Rafael Nadal chases Grand Slam record, Novak Djokovic in fighting talk, and Covid bubble fatigue - clay-court talking points

The clay season is upon us, which for Rafael Nadal typically means trophy runs, new records and sheer dominance, and for Daniil Medvedev means “bad bounces, dirty clothes” and yet another surprise postponement of the French Open. Those were his words, not mine.

Nadal and Medvedev have recently swapped positions in the world rankings, with the latter becoming the first non-Big Four player to be ranked inside the top two since July 2005.

Seeded No 3 this week in Monte Carlo – the first Masters 1000 event of the clay season – Nadal is chasing a record-extending 12th title in the Principality, and has landed in the opposite side of the draw to world No 1 Novak Djokovic.

Here are some of the main talking points surrounding this European clay swing:

Grand Slam record on the line

As Nadal frequently says, clay is the most important part of his season and this year, success at Roland Garros would see him break the men’s all-time record of most Grand Slams won.

The Mallorcan currently shares the record with Roger Federer but a 14th French Open crown would see Nadal take sole possession of the mark with an unprecedented 21st slam victory.

If Djokovic manages to secure a second title on Parisian clay, the Serb would narrow his deficit to just one major behind Nadal and Federer’s tally.

This French Open could prove decisive in this battle for Grand Slam supremacy.

Djokovic and Nadal return to action

Neither Djokovic nor Nadal have competed since the Australian Open in February, both opting out of the trip to the US and deciding to ditch the Miami Open.

Monte Carlo will be Djokovic’s third event of the year and Nadal’s second, meaning they both enter the clay swing short on match play.

They’re not too concerned about that though, and made sure they were ready with some fighting talk when addressing the press on Sunday.

“I am confident,” stated Nadal. “It's true that I didn't play much. At the same time is true that I had good success in the past without playing much.”

Djokovic sounded equally optimistic, saying: “I have had some periods in my career where I didn't play a tournament for maybe couple months, then came back. So I don't think there is anything special I have to do in terms of preparation in order for me to feel my best on the court.

“I've been training quite a lot on clay. Actually ever since I pulled out from Miami, I was hitting on clay. Here in Monte Carlo actually where I reside with the family, it was convenient and feels great.

“I feel physically prepared. Mentally I missed tennis last couple months that I haven't been competing. I look forward to my first match.”

Fight for No 2 spot heats up

Medvedev sandwiched between Djokovic and Nadal at the top of the rankings means there is always a possibility the Spaniard might share a half of the draw with the world No 1, which would possibly pit them against each other in the semi-finals.

Nadal has a chance of reclaiming the No 2 spot before Roland Garros, with his first opportunity coming this week in Monte Carlo. The 20-time major champion needs to at least reach the final, while Medvedev must fall before the semi-finals for that to happen.

Lots of serious threats on clay

For several years now, Dominic Thiem and Djokovic have been considered the major threats to Nadal's reign on the red dirt. But with Thiem struggling for form and skipping Monte Carlo, there will be several question marks surrounding the Austrian, who plans to make a first appearance since his opening round defeat at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Belgrade next week.

Djokovic is undefeated so far in 2021 (9-0) and will once again put pressure on Nadal this upcoming stretch but several other names are expected to shine, including the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, and recent Miami runner-up Jannik Sinner.

Tsitsipas has reached the semi-finals of the last two Grand Slams – in Melbourne and Paris – and has high hopes for this upcoming period.

“I'm fighting for the Race to Turin. I'm trying to make as many points as possible and get podiums, as well,” the 22-year-old Greek said on Sunday.

“It is important for me to be playing a lot of tournaments prior to the French Open. Clay is a surface that I love to play and explore my game.

“The French Open is a tournament that formed good memories last year. I truly enjoyed playing in the French capital, putting out such an incredible game, having such a long journey in the courts of the Roland Garros.”

Rublev owns the most match-wins so far this season (20-4) and recently reached his first semi-final at a Masters 1000 event in Miami. The Russian has won six titles within the last 16 months, and two of his eight career trophies have been captured on clay.

The world No 8 has also made the quarter-finals in his last three slam appearances.

Italian teenager Jannik Sinner is enjoying a meteoric rise and has picked up two titles since his impressive French Open debut last fall, where he fell in the quarter-finals to Nadal.

The 19-year-old was ranked 73 in the world this time last year and is now up to 22 and rising.

Toni Nadal and Felix to debut their partnership

It was a coaching announcement not many saw coming and one that has caught everyone’s attention. Toni Nadal is returning back to the tour as part of Felix Auger-Aliassime’s team, alongside the Canadian’s full-time coach Frederic Fontag.

Toni, who shaped Rafael Nadal’s career and helped guide him to 16 of his 20 majors, stopped travelling with his nephew at the end of 2017 to take over the reins of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, and take a break from the grind of the tour. The Spaniard is now returning to the circuit and will be in Auger-Aliassime’s corner, starting from this week in Monte Carlo.

The 20-year-old started his year by reaching the final of the ATP 250 event in Melbourne before making the fourth round at the Australian Open.

Tsitsipas believes the 21st-ranked Auger-Aliassime has a real weapon in Toni Nadal, and expects the partnership to pay plenty of dividends.

“It's pretty cool having a coach that has helped Rafael Nadal win so many important titles and has shaped his career in a way,” said Tsitsipas.

“Well, it's really good for him. I feel like he has an advantage having a coach like this. But he's not going to do the playing for him.”

Tour continues to navigate tough circumstances mid-pandemic

Operating in Europe will no doubt prove challenging once again for the tennis tour, and the first of many surprises has come in the form of the one-week postponement of the French Open due to government restrictions in Paris.

The postponement will have a knock on effect on the grass-court season and tournaments are scrambling to figure out the best course of action in light of the recent news.

The WTA have taken initiative and have managed to secure vaccine doses for players in Charleston these two weeks, which will no doubt help the women’s tour operate in a safer environment. Will the ATP tour attempt to follow suit?

It might not be as simple acquiring vaccine doses in Europe compared to the US, but with many players voicing their concerns about bubble fatigue and the psychological impact of being locked up in hotel rooms every week, perhaps more of them will go out of their way to get the vaccine so they could benefit from more lax bubble conditions.

“I think being away from the normal everyday life that I was used to living, being kept away from human interactions and ease of travelling made it very difficult,” explained Tsitsipas.

“In the very beginning I did think it is going to be easy, relatively easy, and I wouldn't suffer as much. But it ended up being difficult and psychologically excruciating.”