The clay-court season is here, which means the first quarter of tennis 2007 has concluded. Without further ado, our report card for the season so far and a look ahead.

MEN
HONOR ROLL

Roger Federer (surprise, surprise) leads the pack again, though two recent losses to the same player, Guillermo Canas, have given the world no. 1 a longer vacation than he might have liked after winning the Australian Open and a tournament in Dubai. The extra rest might pay off in the next two months as he tries to defeat Rafael Nadal on clay for the first time in his career and win his first French Open.

Federer may own the first major of the year, but on paper Novak Djokovic is the player of the season. The 19-year-old Serb has won more matches (25) than anyone on tour, won two titles (including his first Masters Series, in Miami), beaten Rafael Nadal, and is among the tour’s best in numerous statistical categories: 88% service games won, 35% return games won, 55% of overall points won, and 68% break points saved. Those are Federeresque numbers; Federer has outdone Djokovic in only one of those categories, overall points won (he’s at 56%). Djokovic’s game has no holes, and his mind doesn’t wander (see Baghdatis, Marcos, below). Barring injury he could become the no. 3 player in the world by the time the season ends.

Canas and twins Bob and Mike Bryan deserve top honors, too. After serving a 15-month suspension for drugs, Canas has won a title, reached the finals of a Masters event (he had to qualify for a spot in the draw) and defeated Federer twice. The Bryans won their second Australian Open, continue to dominate in Davis Cup, and have a record of 18–2.

PASSING

Forgive fans of Andy Roddick if they are unsure what to think of their man in 2007. He played well at the Australian Open until Federer embarrassed him in the semifinals. He’s reached three semifinals and a final but hasn’t won a title. His overall record, 22–5, is among the best in the world, but he has a losing record, 4–5, against opponents ranked no. 15 or better. Those numbers probably won’t improve on clay, so it could be several months before Roddick gives us some signs about the rest of the year. Helping the U.S. win its first Davis Cup since 1995 could be his ultimate achievement.

Andy Murray has had a solid season under new coach Brad Gilbert. In terms of strokes and strategies, the Scot is among the most mature 19-year-olds ever to play the game. His fitness and his attitude, however, are teenage through and through. Murray mopes too much and can’t reach the end of a tournament without looking as if he travels to and from his matches via ambulance.

Fernando Gonzalez and Tommy Haas have had impressive runs this year. Can they become consistent threats? Nadal, who recently looked strong on hard courts, puts his 62-match clay winning streak on the line this week in Monte Carlo.

FLUNKING

After a stellar 2006, Marcos Baghdatis has struggled mightily this season. The Cypriot is among the most skillful players on the tour, but his confidence often disappears. If he could improve his concentration, his results would be more like Djokovic’s. If David Nalbandian remains on his current course, history will remember his as one of the game’s great underachievers. Few men have squandered as much talent. James Blake’s record of 16–7 with five losses to guys outside the top 30 doesn’t cut it for a legitimate top 10 player.

WOMEN
HONOR ROLL

In this mostly disappointing season for women’s tennis, two players stand out: Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic (please restrain your anger at the second pick for a few sentences).

Williams is an obvious choice. She was out of shape and out of practice at the Australia Open and should not have won. She did. She took two months off before Miami, and endured a beating for nearly two sets against Justine Henin. She then saved two match points and won again. Can she win the French Open? Considering Henin’s skill on clay and Williams’ still suspect fitness, the logical answer is, “No.” The truth is, “Yes.”

Jankovic, who won the most important title of her career yesterday at the Family Circle Cup in South Carolina, makes the grade for her endurance and commitment to the sport. At a time when many top players skip important tournaments and escape criticism because the tennis season is “too long” and “too taxing,” Jankovic plays ball every week, and seems to love it (find me a player who smiles more during matches). She has played 36 times already this year: that’s more than Williams played from January 2006 to the present.

This is not to say that Jankovic’s future is as bright as that of her fellow Serb, Djokovic. She’s an incredible athlete, blessed with speed and agility. Yet, she often makes poor use of these gifts; if you are a football fan, imagine a wide receiver who wins every foot race but runs terrible routes. Jankovic hits too many awkward shots, and her second serve is a lollipop (her first one isn’t intimidating, either). That said, you have to love the effort.

PASSING

Hats off to Henin for dealing with the end of her marriage and still playing well enough to regain the no. 1 ranking. She’ll chase her fourth French Open title in June; she has won the last two. Venus Williams, back from a recurring wrist injury, still covers the court better than anyone. She also double faults more than anyone (except Elena Dementieva) and makes too many errors. She has never won the French Open, though her game could work well on clay if she played with a little more patience and spin and a little less power. Shahar Peer and Anna Chakvetadze are two more women who don’t mind hard work. Peer is 20–7 this year, Chakvetadze 20-5.

FLUNKING

Where to begin? Kim Clijsters should have retired before this season, since she will miss two, if not three, of the four majors because of her wedding and honeymoon. Maria Sharapova used to have one of the best serves in tennis (recall last year’s U.S. Open final). Suddenly it’s gone and so is her no. 1 ranking. After losing to Agnieszka Radwanska in Miami, Martina Hingis might have thought that early retirement wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Nicole Vaidisova may be the woman of the future, but she continues to struggle with the present. She turns 18 next week and has yet to win a premiere event.

tperrotta@nysun.com