ATP & WTA Sydney

This week, Sydney plays host to two events as both the women and men have a tournament here this week. There are a number of high quality players in both fields and I'm going to have a quick look at who the contenders for the titles are. With just a week to go to the first Grand Slam of the year players will be looking to fine tune their games to try and get themselves into form.
       Starting with the men's draw and the top seed for the event is John Isner who makes his debut on the tour this season. He faces some tricky matches and if he is to make a run here he will need to be on his game. Isner can often disappoint and I really think he has to show us what he is made of this year in the big events or else he could find himself slipping away from the top of the game. I like his chances this week and I expect him to be in the semi finals at least where he could face an interesting match with Fernando Verdasco.  We should see a great match between Gilles Simon and Bernard Tomic early on. I reckon Tomic will have a good run in Australia but I don't think he will lift any titles. Andreas Seppi is a consistent player who is improving all the time and I think he will be tough to beat this week. I think the man to watch this week could be Grigor Dimitrov. I tipped him to have a good season a few weeks back and he started well last week and I think he will continue his form this week with another good run. I think John Isner will lift the crown this week and it could be Dimitrov that he defeats in the final. Isner is 5/1 for the title and that is as good a bet you will get all season. Dimitrov is 13/2 which could also be a very rewarding bets. Verdasco was on form last week in the Hopman Cup and if he carries that momentum over then the 12/1 price on him now could be worth a bet. My money is on the big serving American though.
          In the women's event Agnieszka Radwanska is the top seed and after winning last week will be full of confidence. She has the sort of draw that will suit her and I fancy her to at least make the semi finals. The dangers in her section could be Jelena Jankovic and Nadia Petrova but I think she'll get past both. Youngster Christina McHale has been drawn against Na Li in round one and that is a potential upset. With Madison Keys and Sam Stosur also in that section, I don't see Na Li contending the crown this week despite her win last week. That being said if she hits top form she will be hard to beat. Sara Errani is a possible dark horse here as she looks to build on an impressive 2012 season. She's got a match with Maria Kirilenko to deal with early on and she might struggle with that. In the bottom section of this draw we have a very interesting match between Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber to look forward to. If both make the third round then they will meet and I think the winner of the event might just be in that match. Wozniacki is as big as 8/1 to win and that price could drop significantly once she starts winning her matches. I think she's in for a great year but I think she will fall just short this week. Kerber is 4/1 and that is very tempting despite her early loss last week. If you fancy Stosur you can get 13/2 and Na Li goes at 5/1. The likely winner for me is the top seed Radwanska. I could only see Kerber beating her unless Stosur shows us something different. Radwanska is as high as 2/1 and that's where my money lies this week.

ATP & WTA Tour- Week 1 Review

The opening few weeks of the season are the toughest to predict with many players needing time to settle into their rhythm. My picks last week suffered badly from underperformances from players. I thought Milos Raonic might upset Andy Murray in Brisbane but he lost in the opening round to Grigor Dimitrov who lost to Murray in the final. David Ferrer was in good form in Doha but he ran into the resurgent Nikolay Davydenko who upset him in the semi finals. I picked Tomas Berdych in Chennai but he was very disappointing when losing to Roberto Bautista-Agut early on. In the women's events I was slightly more successful. Agnieszka Radwanska managed to win her event in Auckland and Na Li did win her event in Shenzhen. The only event I got wrong was in Brisbane where my pick, Victoria Azarenka, had to pull out before her semi final match with Serena Williams and Williams went on to win the title. So it was an average start to the year but let's see if we can't improve on those numbers in the coming weeks. 

