It's Back! 2013 Tennis Season

It's been almost six weeks since the tennis season ended but we don't have to wait any longer to see the stars of the game return to the competitive scene. The ATP and WTA Tours both return to action this weekend and not a moment to soon. Last season had everything. We seen some old rivalries renewed and new rivalries developed. We saw history at all the Grand Slams including first time winners, Andy Murray (US Open) and Victoria Azarenka (Australian Open) as well as a career Grand Slam in Paris for Maria Sharapova. The veterans Roger Federer and Serena Williams showed us they still have what it takes by winning their respective singles events at Wimbledon. The standard of tennis last year was sublime, so what can we expect to see in 2013? Will the big names dominate the Grand Slams again? Or will we see somebody new make the break through? Starting with the men's tour let's look at who we should be looking out for and who might struggle.

          When previewing the season the first place to start is with the big four. Last year, they shared the four Grand Slams between them. Novak Djokovic started the year in style beating Rafa Nadal in one of the greatest match in history in the Australian Open final. The same two met again in Paris but this time Nadal came out on top in another thrilling final. Roger Federer regained the number one ranking when he beat Andy Murray at Wimbledon, before Murray won his maiden Grand Slam in New York, adding to his Olympic gold medal. I'm not sure how to assess Federer ahead of this year. He played brilliantly in London at the World Finals and he looks to have had a good off season. Normally at his age we'd start saying his career will be in decline but I think he still has another Grand Slam in him. Wimbledon is the most likely place for him at this stage because he doesn't lose as much energy throughout the fortnight and he can control the tempo with serve and forehand. 

           Novak Djokovic was in three Grand Slam finals in 2011 and won the three of them but last year he was in three and only won one. After the French Open he seemed to lose his way and really struggled through the grass court season. At the US Open he was sensational but he let the conditions get to him and that cost him the title. From then on though, he was back to his best. He dominated the final few weeks of the year and I think he is going to have another cracking year. The way he dismantled Ferrer at the exhibition event in Abu Dhabi was scary and I think he could be about to bring his game to the next level. The French Open is the only Grand Slam to evade him but if he continues in the form he showed in the past few months and the last few days then he might not have much longer to wait, this could be his year.

            Andy Murray had a breakthrough year last year and he will be looking to add to it now that he has had the taste of Grand Slam glory. Having watched over the US Open it was impressive how he won it. Djokovic was by far the more in form player and even in the semi final Tomas Berdych he wasn't the best player. The reason he came out on top was his mentality. The conditions were a nightmare as the wind made it impossible to find rhythm but Murray was the one who was able to adapt to it and that's not something anyone would have seen coming. Ivan Lendl has improved Murray's mindset to the point where he doesn't get distracted on court anymore and that's the reason he won the title. He is still a level below Djokovic and Federer in terms of his game but with the monkey off his back he might relax and find himself competing for the title more consistently with the big three. I think the US Open is his best chance of winning a slam this year but it will require another step up in class if he is to do it.   

            Rafa Nadal hasn't played since a shock loss to Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon and isn't going to be playing for a few more weeks when he is scheduled to play in Acapulco. He is a huge loss to the tour and it remains to be seen how will adapt to such a long absence from the court. Some say he won't ever reach the same standards again but personally, I think he will come back as strong as ever. He has always recovered well from injuries and I think the fact that he hasn't rushed back will prolong his career. He will be playing in South America on clay and that will help him find a rhythm early on in his comeback. By the time the French Open comes around I think he will be back at the top again and I still see him winning the title in Paris. He is the greatest clay court player ever and only Djokovic at his best can even compete with him. He could find himself returning to fitness and form by the time Wimbledon comes around which might see him in top form coming into the Summer and Autumn for what is probably the first time in his career. He will win a Grand Slam this year, I guarantee it.

           There are a few players banging on the door of the top four now and I wouldn't be surprised to see someone outside of the main four win Masters 1000 events and compete for Grand Slams. Tomas Berdych is one I think can really compete this year. He has shown signs of brilliance in the past year or two and I think he is right there on the edge of the top four now but he needs to step up and hit his way through. I think he could be a main contender at the Australian Open and the US Open and have an outside chance at Wimbledon. 

            David Ferrer was the best player of last year, for me, and I think that he can now focus fully on the Grand Slams this year having won his first Masters 1000. A major is the only thing eluding him in his career and this year must be his best chance of winning one. The French Open is obviously his best chance because he is probably in the top four on clay, ahead of Murray, but it's constantly the brick wall that is Nadal who stops him. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is at the stage now where I think he might struggle. He hasn't taken any of his chances in Grand Slams and he doesn't seem to have the belief to beat the best when it matters. 

          Juan Martin Del Potro is now at the point where we can no longer say he is getting back to his best. He has to either make the step up this year or he will end up being stuck just behind the top five for the remainder of his career. He was outstanding in the final few weeks of the year and I think that leaves him in a great position for this year. Let's not forget he had Roger Federer beaten until injury at the French Open and he lost an epic at the Olympics to the same man before Djokovic beat him in New York. He was there in three major events last year but just couldn't get it done. I think he could be the man to break the top four this year. Watch out for him at all four majors. 

            Two men I'm really looking forward to seeing this year are John Isner and Milos Raonic. They both have huge games and have really impressed in ATP 500 events and in early rounds of Masters events and Grand Slams but they really disappointed when it mattered last year. Isner looked sensational beating Federer and Djokovic early in the year but then it seemed like an age before we saw him in the latter stages of any event again. I think he needs to believe in himself more and trust his ability. He showed signs of psychological improvement at the Olympics and the US Open so I am hopeful he can make a good charge at some big events this year. Raonic may not have hit the headlines last year but he did steadily improve his ranking again and he will find himself being seeded higher and higher throughout this year. He has the game to beat anybody and I mean anybody. He had a great chance to make a name for himself against Murray in New York but he never turned up. If he believes in himself more then there is no limits to how far he can go this year, watch this space.

          In terms of players ranked much lower who might be capable of going higher I am looking forward to seeing Jerzy Janowicz. He came out of nowhere in Paris at the end of last year to reach the final and if he plays even at half the level he was at that week he could see his ranking go very high. His serve and his forehand that week were out of this world and bordering on unstoppable. I'm not going to get carried away on one tournament but let's see what happens in the coming months. Grigor Dimitrov played well last year and I have a hunch he could be about to move a step ahead of those outside the top ten. Nicolas Almagro played well in Abu Dhabi and he might be a danger at times this year, as could Janko Tipsarevic who just destroyed Andy Murray a few days ago. Tommy Haas had a great comeback year last year and might fancy a run in a few Grand Slams this year as he comes to the end of his career. David Goffin and Martin Klizan both had good years last year and are worth a watch this year.

          In the women's game I think this year will belong to Victoria Azarenka. She is the real deal for me and  when she is playing at her own pace she is almost unbeatable. Her biggest challenge will be beating Serena Williams at a major. She should have done it in New York but fell just short. I think it's in her hands and I expect her to win at least one more major this year. Williams will have to prove yet again that she is still the queen of the court and I'm not sure how to predict her season. She struggled at the start of last season and if she does again then I don't think she can recover as she did last year. If she starts off well then she could win another major or two. Her battles with Vika could be huge this year. Maria Sharapova is capable of disrupting Williams and Azarenka but I'm not sure she believes she can anymore. She has suffered some bad beatings at the hands of those two in the last six month of last year. She could catch form throughout the year but I still think her serve leaves her down and could be the reason she isn't successful this year. 

           Angelique Kerber is a real danger for everyone this year. She didn't win big last year but she made great improvements in her game and I think she is capable of winning majors. I like her game, it's powerful and it's confident. Her ball striking is something that Agnieszka Radwanska desperately needs. She has the consistency but she needs the power and aggression if she's going to make it a step further. Petra Kvitova is somebody who needs to develop consistency or she won't win a major again. Her serve is a major weapon and something that she can build behind but it needs to be consistent. Na Li, Sam Stosur and Sara Errani are inside the top ten but they need to be able to play their game at a higher level. Li was poor last year and I fear for her if she doesn't start the year well. Stosur has a great serve and solid ground strokes but she was shocking in Australia last year and never really recovered. She could have a big year but she could struggle too, I really can't tell. Errani is a consistent player who works incredibly hard. She is the female version of David Ferrer. It's incredible how far she has come. I think she could go one of two ways this year. She might take another step forward or she could really struggle to repeat what she done last year. 

          I really think Caroline Wozniacki is due a big year. She has to win a major. It would be criminal if she never won one. She deserves it but she needs to focus on her tennis rather than off court relations. I think she is going to be good this year after a strong finish to last year and I'm looking forward to seeing her. Laura Robson made great strides at the US Open last year but I'm not sure this year will be as big as some think. She is still developing and I think she is definitely a future Grand Slam winner but for now she just needs to improve her mentality and keep progressing. Ana Ivanovic had a strong year last year and is capable of producing massive wins this year. Jelena Jankovic is playing much better now and she might be able to make a run at some big tournaments. Christina McHale and Anastasia Pavyluchenkova are two young players I fancy to be in the top twenty very soon. They both possess the game for it but now just need to execute it on the big stage. Sloane Stephens is another who is close to making a massive breakthrough and is one to watch this year. Outside of them I think it is worth watching Camila Giorgi, Arantxa Rus, Heather Watson and Petra Martic this year but the one to watch is definitely Sabine Lisicki who has the power to beat anybody.

