Miami (AFP)

Deprived of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and hostess Serena Williams, the Miami tournament, first Masters 1000 and second WTA 1000 of the season, must be satisfied with Daniil Medvedev and Naomi Osaka as essential favorites .

It is difficult not to speak first of the absent ones, when they are distinguished.

The reasons given are different for everyone: Djokovic, winner a month ago of his 18th Grand Slam in Melbourne, wishes to devote himself to his family, Nadal heals his back with the clay season and a 14th coronation at Roland Garros online As for Federer, he wants to complete his return to the courts after a 13-month absence due to two knee operations.

The blow is hard for the organizers of the meeting in Florida, who hoped a little to regain its splendor, by being the first to gather the "Big 3" since the Australian Open 2020. A fortiori while the Masters 1000 d Indian Wells, usually scheduled just before, has been postponed to a later date as California has maintained its strict restrictions in the face of the persistent coronavirus pandemic.

The litany of forfeits has also continued with Dominic Thiem, who is going through a difficult pass, Stan Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios and, on the French side, Gaël Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

- Zverev on its way?

-

For some, like Benoît Paire - who will be very present on the French side with Ugo Humbert, Adrian Mannarino, Jérémy Chardy and perhaps Nicolas Mahut if he leaves qualifying - the other reason for these forfeits is the sharp drop in the total prize money for the tournament.

It is $ 6,687,570 (3,343,785 for each circuit, ATP and WTA), a decrease of 65.65% compared to last year, announced just before the cancellation of the event due to of Covid-19.

Under these conditions, three players who have been embodying the new guard for a few seasons now, without really shaking the glorious thirties already in the legend, stand out with the label of favorites: Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Medvedev (world No. 2) is even a little more than the others.

Finalist in Melbourne, beaten by Djokovic, he won, like the Serbian world No. 1, three of the last six Masters 1000, including the last at Paris-Bercy at the expense of Zverev.

The latter, 7th in the world, also has three victories in seven finals, which date back to 2017 and 2018, in tournaments in this category, and he has just gained confidence in Acapulco where he won the 14th title of his career. , beating Tsitsipas in the final.

The Greek (world No. 5) will be looking for a first Masters 1000 trophy after two finals lost, and what he shows at the start of the year, semi-finalist in Melbourne after overthrowing Nadal in the quarterfinals, gives him reasons to believe in his star.

- Double hit for Osaka?

-

Behind this trio, the Russian Andrey Rublev (world No. 8) does not hide his ambitions.

"I want to be as ready as possible in Miami, because there won't be Nadal, Djokovic, Federer or Thiem.

And in addition I have no point to defend ".

In the ladies' category, the ultra-favorite is world No. 2 Naomi Osaka.

Winner of the last two Majors, the US Open and the Australian Open, she has never reached the round of 16 in Miami, in four participations.

In her part of the table appear in particular the Czech Karolina Pliskova, the American Sofia Kenin or the Canadian Bianca Andreescu.

She will be able to make a double blow if she adds this tournament to her prize list, because she would then seize the first place in the world.

Her expected rival will be the one who occupies the chair at the top of the WTA rankings, Ashleigh Barty, who could cross paths with Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina and Romanian Simona Halep.

On the French side, four players are in the running.

Fiona Ferro is in the Osaka board party.

Alizé Cornet, Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia, who could find Halep in the second round, are placed in Barty's.

© 2021 AFP