clay court seasons.

All will be hoping their tennis associations transform their sales, but some are not sure how much impact a tennis player outside the so-called “Big Three” of Roger Federer (Rolex), Nadal and Novak Djokovic (Hublot) can have. “No normal person has ever heard of Norqain, so it’s terrific exposure,” argues Johnny Davis, creator and editor of Esquire’s weekly watch newsletter About Time. “But can Stan Wawrinka make a brand like Norqain cool? I’m not sure if he can do that.”

Wawrinka, not surprisingly, is more confident. “Ben and I have the same mentality,” he says. “We’re going to get bigger and better. It’s the same mentality I have in my sport.”

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