Expect The Unexpected

If there is one thing we have come to get used to in these first Masters 1000 events of the season, that is to expect the unexpected. Few times have we seen back to back winners at Indian Wells and Miami and this year was no exception. Firstly Ivan Ljubicic rolled back the years to claim his first Masters 1000 title and now Andy Roddick has found some compensation for his hard work.

To see Roddick winning isn't a huge surprise as his game has grown ever more consistent and his backhand is no longer a weakness. What is surprising is to see Novak Djokovic (lost to Olivier Rochus) and Andy Murray (lost to Mardy Fish) fall at the first of asking. In the next round Roger Federer continued his indifferent form as Tomas Berdych got the better of him in a roller coaster 3 setter.

Rafael Nadal was, once again, the only top 4 player to reach the semi finals. This time the Spaniard had no answer for Roddick's big serve and, worryingly so, seemed to not be happy with his knees. Hopefully these complaints had nothing to do with those injuries that left the superstar out of action for long periods of time last year.

Now the claycourt season is upon us. This is a chance for the likes of Djokovic, Murray and Federer to get things back on track. Also, a chance to see where Rafa's game really is at. Our men to look out for in the claycourt season are: Nicolas Almagro, immense natural ability but not the mental strength to go with it, after a good run in the US, maybe it is time for the man from Murcia to fulfil his potential. Juan Carlos Ferrero, the mosquito has already won two events on the red stuff in South America and seems to be finding that form that took him to Number 1. And our outsider pick is Fabio Fognini of Italy, another young talent who hasn't seemed to break through. His form this season hasn't been anything to write home about but now he's back on his favourite surface and could cause more than one upset.

Whatever happens, we'll keep you posted here on ATP Review.