          Getting back to last week thought and the performance of the week on the men's side had to be Nikolay Davydenko. He rolled back the years and looked in fantastic form throughout the week. He was taking the ball very early and dictating the points. He destroyed David Ferrer in the semis and looked certain to lift the title but for an inspired Richard Gasquet to steal the limelight. Gasquet himself had a very good week. He came from a break down in the final set against Zemlja and again against Davydenko when he was  a set down. He was determined last week and had a consistency about his game that we don't normally see. The credit for that must go to his coach Riccardo Piatti who has worked wonders with the Frenchman since joining his camp. Grigor Dimitrov had a fantastic week too which ended in him reaching his first ATP final. Andy Murray was just too good for him on the day but we can expect a lot more appearances from the Bulgarian in the latter stages of tournaments in the future. Murray wasn't at his best this week but he always had enough to get the job done and will be looking forward to the Aussie Open. Janko Tipsarevic got his hands on the Chennai title, just twelve months after losing in a thrilling final. He was in good form throughout the week and done well to win.

           Young Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova showed why many are tipping her to have a great future as she reached the final in Brisbane last week. She defeated Petra Kvitova and Angelique Kerber on her way to the final but the imperious Serena Williams was simply too powerful in the final. Victoria Azarenka was in great form but an infection halted her progress. Radwanska was also in great form as she cruised to the title in Auckland. Young Jamie Hampton was playing very well in Auckland and did manage to push Radwanksa to two tie breaks but she lacked the experience on the big points. Li Na made hard work of some matches on her run in Shenzhen but she will be happy with the title she picked up and will be hopeful of another Grand Slam when she makes the trip to Melbourne. 

          At the Hopman Cup, Bernard Tomic scored a massive win over Novak Djokovic but it wasn't enough to guide Australia to the final. Ana Ivanovic was in brilliant form as she won all but one of her singles matches. Unfortunately for her the one she lost was in the final and that allowed the surprise package of Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina-Garrigues to lift the title for Spain. Finally, Thanasi Kokkanakis made his debut for the USA when John Isner pulled out and the 16 year acquitted himself well as he pushed Verdasco hard in two sets. 

ATP Doha & WTA Auckland

This week's ATP event in Doha suffered a massive loss last week when Rafa Nadal pulled out but there is still an attraction to this event because of the quality of field. In Auckland, the ladies event isn't the best quality but there are a number of interesting players who are more than capable of getting the win.
         Top seed David Ferrer is fresh off the best season if his career and he should be looking to add to that this year. He didn't start well today but he got the job done and I would fancy seeing him in the final at least this week. Mikhail Youzhny or Nikolay Davydenko would be his semi final opponent but I don't see either of them beating Ferrer. Phillip Kohlschreiber is a dangerous player in the other half of the draw but I think Richard Gasquet will be the man to beat there. He may not have robbed headlines last year but he improved steadily throughout the year and is starting to add consistency to his game which is a frightening prospect. I think he will be in the final but I don't see him getting the better of Ferrer. Ferrer is 2/5 for the title which shows just how highly the bookies think of him.
         In Auckland the women's event is a tough one to call. Agnieszka Radwanska is the top seed and her consistent game could be enough to see her lift the crown. She is odds on favourite to win it but there are a few players more than capable of beating her. Second seed Julia Goerges is a player I like a lot but I don't know if she has the consistency to win through the full week. Mona Barthel is very capable of beating everyone in the field and the 4/1 offered on her might be worth a look here. I think Goerges is worth at least an each way bet at 8/1 but Radwanska has to be considered the best bet this week at 4/5.

