Ones to Watch in 2018

Women's game:

The Recent World Number Ones: Simona Halep/Garbiñe Muguruza/Karolina Pliskova – Since Angelique Kerber’s fall from the summit of ladies’ tennis these three women have all held the top spot. Halep for the longest, and for the year’s end, but the others both deservedly finding themselves fleetingly at the pinnacle. Looking to 2018, Muguruza, as a double grand slam winner, would seem to be the likeliest contender for getting back to the top and staying there for a while. Both Halep and Karolina Pliskova will need to add a slam to their impressive achievements so far to really have a chance of getting back and then hanging on to the number one spot. All three players have great talent and potential, but only Muguruza has so far fulfilled it on the greatest stage.

The Williams sisters – Venus and Serena need no introduction. They have been the face of women’s tennis for two decades now. Serena’s absence to have a baby has only made her comeback even more exciting. Let’s face it, Serena can do anything that she puts her mind to, and returning and claiming more slams somehow seems inevitable. Venus, at the grand old age of 37 had her best season in a decade in 2017 and although she didn’t land any major titles, coming close on three separate occasions, she proved herself to be one of the best, a big match player, and more than capable despite her age. She also showed no signs of any decline in desire or ability. It’s doubtless these two women will have a major part to play in 2018.

Jelena Ostapenko - Ostapenko’s first ever title was the Roland Garros crown. It was as unexpected as it was refreshing for the women’s game. A breath of fresh air, she only turned 20 years of age days before capturing the title in a shock win over Simona Halep, who was seemingly the next heiress to the French Open throne. Ostapenko added a second title in 2017 – the Seoul event. Her year-end ranking of 7 proved she didn’t fluke the French. She is more and more of an obstacle, a contender and a winning machine. 2018 could be massive for her. In full flight her game is a destructive and accurate powerfest that will see any opponent left flapping, however, she also needs to become a little more consistent. Her potential is immense, for this coming season and beyond. 

Caroline Garcia – Garcia has gone from strength to strength since her renewed focus on the singles game. She ended the year rooted inside the top ten for the first time in her career. She played some amazing tennis and won titles in Wuhan and Beijing. At 24, she is young but experienced, her doubles game and success providing her with great net play in addition to her brilliant serve and baseline game. She’s certainly a talent, coming good at last, and will provide a threat at some big tournaments. Her confidence is high, too, meaning most players won’t want to face her early in any draw. 2018 could be a very big year for her, indeed. Let's see if she manages to push on from where she has managed to reach thus far in what looks like an incredibly competitive season ahead.

Julia Goerges – Goerges is proving something of a late bloomer. She ended 2017 with a winning streak that stretched across two titles – the Kremlin Cup in Moscow and the WTA Elite Trophy. The Kremlin Cup was her first title in six years. She played five finals in 2017 in total. Her confidence is at an all time high, her game is explosive behind her powerful serve and she looks the player she had always hinted she could be. She ended the year at a career high 14 in the WTA rankings. At 29, in this form, she won’t want to mess around, and having passed Kerber in her slide in the rankings she won’t want to give up the highest ranked German position easily. If she maintains her season end form she could go deep in the big tournaments. That would be good to watch!

Ashleigh Barty – Barty refocussed on tennis and returned to the sport she had temporarily left to play women’s cricket. Her return was more impressive for her time away as she slowly worked her way up the rankings, becoming a dangerous threat to the top players at events, and ending up with a much-deserved year end ranking of 17. She is a real battler and warrior, great to see in action, and at only 21 is another of the young players who is surely expected for great things. She could easily leave her mark on 2018 and cement a top 10 spot by the end of the season.

Angelique Kerber – Kerber will feel that she has unfinished business at the top of the game. Her form and two grand slam titles of 2016 seem a long time ago now. Her slide in the rankings is almost legendary. She didn’t even finish 2017 in the top 20 (a year after ending 2016 at number one). She has taken on the brilliant coach Wim Fissette, who has many proven successes. That feels like a sign of intent, and if she does get her head right, find the game she managed to play in 2016, and start getting some renewed confidence, she could easily find her way back up the rankings again. It’d be good to see her in form again.

