After achieving his 21st Grand Slam, Rafa Nadal is already thinking about the future and upcoming commitments. Also, the world number 1, Novak Djokovic, would already be thinking about his next commitments, with a very clear objective: to match a Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, which right now is unique after the achievement of the Australian Open. Before that, They will have to face up to five Masters 1000in addition to some other tournament more.
As reported by Nadal himself, the intention of the Balearic is to return to the courts the week of February 21 to 26 at the ATP 500 in Acapulco, although it will depend on the physical state in which he finds himself, after the ‘post’ Australian Open recovery. In the same week he has Novak Djokovic marked his official debut this season. After the convulsive situation generated by the Covid, the Serbian will debut at the ATP 500 in Dubai. Neither of them participated in both tournaments last year, so they will be able to add points.
After their respective comebacks, The first Master 1000 of the season will arrive. Tennis will travel to the United States, where Indian Wells will open a series of Masters before the second Grand Slam of the season. Waiting to see what happens with Acapulco, Nadal will almost certainly be at an appointment in which, if he is vaccinated beforehand, there will be a Djokovic, who did not participate in last season’s edition either.
no rest time, Miami will host the next Masters 1000 of the season. During the week ofl March 23 to April 4 The first part of the season will be closed on hard court, in a tournament, in which if there are no surprises or injuries, Nadal and Djokovic will have to share a table again.
The start of the clay court
Just a week later and with little rest, the clay court season will begin. Montecarlo will be as usual the opening datein which both players must surely have marked in their respective calendars. Djokovic will defend the round of 16, while Rafa will do the same with the quarterfinals which he got last season. Just the week after, there will be two very special dates for them. Barcelona and Belgrade will host the following clay tournaments, in which both will act as hosts and will most likely want to be at their respective homes.
Nothing awaits him to be able to compete for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell trophy
| AFP
There will be a week off until the Mutual Madrid Open, in which it will be the final stretch of the preparation before arriving in Paris. From May 1 to 8, the Spanish capital will again bring together the two best tennis rackets, while in the following week it will be Rome, which will host the third and last Masters 1000 of the clay season. Quarters in Madrid and title in Rome will be what Nadal must defend, while Djokovic, for his part, did not participate in Madrid and made the final in Rome, where he succumbed to the Spaniard.
Waiting for Federer
After all this, Roland Garros will arrive, in which obviously and except for a major surprise, the two will be there, to defend the semifinals (Nadal) and the title (Djokovic) achieved in the 2021 edition. The one who will not be at Roland Garros or in any of the previous appointments will be Roger Federer. The Swiss is still immersed in the process of recovering from his injury and his goal will be another year of the grass-court season, with Wimbledon as the final culmination.
Other big names expected to return during this tournament series, They will be those of Thiem and Juan Martín Del Potro. The Austrian has set Indian Wells as the final date for his return after almost a year since his last appearance. The Argentine for his part will reappear in Buenos Aires, after more than two years without playing. Names like those of Zverev, Medvedev or Tsitsipas They will also be in the race to Paris, barring a last-minute setback.