Grand Slam Predictions:

Australian Open:         Novak Djokovic                    Victoria Azarenka

French Open:              Rafa Nadal                            Angelique Kerber

Wimbledon:                Novak Djokovic                     Serena Williams

US Open:                  Juan Martin Del Potro              Victoria Azarenka

       

       

          

ATP World Tour- Most Improved and Comeback Player

A few weeks back I decided that the best way to keep this blog going during the off season was to have my own year end awards and so I came up with a list of categories. Among those were the titles of 'Most Improved' and 'Comeback Player of the Year'. In the past few days I've been going through all the possible contenders for both titles. In the end I came up with the same player for both awards and so this post is dedicated both titles to that man.

          In 2011 this man only managed to win 7 matches and he had only one win against a top thirty player (World number 29, Juan Ignacio Chela) and his career seemed to be in decline. In fact, when he played his final game of the year, in October 2011, his ranking was a lowly 273. In 2012 he would go on to have one of his finest years on the tour and as we sit here, reviewing the season, he currently sits at number 21 in the rankings. My 2012 Most Improved Player and the Comeback Player of the Year is, of course, 34 year old Tommy Haas. 

          Tommy Haas broke on to the tour in 1996 and he wasn't long about making a name for himself. In 1998 he beat André Agassi at Wimbledon and went unbeaten (4-0) in Davis Cup action and led Germany to the World Team Championships with yet another unblemished record (4-0). In 1999 he won his first tour level title in Memphis. He won silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, an event he considered not travelling to. In 2001, he won four ATP titles and won 57 matches which is still a career best for one year. In 2002 he became the world number 2 despite playing most of the year with a shoulder injury. He missed six weeks of the tour when his parents were involved in a car accident and he took time off to look after them. 

          Since then he has struggled to put a full season together due to injury. Before his injuries Haas was on the rise and was destined for great things. He was almost sure to have become the number one player in the world and it is my belief that he would have won multiple Grand Slams. The injuries he has sustained in his career would have retired any other man. In December 1995 he broke his right ankle which required surgery and in December 1996 he needed surgery on a broken left ankle. He won his Olympic silver medal while suffering from a bulging disc in his back. He missed the entire 2003 season due to surgery on his right rotator cuff and in the same year he also had arthroscopic surgery on the same shoulder. In 2007 he had to have more shoulder surgery and also suffered from a sinus infection. 

         In 2009 we saw a resurgence from the German and he beat Novak Djokovic twice during the grass court season and almost beat Roger Federer at the French Open. He even won his first grass court title in Halle but didn't manage much play after the US Open due to more injuries. 2010 was supposed to be a year to build on his success but he had to undergo season ending hip surgery in February 2010. In March of that year he also had to have right elbow surgery. After a disappointing return in 2011 where he failed to make any impression on the tour many expected Haas to retire. What came next was nothing short of incredible.

          This season Haas managed to play relatively injury free and despite his age he showed us why he is still one of the best talents in the sport. He put up a strong showing against Nadal in Melbourne but found the Spaniard in imperious form. His season didn't really get going until late April when he returned to Germany to play in Munich on clay. It was here his season really started. He beat world number 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Marcos Baghdatis before falling to Marin Cilic in the semi finals. He was disappointed not to receive a wild card for the French Open but put that behind him to qualify and reach the third round before falling to Richard Gasquet. In June, we saw the very best of Tommy. He returned to Germany for the grass court event in Halle. He beat Bernard Tomic and Marcel Granollers before getting a win over world number 7 Tomas Berdych. In the semi finals he beat Philip Kohlschreiber before giving an exhibition of tennis to defeat Roger Federer in the final. From start to finish he dominated the Swiss maestro to win his 13th tour title. To put that win into context the same Roger Federer went on to win another Wimbledon title three weeks later.

          A disappointing loss at Wimbledon to Kohslchreiber in five sets was quickly put behind him as he reached the final in Hamburg. In a close battle with Juan Monaco he couldn't quite get it done as the Argentine beat him 7-5 6-4. Despite losing the final Haas had scored some huge wins that week over Marin Cilic and Gilles Simon. Impressively, he went reached the final in Washington a few weeks later before losing to Aleksandr Dolgopolov. This meant that in the space of 6 weeks he went from grass courts to clay courts to hard courts reaching the final in a tournament on all three surfaces. In Canada, he beat David Nalbandian, Simon and Radek Stepanek before falling to Novak Djokovic. Djokovic had to be at his best to finally beat the German and praised the attacking game Haas brought to the court. In Cincinnati, Haas again beat Nalbandian before Juan Martin Del Potro had too much power for him. His Summer ended with a disappointing loss at the US Open to Ernests Gulbis.

          Haas beat Nicolas Almagro, Tommy Robredo and the crushed world number 9 Janko Tipsarevic before falling to Djokovic in the quarter finals. When Haas beat Jesse Levine in Vienna he earned his 500th career win on the tour. This achievement is an incredible statistic for a man who spent much of his career on the sidelines or playing through pain. Haas didn't take part in any other event this season after the death of his father in law. The ATP officially recognised Haas as their comeback player of the year which showed how highly his fellow players regard him. 

          Tommy Haas has shown this year that anything can be achieved if you put in the effort and believe in yourself. I think this year has shown that Haas has as much talent as anybody else on the tour. If he stayed healthy throughout his career then I think he would have been a major disruption to Roger Federer's record breaking Grand Slam haul. Haas plays with freedom and takes the game to his opponent. There is no better sight in the game than Haas stepping on to the baseline and firing backhands. Haas has already committed to playing next year and the question must be asked: Is there a limit to how far he can go? He has already jumped from 273 in the world to 21 and that's including his disappointing results in Grand Slams. The Australian Open is the event he has had most success in and he 2013 edition will be his 50th appearance at a major. If Haas can produce the same game that saw him beat top 30 players consistently.

          The fact that Haas even played the tour this year was an achievement giving his injury history but to have the success he had was something nobody would have expected. Tommy stated earlier this year that given his injuries he hasn't gone through the wear and tear that most players his age have gone through and he feels that will allow him play longer. I see Haas having even more success next year and as a fan of the German it gives me great pleasure to announce Tommy Haas as My ATP Most Improved Player and the Comeback Player of the Year. 

ATP World Tour- Match of the Year

When I sat down to choose a match of the year I went through the entire year and picked out the best matches and watched them all again. There were some incredible matches as the standard of play on the tour continues to increase every year. We started the year enthralled with the rivalry between Nadal and Djokovic which fascinated us in Melbourne and Paris. We then moved on to the Murray and Federer saga which spread across the grass court season before we finished with Djokovic and Murray fighting each other for the top spot. These four players so often produce their best tennis against each other and that's why when we look at the best matches of the year we see these players involved in the majority. 

          Before announcing which match I chose I'll go through which matches were up for consideration but didn't quite make the top spot. In Melbourne this year Andy Murray came so close to ending the run of Nadal and Djokovic Grand Slam finals when he was on the brink of beating Djokovic in the semi finals of the Australian Open. Murray had three break points at 5-5 in the fifth set, after battling back from 5-2 down, but he couldn't convert any of them and Djokovic took full advantage. After four hours and fifty minutes of gruelling play it was the Serb who advanced to the final. These two were involved in one other match I considered. Their meeting in Shanghai was the turning point for Djokovic in my opinion. He was starting to lose the close matches to the top players but in this meeting he just looked like the Djokovic we had come to love last year. He faced five match points points but like the true champion he is he fought back and took the match 6-3 in the third.

          Many people may be surprised I considered this match but anybody who sat down and watched Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic playing in the French Open final would know why I've chosen it. It may only have been four sets and it may not have been the close match everybody expected but it was a thrilling encounter from start to finish. The rallies were fascinating to watch as Djokovic threw everything at the Spaniard but to no success. Nadal was a man on a mission and let no point go as he finally set the record straight against Djokovic at a Grand Slam. 

          The ATP World Finals was very competitive this year but one match stood out above them all. The final between Djokovic and Federer was the perfect way for the season to end as the two men gave an exhibition of tennis. There were no signs of fatigue from either man and no lack of motivation as they produced their best tennis on the big occasion yet again. Federer, fresh from a convincing win over Murray the night before, gave it his all but found no way to beat Djokovic who was in ominous form throughout. Djokovic prevailed 7-6 7-5 and I think the win was a warning sent to all the tour that he is back to his best.

          Juan Martin Del Potro was close to his best in London at the Tour Finals when he beat Federer indoor for the second time in one year but it was another meeting in London that I considered for match of the year. At the Olympic Games both men were involved in the longest three set match in history as Del Potro desperately tried to leave his mark on the tour's biggest stage again. It wasn't to be this time out though as Federer got the better of him 19-17 in the third set. The final match I considered contained none of the top four players. At the US Open David Ferrer and Janko Tipsarevic played out a thrilling match and in my mind the best match of this year's US Open. Tipsarevic was at his best and hit some extraordinary shots but could find no way through the relentless Ferrer who chased down everything and seemed to never tire. They were playing for four and half hours and treated the fans who chose to watch their match instead of seeing Djokovic, Murray or Federer.

