Roger Federer`s sensational loss by Thanassi Kokkinakis in Miami will allow Rafael Nadal to return officially to first place in the world rankings on April 2. The Spaniard returning to the tour after the injury will have exactly 100 points ahead of Federer on the update of the Masters rankings in Miami:8770 vs. 8670 for the Swiss. But just as Rafa will return to the top without actually having played, Roger can again move his big rival over the years from the first place without recording a minute during the red season. The Swiss has already announced that he misses the entire clay season as he did last year. Federer wants to be as fresh as possible for the grass season, but he can take advantage of the fact that Nadal has too many points to defend from red tournaments.
In order to be able to stay in the first place in the coming months, Raffa must create a real feat. Last year, King`s King was unstoppable on his favorite flooring and triumphed in two ATP Masters 1000 races (Monte Carlo and Madrid), in the Barcelona ATP 500 tournament according football betting odds and grabbed the 10th title of Roland Garros. In fact, he failed to reach the trophy in just one of five clay tournaments involving Masters in Rome, where he dropped out on the 1/4-finals. So from mid-April to June 10, when the French Open is over, the 31-year-old Spaniard will have the difficult task of defending 4680 (from 5500 possible) during the red season. Of course, Nadal has long proven himself to be capable of clay miracles, but indeed the challenge to him is serious.
The points Nadal has to defend during the season of red:4680
(1000 / Monte Carlo / + 500 / Barcelona / + 1000 / Madrid / + 180 / Rome / + 2000 / Roland Garros /)
The points that Federer has to defend during the season of red:0
The difference in points between the two after the end of the Miami Open:100