Congratulations to this week's Miami Open Champions - ATP Daniil Medvedev (d. Jannik Sinner who weathered a blistering SF v. Carlos Alcaraz) and WTA Champ Petra Kvitova (d. Indian Wells Champion Elena Rybakina depriving her of the elusive Sunshine Double).
We're leaving hardcourts for two months while the tours enter the official 2023 Clay Season. The biggest tournament is the WTA 500 on the green stuff in Charleston, SC. The WTA is also hosting a 250 in Bogota, while the ATP host three 250s: Houston, Marrakech, and Estoril.
Some players on both tours thrive on the terre battue - especially South American players and more than a few Spaniards. I know fans are holding their breath and crossing their fingers that Rafa Nadal will be up for snuff for the red stuff soon as there's been news of him practicing! Then again there's other players who'd rather rub sandpaper over their face than have to play on the dirt - I'm thinking of "I Hate Clay" Medvedev, whose funny quotes over his embedded distaste for the surface are too many to mention. But, these exchanges with the chair during a match at the 2021 Madrid Open gives you a clue:
"Gerry, please default me; it could get dangerous for everybody," the "I don't want to play here on this surface" and the "It's already bad surface! I cannot do damage to the bad surface!."
Then after winning the match, he wrote "I Love Clay" on the camera, all of which is simply par for the course for the funny guy! However, there's recent news that Daniil is listening to his team and intends to approach the surface with a new and open mindset this year after being reminded a fellow countrywoman early in her career once described her ability on clay as "a cow on ice." Maria Sharapova went on to win 18 titles on the surface, so we'll see if mind over matter makes a Meddy difference!
Let's get dirty👇
Credit One Charleston Open WTA 500
Family Circle Tennis Center
Charleston, USA
April 3 - 9, 2023
Surface: Clay (Har-Tru)
Draws: Singles 56, Doubles 16
This is the 50th edition of the tournament and it is the only premier event played on green clay.
Defending champion: Belinda Bencic defeated Ons Jabeur.
Seeds (in order of ranking): Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, Daria Kasatkina, Belinda Bencic, Veronika Kudermetova, Victoria Azarenka, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Magda Linette, Madison Keys, Zhang Shuai, Anhelina Kalinina, Paula Badosa, Danielle Collins, Jil Teichmann, Irena-Camelia Begu, Marie Bouzkova
The top 8 seeds receive a first-round bye.
Wildcards: American players Fiona Crawley, Caroline Dolehide, Sofia Kenin, Emma Navarro, plus Elina Svitolina. This is Svitolina’s first tourney after her maternity leave.
Protected ranking: Evgeniya Rodina
Withdrawals included: Amanda Anisimova, Jelena Ostapenko, Aryna Sabalenka
Singles Draw
Doubles Draw
OOP
Surface: Clay
Draw: Singles 32, Doubles 16
This is the 25th edition of the tournament.
Defending champion: Tatjana Maria defeated Laura Pigossi.
Draws: Singles 56, Doubles 16
This is the 50th edition of the tournament and it is the only premier event played on green clay.
Defending champion: Belinda Bencic defeated Ons Jabeur.
Seeds (in order of ranking): Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, Daria Kasatkina, Belinda Bencic, Veronika Kudermetova, Victoria Azarenka, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Magda Linette, Madison Keys, Zhang Shuai, Anhelina Kalinina, Paula Badosa, Danielle Collins, Jil Teichmann, Irena-Camelia Begu, Marie Bouzkova
The top 8 seeds receive a first-round bye.
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| (top) During the Golden Age of Piracy (1670-1820), Charleston was a hub for pirates such as Blackbeard & Stede Bonnet ('The Gentleman Pirate') to sell their stolen goods. (bottom) I highly recommend watching 'Our Flag Means Death' on HBO Max a hilarious take on these two pirates written, directed & starring Oscar winner Taika Waititi ('What We Do in the Shadows' & 'JoJo Rabbit') as Blackbeard, ft. Rhys Darby above)👍 |
Protected ranking: Evgeniya Rodina
Withdrawals included: Amanda Anisimova, Jelena Ostapenko, Aryna Sabalenka
Singles Draw
Doubles Draw
OOP
Copa Colsanitas WTA 250
Country Club
Bogota, Colombia
April 3 - 9, 2023
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| In 1538, Spanish explorer and conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada founded Santa Fe de Bogota, which it remained until Columbia gained its independence from Spain in 1819 |
Surface: Clay
Draw: Singles 32, Doubles 16
This is the 25th edition of the tournament.
Defending champion: Tatjana Maria defeated Laura Pigossi.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Elise Mertens, Tatjana Maria, Rebecca Peterson, Kateryna Baindl, Nuria Parrizas Diaz, Kamilla Rakhimova, Sara Errani, Laura Pigossi
Wildcards: Emiliana Arango from Colombia, plus Eugenie Bouchard
Withdrawals: Eva Lys, Camilla Osorio
Singles Draw
Doubles Draw
OOP
Surface: Clay
Draws: Singles 28, Doubles 16
The U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships began in 1910 in Omaha and started in its current location of Houston in 2001. It is the only ATP clay tourney in the US.