          This brings me to the match of the year. Right from the moment I selected my shortlist this match was always number one. It wasn't hard to separate from the rest and to be completely honest I consider this to be one of the greatest matches of all time, possibly greater than the famous Federer-Nadal Wimbledon final. On Sunday January 29th 2012, tennis fans waking up to see the Australian Open final were treated to so much more than they expected. Nadal and Djokovic had developed an incredible rivalry in 2011 and it seemed Nadal could no longer get close to the Serb. This match changed everything. The momentum swayed back and forth throughout the first set as both men came out firing from the start. After two sets they were locked at one set each, Nadal taking the first 7-5 before Djokovic hit back 6-4. The third set went the way of Djokovic, on a 6-2 scoreline and so often in the fourth set he looked to be on the verge of victory. The fourth set tie break was dramatic as Nadal hit back from 5-2 down to win 7-5 and send it into a decider.

          The fifth set was possibly the best set of tennis the game has ever seen. Both men played with intensity and showed tremendous desire even after five hours of play. The rallies were getting longer as neither player was willing to concede an inch to their opponent. Nadal got a decisive break to go 4-2 up and had break point to make it 5-2 but couldn't convert. In the next game Nadal missed an easy backhand down the line at 30-15 to allow Djokovic into his service game and the Serb broke back. After five hours and fifty three minutes, Djokovic broke Nadal one more time to win his third Australian Open title. It was without doubt the best match either man had ever played. We knew it would be enthralling, we knew they would entertain but as we all got up early to watch them do battle nobody could have foreseen the classic match we got. They went on to face each other three times on the clay with Nadal winning all three meetings but Nadal's injury stalled their rivalry. I think that these two players are the best rivalry in the men's game and without Nadal Djokovic lost some of the intensity and desire he shows when the Spaniard is on the other side of the court. With Nadal coming back in 2013 it won't be long before we get to see these two giants of the game battling each other on a tennis court again. For now, we are left with the memory of their epic battle in Melbourne which has been chosen as my ATP World Tour Match of the Year.

My ATP Player of the Year

After much consideration I've finally concluded who I think is the ATP Player of the Year. There were a lot of players to consider after a very exciting year on the tour. This year was difficult to pick because different players dominated different parts of the year. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal dominated the first six months of the year with some unbelievable tennis in Melbourne and Paris especially, but then injury took it's toll on Nadal and Djokovic couldn't sustain his form. Roger Federer took control of the early part of the Summer with victory at Wimbledon but then Andy Murray dominated the remainder of the Summer with an Olympic title and a first major at the US Open. Then Djokovic seemed to take over again in the final weeks of the season so the top four all had great claims to be Player of the Year but I went for someone outside the top four. Given his age, this man should be starting to decline in his career but it's been the complete opposite. This year was his best on tour by far and shows how hard work and the proper lifestyle can allow players to play at the highest level for years.
          Spaniard David Ferrer won an incredible 76 matches on the tour this year which was the best of any player this year. On top of that he won a tour best seven titles including his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Paris. In Grand Slams he reached two quarter finals and two semi finals which again shows he can compete with the best. Ferrer doesn't have the weapons that the top four have which means he has to compensate in other areas of the game. He works harder than anybody else and puts in more hours off the court than the rest of the tour. On the court he wears down opponents with his high intensity levels. His heavy topspin ground strokes take their toll on opponents and his willingness to chase down every ball make him the ultimate nightmare for every player.
          Ferrer started his year in Australia where he won the title in Auckland defeating Olivier Rochus in the final. That put him in good form heading into the Australian Open where he reached the quarter finals with a win over Richard Gasquet before he fell to Novak Djokovic. He didn't dwell on that loss though, and just two weeks later he went on to win his second title of the year in Buenos Aires on the clay where he beat Fernando Gonzalez, David Nalbandian and Nicolas Almagro in successive matches. His third title wasn't far away either as he won the title in Acapulco the week after defeating Fernando Verdasco in the final. This event was again on clay and outside of the top three (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic) Ferrer could consider himself a favourite against any player on the tour.
          His hard court campaign didn't get off to the best start as he lost in Indian Wells to Denis Istomin but in Miami he got back on track reaching the quarter finals with three good wins before Djokovic again stopped his progress. Austria came to Spain for a Davis Cup match Ferrer proved a formidable opponent as he won both singles rubbers to help his side progress to the semi finals. The week after the tour moved on to Monte Carlo where illness caused Ferrer to suffer a shock first round defeat to Thomaz Bellucci but once again it wasn't long before he was back to his usual self. Ferrer reached the final in Barcelona only for Rafael Nadal to stand in his way. I remember watching that final and Ferrer was playing some of the best tennis I had ever seen him play but Nadal was just sublime and was more dominant on the big points.
          The surface in Madrid caused bother for many of the top players and although Ferrer reached the quarter finals he never looked comfortable and lost to Federer. Ferrer beat three top twenty players in Rome before once again falling to Nadal, who has for years stopped Ferrer winning more titles on the clay. In the first four rounds of the French Open Ferrer was imperious. He barely lost games never mind sets. Andy Murray was a tougher task but one he dominantly overcame in four sets. However, once again he ran into Nadal and watching the form Nadal was in it's safe to say nobody would have beaten him. The week after playing on the clay Ferrer moved on to the grass courts in s-Hertogenbosch and won the title, making it four for the year. Wimbledon isn't his favourite Grand Slam but he did reach the quarter finals before Murray got revenge for their encounter in Paris.
         Ferrer, once again, showed his ability to change surfaces at will when he went back on to the clay to win the title in Bastad where he crushed Nicolas Almagro in the final. The Olympics didn't go to plan for the Spaniard as he fell to Kei Nishikori in the third round. It wasn't a strong start to his American hard court campaign either as Stanislas Wawrinka beat him comfortably in Cincinnati but he returned to form at the US Open where he beat players such as Anderson, Hewitt and Gasquet to reach yet another quarter final. In that quarter final he was involved in one of the matches of the year with Janko Tipsarevic. Tipsarevic played out of his skin but just couldn't get rid of Ferrer and the Spaniard won it 7-6 in the fifth. In the semi finals he was in complete control against Djokovic winning the first set 6-2 before play was suspended and the Serb came back firing the next day to win in four.
         He again played for Spain in Davis Cup when they entertained the USA and like a true leader he won both singles rubbers to guide them to another final. In Kuala Lumpur he was beaten in the semi finals by Julien Benneteau and lost early in Beijing to Yen-Hsun Lu in a rare run of bad form. That didn't last long though as he won the title in Valencia beating Dolgopolov in the final. He dedicated the win to his long time friend and compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero who retired that week. His form continued into the final Masters 1000 event of the year as he finally won his first Master event beating giant-killer Jerzy Janowicz in the final. In the World Tour Finals he beat Juan Martin Del Potro and Janko Tipsarevic but Federer was his downfall and he failed to qualify from the group.
          His year finished in Prague where he was representing his country in the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic. A win over Radek Stepanek put them in control but two losses on the trot by his team mates put them on the brink of losing.Ferrer gave them hope with a comfortable win over Thomas Berdych. It would have been the perfect ending to his year but Stepanek beat Almagro in the final rubber to give Czech Republic victory. Despite the loss Ferrer finished the year with a 100% Davis Cup record.
          It was an incredible year for Ferrer where he won a title on every surface. He won three clay court titles, two hard court titles and a single title on both grass and indoor. He won 83% of matches played this year including 80% of his Grand Slam matches. Of his 15 losses, nine of them came against top four players and outside of those he didn't lose to any top ten player. Ferrer is established as the fifth bets player in the world and although he might lack the firepower to challenge the top four in Grand Slams he is a step ahead of the chasing pack. If he produces the same performances next year who knows how far he can go. Can he win the elusive Grand Slam? Can he become the Spanish number one? Is the more Masters 1000 titles on the way? I don't think anybody in tennis would begrudge him any of that success.
          Since I started this blog at the start of this year I've watched every week of tennis and followed all the players and it gives me great pleasure to say that David Ferrer is my ATP Player of the Year.

