We’re on the red dirt! But what can we expect from the 2022 clay season? Rafa is injured for a while more, while Djokovic is back in action.
Most tennis fans love the European clay court part of the season starting from April and finishing with the French Open in May-June. But what can we expect from the 2022 clay season? After Nadal’s insane start to the year, you’d bet on him to win most titles (at a site like pari bet for example), but now he is injured and we cannot be a hundred percent sure when he returns to the tour. For sure in time for Roland Garros, but you would assume that even Rafa needs some matches under his belt before he starts the hunt for his 14th French Open title (still hard to fathom).
Players to watch on the red dirt
There are a bunch of players who come in to the clay court season with an extra strong presence.
Carlos Alcaraz is an obvious name. The 18-year-old Spaniard just won his first Masters title in Miami and he is even happier on a clay court. Who can stop him?
Novak Djokovic is back in action after sitting out due to vaccine mandates. After not playing matches for a while, he must be hungry to show that he is still the best player in the world. But with all that time off, it might not be so easy.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is extremely strong on clay, although his style of attacking tennis might not give that away instantly. But his long, powerful strokes can do a lot of damage and his final against Djokovic at the French Open in 2021 shows that he can fight against the very top.
Dominic Thiem is an excellent clay courter who has reached the final at the French Open twice, but he has struggled with injuries and most recently Covid. We will see if he can find his winning ways as soon as he is back to playing.
Casper Ruud is David Ferrer in a different body. This means he is excellent on clay (and other surfaces, unless you ask Kyrgios) and his massive forehand sledgehammer should be a threat for most players.
Have we missed someone?
Are there other players that will shine on the dirt in 2022? Let us know in the comments below!