Daria Kasatkina – Kasatkina won her first senior title a month before Ostapenko won the French Open, beating her fellow youngster in the final of the Charleston event last spring. Also 20 years of age, she has oodles of talent and ended 2017 at a career high of 24 in the WTA rankings. She shows good promise, has a big game and looks like another of the young tickets to future success. Expect her to push on, climb the rankings and add further titles over the next season or so. She is one of the young players whose name should be remembered. She will refresh your memory soon though, no doubt.

Anett Kontaveit – Anett Kontaveit is another young player, hailing from Estonia, who shows great promise and over 2017 worked her way up the rankings, ending the year at 34. She won her first title at the grass-court Wimbledon warm-up in Den Bosch in the Netherlands this last season. That signalled an arrival of sorts, that she will hopefully build on over the coming year or so.

Twenty-two years of age in late December, 2018 could be a big year for her, to see if she can push on as some of the other even younger players around her are doing. She has a warm on-court demeanour and at her best has a lot of potential. Hopefully, she will fulfil it with further titles soon. She will be looking at a top 20 spot or even higher by the end of this coming year.

Ana Konjuh – Croatia's Ana Konjuh is the youngest player in either top 50 (WTA and ATP), in fact, she is the only teenager in either (she will turn 20 before the end of 2017). After a bright junior career in which she won majors and reached number one she will hold lofty ambitions of achieving similar heights on the WTA tour. 

She won her first title in the Nottingham Open (a Wimbledon warm-up) in 2015. She has had some good results, but also seen some defeats from good positions, such as the US Open first round of 2017. She has bags of potential, and is extremely young, but with focus, the right team and hard work she is capable of big things. Let’s see what 2018 holds for her. 

Belinda Bencic – Switzerland’s Bencic was brilliant a few years ago as an 18-year old entering the WTA top 10 and looking like the future of women’s tennis. A cruel hand was then delivered to her in the shape of two serious injuries, leaving her outside the world’s top 300 in the first half of 2017. That was before she carved her way through multiple tournament draws and found her way back into the year-end top 100 and rising fast. She’s surely looking at a return to her rightful place near the top of the game, still only 20 years of age, and with time on her side and the undeniable talent let’s hope she keeps further career-altering injury away. She’s one of a few players with a very exciting future if it all goes to plan. Along with Ostapenko, her name will be heard more and more.

Men's game:

The Big Four - proven at the top level time and again. Andy Murray deserves to be in this group, in case anyone might question that, as a double Olympic singles gold medal champion, a year end number one, an ATP finals winner, not to mention having a US Open title and two at Wimbledon, and a very impressive total of 14 Masters titles. The others have all won the career grand slam and need no introduction. For Novak Djokovic and Murray, it very much depends what form they find upon returning from substantial layoffs due to injury, and if they can keep further niggles at bay. As for Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, well, nobody can set them any challenges that they won't have already set themselves for the year ahead, as they continue to delay the ageing process and find ways to add slams to their unreachable current totals. 

Grigor Dimitrov - He started and ended 2017 in wonderful form. He proved his talent, which some may have doubted as he failed to fulfil his early potential. It'll be interesting to see if he can step further into the limelight by claiming a maiden grand slam or if he has peaked with his first Masters title and ATP finals winner’s trophy. He seems motivated and with the right coach in his corner - in Dani Valverdu - and a focus he previously lacked, he is more than capable of having a golden year. Needs a little more consistency. 

Alex Zverev - with a first couple of Masters’ titles under his belt and a career high ranking of three in the world the younger of the Zverev siblings has proven his worth. While he hasn't done it in a slam yet, he was a valuable figure in the Laver Cup and the year-end ATP finals, after an impressive year in which he cemented his abilities by becoming part of the men's elite. He, as everyone else, expects slams of himself, and soon. He has the game and may just require a little patience, as he's overly angry at times. Don't forget, he's not even 21 yet. 