Paris Masters- Day 3 Round-Up

The second day of the 2012 Paris Masters 1000 event has provided some entertaining tennis and as per usual plenty of upsets in the final event of the regular season. Fatigue is clearly playing a big part of some players performances and for many their minds look already on the two months break after this week. So let's have a quick look at some of today's action.
          Starting with a shock win for Sam Querrey on centre court against Novak Djokovic. The Serbian entertained the crowd when he appeared on court in a darth vader mask and he continued to provide entertainment for the first set as he swept Querrey aside 6-0. From then on though, it was all about the American. Querrey began serving a much higher percentage and took the second set on a tie break and held his nerve to win the decider 6-4. It's a huge result for Querrey and will give him confidence heading into the rest of the week and next season. For Djokovic, he wasn't his best for the majority of the game and clearly had one eye on next week.
          John Isner's hopes of making the World Finals in London came to a disappointing end as he went down 6-4 7-6 to Michael Llodra today. Isner never looked comfortable on court as Llodra produced some of his best tennis in front of his home fans to book his place in round three. Isner couldn't get to grips with Llodra's game and unusually he never looked assured on his own serve. He will regret his poor serving in the second set tie break when he led 5-2 with two serves to come but couldn't close it out. Llodra will be looking forward to another big meeting with Juan Martin Del Potro in the next round. Del Potro came through a potentially tricky match with Alejandro Falla with ease to extend his winning run to twelve matches.
           The home crowd were left disappointed when Frenchman Richard Gasquet tamely exited the competition as he went down 6-1 in the third set to Kevin Anderson. Gasquet had struggled to make a break through on Anderson's serve and lost the first set in a tie break but produced some flashy shots to take control of the second and level the match up at a set all. Anderson then took over in the deciding set and was always in control. The loss ends Gasquet's chances of making the event on London next week. The disappointment didn't last long for French fans though as Gilles Simon produced another assured performance to beat Victor Hanescu in straight sets.
          David Ferrer is already qualified for London but that didn't distract him today as he beat compatriot Marcel Granollers in two quick sets. Ferrer was always in control and looks to be hitting top form heading into the year end championships. The battle to join Ferrer in London heated up today as both Nicolas Almagro and Juan Monaco kept the pressure on 8th place Janko Tipsarevic with wins. Almagro was forced to work hard to beat fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos in three sets. Almagro was steady throughout and was able to step it up in the third set to progress to the next round. Monaco had a great win over up and coming Grigor Dimitrov to keep his hopes alive. Monaco won a tight tie break in the first set and he gained in confidence from there on in, taking the second 6-2. Tipsarevic continues to add on points to his total as he beat Igor Sijsling in two tie sets to advance to round three.  
            Tomorrow sees an exciting line up of matches and the drama of the race to London is sure to take more twists and turns as players get desperate for more points. Check back with me later this evening for  preview of tomorrow's action.
         

Race To London Contenders

This week the ATP Tour reaches its conclusion with the ATP Masters 100 event in Paris being the final event of the regular season. For most players this will be their final event before they take a well earned break, but for some this week provides a chance to extend their season if they can reach the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Seven players have already qualified but after Rafael Nadal's withdrawal we now have two spots left to fight for this week in Paris. Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych and Juan Martin Del Potro have guaranteed their spots in London but all but one of them (Roger Federer) are competing here in Paris. So let's have a look at who the contenders to make the finals are.
           In the seventh qualifying spot is Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga has been a regular at the year end championships and would be very disappointed to miss out. Working out the math of the situation it would require him losing in his first or second round and Richard Gasquet or Nicolas Almagro would have to win the tournament so I think Tsonga can be fairly certain of his place in London. He would meet Nicolas Almagro in the round of sixteen this week and that match would give Tsonga the chance to officially book his spot for next week. It might be still in the balance up until Thursday or Friday but Tsonga will be in London next week.
          Janko Tipsarevic is currently in the final qualifying spot but he still has work to do to guarantee his qualification. He sits 300 points above Gasquet which means Gasquet needs a semi final spot at least to make it. If Tipsarevic reaches the quarter finals then it would require Gasquet, Almagro, Juan Monaco, Milos Raonic, John Isner or Marin Cilic winning the tournament to prevent him from making the finals next week. Whether he makes it or not is certainly not going to be known until Friday or Saturday at the earliest and if I was Tipsarevic, I would try my best to make sure I beat Murray in the quarter finals and take matters into my own hands. If he doesn't then I'm not sure he will make it.
          Next in line is French man Richard Gasquet. Gasquet is struggling with a slight knee injury which could harm his chances of putting on a real performance this week. He is 300 points behind Tipsarevic so he needs at least a semi final appearance which would give him 360 points. Winning the tournament will put him through no matter what Tipsarevic does so it is still in his hands. Unfortunately, I don't see him winning the event. He's got Kevin Anderson in his first match and could then play Tomas Berdych. I think Berdych could win the title here this week so I don't see Gasquet putting a run together. It's been an improved and more consistent year for Gasquet but for this year at least it won't be good enough.
          Nicolas Almagro is 400 points behind Tipsarevic so he needs to reach the finals to have a chance. In his way of making the finals is fellow contender Tsonga. If he beat Tsonga he could face Ferrer who he has never beaten in twelve meetings so things aren't looking good for Nico. Of course being in the semi finals he would still have to beat either Del Potro or Djokovic so for Almagro, the odds are heavily stacked against him. I don't think he has been at his best for most of this season but he can look ahead with confidence to 2013 because his season is certainly going to end here this week.
          After Gasquet and Almagro we have four more players with mathematical chances of progress but it would require winning the title for them to do so. Winning a Masters 1000 event isn't easy but here in Paris it is possible to get a win over top ten players who will have one eye on London next week. Juan Monaco is one who has a chance but it looks as though a poor run of form since the US Open will cost him his place. He was in prime position not long ago but has failed to hit the heights of his game, heights which saw him break the top ten this Summer. I don't like his draw this week with a match with Grigor Dimitrov in the opening round being a nightmare match and Tipsarevic in his next. If he plays at his best then I think he might get a few wins but certainly not enough to qualify. Marin Cilic is the last in line to qualify and I really don't see him putting any kind of case forward this week. But before Cilic are two men who have the potential to cause some upsets and make the finals.
          Milos Raonic and John Isner have both had solid seasons but, as a huge fan of both, I think they should have had a lot more success. Both of them are prone to very disappointing losses, for example Raonic lost to Querrey at Wimbledon and Isner lost to Falla. Raonic needs to take the next step up in the game soon. He needs a deep run in a Masters 1000 event or a Grand Slam and beat some top players along the way. He has had eight wins over top ten players this year but has also lost to ten players outside the top thirty. That's far too inconsistent. He definitely has the game and I see him being a Grand Slam winner and future top ten player. This week is huge for him. He could meet Djokovic in round three and although it is a daunting task it's one he should be relishing. Then he would meet Isner or Del Potro and from there he could have a chance at the title. It's hard to see him winning those matches but sooner or later he is going to make the breakthrough and I have a feeling it might be sooner. He has an outside chance of reaching London.
          For Isner he needs to improve his return game. He wins just 11% of return games and if he could bring that up to 20% then he would see huge improvements in his game. He has the game to win majors but doesn't produce it on the big stage enough. His majors this year have been ended by Feliciano Lopez, Paul Henri Mathieu, Alejandro Falla and Philipp Kohlschreiber, all in five sets. No disrespect to those players but Isner is a much better player than all four. He has shown glimpses of his ability this season and next year I am optimistic that he can be a big time player. He beat Federer and Djokovic in the first three months of the season so we know he has the game. This week is a great chance for him. Del Potro has played two weeks straight in finals so he can't be fresh and Djokovic will have one eye on London. If Isner brings his best game to Paris then he could reach a final or even win the title. I think either he, or Raonic will go deep this week and one of them might end up in London, either automatically or as an alternate.
          In terms of winning the title there are a number of contenders. I like Djokovic if he is focused fully on this week and not on London. Del Potro has put two great weeks together in a row. If he is still fully fit then he could be dangerous especially with only one loss on indoor courts this year. Tsonga has a great indoor record and will have home advantage this week so he might be looking at gaining some big momentum ahead of next week. Of all the players in the draw, the best career percentage on indoor courts is Milos Raonic with 74%. Andy Murray usually plays well on indoor but like Djokovic he is bound to be thinking of London so he can't be fully relied on. I like Tomas Berdych this week. I think he has improved significantly this year and will make a real push at the title especially with Federer pulling out.
           

