NO ONE would have enjoyed not being able to play out the ATP and WTA Tours since March. But there might have been a select few for whom the break came at the perfect time be it through injury or form.

Bianca Andreescu (CAN)

Still ranked at number six in the world, the Canadian 20-year-old is the one who has arguably benefited the most from the lockdown. Injured throughout 2020, Andreescu would not have been able to feature much in the hard court season, including trying to defend her title at Indian Wells. She would have dropped right down the rankings had the tournament gone ahead after she had announced she was unable to play, but instead it was cancelled and therefore she remains inside the top 10. Her last match was back at the WTA Finals in November last year, and she has had plenty of time now to get her body right for the recommencement of the Tour. But while the shutdown has benefited her, will it also hinder her if she does not want to risk playing at Flushing Meadows? As the reigning title holder she has the potential to drop right down by not competing, but is it worth the health risk?

Frances Tiafoe (USA)

Without a doubt one of the most out-of-form players on the ATP Tour in 2020 was the exciting up-and-comer Tiafoe. He reached 29 in the world last November and genuinely looked like a player who could crack into the Top 20 by this time, instead by March he languished way down in 81st. First round losses in Doha, Auckland and Melbourne Park hurt, and aside from a win over world number 70 and compatriot Tommy Paul, Tiafoe’s next highest scalp was 148th ranked Emilio Gomez. Not even making the semi-finals at Challenger events in Dallas and Newport Beach was disastrous for Tiafoe, who now has hopefully used the break to relax and come back with a different mindset.

Sloane Stephens (USA)

If there’s a prize for being out-of-form then Stephens takes the cake in 2020. She is a quality player, there is no questioning that. You do not win a Grand Slam title without having serious talent. But this year has been nothing short of a disaster for Stephens. She won one game – against the 497th ranked Emma Navarro – and even then, Navarro took her to three sets. Outside of that she lost to four players ranked outside the top 100, smashed by 270th ranked Renata Zarazua in straight sets. The best thing about the lockdown is Stephens can take a breather knowing she is still inside the top 50, reassess and get back to her top form when the Tour returns in the United States where she has traditionally played her best tennis.

Kei Nishikori (JPN)

Having not played since the US Open last year, Nishikori has become somewhat of a unicorn, with people wondering if he still existed on Tour. It is probably a fair statement considering the amount of times Nishikori was set to return, only for him to be swiftly pulled out at the last moment. Davis Cup was a perfect example, but instead he again missed. Now that several months have passed, it will be interesting to see when he returns because he is a quality player who has just had too many lingering injury issues of late.

Serena Williams (USA)

The multiple Grand Slam winner was not in poor form – she did win a title in New Zealand – but she did have the one poor match in the Australian Open. However the reason Williams makes it onto this list is because at her age – 38-years-old – you can never turn down a good break to rest and recuperate. Having the pressure of trying to equal a record 24 Grand Slams is never easy, but when you have returned to the Tour from giving birth and continue to get close but fall at the last hurdle, that pressure mounts. Now she has had the six months break since her Australian Open loss, Williams may have extended her career by six months, and she will be able to compete at the US Open to try and win her 24th major on home soil – and against a potentially weakened field as well.