David Goffin – Goffin had his best season yet in 2017, with the second most wins of the season behind only Nadal. Take into consideration that Goffin missed approximately two months of the season, after a fall at Roland Garros, and it’s even more of an achievement. Goffin is a hardworking, elegant and talented player. This was proven over the course of the season, but none more than at the year-end ATP Finals in which he came ever so close to toppling the in-form Dimitrov. If Goffin can push on from his brilliant season, take the confidence gained from wins over Nadal and Federer at the ATP Finals and continue to develop he may indeed crack the top 5 before a certain Djokovic and a certain Murray can get back up there again. A brilliant player with whom there is little fanfare and often very good tennis.

Juan Martin Del Potro - another amazing player, who had a brilliant 2017, fit for the most part, who if he can stay healthy will surely have more to say in 2018. He's proven many times over the past decade that if he gets into his rather substantial stride he can defeat anyone put in front of him. He's a big player, with a huge game. He spent 2017 climbing the rankings and looks set for a fresh assault at the top of men's tennis. Given his past record with injury who could begrudge him another pop. 

Nick Kyrgios - Nobody has ever doubted Krygios' ability. When he's flying, his tennis is both sublime and devastating. He is capable of much. However, he's the Jekyll and Hyde of tennis and for every brilliant performance there seems to be a problematic one or an issue that is brought to light over his behaviour or something he has said. The young Australian under the right stewardship with clearly set goals and motivation could be a very hard opponent to beat. Let's hope he can channel his enormous ability soon and show everyone just what he has to offer the world of tennis. He is young enough to still blossom. He needs a coach though, and that should be his top priority for now. Without someone who understands and can provide him the guidance he so clearly lacks, it might be a while before we see the best of him, at least consistently.

Diego Schwartzman - In a sport in which height is such a valuable commodity Diego Schwartzman goes somewhat against the grain. The diminutive fellow has a passion and desire and work ethic second to none. He has carved a place for himself with some big wins, a surge up the rankings and a similar refusal to be beaten to that of the terrier-like David Ferrer. Make no mistake, Schwartzman is capable of big things, and 2018 could see him push even further up the rankings. He is brilliant to watch and with a solid all-round game is thoroughly deserved of any success that might come his way.

Andrey Rublev – Rublev more than announced his arrival in 2017. The young Russian was a part of the NextGen Finals – losing 3-1 in the final to the magnificent Hyeon Chung – as well as a slam quarter finalist for the first time (at the 2017 US Open). His extreme frustration at certain points when losing might need to be tempered and better controlled. If he could harness that frustration and energy in the right way he could go very, very far. One of a small number of players who could genuinely challenge Alex Zverev Jr over the coming decade or more.

Denis Shapovalov – At 18, Shapovalov is the youngest player on the list. He announced himself and his explosive game at the US Open where he reached the 4^th round. He had also beaten Nadal only weeks before that. He plays some truly firecracker tennis and unlike most teenage players nowadays doesn’t seem daunted or overwhelmed by the more experienced big guns of tennis. His attitude is bright and positive, and he is another who truly feels like the future of tennis. In fact, 2018 could already see him do very big things. Another style of tennis that is very easy on the eye. Watch him when you get the chance, and watch his space…

Hyeon Chung – Another of the young players with bags of talent. He came good at the inaugural NextGen Finals, under the new format, unbeaten over the 5-day event. He is a very good clay court player, improving all the time on hard courts. Expect his ranking to reflect his ability soon, as it was affected by injury during 2017. He could easily be a top 20 player a year from now. Also, great to watch and as humble as Nadal. A wonderful prospect and a lovely guy.