ATP Tennis- Valencia

The penultimate week in the regular season always provides some entertaining tennis as players try to end their year on a high and gain momentum heading into the new season. This week in Valencia we have a number of top players competing including three of the top ten. We also have no less than seven players still fighting for valuable points to try earn a place in London in three weeks. There is no doubt that the standard is high this week and the reward is great but for one man this week is simply a stage for him to end his stellar career. Juan Carlos Ferrero is retiring here in his home tournament in Valencia and with that in mind I think we can be guaranteed an emotional week.
          Unfortunately, when talking about contenders for this title I don't get to speak about Ferrero. He isn't realistically a contender with such a high standard field and considering he hasn't played much tennis but there is a great chance that a Spaniard will be lifting the title here Sunday. Top seed David Ferrer is going to be very difficult to beat and he should be competing in the final in my opinion. I don't see him being beaten by anybody in his half. No doubt Almagro has the ability but Ferrer will get the better of him. He will wear him down and win quite comfortably in the end. David is having another great year and the effort he puts in both on and off the court is rivalled by none.
          Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is still in need of points to reach London having lost in Stockholm to rival Tomas Berdych. I don't like his draw here though. He has an early meeting with John Isner and I don't like that match up for him. I think Isner is playing some nice tennis in patches recently and I have a feeling he might do well here. Isner himself, has an outside chance of making London but needs a very deep run this week. The winner of Isner-Tsonga could possibly be the winner this week. Tsonga has a slight edge on the ground strokes over Isner but Isner has the better serve so it would be an intriguing battle. Big serving Isner will be relishing next season after having some tough times this Summer after a stunning start to the year.
          Marin Cilic is a player who could benefit from a nice draw this week. With Monaco losing to Lleyton Hewitt today he has a great chance to reach the semi finals this week. I'm not sure how he could get over Ferrer in a semi final. That's not a match up I like for him as Ferrer will move him around so much he won't be allowed dictate enough. Janko Tipsarevic is just outside the qualifying spots for London and he has a nightmare draw. An opener against Gilles Simon is the worst possible draw he could have got. Simon is a dangerous player and has often been at his best at this time of year. Tipsy should get over him but Marcel Granollers is another match he won't relish. He does need to win these matches though is he wants to overtake Tsonga in the race.
         I really like the chances of Canadian Milos Raonic this week. He has the game to beat almost everyone in this draw. The one player I would really worry with is Ferrer and he is on the other side of the draw. Raonic has been brilliant at times this year but has lost too many matches that would have given him great chances in big tournaments. His win over Murray in Tokyo was proof that he can beat the best and for me it showed that mentally he is almost ready to explode to the top of the game. If he serves well this week I don't see where he can be beaten. His serve is unbelievable and his back hand is finally starting to catch up with his dangerous fore hand. Next year could be huge for him but small steps first and this week he needs a deep run.
          I think the main man to watch this week has to be Ferrer. He is dangerous on every surface and I see him winning his third Valencia title this week. He will be challenged by the likes of Tsonga, Isner, Almagro and Tipsarevic but none of them live up to this man's standards when he's on song. Milos Raonic is a possible final opponent and I think a final between those two would be fascinating with the power of Raonic against the dogged consistency of Ferrer.
           I would love to sit here and say that Juan Carlos Ferrero will win the title and have a fairytale ending but it is highly unlikely. He has a very tough opener against Almagro but he will be playing with no fear on the court which could make him dangerous. Tomorrow could be the end of one of the best players I've watched play tennis but although it is a massive loss to the competitive game, we can rest assured that his work for various charities and his own foundations will benefit the game off the court.

A quick note for all readers. Everybody please like my Facebook page for which the link is below and feel free to comment on any pieces of work I have done. All feedback is greatly appreciated.
http://www.facebook.com/AmateurSportsJournalism 
       

Tennis- Basel

This week in Basel sees a number of players battling it out for not only another title for the year but also for the final two spots in the World Tour Finals. Last week Tomas Berdych picked up a title in Stockholm to book his place in London and leave just two spots remaining. Here in Basel sees three players competing with hopes of London. Juan Martin Del Potro done his chances no harm when he won in Vienna last week and this week he can guarantee his place if he can pick up the title here in Basel. Fellow hopefuls Richard Gasquet and Stanislas Wawrinka are unlikely to make it but with feint hopes still alive they will give it their all this week. So let's have a look at who might be lifting the title come Sunday.
          The first name on everybody's lips will of course be Roger Federer who plays in front of his home crowd this week. Roger returned to action in Shanghai where he lost to Andy Murray in the semi finals. A lot of people have been praising Murray and how he "dismantled" Federer and the question was asked how much future damage would it do to him. Let's get real, Roger lost no sleep over that loss. It was his first time back playing since the US Open and he was far from his best and there were difficult circumstances surrounding him this week regards security. The next time we see Roger in a Grand Slam or another big event he will be a different animal. This week should be another step back into competition for him and in front of his home fans he will want to play some good tennis and lift a sixth Basel title.
          His biggest challenger this week could be Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro has had a steady year which at times promised to be brilliant but it is another step back to his best and he will now be hoping to make strides on the Grand Slams next year. I like the way he went about his business in Vienna last week. He could have been beaten in the first round but after that he played some great tennis to walk through the rest of the week. He needs a deep run here to guarantee his place in London so expect him to be playing at a high level. I don't see a lot in his half that could beat him aside from fellow London hopeful, Richard Gasquet but Delpo is a much more consistent player and would fancy his chances of beating the Frenchman if they met here.
           Gasquet and Wawrinka are both still in with chances of making it to London and will both have uphill battles to reach the finals here which is what they will need to stay alive in the race. Gasquet must beat Delpo and Wawrinka needs to beat Federer. Gasquet is capable of beating anybody on his day and this year he has improved under Riccardo Piatti. I don't see him reaching London unless a lot of results go his way and he manages to win in Paris next week. Wawrinka will need even more to make it. He could win here this week and in Paris next week and still miss out. Andreas Seppi might not be London bound but that didn't stop him winning the title last week in Moscow. This week could be another good one for him if he continues that form. A dark horse this week could be Mikhail Youzhny who has got the sort of game to upset Delpo and Gasquet but consistency is the issue with him also. I like Grigor Dimitrov's chances of a great year next year and he could finish this season strongly and a deep run here isn't out of the question.
         In the end I think this comes down to a thrilling final between Del Potro and Federer. Federer used to always have the advantage over the big man by using the entire play book to move the Argentine but the trend has changed recently. Del Potro was certain to beat Federer at the French Open until injury but I think he doesn't have enough tennis played recently to beat Roger. I think Federer will yet another Basel title next Sunday in another great match between him and Delpo.    

Tennis- WTA Championships in Istanbul

This week sees the much anticipated WTA Championships in Istanbul finally get underway. This year is sure to be one of the best years of this event. The quality is sensational this year with eight very good players each capable of winning this event. The finalists from all four Grand Slams are here and I can't imagine a better field for the championships. I think were in for a stunning week of tennis. So let's get into it and preview the action and see who the likely winner is.

           All eight players are have played great tennis this year and both groups could have any two players advance to the semi finals. In group A I think we have the most competitive group the year end championships have ever seen, in either women's or men's. Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka are without doubt the two best players in the world and they're joined by Angelique Kerber and Li Na. Any one of those four could win this tournament out so this group is likely to be incredibly high quality. In group B we also have four very strong players in Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova and Sara Errani. Normally players who avoided being in a group with Williams and Azarenka would consider themselves lucky but there is no guaranteed wins in group B either. The women's game is in such a strong place right now that next year is looking like being even better than this year which four weeks ago I would have said was impossible. With players like Sam Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic all returning to their best it looks like easy matches at the top of the game could be a thing of the past. 

           For this week it's hard to look beyond Williams and Azarenka. They are playing such great tennis that they're bringing each other to new levels. Their US Open final was incredible to watch and it was the first time Williams has been matches stroke for stroke when playing at the top of her game. The dark horse in their group is Kerber. She has beaten Williams this year and has the power to match those at the top and this  tournament could be the start of great things for her. She will need to beat either Williams or Azarenka to qualify though and that might be her problem. Li Na is a top player but I don't think she will beat either of the top two and Kerber will be a very tricky obstacle. With Williams likely to be a bit rusty there is a gap for Kerber to push through and I think she might take it. I see Kerber and Azarenka making it through from this group unless Serena hits the ground running but history often shows she takes a few weeks to get back into her groove. 

             From the other group I think Sharapova is in dire need of a strong performance. She has not performed in a big tournament since the French Open and I see this tournament as make or break for her. She is outplayed by the big players too often and needs to assert her power here to lay down a marker for 2013. Radwanska has struggled a bit since the Summer. I don't ever get the feeling she is going to win the big matches against the big players and that's something she needs to overcome as soon as possible. I really like Kvitova this week. I think she's been slowly building her way back up and these courts could really suit her. I like the way Errani makes up for her shortage of power but I think she will struggle this week trying to keep up with the big hitting. I think Sharapova and Kvitova will make the semi finals from this group but it could go either way depending on who has the most desire this late in the year.

           Picking who qualifies from the group is tough but trying to pick one player to win the event is even tougher. If Williams is at her best very little can actually stop her but I don't see her at a high level this week. Sharapova was making giant leaps in the Spring but mentally doesn't seem to have enough to win big matches since then. If she plays her best then she can't be ignored. Kvitova has the serve and power to trouble anyone, while Kerber has got the talent to compete. Radwanska hasn't proven she can win a major title and Li and Errani won't consecutively beat the very best. So we're left with one player, Azarenka. I think Vika has the game and mentality to dominate the game. Watching her in the first eight weeks this year she was spectacular and seeing her in New York confirmed she really has turned a corner in her career. For years she lacked the mental strength to win big events but she now looks so confident in herself and it's hard to see her being beaten any time she steps on to the court. She gets in the zone well before her matches and watching her prepare is worth the entrance fee alone, I like her chances of sweeping through this event and set herself up for yet another huge year in 2013.

           

            

The Mosquito's End

"The Valencia Open 500 will be my last tournament, it's the best possible stage for me to retire." Back in September Juan Carlos Ferrero announced his retirement from professional tennis and next week in Valencia will be the final time we see him step on to the court. At thirty two years of age he has decided that he no longer has the ambition the compete on the tour but remained positive about life after tennis saying he was excited about his new life and new projects. Next week is sure to be emotional as the Spaniard ends a fourteen year career in his hometown in front of his many fans, friends and family. With the retirements of Andy Roddick, Ivan Ljubicic and Fernando Gonzalez already this year it marks the end of an era of the game, with very few players from the beginning of the millennium remaining. 

