This would seem, at first glance, to be a down week in the clay season. And it’s true, most of the top players are getting prepared for the dual-gender, Masters-Mandatory blockbuster that starts Saturday in Madrid. But don’t tell that to the men and women at the five other tour-level tournaments happening this week. Here’s a look at what’s ahead for them.
*Munich, Germany
$800,000; 250 ranking points
Red clay*
Draw is here
Yesterday I wrote that there will never be a NextGen on clay until Rafael Nadal retires. But here’s a chance for two of the tour’s younger guns, top seed Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Hyeon Chung, to take a crack at a clay title without Rafa around. Zverev is No. 3 in the world, and he played well in Miami and Monte Carlo, but he’s still looking for his first title of 2018.
Also here: No. 2 seed Roberto Bautista Agut, No. 3 Diego Schwartzman and No. 7 Gael Monfils, who will make his 2018 clay debut.
*Estoril, Portugal
$800,000; 250 ranking points
Red clay*
Draw is here
Welcome to the grind, Stefanos Tsitsipas. The 19-year-old will celebrate his run to the final in Barcelona with a tough opening match in Estoril against Pablo Andujar. The Greek is rising up the rankings, but he isn’t high enough yet to earn a bye at this 28-player event. Judging by his form in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, though, it won’t take him long to get there.
Also here: No. 1 seed Kevin Anderson, No. 2 Pablo Carreño Busta and No. 3 Kyle Edmund, all of whom have reached the semis or better at a major within the past year.
All-American first round: Frances Tiafoe vs. Tennys Sandgren
WATCH—TC Live discusses Carreno Busta's altercation with Dimitrov in Barcelona: