Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in a chess-like two sets to win Rome, then offered him a very public welcome back


Rome, Italy(ATP, Clay)	Final: Rafael Nadal def. David FerrerSemifinal 1: Rafael Nadal def. Ernests GulbisSemifinal 2: David Ferrer def. Fernando VerdascoBrackets: Singles \| Doubles
Fes, Morocco(WTA, Clay)	Final: Iveta Benesova def. Simona HalepSemifinal 1: Iveta Benesova def. Alize CornetSemifinal 2: Simona Halep def. Renata VoracovaBrackets: Singles \| Doubles
Stuttgart, Germany(WTA, Hard)	Final: Justine Henin def. Samantha StosurSemifinal 1: Samantha Stosur def. Anna LapushchenkovaSemifinal 2: Justine Henin def. Shahar PeerBrackets: Singles \| Doubles



Safina played for the first time since the Australian Open at last week's Porsche Grand Prix. (Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images)

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Why Not?
Time and again in sports, we’ve seen teams who are devoid of expectations become some of the toughest to beat. Butler’s basketball team was supposed to be the third rung on Syracuse’s ladder to the Final Four. Instead, the mid-major school squeezed the Orange out of the NCAAs and was a buzzer-beater away from winning the national title. Last week in the National Hockey League, the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference lost in the first round to middling squads that qualified for the playoffs in the regular season’s final days.

Tennis works the same way, as we saw at last year’s U.S. Open, when neophyte Melanie Oudin found herself in the quarterfinals. For a few reasons, I expect to see another surprise surge on the women’s side at the upcoming French Open. Justine Henin, while arguably the favorite, is still finding her form each week. Kim Clijsters will be hobbled, if she plays, and the Williamses are no sure thing on dirt.

Cinderellas don’t have to be an unknown, though, which brings me to Dinara Safina. She’ll probably be one of the top eight seeds at Roland Garros, but she’ll face none of the expectations that she did a year ago, for all the wrong reasons (her disintegration in the Australian Open final; her dubious No. 1 ranking). Safina returned to the tour last week in Stuttgart, beating Agnes Szavay, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-0, before losing to Shahar Peer. The Szavay score was encouraging: Safina toughed out a set, then fought back after a second-set letdown. Her play this week in Rome should be even more telling. With the right draw in Paris, Safina, who plays best on clay, could become the story of the tournament—for all the right reasons this time.


Belgrade, Serbia (ATP, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Estoril, Portugal (ATP, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Munich, Germany (ATP, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Estoril, Portugal (WTA, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Rome, Italy (WTA, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

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Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com.