Frances Tiafoe - Tiafoe is a bright young talent on the cusp of turning twenty. He has a very exciting looking game and a passionate on court manner of the ilk of Nadal. He looks like he means it and like it means the earth to him to play. From his physical appearance to the way he strikes the ball he is an exciting prospect indeed. He was unlucky not to be the final entry into the inaugural NextGen Finals, as the final spot went to an Italian qualifier. Expect his explosive game to really take off this year. 

Bonus players: Stanislas Wawrinka and Maria Sharapova. Both are multiple grand slam champions who can beat anyone on their day. Don't bet against them, but a bet on them could easily end in disappointment. Sharapova will feel she has something to prove after events of the last few years, Wawrinka probably won't, but that's often when he's at his most dangerous. 

Honourable mention: Both Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova deserve a mention. Azarenka’s custody battle has completely put her career on the back burner in the last months and she’ll be hoping that once that is resolved, soon, with any luck, that she can make a surge up the rankings and return to some of her earlier career highlights. Kvitova, another double slam winner, is still fighting her way back from a terrible injury in a violent attack she was the victim of. At her best she can part the players and storm to a title. 

First published as a BITESIZE series on tennisworldusa.org

Expectations of the Big Four in 2018 - Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal didn’t just end 2017 as the world number one for the fourth time in his career and with a multitude of records in tow. He proved to himself and the world that the substantial blip of the last two seasons was a thing of the past, and along with both tactical and physical prowess he was able to solve the riddles the other players and the ever-changing game and physicality of it presented to him. Along with his usual team and the additional member in good friend Carlos Moya, introduced as a further coach in team Nadal, Rafa pushed his career into unknown territory and found the form he saw for most of his twenties. He turned 31 halfway through the year and showed no signs of further physical issues until the latter stages of the season.

So, what can we expect of Rafael going into the 2018 season? Along with Federer, who perfectly managed his schedule and demonstrated to others how it should be done as ageing takes a hold and the body can resist less and less, there is always a chance for big trophies for these guys. Federer missing the clay court season was a powerful statement and inevitably left him in great shape for Wimbledon. With no Djokovic or Murray at SW19, it was a straight forward equation. Nadal needs to think, in the next season or two, how to be at his best for as long as possible. That will mean playing less events. At the end of 2017 the ‘wear and tear’ was evident. Rafa’s team needs to be savvy, needs to protect him and not think of the fans, the events and the money, but his longevity and his game. For the sake of tennis and keeping him near the top for as long as possible this is a key decision in his career. Playing too much now will not help if he gets another major injury, and how hard would that then be to come back from? While his achievements of 2017 were something impressive indeed, trying to match that and hang on to the top mantle for as long as possible will not benefit him in the long run. Federer didn’t care too much about the top spot, as long as he kept winning Grand Slams and other titles. Nadal needs the same approach now, as he heads deeper into his 32^nd year.

There’s no denying if Rafa can keep up the strategic and physical game he played last year, with his serve as good if not better than ever (especially his second serve), then he will cause problems for anyone. Whether he can keep his returning nemesis Novak Djokovic and Federer, who he lost all four of their matches last season to, off his back is another thing. The kids are also coming on fast and strong. There are more contenders perhaps all at once than for a long time, meaning strategy and form will lift the best players above the others. Nadal did it time and time again in 2017, so we know he is capable. If he doesn’t play too much and burn his body out, and if the absence of Toni Nadal, his recently retired life long coach, doesn’t tell, and if he plays as he did last year then nobody can say Rafael Nadal will not be there or thereabouts when it comes to the big titles of the season ahead and a good ranking position at the year’s end. When it comes to the clay, at least, it’s hard to see anyone that could topple him. The rest is an open book and will depend on many factors. Hopefully, the injuries seen by many players over the last season or so will not affect the coming one. Nadal at his best is something we all want to keep seeing.

