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When the 2020 males’s tennis season ended on the ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal captured a standard sentiment that also holds true because the 2021 tennis season is ready to start this week.
“The world is struggling loads, so we’re very fortunate that we will play tennis,” Nadal stated in London in November. “That’s the actual feeling that I’ve.”
After an off-and-on, pandemic-altered 12 months for the game, coronavirus questions and an ever-evolving calendar nonetheless will probably be key components of the dialog as issues get going Wednesday on the Abu Dhabi WTA Girls’s Tennis Open, the place Sofia Kenin leads the sector, and Thursday on the ATP’s Delray Seashore Open, the place Reilly Opelka is the defending champion.
Opelka received that hard-court title final February, however the event was moved to early January as a part of a shuffling on each skilled excursions.
“It’s actually going to be for me to seek out my tennis. I haven’t even performed in three months,” stated Opelka, a 23-year-old American who relies in Florida and ranked thirty ninth. “So that is actually simply to get me again into the aggressive mindset and enjoying in opposition to different guys and again in event mode.”
The adjustments embody the beginning of the 12 months’s first main championship, the Australian Open, delayed three weeks to Feb. 8, and the joint occasion performed at Indian Wells, California — canceled final 12 months due to the COVID-19 outbreak — giving up its typical March dates with out a new spot for it on the schedule as of now.
There are some important milestones within the offing for stars corresponding to Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams in 2021.
Nadal can break a tie with Roger Federer for probably the most Grand Slam singles titles for a person after matching him with No. 20 on the French Open in October; by March, Djokovic can surpass Federer’s file for many weeks at No. 1 within the ATP rankings; Williams is one Slam singles trophy away from No. 24, which might equal Margaret Courtroom for probably the most within the sport’s historical past.
Different tennis storylines in 2021:
FEDERER’S RETURN
Greater than 12 months may have handed between matches for the 39-year-old Federer by the point he returns from two operations on his proper knee. Federer’s agent advised The Related Press he’s aiming for late February after lacking the Australian Open for the primary time since his main-draw debut in 2000.
THE SLAMS
There have been solely three Slams in 2020, as a result of the All England Membership canceled Wimbledon for the primary time since World Warfare II. As of now, Wimbledon is scheduled for its typical place on the calendar, starting June 28. The French Open’s begin bought shifted from Could to September final 12 months and the variety of followers was severely restricted; as of now, it’s slotted for Could 23. For the Australian Open, there are lingering questions on flights, inns and quarantine plans for gamers and their personnel. “I’m not that excited, to be sincere. Like, I don’t need to keep in my room for 19 hours,” Opelka stated. “You understand, I get it; we now have to do it. However I’m not one bit excited.”
TOKYO OLYMPICS
The 2020 Olympics, as they’ll nonetheless be known as, are scheduled to start out in July, and two tennis gamers representing Japan might be breakout stars: AP Feminine Athlete of the 12 months Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori. “The Olympics are a particular time when the world comes collectively to have a good time sports activities. I’m wanting ahead most to being with the athletes that had waited and educated for over 10 years, for celebrating a really arduous 12 months (2020), and having that occur in Japan makes it that rather more particular,” Osaka wrote in an e mail interview. “It’s a particular and delightful nation full of tradition, historical past and sweetness. I can’t be extra excited.”
CROWDED COMPETITION
Ought to be fascinating to look at the younger girls who just lately received Grand Slam titles compete for extra. That features No. 1 Ash Barty, who’s 24; No. 3 Osaka, 23; No. 4 Kenin, 21; No. 7 Bianca Andreescu, 20; No. 17 Iga Swiatek, 19.
WHO’S GOT NEXT?
There seem like extra reputable candidates for first-time main champions in males’s tennis than there have been in years. With Dominic Thiem becoming a member of the membership final 12 months on the no-spectator U.S. Open, who will be a part of him? Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev all seem succesful.
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