I might look at a couple of matches tomorrow in Miami but, as long time readers know, we usually bypass R1 of tournaments in any case.  That doesn't mean that today is totally without interest as it sees the return of Simona Halep to tennis after 19 months out of the game, with her original 4 year ban (later extended to six!) from the game reduced and the "intentional" doping ruling overturned. She starts against Paula Badosa and, Australian Open champion and World #2 Aryna Sabalenka awaits the winner of the match. When Halep last played ( August 2022) she was ranked #7 in the world, Badosa #4, her opponent has fallen to #80 and the Romanian superstar comes back into the game via a wild card which I assume she will have no trouble getting at most tournaments. The three on offer this week went to Halep (32 yo), Venus Williams (43 yo!) and Caroline Wozniacki (33yo) all former world #1 ranked players and all in action today. I am not entirely sure why Venus is still playing, her current ranking is circa 500 and she is losing to players who would have been thrilled to be asked to carry her shoes in the past! Wozniacki returned last summer after three and a half years retired and after giving birth to two children, she is up to #129 after a run to the quarter finals in Indian Wells and looks capable of top 50 (at least) if she stays fit , committed and able to manage her rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Elsewhere in the draw are a whole host of Chinese players, they have six ranked in the top 64 (all playing this week) and they have been doing increasingly well at the big events. Two made the last 16 at the last US Open and Qinwen Zheng made the last 8 there, at Roland Garros last May and at this year's Australian Open when she reached the final. Yuan Yue made the last eight at Indian Wells, beating two top 12 ranked opponents, China has poured money into the sport and not just in Asia, with a tennis version of the Belt and Road Initiative , it is only a matter of time until they win another slam and the torch first lit by Li Na is handed on. The Chinese are coming!

 

Good luck!