Defending champion: Reilly Opelka defeated John Isner. With Opelka at 6’11” and Isner at 6’10” this was the tallest ATP final in the Open Era. Not a surprise that there is a strong American participation, with 10 American players.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Brandon Nakashima, John Isner, J.J. Wolf, Jason Kubler, Marcos Giron, Thomas Martin Etcheverry
The top 4 seeds have first-round byes.
Wildcards: American players Steve Johnson and Jack Sock, plus Fernando Verdasco. (All have won the title.)
Withdrawals: Filip Krajinovic, Adrian Mannarino, Wu Yibing
Singles Draw
Doubles Draw
OOP
Draws: Singles 28. Doubles 16
The tournament became an ATP Tour event in 1990, after starting as a Challenger in 1984. It relocated from Casablanca in 2016 and is the only ATP Tour stop in Africa. The tourney is entirely funded by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.
2022 champion: David Goffin defeated Alex Molcan.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Lorenzo Musetti, Daniel Evans, Botic van de Zandschulp, Tallon Griekspoor, Maxime Cressy, Richard Gasquet, Benjamin Bonzi, Nicolas Jarry
The top 4 seeds receive a first-round bye.
Wildcards: All Moroccan players – Elliot Benchetrit, Younes Lalani Laaroussi, Adam Moundir
Withdrawals: Lazlo Djere, David Goffin, Ugo Humbert, Ilya Ivashka, Alex Molcan, Arthur Rinderknech
Singles Draw
Surface: Clay
Draw: Singles 28, Doubles 16
The tournament’s debut was in 2015.
Defending champion: Sebastian Baez defeated Frances Tiafoe.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Roberto Bautista Agut, Sebastian Baez, Miomir Kecmanovic, Diego Schwartzman, Ben Shelton
The top 4 seeds receive a first-round bye.
Wildcards: Portuguese player Joao Sousa, plus Roberto Bautista Agut and Ben Shelton (who also received a wildcard for the doubles). This is his first tourney on European clay.
Emergency substitution: (Apparently this is a last-minute substitution.) Hubert Hurkacz replacing Sebastian Korda.
Wildcards: Emiliana Arango from Colombia, plus Eugenie Bouchard
Withdrawals: Eva Lys, Camilla Osorio
Singles Draw
Doubles Draw
OOP
Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship
ATP 250
River Oaks Country Club
Houston, USA
April 3 - 9, 2023
Surface: Clay
Draws: Singles 28, Doubles 16
The U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships began in 1910 in Omaha and started in its current location of Houston in 2001. It is the only ATP clay tourney in the US.
Defending champion: Reilly Opelka defeated John Isner. With Opelka at 6’11” and Isner at 6’10” this was the tallest ATP final in the Open Era. Not a surprise that there is a strong American participation, with 10 American players.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Brandon Nakashima, John Isner, J.J. Wolf, Jason Kubler, Marcos Giron, Thomas Martin Etcheverry
The top 4 seeds have first-round byes.
Wildcards: American players Steve Johnson and Jack Sock, plus Fernando Verdasco. (All have won the title.)
Withdrawals: Filip Krajinovic, Adrian Mannarino, Wu Yibing
Singles Draw
Doubles Draw
OOP
Grand Prix Hassan II ATP 250
Royal Tennis Club de Marrakech
Marrakech, Morocco
April 3 - 9, 2023
Surface: Clay
Draws: Singles 28. Doubles 16
The tournament became an ATP Tour event in 1990, after starting as a Challenger in 1984. It relocated from Casablanca in 2016 and is the only ATP Tour stop in Africa. The tourney is entirely funded by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.
2022 champion: David Goffin defeated Alex Molcan.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Lorenzo Musetti, Daniel Evans, Botic van de Zandschulp, Tallon Griekspoor, Maxime Cressy, Richard Gasquet, Benjamin Bonzi, Nicolas Jarry
The top 4 seeds receive a first-round bye.
Wildcards: All Moroccan players – Elliot Benchetrit, Younes Lalani Laaroussi, Adam Moundir
Withdrawals: Lazlo Djere, David Goffin, Ugo Humbert, Ilya Ivashka, Alex Molcan, Arthur Rinderknech
Singles Draw
Millennium Estoril Open ATP 250
Club de Tenis do Estoril
Estoril, Portugal
April 3 - 9, 2023
Surface: Clay
Draw: Singles 28, Doubles 16
The tournament’s debut was in 2015.
Defending champion: Sebastian Baez defeated Frances Tiafoe.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Roberto Bautista Agut, Sebastian Baez, Miomir Kecmanovic, Diego Schwartzman, Ben Shelton
The top 4 seeds receive a first-round bye.
Wildcards: Portuguese player Joao Sousa, plus Roberto Bautista Agut and Ben Shelton (who also received a wildcard for the doubles). This is his first tourney on European clay.
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| 'ESTORIL' ~ by Portuguese artist Nadir Afonso |
Emergency substitution: (Apparently this is a last-minute substitution.) Hubert Hurkacz replacing Sebastian Korda.
Withdrawals: Gregoire Barrere, Pablo Carreno Busta, Sebastian Korda, Dusan Lajovic, Emil Ruusuvuori, Mikael Ymer
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