            The man known as "Mosquito" began playing tennis at the age of seven with his father, Eduardo and grew up idolising the play of Jim Courier. As a junior he reached the French Open final in 1998 where he was defeated by Fernando Gonzalez but that was to be the start of a fabulous career. The following year he made his ATP Tour debut and made an instant impact by winning his first title in Majorca at the age of just 19. He defeated fellow Spaniard Alex Corretja in that final and after losing Corretja said "A star was born." And he was proven right as Ferrero would go on to become one of the greatest players to ever play the game. In 2000 he made such progress he jumped to number twelve in the rankings but the most memorable moment of that year came in the Davis Cup. Juan Carlos won all five singles matches he played and in the final he beat Pat Rafter and then in the decider he gave a stunning performance to beat Lleyton Hewitt and give Spain their first Davis Cup title. On reflection of his career he remembered fondly that win, "My greatest memories include the Davis Cup in 2000 because I realised the impact it had on the whole country." 

            Ferrero gained huge confidence from that win and the following year he won four titles, including his first title off a clay court when he won the title on the hard courts of Dubai. In 2002 he reached his first Grand Slam final at the French Open but he lost to compatriot Albert Costa in the final. It was a major setback for him as he was a strong favourite to win his first Grand Slam but having injured himself on an off day he lost in four sets. However, he showed great courage and resolve to come back the following year and  capture his first and what would prove to be his only Grand Slam.In doing so he managed to reach the top of the rankings, a huge achievement that he still ranks as one of his greatest. It was a huge moment for the Spaniard and he would go on to reach the final at the US Open where he lost to Andy Roddick. It was a blow to him but he had quashed the myth that Spanish players couldn't play on hard courts. In all he reached three finals that year and won three titles and earned a career best $3m. 

            It would be another five years before he won another title as injuries began to take its toll. In 2008 he beat Rafael Nadal on clay which was the only loss Nadal suffered on clay that year. The following year he ended a long drought for a tour title by winning in Casablanca as he continued to be a major force on the clay courts. His career may have seemed to be in decline but he firmly established himself back on the tour in 2010 with three titles and a final appearance. It was a fantastic start to the year but two surgeries in the Autumn would cut short his season. In 2011 he returned to action in July and showed his class by winning yet another title in Stuttgart. He also reached the fourth round at the US Open in what would be his final visit to New York competitively. His final season on tour has been disrupted by injuries and he has only managed to play sixteen matches before announcing on September 12 that it was to be his final season on tour.

            In total Ferrero managed to win sixteen titles including his lone Grand Slam title in Paris and he managed to get to the very top of the world rankings in 2003. He was part of the Spanish sides that won five Davis Cup titles. He is a great countryman and will always be remembered for his fighting spirit and dedication to the game. I have always admired the way Ferrero played the game and he is a real role model for players aspiring to reach the top. No one can ever question the ability of the man and he has had a career millions would envy and it's hard to think where the game of tennis would be without him. At the age of seventeen his mother tragically passed away after a battle with cancer and the loss hurt the Spaniard greatly. He even considered quitting the game but decided to carry on as his mother loved him playing. Little did he know then how much of an impact he would go on to have in tennis and looking back on his career he will certainly have done his mother proud. 

            Although he will miss the competition he will still play a major part in tennis. He will play a key role in the Valencia Open in future years and his academy will continue to produce great young tennis players, while he also owns a hotel in Spain known as Hotel Ferrero. So he should have no problem settling into life after tennis and the ATP and the Valencia Open will be pulling out all the stops to give him the sort of send off a player and person of his calibre deserves. The stature of the man is proven in the list of people who have already signed up to be there for the tournament next week to say their goodbyes to a legend. Carlos Moya, Albert Costa, Alex Corretja and golfer Sergio Garcia have confirmed they will be in attendance. Although he is currently absent from the tour through injury, Rafael Nadal has also stated he will be there for his good friends retirement. It's going to be an emotional week for sure and who would bet against Ferrero going out with a bang in his final event? 

          We've had fourteen great years watching the mosquito and never has he let anyone down as he always gave absolute effort on the court. I've always been a huge fan and he's always been an inspiration for me. I'm sure everyone involved in tennis will join me in wishing him every success in his future and thanking him for his contributions to the tour over the last fourteen years. 

Good Luck Juan Carlos and thank you for the memories! 

         

Tennis- If Stockholm Open

This week in Stockholm we have an ATP 250 event but the field is so strong you could be forgiven for thinking this was a Masters 1000. The only thing missing here is the top four. Gael Monfils returns to defend his title having just recently returned to the tour after a lengthy lay off with injury and is currently seeking match fitness. Former champion Marcos Baghdatis is also in the field looking capture a second Stockholm crown. The interesting part of this event is that three players on the verge of London qualification are all in action so the reward for winning is great. This post will look at the main contenders for the title.
          Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had a strong week last week before losing to Tomas Berdych and he will be looking to exact revenge on the Czech star this week. The Frenchman is having a strong season having run Djokovic close at the French Open and reached the semi final at Wimbledon. Not reaching the world finals would be a catastrophe for Tsonga but at this stage he is in a great position and his fate is in his own hands. The draw is tough for him but I think he should be able to reach a semi final at least but at this stage of the year he needs to do more. I like his chances this week and he is certainly a contender.
          You've got to like second seed Tomas Berdych this week. He reached the semi final in Shanghai last week and lost only to a great performance from Djokovic. The Czech player is making nice progress in his game and I am confident he can be a threat in all the big events next season. He has some tricky players in his half but I think he is strong enough to negotiate his way through with relative ease. In the past Berdych would have suffered from a loss like he had last week and it would affect him for a week or two, sometimes longer but now he seems to be much stronger mentally and will be contesting at the business end next weekend.    
           Former champion Baghdatis is a player I think could have a great week. He is always capable of producing great tennis and his style could suit these courts very well. He has a tricky draw but he is more than capable of negotiating his way through. Whether he can beat someone like Tsonga deep in a tournament is the question and unfortunately for the Cypriot I don't think he can. He has the ability but he might lack the belief and mental stamina to actually win the title.
           Third seed Nicolas Almagro was very disappointed last week when he lost to veteran Tommy Haas in the first round in Shanghai but he needs to recover from that and continue to play good tennis because he still has a really good chance of making it to London. He has played well this year and he would deserve his place at the finals if he could make it. This week represents a chance for him. It's in his own hands now as he could meet Tsonga and Berdych this week and he will know beating them both will leave him in a great position to qualify. I like his chances.
            Other strong players this week who will could fall short are Mikhail Youzhny, who is choosing to play here rather than his home event, and Feliciano Lopez who has never won a tour event. I like the Belgian youngster David Goffin but I don't think he is quite ready for the step up to the highest level. Kevin Anderson and Lleyton Hewitt meet in the first and the winner of that has got the potential to go deep into the event if things go their way. Jarkko Nieminen is seeded here and he is a dangerous player when he finds form.
          I am going to give my vote to Tomas Berdych this week. I think he is stepping up beyond just the top ten and it won't be long before he finds himself being considered as part of a top five or six. He has the ability to win the event here quite comfortably if he plays his best and I think that's what we'll see from him.             

Tennis- Erste Bank Open, Vienna

The Erste Open may only be an ATP 250 event but it is an event which has always attracted some of the worlds very best and this year is full of talent from the top of the draw right down to the bottom. Defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has opted to play in Stockholm this week and so there is room for a new champion here this week. Home favourite Jurgen Melzer, who won the event back in 2009 and 2010 is in the draw as is the 2001 champion, Tommy Haas. There a few strong contenders for this weeks title and I'm going to look at who they might be so let's get straight into it.
          The first thing to look at when looking for contenders at this stage of the season is who is still in the running to make it to the year end championships and what do they need to do. The players just outside the top eight at the moment will be desperate to win this week to gain valuable points and we have a few contenders in this draw. The main one is top seed Juan Martin Del Potro. Delpo is currently just on the limit of qualifying but has lost ground on some after missing the Masters 1000 event in Shanghai last week. This week provides a chance for him to put some distance between himself and those outside the top eight. The Argentine has made huge strides this year to returning to the top. He has taken time to get back to the level he was at before his wrist surgery but I think next season could be big for him. He has to be the strong favourite here in my opinion and I don't think anyone in the draw could beat him if he played at his best. His biggest threat to making the semi final could be the dangerous Robin Haase.
          Janko Tipsarevic is the second seed and he is currently just outside the qualifying spot having lost to Haas early last week. Tipsy is now firmly established in the top ten and he does have the ability to beat the best players. He is guilty of under performing against weaker opponents and that is a huge draw back for him. I like his style and mentality and with that extra motivation to do well this week he certainly has a chance to win this title. He should certainly make the semi final looking at his draw with the deceiving Fabio Fognini or unpredictable Ernests Gulbis likely to be his toughest opponents.
          Two time champion Jurgen Melzer has sort of dropped off the pace in the last year. He was making giant leaps forward in his career and even won the Wimbledon doubles title with Philipp Petszchner a few years back. This season hasn't been one of his best but there have been flashes of the talent we know he has. He has won this title twice before so he clearly likes the event. Of course, the main reason is probably because it's his home event. The two titles he won were back when he was moving forward in the game. Right now, I don't think he's moving forward but then again he isn't going backwards either. He won a title in Memphis with a broken toe and beating five quality opponents along the way but he had a horrible Summer. I think he'll be good this week with the crowd behind him and he is a possible winner.
           The man I am watching this week is Tommy Haas. He is without doubt one of the form players and he has performed well in ATP 250 and 500 events all year. Last week he beat Nicolas Almagro and Janko Tipsarevic before losing to an incredible Novak Djokovic. He has a nice draw this week and should reach a semi final. Xavier Malisse is his biggest threat and they would meet in a quarter final but I think Haas is playing too good for the Belgian and I would be shocked if he isn't in a semi final. Tipsarevic would be his semi final opponent and that will encourage the German having beaten the Serb 6-2 6-1 last week. I like Haas' chances this week and he could be a surprise winner.
          Other players worth a mention this week are Benoit Paire, who has had a strong year so far, and I would watch out for Ernests Gulbis and Marinko Matosevic who are capable of causing upsets but consistency could be their downfalls. I think the Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro will win the title this week. He has great motivation and a nice enough to draw ease his way into form. I envisage a final against veteran Tommy Haas and I think Delpo will have just too much for the German.

