Each month, we turn to our ausopen.com experts to give their thoughts on players making waves.
With the clay-court season continuing to unfold in Europe, we spoke to 2010 Roland Garros finalist Sam Stosur about five players capturing the spotlight and generating interest in the run-up to Paris.
Casper Ruud
Ruud was ranked 12th in February, but he’s since vaulted to world No.6 after reaching four finals – Los Cabos, Acapulco, Monte Carlo and Barcelona – and winning the latter for his biggest career title.
The 500-level trophy in Barcelona has helped the Norwegian build an impressive 13-3 record on clay, and he leads the tour with 31 match victories in 2024.
He appears to be playing more aggressively than ever, leaning into his venomous forehand while improving his backhand.
As a Roland Garros finalist in 2022 and 2023, could Ruud be firming as a favourite for the title in 2024?
“Maybe now that extra little bit of belief that may have been missing in those other bigger finals, he's now got over that hurdle once (in Barcelona). Also beating someone (Tsitsipas) he lost to in the final the week before, too, that in itself is a turnaround,” Stosur observed.
“Even though you can be right there, until you actually prove it, and do it, sometimes that belief can not be there.
"It's obvious he needs to be really active to use his big forehand, because it's such a weapon, which will then give him I think more of an aggressive and positive mindset to be proactive in points and take charge earlier. To beat these best-of-the-best guys, like Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic, you can't just rely on movement and running and grinding. Those guys are just so good at taking control.
"If he's able to do that consistently each match, it then becomes a bit easier to do it in the biggest moments, when you are in a big final.
"He's experienced Grand Slam finals now, three times. So it's not going to be a foreign feeling for him walking out on court, should he make the final again. If you do happen to make it there, you’ve got to take it to these guys."
Danielle Collins
Like Ruud, Collins has performed strongly on hard courts and then in the transition to clay, slashing her ranking since mid-March.
The American arrived at the Miami Open as the world No.53 and left as a WTA 1000 champion for the first time. She then went to Charleston and became the first player since Serena Williams in 2013 to complete the Miami-Charleston double.
Now ranked 15th, she extended her winning streak to 15 matches with a fourth-round run this week in Madrid.
"It’s incredible (what she's doing),” Stosur said of the 2020 Roland Garros quarterfinalist. “And those 15 matches weren't in small tournaments either; she's playing quality, big tournaments, quality opponents and winning back-to-back. It shows what confidence can do.”
Collins has announced this is her last season, and after years of health struggles, appears to be in a good place physically as she makes one final push on tour.
"She's obviously come to terms with the fact that, OK, I'm done after this (year), I'm going to do everything I can, I'm going to leave it out there, she's enjoying herself, and she's just playing. I think if you can get to that point, it shows what's possible,” Stosur said.
"She's a dangerous player. She's not scared about playing anyone I don't feel, she can be aggressive, she'll get in her opponents' faces with some come-ons, she'll grind it out, she competes unbelievably well, and she's got some weapons.
“She can go out on a high; regardless of what happens the rest of the year, she'll probably end up with one of her greatest rankings of her career. And that's still with a whole US swing to come. How amazing.
"Fingers crossed for her that her body holds up.”
Rafael Nadal
It’s exactly the same sentiment for Rafael Nadal, who hopes his body can stay healthy enough to allow him to contend strongly at his favourite tournament – Roland Garros.
The legendary Spaniard, who missed three months of competition after sustaining an injury in Brisbane, returned to the courts in Barcelona, where he lost to Alex de Minaur in straight sets in the second round.
But during the past fortnight in Madrid, he turned the tables on De Minaur and advanced to the last 16, the first time Nadal has won three consecutive matches since the 2022 US Open.
Should he recover well from his Madrid exertions, Rome and Roland Garros are next on his schedule.
"He's not talking it up, by any means, I think he's being quite realistic with where he obviously thinks he's at,” Stosur said. “But we're talking about a very high bar, as well, that he would set himself to be able to go out there and play the French Open.
"I was hoping it was going to be the fairytale Madrid win after I saw him beat Alex the other day. Even seeing that handshake (with Pedro Cachin), seeing how much these guys on the tour respect him – how amazing is that? What he's done for the sport is incredible.
"Playing four matches in a row, that's tough on your body no matter how much you train. Hopefully he does pull up fine, potentially can play Rome, and then be set for the French, where he would get a day off in between matches as well.
"I think probably hearing a few of the things that he said, I think he wants to play the French feeling like he can win it, and if he doesn't feel that, whether or not he'd want to go out there and do that?
“But from a fan point of view, I think everyone wants to see him at Roland Garros.”
Mirra Andreeva
The teenager outperformed Ruud, Collins and Nadal in Madrid, reaching her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal having only just turned 17.
There have been few signs of a sophomore slump for Andreeva, who broke out with a fourth-round run in the Spanish capital this time last year – only to improve on that result 12 months later.
Already in 2024 she’d reached the Brisbane and Rouen quarterfinals and the fourth round of the Australian Open, peaking at world No.33 in February.
"The people that she's beaten so far in Madrid; a Grand Slam champion (Vondrousova), you've got Noskova who's doing unbelievably well this year, Paolini who's been winning tournaments and is top 15, so she's beating back-to-back really good players,” Stosur said of Andreeva, who ultimately fell to Aryna Sabalenka.
"And still sort of has that no-fear attitude, because it is easy to come back the following year (saying) ‘oh I've got to defend (points), I've got to defend’. And I hate that mentality – I don't think that serves anyone, really. But she's able to just go out and play and use her tennis, her ability, her smarts, her weaponry.
"Even being on tour now for a year, that's often where other players and coaches, they're looking at you and thinking, ‘well OK, we've seen you play now 50 times, these are the holes, these are the cracks (in your game)’. But she's still able to perform.
"What a great achievement from someone her age, I mean, incredible. She literally turned 17 earlier this week.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Like Ruud, Tsitsipas has enjoyed a resurgence, especially on clay.
The Greek star fell outside the top 10 for the first time in five years late in February but returned after winning his third Monte Carlo Masters title in the past four years.
TSITSIPAS: “I want to inspire more people to pursue a single-handed backhand”
He built a 10-match winning streak on clay thanks to his run to the Barcelona final, and is 10-2 on the surface in 2024.
Tsitsipas has also tasted plenty of success at Roland Garros, reaching the 2021 final.
"I think that Monte Carlo victory just absolutely brings him back to being a big contender once again,” Stosur said.
“The guys that he beat – Zverev, Sinner and Ruud – that's not easy to do in the one tournament. I think that's showing he's trending up once again.
"He's on a bit of a roll at the moment – albeit this last loss in Madrid – but again, just like with Ruud (losing earlier than expected in Madrid), it's a bit of a blip, doesn't mean it's going to keep happening.
"He's been a very consistent player in the top 10 for a long time. There's so much competition at that point in the rankings; it's tough to stay up there consistently. Apart from your Djokovics or those guys at the absolute peak, for the majority of players it's very normal to have a bit of an ebb and flow.”