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
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