Above video: ⬆️The Five Best Servers in Men's Tennis Right Now

Before the clay season begins in earnest we are taking a look back at some key statistical trends that occurred in the first three months of 2017.

1. Nadal’s return game

After putting up very solid return numbers on hardcourts in 2016, Rafael Nadal has slipped a bit in 2017. He won 41 percent of return games on hard courts last season, but so far in 2017 Nadal has won just 26 percent. Not sure if there’s any big meaning there, but it’s worth monitoring into the clay season. Nadal always puts up significantly better return numbers on clay – will that be the case again this year?

See chart below to track Nadal's return numbers (all stats percentages).



2. Kyrgios’ Serving Lights Out

Nick Kyrgios is the best server in tennis right now. And the improved numbers are probably more due to the fact that he’s better from the baseline, more fit and generally carrying a better attitude in 2017. He’s winning 93 percent of his service games, more than anybody else on tour. It will be interesting to see how he does on clay.



3. Novak’s Return Game is Off

Is there a reason that Novak Djokovic is only winning return games at a 26 percent clip this season. The Serb is thought of as the best returner in the history of tennis by many, but something is a bit off this year – so far. Maybe this number is a product of facing Kyrgios twice on hardcourts?



4. Andy Murray clay guru?

Novak Djokovic is the best clay player in tennis over the last few seasons, but Andy Murray isn’t far behind him. Check out how drastically the Scotsman has improved his clay results in the last two seasons. Will Murray be able to continue the trend in 2017, or will his elbow injury place a damper on his rise on dirt?



5. Thiem on Clay: Totally Different Animal

Dominic Thiem, like Rafael Nadal, is a beast on all surfaces. But like the Spaniard, Thiem is SO MUCH BETTER on clay at this point in his career. This is Thiem’s time to shine in 2017. Will he be able to keep improving or is he as good as he’ll even be on clay?