So far the clay season has gone according to plan: i.e., Rafael Nadal has won his 11th title in Monte Carlo, without dropping a set. This week the women kick off their own spring swing through Europe in Stuttgart, while the top men go deeper into dirt in Barcelona. Here’s a look at how those draws may play out, and who else might throw his or her hat into the Roland Garros ring.
Stuttgart, Germany
$816,000; Premier
Indoor red clay
Draw is here
As far as settings go, the WTA’s clay-swing opener can’t compete with the ATP’s. While the men look over the Mediterranean in Monte Carlo, the women are holed up in a dark and boxy arena in Germany. As far as fields go, though, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix has a higher quality-to-quantity ratio. Stuttgart’s 28 players include four of the tour’s current Top 5: Simona Halep, Garbiñe Muguruza, Elina Svitolina, and Jelena Ostapenko. The second four seeds—Karolina Pliskova, Caroline Garcia, Sloane Stephens, and Petra Kvitova—aren’t too shabby, either. Whoever gets around the track first wins a Porsche, and grabs the early pole position in the race to Roland Garros.
Of note: Maria Sharapova, three-time Stuttgart champion, is here with Thomas Hogstedt, the man who coached her to the French Open title in 2012.
A draw this jammed is bound to have some eye-catching first-round match-ups:
Kvitova vs. Angelique Kerber
Daria Kasatkina vs. Magdalena Rybarikova
Stephens vs. CoCo Vandeweghe
Julia Goerges vs. Anastasija Sevastova
Garcia vs. Sharapova
Karolina Pliskova vs. Charleston champ Kiki Bertens
Potential second-round match to watch: Muguruza vs. Madison Keys
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