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Expectations of the Big Four in 2018 - Andy Murray

Murray's 2016 was epic. After adding a second Wimbledon title he went on a tear that overturned a massive Djokovic lead in the rankings. He took advantage of a noticeable dip in form for Djokovic after he had won the French Open and finally got the career slam and Murray seemingly wore his body out from playing so much. He finished 2016 in pole position in the rankings and with a collection of titles under his belt that made that position thoroughly deserved. 2017 was a disappointment as he struggled to find the same form and then succumbed to injury, somewhat predictable given his exertions the previous year. It meant he dropped down the rankings considerably - as Federer had a year earlier with his absence through injury - and that we didn't get to see his feisty and skilled game of tennis as usually we would. 

Murray is still only 30. He's been around well over a decade and has achieved more than most ever will – three grand slam titles, two Olympic gold medals in singles, a Davis Cup winner, 14 Masters titles, the most wins ever at Queen’s Club in London (5) and much more. He's deserved of his spot in the Big Four and shouldn't be compared directly with the others. Should he manage a sustained period of fitness and grow back into his game, finding his winning stride, he can not only trouble anyone on his day, but he will know with his vast well of experience that there's little to fear and little he cannot achieve. The Australian Open may well fall too early in the season for his return and for any genuine hope of success, the one he so genuinely deserves after losing the final on multiple occasions, but he should never be counted out. It's certainly as much mental as physical with Murray. Without Lendl in his corner now, does he have what it takes to keep calm between the ears and do the damage on a tennis court he previously has? His ability is undeniable. Whether he can return to the heights of his past glories is a harder one to predict perhaps than with the others. It'll be fascinating to watch his progress in the coming months. Let's hope he gets a good run at the ATP tour now without his body letting him down. He's probably got his mind right for the task ahead, let's hope. 

Andy Murray is a compelling character to watch on the tennis court with a skilful game of power and touch, with every possible shot in his arsenal. It's going to be great to have him back. Let's see if big things are yet to come, and if he finds his best form another grand slam title to add to his three existing ones is more than a possibility. Perhaps Wimbledon being his most likely shot!

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Expectations of the Big Four in 2018 - Roger Federer

Roger Federer’s 2017 was sublime - a thing of beauty that even the great master couldn’t have foreseen. Having not won a grand slam title since Wimbledon 2012 nobody was prepared for the form he hit, the titles he took and the age at which he was clearly peaking yet again. It wasn’t just tennis, it was art, it was solution, it was a relief for his huge army of followers and the man himself, who had known he loved tennis enough to stay around and work on how to punch at his previous weight. It was a spectacular year. Along with Rafael Nadal, the best two players tennis has ever seen shared a golden year of unfathomable success, even playing doubles together for the same team (Europe) at the Laver Cup. They won two slams apiece on their returns from injury and in the absence of some of the other best players in the world.

Expecting the same of Federer as he heads towards his 37^th birthday later in 2018 might be a stretch, but Djokovic, Murray and others may have their work cut out returning and quickly finding solutions for Federer’s more aggressive game. He keeps points short, his serve is as reliable as ever and he attacks where before he waited for something to happen. He has found a way to get older and make his tennis as effective as ever, so his body doesn’t get worn and he can play at a level that simply overwhelms most, whether they be near the top of the game or a good decade or so younger. It’s clever tennis, again a delight to watch.

At some stage Federer’s body will no longer last and keep up with the younger players, as tennis becomes more physical, more mental, more strategic than ever before. That point may be in a few months, a year or a couple of years. With the recent success of 2017, you would expect it to propel him into the new year and beyond with high confidence and the feeling that Djokovic and Murray can be overcome, as they return to the game and seek the form that won them both grand slams in recent years. Federer won’t fear anyone and if he does find his groove, well, it’s more than possible he can retain his Australian Open title. Beyond that, well, it’s anyone’s guess, and perhaps he should never, ever be counted out, not while he is still playing and not after his incredible return to his previous heights after almost half a decade without a slam to his name. Roger Federer is one of a kind. 2018 should be another fascinating chapter, whatever happens.

