Deborah Curtis-Seitchell

THE MUCH anticipated Indian Wells Masters, so highly rated by players -- it’s often referred to as the fifth Slam of the year -- is upon us.

However instead of starting with the proverbial bang and a top heavy lineup, it has started with a whimper; the very man dominating headlines in the build-up, over and above defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz, his compatriot GOAT, Rafael Nadal, announced yet another eleventh hour withdrawal apropos the Australian Open, Doha, etc.

If it isn’t enough, that we have had to watch former No 1, Andy Murray, endure the fringe benefits of a long overdue retirement, we now have to be subjected to the farce of Nadal’s so called second comeback: “It’s not an easy decision”( to withdraw from a big tournament - after the draw - for the umpteenth time), he told the press.

“It’s a tough one as a matter of fact, but I cannot lie to myself and lie to thousands of fans...” I would say he is doing precisely that, repeatedly slipping out the back door, saying he isn’t ready to compete at the highest level, instead of officially bowing out gracefully, like his greatest rival, Roger Federer.“

Nadal, who used a protected ranking to enter Indian Wells, was supposed to face off against big serve volleyer, Canadian, Milos Raonic, also past his prime in Round One and thereafter potentially 7th seed, Holger Rune, another aggressor regularity wielding the volley, the antidote to any entrenched baseliner.

Clearly they posed a threat and one wonders if the Spaniard’s indomitable will to win has been eclipsed by the fear of losing - to once upon a time lesser players....Certainly Murray seems better equipped to swallow unpalatable defeats and in terms of his ‘last dance in the desert’ - now that he has officially spelled it out - he at least produced a first round victory, be it against unseeded David Goffin, whom he has beaten eight times.

One man, genuinely sorry to see Nadal head for the hills, is top seed, Novak Djokovic, in the same half of the draw as the Spaniard and relishing the opportunity to butt heads with a fellow GOAT, or should I say shadow of a former GOAT. As it stands, the Serbian has an easier draw and the first seeded player, he should face, will be Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry, whom Djokovic dispatched with ease in the 3rd Round of the recent Australian Open. Meanwhile Australian Open champion, new No three and red hot favourite to lift this title, Jannik Sinner, doesn’t have an easy Draw.

He finds himself in the bottom half of it, together with World No two, Carlos Alcaraz, whom the Italian is due to confront in the Semis.

Sinner is also on a collision course with big serving teenager Ben Shelton in Round four. Shelton is one of four Americans in the Top 20 in this desert foray and whilst by no means a front runner, after a disappointing start to the season, he is expected to go deep on home soil.

Sinner, should he bypass Shelton, will then be confronted by either Andrey Rublev (still smarting from his Dubai default), despite having his ranking points and prize money returned, or Stefanos Tsitsipas, recently ejected from the Top 10, in the Quarters. In other words both these opponents will have a sore point to prove.

As for Alcaraz, the defending champion, the slower desert conditions are ideal for his flamboyant style of play and he is expected to have a relatively smooth run through to the Quarters. His first real test, will probably be 6th seed, Alexander Zverev, who lest we forget, conquered the Spaniard at the AO, in a Last eight thriller. Thus there is much at stake in this desert shoot out, reincarnating Hollywood’s “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”..

#australian-open

The good, bad and ugly as Nadal pulls the trigger

On this day in history, February 23