From Sunshine Swing to clay: Four ATP storylines we're following

No Sinner, many a winner

Following Jannik Sinner’s Australian Open win and the commencement of his three-month suspension, 13 ATP Tour events have been won by 13 different players. At Indian Wells, 14th-ranked Jack Draper earned his third career singles title and first Masters 1000. An even bigger surprise happened in Miami, when 19-year-old Jakub Mensik won his first ATP Tour title. Mensik’s major victories in Miami included a 7-6, 7-6 win over Draper, a third-set tiebreaker triumph versus Fritz (who’d beaten him handily at the 2024 US Open) in the semis, and then, in the finals, he got past Djokovic in a pair of tiebreakers.

Having gone 7-0 in tiebreakers on his way to the title, Mensik said, “But, yeah, in the tiebreakers, I knew that if I can really start to focus on it, on my return, put it just ball in. And then, you know, give my best in the rallies, and actually, that I did in the tiebreakers, I didn't do the much mistakes like I was doing during the whole set, and yeah, actually, he was the one who did the first mistake.”

Though stopped short of a 100th career singles title, Djokovic must surely be buoyed by reaching a final 18 years after first winning Miami. “Very grateful,” Djokovic said following Sunday’s final. “Just enjoyed my experience overall. It was amazing run. Unfortunately ended with a loss in the finals, but I played some really good tennis up to today.”

Will different titlists emerge throughout the clay court season? Or might some of those 13 earn another?

Read More: Jannik Sinner rivals fail to capitalize on No. 1's absence

Taylor Fritz still rules the American men’s game

Five American men are currently ranked inside the Top 25. Sebastian Korda is as silky-smooth as anyone in tennis. Ben Shelton’s aggressive lefty game can light up the court and get crowds massively involved. The same holds true for Frances Tiafoe, who has also had his share of electrifying moments. Tommy Paul’s coach, Brad Stine, has likened his playing style to the dazzling artist, Pablo Picasso. But when it comes to the American tennis kingdom, Taylor Fritz continues to sit atop the throne.

The sole member of this group to have won a Masters 1000 (Indian Wells 2022), as well as the only one to have reached a Grand Slam final (last year’s US Open), Fritz in Miami became the only American to advance to the semis of a Sunshine Swing event.

“We've all been I think making each other better for a very long time,” said Fritz in Miami, “and the result of that is what we have now is so many guys. The depth is unreal.”

The American men are now headed to clay, Paul and Tiafoe the top two seeds in Houston, soon enough to join their compatriots in Europe.

Carlos Alcaraz has long had answers, but now faces questions

When the Sunshine Swing began, Carlos Alcaraz seemed a plausible candidate to become the eighth man to take both titles in the same year (the most recent was Roger Federer in 2017). After all, Alcaraz won Miami in 2022 and Indian Wells in 2023-24. But over the course of March, Alcaraz proved more ill at ease than usual.

Read More: Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, two Sunshine Double stalwarts, made opening exits in Miami

From wavering concentration to mistimed forehands, this was not the Alcaraz we’ve come to expect. In the semifinals of Indian Wells, he was overpowered by the swiftly ascending Draper. Then, far more surprisingly, Alcaraz was upset in his opening Miami match by 55th-ranked David Goffin.

But Alcaraz is far too skilled and upbeat a competitor to let those defeats demoralize him too much. One has to think a return to Europe and the spring clay court season will spark an Alcaraz resurgence.

PTPA Lawsuit: Please dumb it down for me

No question, the organization of pro tennis is perpetually chaotic, filled with conflicts of interest and always in need of reform. Certainly, the players would always like to make sure their voices are heard. So what was not to like when the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) was first announced more than five years ago? Given how much players have surrendered their leadership role on the tours over the last 30 years, the PTPA theoretically represented a chance to resurrect the concept of player empowerment.

Alas, over this last half-decade, there have been only small bubbles of activity from the PTPA—mostly statements hinting at the poor way many unnamed players are treated. One example came in 2022. Upon hearing news that, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Wimbledon would be banning Russian and Belarusian players to enter that year’s edition of The Championships, the PTPA issued a statement that included these words: “The PTPA does not discriminate against any tennis player based on nationality, but we will stand against those who support, express or consent violence against the innocent.” Compassionate as this statement was, it was surprising that the PTPA did not look to take further action in support of the banned players.

More recently, though, there came a salvo, a lawsuit consisting of numerous complaints aimed at the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA. And yet, through all that, my big picture question remains what it was back in 2020: Who wants what?

Read More: Why did Novak Djokovic's players' association sue the groups that run tennis, and what do they want?

For all the many headlines the current lawsuit has generated, reading about it leaves me even more mystified. As a start, why did Novak Djokovic not participate? Why are only 12 players listed as plaintiffs? Who is intended to benefit from it? Top players who want a less-demanding schedule? Lower-ranked players who want more money? What really is the quibble with the 52-week ranking system? Are the PTPA plaintiffs aware that computer rankings were created as a far fairer way to facilitate entry into tournaments than the days when all events were invitationals?

No question, such matters as the consistency of balls, late night scheduling, and other workplace environment factors are in need of reform.

But at heart, just how many men and women can indeed earn a living playing pro tennis? After all, only four times a year can the sport offer 128 entries into the singles of a particular tournament. Check out the attendance figures, business models, and revenue streams of Challenger-level events—and even 250s—and you’ll get a clear idea of what the tennis viewing marketplace looks like. Or is part of the PTPA’s quest to redistribute prize money across the ranks?

We kindly await further details.