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Expectations of the Big Four in 2018 - Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic has little to prove to anybody. His motivation clearly suffered in the aftermath of finally winning the French Open title at Roland Garros in Paris back in 2016. He had the career grand slam that had been pushing him through his near invincible years leading up to that title. It broke him in all kinds of ways, and he is still looking for a way back to his best form, or even some semblance of that. Much has changed. Gone are Marian Vajda, his coach of around a decade and Boris Becker, who oversaw great success – Vajda every Djokovic slam title thus far and Becker half of those. Now, Agassi, in his first coaching role, and the recently retired Radek Stepanek are in Novak’s corner. He has also become a father for the second time and has been out for a six-month lay off with an elbow problem. 2017 saw Djokovic win only two smaller events, and was by his standards a poor year that has seen his ranking plummet, and many ponder if he can ever return to his previous heights – let’s face it, some rather lofty achievements to say the least.

Djokovic is 30 years of age. At that age Nadal had the season he had in 2017, while Federer had his extraordinary season at 35. Men are playing until later than ever before, and the always incredibly fit Djokovic is unlikely to have age-related issues should he keep further major injuries at bay. But, his spectacular form of 2011, 2014 and 2015 might not be as easy to regain. What he did in those years was something phenomenal indeed and perhaps the like of which is unlikely to happen all too often, if ever again. His ability, experience and achievements are unquestionable. He is one of the game’s greats, even whilst having played at the same time as the two actual greatest players ever. He has Sampras’ seemingly unreachable total of 14 grand slam titles in his sights and who would argue that he won’t reach and then surpass that number? Sampras didn’t think it could be broken, at least not for a long time, as Federer and then Nadal passed it, and now Djokovic must have set that as a realistic target over the next season or two. He is also one of the only players that could come back from a long-term injury, as he is going to, and have a chance of really threatening the top players going into the year’s first slam. His mental edge has given him an advantage over many players before even stepping onto the court. Should he arrive in Melbourne for the Australian Open with a little confidence from his early 2018 matches, he will have a chance of adding to his six Australian Open titles. Whatever happens, he won’t go down without a fight and he has been missed. Let’s hope he finds some form and nestles back in at the top with Federer, Nadal and Murray, where they all clearly belong, for as long as they can hold off the younger players storming the gates of the castle.

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Is There Still Room For Stan At The Top?

With the Big Four all in action again soon and the NextGen guys snapping at their heels, is there still space for Mr Wawrinka?

It’s a relevant question at a time like this, to ask if Stan Wawrinka has what it takes to reassert himself in the Grand Slam game. 2017 is the first year in which he hasn’t collected a slam since 2013 - before he had won his first. He has proven it wasn’t a fluke over the past few years, and some. When in form, when he hits that groove he is unbeatable. Well, unless he meets Rafael Nadal on clay as he did at Roland Garros this past spring. Rafa was never going to miss the chance to get the Coupe des Mousquetaires in his teeth again.

So, after an absence through injury (much like Murray, Djokovic and others) what chance does Stan have of returning to the game and having Grand Slam success again? Certain things have happened in his absence – not least the taking of his place amongst the world’s best of Alexander Zverev. Add to that the arrivals of other NextGen players Andrey Rublev and Denis Shapovalov, also chomping at the bit. Hyeon Chung, in winning the NextGen finals, has also announced his presence on the scene. Juan Martin del Potro has deservedly soared up the rankings and now stands on the verge of the top ten again. Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin have played their finest tennis thus far in their careers, climbing to lofty heights in the rankings (three and seven respectively). Plenty more has taken place too, as the rankings are a constant symbol of moving and shaking.

More than anyone else, Stan Wawrinka is one of those players that hasn’t seemed to put pressure on himself. He had a coach, in Magnus Norman, who got the best out of him. That union coming to an end recently may provide the biggest uncertainty to his on-court career going forwards. Wawrinka has a beautiful and powerful game at his very best and is a joy to watch. The lack of pressure he places on his own shoulders means that when he finds that groove of form he becomes very hard to topple. He himself knows in such form it would be hard to defeat him over five sets and his play demonstrates just that, whether he plays one of the big four or someone else. It’s one of the keys to his success. He doesn’t expect to find that form at every event, not even every slam, he expects to take advantage when it does happen, when he slips into his comfort zone and starts making other brilliant players look average.