Tennis- Kremlin Cup Moscow

The ATP and WTA tours combine in Russia as Moscow host the Kremlin Cup with both a men's and singles event for us to enjoy. Last year saw Janko Tipsarevic take the men's crown defeating fellow Serb Victor Troicki in the final. Tipsarevic has opted to play in Austria this week so we will have a new champion next weekend. In the women's event Dominika Cibulkova took the honours with a great win in the final against Kaia Kanepi. Estonian Kanepi is not in the field this week but Cibulkova is here to defend her crown. Both draws are filled with talent and it really is anyone's event to win.

          Starting with the men's event and there is no real stand out player who will expect to dominate the field and so there are a number of contenders for the title. The top seed is Ukrainian Aleksandr Dolgopolov who, for me, has had a disappointing year. I expected a lot from him this year after a successful year last year but he hasn't shown any consistency this year. The draw has been kind to him and it could come down to a quarter final against Nikolay Davydenko who defeated him with ease in Toronto this year. I think we might see a decent showing from him this week as with a slightly weaker field he might be able to get through some rounds even when he isn't playing well. Second seed Andreas Seppi has got a reasonable shot at winning the title here. I like his game, he's consistent and has the ability to hit winners. I like his draw here too, there isn't any players that he will fear and he should make a semi final appearance at least. Victor Troicki is third seed and having made the final last year he will fancy his chances of having a good week. Denis Istomin might be his toughest opponent on the way to a semi final. Istomin is a potentially big player this week. He has the game to compete at the top but I don't think he can put a full week together to win. Other contenders could be Tatsuma Ito who has been playing well this season and also fourth seed Thomasz Bellucci who hasn't been at his best this season but is capable of turning it on. I'm going to go with Andreas Seppi this week. I've watched a lot of him this season and really like the improvements he has made. I'll tip him to come through a close week.
           In the women's event there are a number of top players in action. Top seed Sam Stosur has improved in recent months after struggling since winning her maiden Grand Slam in New York last year. I like her chances this week of reaching a semi final with a reasonable draw. Her main problem could be Lucie Safarova who has got the capabilities of beating some of the top players. I would see Stosur beating her if they were to meet but Klara Zakopalova is one I would see beating the Aussie. The winner of Zakopalova and Safarova will meet Stosur and it will be interesting to see how that side of the draw plays out. Second seed Marion Bartoli might be the second highest ranked player but I don't think she will win this week. She has a tough draw and I don't see her getting all the way to the weekend. Caroline Wozniacki is finally beginning to play near her best tennis. She won a title a few weeks ago and although she is in a tough draw she could get through to the semi finals here. Ana Ivanovic is having a great year so far and is really starting to fulfil the potential she always had. The only stumbling block she has is Nadia Petrova who is very capable of winning any match. I think Ana could be in for a great week here. Another contender is Maria Kirilenko who is having a career best season but the favourite for me this week is defending champion Dominika Cibulkova. She is a very strong player and I think she might just defend her crown. 

Shanghai Masters 1000- Quarter Finals

Were now at the quarter final stage of the Shanghai Masters 1000 event and the standard of tennis is getting better each day. Today we saw some great tennis from some of the world's very best. Novak Djokovic was once again in great form as he dispatched Feliciano Lopez with ease today but world number one Roger Federer was made to work for his victory over compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka. It was a tense second set where Wawrinka certainly had his chances but Roger stood strong and took the win comfortably in the third to secure a sensational 300th week as world number one. Third seed Andy Murray had a straight forward win over Aleksandr Dolgopolov to book his place in the quarter finals while fourth seed Tomas Berdych also made it through. The performance of the day was certainly from 34 year old Tommy Haas who demolished world number nine Janko Tipsarevic to continue his fantastic season. So on now to tomorrow's quarter finals with four exciting matches taking place.
         First up is the clash between two London hopefuls. Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have both firmly established themselves as top ten players and both have threatened to break into the top four in the past few months. Of the two I think Tsonga will always be just below the level required to win majors while Berdych needs to improve his mentality a little more to make it to the very top. These two have met twice before and both meetings were last year and they shared the spoils with one win each. Tsonga was in the final in Beijing last week but was well below the standard you have to be at in a final. Berdych has made great strides this year and I think he is at a stage where he believes he can beat the very best on a regular basis. His match with Sam Querrey was interesting to watch. In the past he would have struggled in that third set when Querrey put him under real pressure but instead he pushed on and took the game into his own hands. Coming through that game will do wonders for him this week and I think he will carry on his winning run tomorrow. Berdych in two tight sets.
           Next up is Andy Murray who will be surprised to face Radek Stepanek at this stage. The Czech player has beaten Richard Gasquet and John Isner this week and is playing some great tennis right now. The problem I see him having against Murray is that very often he plays a consistent game which against Murray is the last thing you want to do. In their previous meetings Murray has won four out of five and the four he won were comfortable wins so clearly Stepanek needs to do something different. He beat Andy in Paris in 2009 and that day he mixed up his game really well. He played consistent at the right times and he attacked at the right times. I would expect to see him take the ball very early and approach the net a lot tomorrow to try take time away from Murray and disrupt his rhythm. I see it working for a while but Murray will prevail in the end. Murray in three.
          The most interesting match of tomorrow is the third match on the stadium court between two men in great form, Novak Djokovic and Tommy Haas. Djokovic has been sensational since getting back on to the hard courts in August. I really like the way he is playing and I think it could be a sign of what is to come next season. Watching him last week in Beijing and this week in Shanghai he is playing with a real confidence and he looks almost unbeatable at the moment and remembering what he done last time he played his best tennis. His opponent tomorrow may be 34 now but he has played some incredible tennis this season and currently has a 10-3 record against top 15 players this season. These two have met five times with Djokovic leading the head to head 3-2 including a win this Summer in Toronto. I remember watching that match and it was one of my favourite matches of the year as both players played sensationally and I anticipate something similar tomorrow. These two will entertain the crowd with their play tomorrow and I think Haas will really force Novak to play his best. Haas has produced his best when he's been the underdog and he plays with a sense of freedom. My heart say's Haas but I'll give Djokovic a slight nod but don't be surprised if we see an upset. Djokovic in three.
           The final match sees world number one Roger Federer and Marin Cilic go head to head for a semi final spot. Cilic is still looking to end the year on a high and reach the world finals in London and a win here would really boost his chances. He will take confidence from the performance Wawrinka gave today but it will take a huge performance from the Croatian to overcome Federer. Their three meetings have been won by the Swiss and only once has Cilic won a set. Cilic has to come out and take the game into his own hands tomorrow and dictate the play. To do that he needs to play at a high level throughout the match and I'm not sure he has that in him. He played stunning against Andy Murray in New York for two sets and then completely fell apart and lost his game. Nothing but his best will do tomorrow and although he is capable I don't think we'll see enough of it. Federer will be looking forward to possibly meeting Andy Murray in the semi finals and won't allow Cilic get in the way of that. Federer in two.
         
