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The beginning of the 2022 ATP Season has provided up many thrilling developments. We’ve seen maiden ATP titles gained. Kokkinakis gained in his hometown of Adelaide, Auger-Aliassime together with his victory in Rotterdam, and Bublik gained Montpellier.
We’ve witnessed one of many extra gorgeous doubles runs in latest (or not-so-recent) reminiscence by Kokkinakis and Kyrgios by which they gained the Australian Open Males’s Doubles title as a wildcard staff, working via the attract magical style and leaving a number of of their fellow countryman bitter alongside the way in which (see here and here).
We’ve witnessed Nadal’s white-hot begin to the season (he’s 20-1 to this point), which, except you predicted Djokovic’s steady absence, I believe some have discovered to be fairly surprising.
And, most not too long ago, we’ve seen Fritz win Indian Wells, an amazing feat for an American contemplating Fritz was three years previous when an American final gained the match (Agassi did it in 2001).
All of this leads us as much as the second Masters 1000 match for the ATP season: the 2022 Miami Open, which begins right now.
This would be the third yr because the match has moved from the extra sequestered and drained but homey and adored Key Biscayne venue to the huge Exhausting Rock Stadium, the identical 65,000 individual venue primarily used as house base for the Miami Dolphins NFL staff.
Final yr’s occasion yielded an surprising end result: twenty sixth seeded Hubert Hurkacz defeated twenty first seeded Jannik Sinner within the closing. The match represented the primary time that both participant had reached the ultimate of a Masters 1000 occasion and acted as a catalyst for the most effective yr of their careers so far.
This provides up the query: what does this yr’s Miami Open have in retailer for us? What’s going to percolating storylines proceed to unfold? Which new tales may start to bloom?
Under, we share our lingering questions because the match begins.
Will The Miami Open, Like This 12 months’s Indian Wells, Be A Marker Of Optimistic Developments For American Males’s Tennis?
As Djokovic continues to drop out of occasions, and Nadal announced a stress fracture in his rib, sidelining him for 4-6 weeks, there continues to be a rising void of dominance in males’s tennis. A void that, simply days in the past, we noticed Fritz exploit as he captured the most important title of his profession.
Fritz’s win overshadowed a number of moments in Indian Wells that sparked hope for American males’s tennis. Let’s overview.
Tommy Paul took down Zverev in a 3rd set breaker within the second spherical with an exciting closing match level.
Jenson Brooksy routed Khachanov earlier than then, convincingly defeated Tsitsipas in three units (Brooksby finally fell to Cameron Norrie, the defending champion).
Each Sebastian Korda and Jack Sock misplaced disappointing third set matches to Nadal and Tsitsipas, respectively, by which that they had substantial alternatives to win the match.
These knowledge factors sign a promising 2022 for American males’s tennis. On the very least, noise can be made extra so than what transpired in 2021.
Will the momentum proceed for the People in Miami? When a participant wins a breakthrough title the way in which Fritz did, the probability of seeing a hangover efficiency in Miami could be excessive.
I’m not assured we’ll see back-to-back deep runs from him, however there could be hope elsewhere among the many American males.
In Miami’s context, Reilly Opelka has a possibility. His displaying at Indian Wells was sturdy, taking out Denis Shapovalov earlier than falling to Nadal in a detailed two-set match. I like Opelka to advance over Monfils earlier than a difficult assembly with Berrettini.
The draw additionally poses one other opening for Brooksby to make a run. With the way in which he dispatched Tsitsipas at Indian Wells, there’s no purpose why he can’t march via Basilashvili and Bautista-Agut on his technique to a possible duel with Medvedev.
And, as at all times, former Miami Open champion John Isner can transfer his manner via the bracket.
Is The Doubles Aspect Of The Recreation Having A Tennis Second?
Kyrgios says his antics are good for tennis. After witnessing the Kyrgios-Kokkinakis run on the Australian Open, it’s exhausting to argue in opposition to the concept Kyrgios doesn’t have a optimistic impact particularly on tennis viewership.
To supply one fascinating knowledge level, the YouTube views for the highlights of the Australian Open Males’s Doubles Ultimate (Kyrgios-Kokkinakis vs Purcell-Ebden) had been almost double that of the views of the highlights for one of many quarterfinal matches between Sinner and Tsitsipas (412K views in contrast 214K views).