ATP Chennai & WTA Shenzhen

The ATP event in Chennai this week has got some big hitters in it this week. Milos Raonic won a titanic tussle with Janko Tipsarevic in one of the games of the year last year but with Raonic not playing this year we will have a new champion. The WTA event in China this week doesn't have a strong field with many of the players ranked well outside the top twenty but there are some names in there to consider.
          In Chennai the top seed is Tomas Berdych and he will see this as a great chance to gain some form and confidence ahead of the Aussie Open. Tipsarevic beat Murray last week in Abu Dhabi but then lost to Nicolas Almagro. He has a decent draw and should make the semi finals where I would expect him to meet Stan Wawrinka. I think Tipsy will be in better shape than Wawrinka at this stage of the season and I would expect him to reach another final in India. Marin Cilic has dropped away from the top ten massively after looking like banging down the door a few years back. A good start to the year would boost his confidence and might be exactly what he needs to get a good run going. I think he will be a semi finalist but I don't see him beating Berdych.
          Although you can never just disregard a result I don't think Berdych's loss to Ferrer last week will be critical because Ferrer is somebody he always struggles with. The conditions were tough to play in that week and I expect him to be much better this week and I think that the 11/10 is a good price for him to take the title this week.
          In Shenzhen, Na Li is the clear favourite in her home country. Laura Robson has already lost and I don't think Marion Bartoli is going to beat her. Peng Shuai is a possibility and she normally does play well against the big players but again, I just don't see it happening. It's a shame Jelena Jankovic pulled out because she is somebody who could disrupt the favourites. I'd expect a Bartoli-Li final and Li should come through to start the year in style.

Brisbane Tennis- ATP & WTA

This week sees the tennis seasons start with a combined event in Brisbane, Australia. The ATP Tour event sees Andy Murray return to defend the title he won last year defeating Aleksandr Dolgopolov, who also returns this year. Milos Raonic won the title in Chennai last year in the opening week of the season but has chosen to play here this year and is the second seed. Crowd favourite, Lleyton Hewitt, will be hoping he can start the year in style with a title in front of his home fans. In contrast to the men's draw, the women's draw is filled with the top players of the game. Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams are the two favourites for the title but they will face stiff competition from players such as Angelique Kerber and Daniela Hantuchova. So who will be victorious come the weekend?
          In the men's event Andy Murray has to be considered the favourite and rightly so. He is the best player in the draw and the draw has been favourable to him. Gilles Simon, Jurgen Melzer and Marcos Baghdatis have been drawn on the other side of the draw and that certainly helps Murray. Lleyton Hewitt would relish a crack at Murray in round three but I don't think he would have it in him to beat Murray, his game just doesn't suit. Kei Nishikori has a tricky tie against a resurgent Tommy Robredo but he will fancy his chances of making a semi final ahead of Dolgopolov. Nishikori is more than capable of beating Murray but again I think Murray will be too strong. The biggest threat this week could come from Milos Raonic. He would potentially have to beat Grigor Dimitrov, Melzer and Simon en route to the final but he should be confident of getting those results on this surface. His serve is a major weapon and he will take some stopping.
        Murray is 4/5 to regain his crown and when you look at the draw you would pick Murray nine times out of ten but having watched him against Janko Tipsarevic last week I don't think he's into his stride yet and I think there is a chance Raonic could get a third win over Murray. He beat him comprehensively in Barcelona last year and came through a tight three setter in the final of Tokyo. I think he could be the one to beat this week and at 4/1 is my tip for the week.
          In the women's draw it's hard to look away from Azarenka and Williams. Williams is the favourite in almost every event she plays and this week is no different. She sits at 4/5 for the crown but I don't see her winning titles this early in the season. I think she could take time to settle into the tour again and it might be the Australian Open before she hits her stride. Azarenka is a massive 3/1 for the title and that is where my money lies this week. She might have to beat Williams along the way but I would think she has done more work in the off season than Williams and that could be the difference. Azarenka was sensational at the beginning of last season and I think she will be the one to beat for quiet some time. Vika will have a tough tie against the talented German Sabine Lisicki but I do think she will come through it. Sloane Stephens is a dangerous young American and she will relish the opportunity to beat Williams should they meet in the quarter finals. Young Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has already beating Petra Kvitova and she has a meeting with Angelique Kerber to look forward to now. That is a mouthwatering encounter and I think the winner will be in the final come the weekend.
          I don't see anybody outside of Azarenka or Williams winning this week unless someone like a Kerber or a Pavlyuchenkova causes some big upsets. I don't see that happening though and the 3/1 offered on Azarenka is very generous in my opinion.

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.