         

Shanghai Masters 1000- Thursday Preview

So we've reached the last sixteen stage at the Shanghai Masters 1000 and the stakes couldn't be higher for some. The race to London is heating up and a number of players competing tomorrow are still in the hunt for a place at the end of year championships. A win tomorrow will mean a quarter final place and some vital points to add to their tallies as the season draws to a close. For those already qualified the battle for the top spot in the rankings means that Djokovic, Federer and Murray aren't short of motivation as they look to end the year in good form. So on now to the action and let's see how the order of play is shaping up.
          First up tomorrow is the clash of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Marcos Baghdatis after both had impressive wins today. Tsonga won comfortably against compatriot Benoit Paire while Baghdatis had a great win over Milos Raonic after three tie-breaks. This match promises to be entertaining as both players play with their hearts on their sleeves and give 100% every time they step out on to the court. With Tsonga looking to take advantage of Ferrer and Del Potro's absences this week I would expect him to get through this match in two tight sets similar to their meeting in Dubai earlier this year. Tsonga in two.
         The next match is that between Feliciano Lopez and Novak Djokovic. Lopez had a good win over Philip Kohlschreiber today and that will give him confidence heading into this one but Djokovic is playing some great tennis lately. Since getting back on to the hard courts in August Djokovic has been steadily returning to the devastating form he showed last year. He completely destroyed Grigor Dimitrov today and I would expect him to do the same to Lopez. Djokovic in two quick sets.
         The next match is a very interesting clash between Andy Murray and Aleksandr Dolgopolov. Murray received a walk over today and so we haven't seen him yet this week and that might give Dolgopolov more of a chance. The Ukrainian was very impressive today against Simon and he won't fear playing Murray. Again though I would have to question the consistency of Dolgopolov. I've seen him push the very best in matches before but he hasn't shown he can win against the best. Tomorrow is a chance for him but I would expect Murray to wear him down and get the win. Murray in three.
          World number one Roger Federer will face compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka for a place in the quarter finals in the final match on Stadium Court. Wawrinka is a one of those players looking for a strong result here to boost his chances of making it to London but he has his work cut out to progress further here. He only has one win over Federer and that was back in 2009 and he has failed to win a set off Roger in their last five meetings. This one should be closer however, with so much at stake for Stanislas. Federer was a convincing winner today in his first match for nearly a month and I think this one will be close but Federer to prevail.
         The Grandstand Court has got four quality matches tomorrow starting with the match between Sam Querrey and Tomas Berdych. Querrey was a surprise winner against Kei Nishikori today but in Berdych he faces a man in form. The Czech star has rediscovered his form and I think he could be a contender for the title this week. He impressed today against Andreas Seppi and he has already beaten Querrey twice in the last few months. I think Berdych will take this one in two sets.
          Next up on this court is Radek Stepanek and John Isner. Stepanek took advantage of a disappointing performance from Gasquet to reach this stage. I think Isner is a man who will be disappointed with how his season fared out after a promising start. He is one to watch at the Grand Slams next season and I wouldn't put it past him to make an impact here and in Paris. His mentality against Anderson on Sunday was impressive coming through in three tie breaks. The opportunity to play in London will drive him to be at his best and he should beat Stepanek tomorrow to even out there head to head record. Isner in two.
        Marin Cilic is also looking to reach London and in his way of a quarter final spot is Fernando Verdasco. Verdasco has an outside chance of making it to London but it would require him to win at least one Masters event before the year is out. Cilic has a much more realistic chance of making it and with that in mind tomorrow I would expect to see Cilic playing somewhere near his best. Verdasco is a dangerous player though and it would be easy underestimate him for his inconsistency but he does have a winning record against Cilic and I think he might extend that in this one. Verdasco in three.
        The final match of the round of sixteen is the match between Janko Tipsarevic and Tommy Haas. This match contains two London hopefuls and that should raise the stakes of this one. Tipsarevic beat Victor Troicki today comfortably while Haas won the battle of the veterans beating Tommy Robredo in straight sets. Tipsy has been great this season and having established himself in the top ten he will be looking to end his year with an appearance in London. Haas has feint hopes of making it himself and I think he firmly believes he can beat anyone and that makes him so dangerous playing the top players. He has a winning record against Tipsarevic and I think he will upset the odds to extend it tomorrow. Haas in three.

Shanghai Masters 1000- Wednesday Preview

The penultimate Masters 1000 event of the 2012 ATP season is well underway and the standard has been high so far despite the absence of top players such as Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer and Juan Martin Del Potro. Although the year is coming to an end there is still plenty to play for as players battle it out for the final four spots on the plane to London for the ATP World Tour Finals. Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Nadal have already booked their places and now the dram starts as players have got just a few weeks to make up enough points to qualify. So here is a look at Wednesday's order of play.
          Starting with the Stadium Court and an interesting clash between fourth seed Tomas Berdych and dangerous Italian Andreas Seppi. Berdych was sensational at times at the US Open but in the semi final he couldn't cope sufficiently with the strong winds. The Czech star has really impressed me this year and has proven he can play with the very best and I am expecting him to make a huge impact in 2013. He was disappointing in the Summer with poor performances at Wimbledon and the Olympics but he picked it up at the US Open and I think he will want to finish the year with a flourish especially at the bigger events. He lost to Kei Nishikori last week but I would put that down to a lack of game time since early September. This week he will go deep, starting with a straight sets win over Seppi.
          Novak Djokovic faces the tricky Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in his opening match. Djokovic is another who was playing sensational tennis in New York but then failed to cope with the conditions in the final. Last week he was back to his usual brilliant best and picked up what must be a confidence boosting title in Beijing. Dimitrov has shown this season that he has got real potential and I think he might be capable of getting into the top fifteen at least next season. Djokovic is playing some great tennis however, and it's hard to see anybody outside of the top players beating him. Seppi is capable of disrupting the Serb but Djokovic will get through in straight sets.
          Next on court is third seed Andy Murray as he looks to recover from his tough semi final loss in Tokyo to Milos Raonic when he faces Florian Mayer. Mayer overcame Bernard Tomic in impressive fashion yesterday and will relish the prospect of playing Murray. The Scot is playing with real confidence recently though and he will be looking to close the gap on Djokovic and Federer at the top of the rankings before Nadal makes his return to the tour. I expect Mayer to come out firing but Murray will wear him down and eventually take over in possibly three sets.
          The final match on the Stadium Court sees qualifier Yen Hsun Lu face Roger Federer in their second round clash. Lu is capable of playing great tennis but consistency is a major problem for the Taipei man. I'm not sure how much he can hurt Federer even if he does play near his best with the Swiss star proving this year that he still has what it takes to win the biggest events on the tour. The battle for number one is really heating up and Federer must produce some good results this week to stay ahead of Djokovic who has made it clear he wants the top spot back. Those good results start tomorrow with a comfortable win over Lu.
          The Grandstand Court will have four competitive matches on it with the fifth and sixth seeds in action. First up is the resurgent Sam Querrey who faces the fourteenth seed Kei Nishikori. Nishikori became the first Japanese winner of the Tokyo Open last weekend and will look to carry on that form to the end of the season. He has had a great season and the indoor swing usually brings out the best of him. Querrey has really hit back this season after run of tough injuries disrupted him but I think he could be found lacking in fitness for the last few weeks of the season after playing twenty five tournaments already this season. Nishikori is playing very good tennis right now and he will win this one in three.
         The next match sees Jo-Wilfried Tsonga face Benoit Paire in what should be a comfortable match for Tsonga. He currently occupies the final qualifying spot for the race to London and Paire won't disrupt him. Tsonga reached the final last week in Beijing before losing to Djokovic and he shouldn't be far away from the weekend in this event. The next match sees another Frenchman looking to make the year end championships. Richard Gasquet takes on Radek Stepanek looking to add to the title he won in Bangkok a few weeks ago. Last week he was very disappointing losing early but he should be more focused this week and I would expect him to keep himself in the hunt for London with a strong showing this week. The final match on this court should be a straight forward win for Serbian Janko Tipsarevic against countryman Victor Troicki. Tipsy is currently just outside the top eight but has been consistently making the final stages of tournaments recently and he will be well in contention for a spot right up until the final event in Paris.
          If I could buy a ticket to one court tomorrow it would be Court Three. First up is the fascinating match between Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis and Milos Raonic. The Canadian scored a sensational win over Andy Murray last week. This guy has got an incredible mentality for such a young player. He fought back from a break down in the final set and held his nerve to win it in a tie breaker. He lost to a strong performance from Nishikori in the final but it was a huge step in the right direction for him to beat Murray. Baghdatis will cause him trouble but I think he might have a strong week here as he aims towards London and that must start with a win tomorrow. Serve will be key and I think Raonic will come through in two close sets. The next match is between two exciting players. Aleksandr Dolgopolov and Gilles Simon do battle tomorrow in what should be a great spectacle and I would expect to see plenty of long rallies between the pair. Simon is the more consistent player and he has played well at this stage of the season before so he must be the favourite. Dolgopolov can be brilliant but he has been too inconsistent this season. I would give Simon a slight nod to win in three sets.
           The final match on this court is between two fantastic tennis players who have given so much to the game in their long careers. Tommy Robredo and Tommy Haas may be both at the wrong side of thirty but both are still very much major players in the game. Robredo has made a steady return this season after a long injury lay off and if he avoids injury he will have a solid season next year. Haas made a sensational return to the game this season. The injuries this man has had would have retired any other man but Haas not only still plays, he still wins. Haas was really disappointed with his loss in the first round at the US Open but he will be hoping for a strong showing here after impressively beating Nicolas Almagro in the first round. I think Haas will come through this one in three sets and keep alive his feint hopes of making it to London.