Goodbye Hardcourts, Hello Clay

The hardcourt season is over and attention now turns to clay. The clay season is always a highlight of the year and as usual will culminate with the French Open. Despite there being great claycourt tournaments in Rome, Hamburg, Monte Carlo and Madrid everyone is already thinking about the French Open 2009.

Rafael Nadal is obviously the huge favorite and the one all tennis betting is looking at to win again. The difference this year is that Roger Federer may not be his main adversary. Andy Murray is in simply scintillating form. He has beaten Nadal recently but does he have the game to topple him on clay? How will Federer feel is it is Murray and not him who is the one to do it? Federer didn’t have a good hardcourt season and so ironically will be looking towards the clay for respite. He doesn’t have the game he did in years gone by and opponents don’t seem to be as intimidated as they once were.

On the ladies' side, will it again be a case of the Wiliams sisters against the rest? Ana Ivanovic looks absolutely no chance to defend her title. You wouldn’t play a tennis bet on her with somebody else’s money! Victoria Azarenko did well in winning in the Sony Ericsson Open. Can this translate into Grand Slam success? Dinara Safina made her name at last year's French Open - can she repeat those heroics? Will be fascinating to watch.