I haven’t seen the numbers, however I’d enterprise to wager that there are few gamers on the market proper now that would generate viewership for Doubles within the style that Kyrgios has orchestrated.
The enjoyable carried over into Indian Wells because the Kyrgios-Kokkinakis pair gained their first spherical earlier than falling in a blockbuster face off to Sock-Isner, one other staff comprised of traditionally singles-first gamers.
Sock-Isner then appeared to take a queue from the doubles power sparked on the Aussie Open, occurring an thrilling run of their very own to seize the Indian Wells title. As soon as once more, this was an instance of the countrymen feeding on the “homecourt” environment.
Sock isn’t enjoying doubles in Miami – which is undoubtedly a bummer – however Isner is paired with Hurkacz!
Kyrgios-Kokkinakis are positioned for a second-round conflict with Third-seeded Cabal-Farah. Different groups containing prime singles gamers embrace Shapovalov enjoying with Bopanna, Opelka-Sinner, Khachanov-Rublev, and Tsitsipas-Lopez.
I’ll at all times recognize the groups which can be primarily doubles specialists. Nonetheless, I argue that when singles gamers crossover and expertise success on the doubles facet, the game advantages as a result of, the followers take pleasure in it.
It’s taking place to this point in 2022, and I hope this doubles second will get prolonged into the Miami match.
What Are Some Doubtlessly Juicy Mid-tournament Matchups?
Let’s get forward of ourselves and picture attainable matchups that would depart us rubbing our fingers in anticipation. Right here’s a laundry listing of those that stand out to me:
Alcaraz vs Musetti (Third spherical)
This might require Musetti to take down Cilic, which might be an upset on hardcourts, however I selfishly would like to see a showdown of those two up-and-comers.
Musetti is 2 years older than Alcaraz, however he appears to be two years behind him find his footing on hardcourts. Musetti’s win in opposition to Hurkacz at Rotterdam is his most spectacular hardcourt win of the yr so far.
The excitement round Alcaraz returned to a excessive at Indian Wells, just like his deep run eventually yr’s US Open. If Alcaraz and Musetti meet, it could be their first conflict, and it would foretell a post-Massive Three rivalry to take pleasure in for years to return.
Tsitsipas vs De Minaur (Third spherical)
Do you know Tsitsipas is 7-0 all-time in opposition to De Minaur? Maybe that statistic is just a mirrored image of a robust mismatch between their two video games. However given De Minaur’s grit, I’d prefer to assume he breaks via ultimately. Sooner or later, that head-to-head file begins to get ridiculous.
Bublik vs Isner (Spherical of 16)
This matchup can be intriguing, particularly contemplating how Bublik beat Zverev at Montpellier.
Bublik, a giant server himself, has demonstrated how the block or chip return can be utilized to neutralize massive serves, swap from defence to offence, and manifest service breaks.
He did this as part of a profitable technique in opposition to Zverev at Montpellier, difficult Zverev to be extra aggressive and play first-strike tennis. If he meets Isner afterward (Isner should beat Gaston and Norrie), the neutralizing return could be one thing he deploys in opposition to the Isner serve.
Medvedev vs Brooksby (Spherical of 16)
This might be a possible thrilling 4th spherical matchup and can be the primary time the 2 have met.
May Brooksby’s endurance, craftiness, and off-pace photographs perturb Medvedev, like Dimitrov’s slicing and redirecting did in final yr’s Indian Wells? I’d like to see which manner this one goes.
Medvedev has by no means made it previous the quarterfinals at Miami, and he’ll have a very good problem getting there within the first place if he runs into Brooksby.
Who Will Emerge In The Absence Of The Massive Three?
Simply as in 2021, now we have a Miami Open with out Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic. So, who will step as much as win all of it?
Vegas and the specialists are fading Medvedev and Zverev. That feels about proper contemplating their showings at Indian Wells and Medvedev’s historical past on the Miami occasion.
Within the backside half of the draw, I like Berrettini to point out up in a giant manner and win the entire thing. He’ll have to beat Opelka (he’s 0-1 in opposition to him), however Berrettini has been one of the constant exhausting court docket gamers throughout the final 12 to 18 months. I believe his displaying on the Australian Open earlier this yr was a fortuitous signal for 2022.
On the highest half, I like Auger-Aliassime or Brooksby. I’ll take Felix. He had an early exit at Indian Wells, however maybe that bodes nicely; his physique is rested, and he’s nonetheless carrying momentum from success discovered on the hardcourts this yr.
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