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.