The “almost” grand slam tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami are over. Now it is time to move on. And like every season, April is time to go to Europe and to the clay. There are a lot of things tennis fan will look forward during the clay campaign in April and May.
Roger Federer on clay. Is it the last time?
Clay season brings a lot of famous and interesting tournaments, but this season there is one additional incentive. Roger Federer is back on clay! He enjoyed holidays during April and May in the past two years, but this year he decided that two months break is too long. Instead, he will skip just April tournaments and will start at the beginning of May in Madrid. Then he will add also the Grand Slam in Paris at the end of the May.
You can complain that he will play just two tournaments on clay. Still, it is two more than he played a year ago and two years ago. And maybe it is the last time he will have his socks dirty from clay at all. Though he did not confirm or deny it, at his age, it is a real possibility.
Will Nadal still be the king of the clay?
Rafael Nadal is the king of clay, there is no doubt about it. But will he remain at the king throne this season too? He claimed four trophies on clay last season, including the trophy from French Open. However, this season he fights with injuries more than anytime before. It can really happen, that he will not play four tournaments at all on clay this season.
His health is one of the threats to his clay dominance. The second threat is the other players. And I do not point to Federer, as I do not think he will be a major contender for Madrid or Paris title as playing on the clay is quite different. I think Dominic Thiem has a pretty good chance to make a big impact this season. He already played French Open final last year and would like to repeat it. Also, Alexander Zverev would like to show up that his failings in the first three months are over. And do not forget Novak Djokovic. Last clay campaign was terrible, but this year is quite different and four grand slam titles in a calendar year are the ultimate goal for him.
It seems that this season we have plenty of reasons to be looking forward to clay tournaments. Hope, our hopes will be fulfilled.
ATP Tour Schedule for April and May:
| Date | City | State | Surface | Last Season Winner |
| 04/08 – 04/14 | Marrakech | Morocco | Clay | Andujar |
| 04/08 – 04/14 | Houston | USA | Clay | Johnson |
| 04/15 – 04/21 | Monte-Carlo | Monaco | Clay | Nadal |
| 04/22 – 04/28 | Barcelona | Spain | Clay | Nadal |
| 04/22 – 04/28 | Budapest | Hungary | Clay | Cecchinato |
| 04/29 – 05/05 | Estoril | Portugal | Clay | Joao Sousa |
| 04/29 – 05/05 | Munich | Germany | Clay | Alexander Zverev |
| 05/06 – 05/12 | Madrid | Spain | Clay | Alexander Zverev |
| 05/13 – 05/19 | Rome | Italy | Clay | Nadal |
| 05/20 – 05/26 | Geneva | Switzerland | Clay | Fucsovics |
| 05/20 – 05/26 | Lyon | France | Clay | Thiem |
| 05/27 – 06/09 | French Open | Clay | Nadal |
Full 2019 ATP Tournament Schedule can be found here
WTA Tour Schedule for April and May:
| Date | City | State | Surface | Last Season Winner |
| 04/01 – 04/07 | Charleston | USA | Clay | Bertens |
| 04/01 – 04/07 | Monterey | Mexico | Hard | Muguruza |
| 04/08 – 04/14 | Bogota | Colombia | Clay | Schmiedlova |
| 04/08 – 04/14 | Lugano | Switzerland | Clay | Mertens |
| 04/22 – 04/28 | Stuttgart | Germany | Clay | Pliskova Karolina |
| 04/22 – 04/28 | Istanbul | Turkey | Clay | Parmentier |
| 04/29 – 05/04 | Rabat | Morocco | Clay | Mertens |
| 04/29 – 05/04 | Prague | Czech Republic | Clay | Kvitova |
| 05/04 – 05/11 | Madrid | Spain | Clay | Kvitova |
| 05/13 – 05/19 | Rome | Italy | Clay | Svitolina |
| 05/19 – 05/25 | Nurnberg | Germany | Clay | Larsson |
| 05/19 – 05/25 | Strassbourg | France | Clay | Pavlyuchenko |
| 05/26 – 06/08 | Rolland Garros | Clay | Halep |
Full 2019 WTA Tournament schedule can be found here
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