Setting Up Sunday: Clay season in full swing despite rainy conditions

WATCH: Catching up with Charleston Open tournament director Bob Moran.

With spring in its early stage, the traveling tennis circus has just started off on the long hard road to Roland Garros. Tournaments are underway in Europe and South America. Joel Drucker offers a look ahead at what's set to take place on Sunday.

ATP Marrakech: Grand Prix Hassan II—Roberto Carballes Baena vs. Alexandre Muller

This final pits two diligent campaigners who have earned their way to the final in a way that’s impressive and even carries a slight symmetry. Muller, a Frenchman currently at a career-high of 126 in the world, upset No. 1 seed, Lorenzo Musetti, in the quarterfinals by the intriguing score of 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. In the semis, the 82nd-ranked Carballes Baena rallied from a set and 3-4, 0-15 down to beat second-seeded Daniel Evans, 6-2 in the third. It was the Spaniard’s third three-set win of the tournament—and not once has he dropped more than two games in any of those deciders.

For the 26-year-old Muller, it’s a first-ever trip to an ATP singles final. Carballes Baena, 30 years old, has been that far once, taking the title in Quito back in 2018. A year later, these two played one another for the only time, Carballes Baena beating Muller in straight sets in the first round of Roland Garros. Of course, these many years later, that result is hardly relevant.

And so it’s a remarkable opportunity for each man to capture a tennis quartet: first prize of $93,000, 250 ranking points, a precious tournament title and, perhaps most important of all, rocket-fueled confidence as the clay court season kicks off. While players ranked as these two are play excellent tennis, their journey as pros is often frustrating and complicated, a constant effort to gain traction amid exiting tournaments on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. But now it’s Sunday—a rare day for each to be finishing a tournament instead of competing in a qualifying round. That said, even the man who loses should come away knowing he too is a winner.

ATP Estoril: Millenium Estoril Open – Casper Ruud vs. Miomir Kecmanovic

In the wake of having reached two Grand Slam singles finals last year, Casper Ruud in 2023 has found himself living a familiar tennis pattern: the challenging shift from hunter to hunted. Upon arrival in Estoril, the 24-year-old Norwegian’s record for the year was 5-6. Not once had Ruud advanced to a quarterfinal. But now Ruud, seeded first in Estoril, has reached a singles final for the 16th time (9-6). In the semis, it took him just over two hours to beat 80th-ranked Quentin Halys in a third-set tiebreaker.

Ruud’s opponent, world No. 40 Miomir Kecmanovic, took half as long to win his semifinal versus Marco Ceccinato. Though currently ranked No. 40 in the world, Kecmanovic was ranked as high as No. 27 in the world earlier this year and has yet to drop a set all week.

The history between these two is peculiar. All of their prior matches came in 2019. Ruud handily beat Kecmanovic in the qualifying of Rome. Later that year, in Zhuhai, Kecmanovic won the first set, 6-2, before Ruud retired. In November, Kecmanovic beat Ruud in a round-robin match at the Next Gen finals 4-3, 4-3, 4-2—so goes that event’s scoring system.

Though Ruud has the edge in the experience department, Kecmanovic has generated better results this year. Estoril marks his second final of ‘23, the sixth-seeded Kecmanovic previously having gone that far in Delray Beach before losing a three-setter to Taylor Fritz. In other words, it’s safe to say that for Sunday’s final, past results are irrelevant. What’s more relevant will be the battle of nerves. While a title win will help Ruud put himself on the footing worthy of a top tenner, for Kecmanovic it could be yet another step back to the Top 30.

ATP Monte-Carlo: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters—Welcome to the Smorgasbord

At most ATP tournaments, Monday marks the start of main draw competition. But in recent years, at a few tour stops, Sunday has eked its way into significance, offering something akin to a tasty happy hour menu.

Consider Sunday’s smorgasbord in Monte-Carlo. As a Masters 1000 event, the last stages of qualifying feature several players who’ve competed in many a main draw. Taro Daniel, who in the last five weeks has made a sharp rise from No. 125 to No. 98, will play world No. 75 Ilya Ivashka.  In a battle of two players who’ve each been ranked 31 or higher, Marton Fucsovics goes up against Filip Krajinovic. And then there’s court jester par excellence, Benoit Paire, keen to bring his eclectic shot selection choices versus Alexei Popyrin. Would I watch any of these matches start-to-finish? Questionable. But each is worth a hearty dip.

Several fascinating doubles teams take the court Sunday: Diego Schwartzman is paired with Jannik Sinner, doubles part of Sinner’s quest to improve his transition and volley game. Sample a lively all-lefty duo of Cameron Norrie and Ben Shelton. And then there are two powerhouses, Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, likely looking to drill one ball after another at doubles experts Michael Venus and Jamie Murray.

A few draw matches also take place Sunday. One of interest: forceful groundstroker Borna Coric versus a formidable clay courter, Nicolas Jarry. It’s also intriguing to see how tenth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz will translate his superb net rushing skills to clay. Hurkacz’s opening opponent Sunday is Laslo Djere.

Unfortunately, one American won’t be able to compete in Monte Carlo. World No. 18 Tommy Paul was playing in Houston this past week. But as severe rain backed up the schedule, Paul smartly decided he couldn’t play both events (Paul lost on Saturday in Houston to Yannick Hanfmann). It remains to be seen if another American still competing in Houston, Frances Tiafoe, will be able to make it to Monte Carlo.