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Spring SwingThe shoe-squeaking sounds of hardcourt tennis are about to be replaced by the swish of slides on the red clay of Europe. The early spring hardcourt swing at Indian Wells and Miami left us plenty to think about and could have implications when players return to hard courts later in the summer. There has been a three horse race atop the ATP tour over the past year, a theme supported at the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells. The totalitarian trio of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic all played well in California, advancing to the semifinals with few obstacles. It was Djokovic who eventually came away with the title, ending finalist Mardy Fish’s memorable run of wins against Nikolay Davydenko, Lleyton Hewitt, David Nalbandian, and even Federer. Top seeds also showed their might in the women’s bracket, with one semifinal an all-Serbe affair against Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, and the other an all-Russian meeting between Svetlana Kuznetsova and Maria Sharapova When all the dust settled, Ivanovic has won it all, defeating Kuznetsova after the second seed handed Sharapova her first defeat of the year in the previous round. Things were completely different at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, where upsets ruled the day. Nikolay Davydenko dominating Rafael Nadal in the final to win the second Masters Series event in his career, but like Fish at Indian Wells, it was an American who scored the more memorable win of the tournament. After nearly five years of futility, Andy Roddick defeated Federer for only the second time in their seventeen career matches. Another American stole the show on the women’s side, a name very familiar to the fans in Miami. Serena Williams, a four-time champion at Key Biscayne, added a fifth to her trophy case after putting together another vintage performance. One of Serena’s many victims was Justine Henin, who was trounced 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals – a measure of revenge for Henin’s quarterfinal wins against Williams at three of last year’s Grand Slams.  Feats of ClayAs the clay season gets underway, there are two forces that must be reckoned with. Rafael Nadal is the standard bearer for excellence for men’s tennis on clay, with a mind-boggling 93-1 record on the surface since April of 2005. The southpaw Spaniard is a three-time champion at four prestigious tournaments that are coming up on the schedule: Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, and the French Open. Justine Henin’s accomplishments on the red surface are nearly as staggering. The Belgian has won four French Open championships with convincing performances and has eight other titles on clay. The change in surfaces may be just the medicine Henin requires after an up-and-down beginning to the season. She was pummeled by Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open and by Serena Williams in Miami, the two biggest tournaments she’s competed in. This part of the season culminated with the French Open in May, with a number of significant tournaments taking place ahead of the showdown in Paris. Highlights from the ATP Tour include Monte Carlo, Rome and Hamburg. The hottest spots on the WTA Tour will be Charleston, Berlin and Rome. One other factor to consider in April is how the clay will treat the world’s top ranked players, Federer and Henin. Both were clear-cut number ones last year, but each player has looked vulnerable at times this season. Each also has significant points to defend in the upcoming clay season, and the emergence of Novak Djokovic has made the challenge of keeping the No. 1 ranking even tougher for Federer. Wondering what he needs to do to say at the top? Check out our points breakdown at TENNIS.com here.  On Newsstands NowTENNIS Magazine - Gear Guide 2008 - The Life of a Chair Empire - Step Up for a Stronger Serve - Keep Back Pain at Bay, Andre Agassi Interview, and much more View Table of Contents | Click Here to Subscribe  Also On NewsstandsSMASH Magazine - Jelena Jankovic - Talking to Tennis' Newest Drama Queen - Before they Were Stars - Tennis Camp Survival Guide - Cool Racquets and Shoes Click Here to Subscribe  Daniel Island is Charleston’s island town, home to traditional neighborhoods, beautiful parks, tree-lined streets and outstanding recreational amenities. All of the conveniences of modern living -- including shops, schools, restaurants and more -- are located in town. The island's Family Circle Tennis Center is home of the annual Family Circle Cup, which will be held on April 12-20. Visit danielisland.com to learn more. Don’t Miss…
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