This is an article “How The Big Three Are Preparing For The 2022 Season” by Marc Pulisci
Despite all the hassle brought about by the health crisis to the sport of tennis, 2021 proved to be a rather exciting ATP year for fans. Many witnessed one of the greatest upsets in history as world number 1 Novak Djokovic lost in straight sets to Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at the U.S. Open, coming short of a 'Golden Slam’. Some tennis pundits assumed that the lack of motivation for the final grand slam tournament came after Djokovic failed to secure the Gold at the Tokyo Olympics. But the truth is that younger players are becoming stronger in terms of competitiveness.
In 2022, everyone is excited to see the anticipated returns of both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Fans are still holding their breath about who will be the first to break the 21 Grand Slam three-way tie among today's top three players.
While there are more matches to be excited about in the coming months, the big three are currently enjoying their respective wind-down periods. However, it's safe to say that none of them will be complacent knowing full well just how fast-paced and unpredictable the sport is. ATP numbers can change instantly and plot twists can happen anytime, not to mention the ever present possibility of injury.
At this point, it's anyone's guess how the 2022 tour will unravel and who will emerge with the most records. Nonetheless, it's always best to take a sneak peek at what the big three are doing so far so we can all weigh in on potential odds.
Rafael Nadal is careful in making promises
After getting proper treatment for a foot injury that sidelined him for four months, Nadal made his much-awaited return to the court at the 13th Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi this month. He underwent a minor procedure for his injury in Barcelona before doctors gave the green light for the champion to train in Mallorca prior to the tournament.
Nadal will meet either the resurfacing Andy Murray or Austrian Dominic Thiem in the semifinal round of the tournament. Whatever the outcome, it will be the first time he'll face a high-level player since he closed the season last year with two matches at the 2021 Citi Open in Washington. The final tournament of the year and the ATP 250 event slated on January 3 to 9 in Montreal will serve as great warm-ups for Nadal, who had already announced his participation at January's Australian Open.
So far, Nadal is the only member of the Top 25 who enlisted for the Montreal tournament. Other names to look out for in the tournament are towering American Reilly Opelka, former world number 3 Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, and South African number 1 Lloyd Harris, among others.
In an earlier interview, Nadal told the sports press that he needs to test his current form, indicating that he is not yet at 100%. With only 29 matches in 2021 due to a back injury that plagued him early in the year, followed by another foot injury in June, the Spaniard is cautious about making promises for the Australian Open.
Fans still believe that Rafa has a strong chance of winning his 21st at the acrylic hard courts of the Australian Open. After all, the King of Clay was still able to capture two titles in Barcelona and Rome before being halted by injuries. To many, there's no doubt 2022 will provide Nadal with a fresh start to break the three-way tie.
Roger Federer will sit out half of the year
Forty year-old Swiss champion and the eldest of the big three, Roger Federer announced earlier that he would not be playing at the Australian Open this January. Worse, his most likely return will probably come after June of the coming year, no thanks to his multiple knee injuries.
At the rate Federer's recovery is going, it might also be a long shot to see him at Wimbledon, where he has won eight titles. King Roger's camp had earlier said that the champion would not be returning to the training court by March as he needs the patience to recover from the major injury. Still, fans can expect Federer to return this year, hopefully with a semblance of his top form, as the next few months prove to be crucial.
According to Federer's coach, Ivan Ljubicic, the recovery period is necessary after the champion underwent two knee operations this year, leaving him to play in only 13 matches. Earlier mid-year, the Swiss legend withdrew from the French Open after a 2nd round win. The withdrawal was part of his preparation and strategy to play at Wimbledon. Ultimately, he failed to secure a semifinals slot at the tournament.
His second knee surgery came after he skipped the U.S. Open, sidelining him further for most of the year. Doctors said that sutures were needed to treat the lesions in Federer's meniscus and repair cartilage. With such a major injury, fans were quick to think that he might have reached the twilight of his career. The injury came at the most inopportune time when debates about the sport's G.O.A.T. occupied the minds of tennis pundits, with the elusive 21st Grand Slam tie-breaker considered a huge factor.
The last time Federer won a Grand Slam title was at the 2018 Australian Open. But for the fans' sake, the champion says he is still holding out for a miracle and is setting his sights to return for another major title soon.
Questions on Novak Djokovic’s AO plans linger
As for the current world number 1, Djokovic has expressed his wish for Federer to recover and play competitively again as the Swiss continues to remain a beloved champion to many. The statement comes even as talks of him playing in the Australian Open remain vague due to vaccination rules. No announcements have been made by Djokovic's camp about his vaccination status, even after the champion was named in the Serbian team for the ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1 to 9.
For Australian Open organizers, standing firm on only letting vaccinated players participate is the right thing to do. This development shifted the focus on Djokovic's plans, whether to win his 10th Australian Open title or make his firm stand about the issues on vaccines.
Victoria officials earlier issued a statement regarding Djokovic's father's blackmail accusation, further heating up discussions about the players' privacy rights. However, Australian Open director Craig Tiley is adamant about achieving a 95% player vaccination rate at the start of the major tournament on January 17.
Even as the defending Australian Open champion refuses to throw favors to the media by saying 'it spreads fear and panic,' his participation in the ATP Cup may be a sign that he might enlist in the Grand Slam tournament on the 17th, after all. For now, all his fans can do is keep their fingers crossed.
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