He is a little older now too, and will turn 33 this coming March. Should he remain fit he can be a threat to anyone. His best years of tennis have been the last four. He has aged well and grown into his role as one of the finest players on earth, at the same time as the big four have won most of the other Slams. There are players that can beat him, yes, but he will not fear them, and should he stumble upon some great tennis, after a substantial lay off, he will know he can be a danger to the rest of the draw at any event (perhaps not on grass).

The ATP rankings have changed a little in his absence. The arrival of some big new players, young ones indeed, and of other more experienced players taking advantage of the injuries of some big players, means there is a little more competition going into the start of the 2018 season. The exciting element is that it’s hard to pick a winner for the first slam of the year in Melbourne, Australia. Federer’s name may lead the way, but if early form upon returning from injury can be found by a number of players then there are multiple names to be mentioned around who could win the next Grand Slam title. Wawrinka, surely, is worth more than just a mention. After all, he won his first Grand Slam there, almost four years ago, and it will have a special place in his heart. Also, he will return with low expectations, swinging away, and that is often when he is at his most dangerous. If he finds that groove, the rest of the field could be in trouble. He is a name that Roger, Rafa et al will fear in the draw. There’s still room for him at the top, and he is more than capable. 2018 is going to be a fascinating story to watch unfold.

 First published on tennisworldusa.org

The New Wave of Female Players

While the 2017 season (now at a close except for the Davis Cup final this coming weekend) offered a remarkable array of results, surprises, returns to form and brilliant tennis two new events stood out. Both the Laver Cup and the NextGen Finals hosted their inaugural editions. The two events offered something new, and perhaps previously lacking, in what is already a jam-packed sporting calendar lasting from January to November each year. A team event – the Laver Cup - not framed by nationality was a highlight of the season, as was a tournament that centred around the young players – the so-called ‘next generation’ of players – the faces of the future. In fact, three of the main twelve players involved in the first Laver Cup were faces of the NextGen race throughout the year (Zverev, Shapovalov, Tiafoe).

It’s clearly an exciting time with some magical talent appearing, seemingly at once, and looking just like the future of tennis. At present there are four men aged 21 or under in the ATP top 50 and six women of that same age bracket in the WTA top 50. Then, a total of ten men in the world’s top 100 and sixteen in the women’s top 100 are 21 or under. The NextGen is a brilliant event that promotes the young players of tennis. So, why is it not being done for both the men and the women? Much is made of equal pay (an ongoing debate), of equal rights and opportunities both in and outside of sport, and yet such events are only addressing one gender, only promoting one side of the ATP/WTA pairing.

Looking at the ladies’ game, the lead youngster Ostapenko, at 20 years of age, is ranked seven in the world. While she is lower than Alex Zverev (now world number four), she has won a first Grand Slam already (Roland Garros 2017). Ashleigh Barty has had an amazing year as have some of the other young women clawing their way up the rankings, with hard work and some flourishing tennis (Kasatkina, Kontaveit, Siniakova and many more). Ana Konjuh, from Croatia, is the only teenager in the world’s top 50, in the men’s or women’s rankings. In short, there are amazing young players in the ladies’ game. They also deserve to become household names, and have earned the right to be acknowledged similarly to the men.

It cannot be just Judy and son Andy Murray leading the way reminding everyone of the importance and presence of women as coaches, as players and in society. These people need to be deeply infiltrated into the decision-making associations and working on promoting the two games, the two tours – ATP and WTA – equally. So, while the NextGen was brilliant, with a thoroughly deserved winner in Hyeon Chung (more known now than before, surely), it can be felt that something resembling that tournament was indeed missing from the ladies’ tour. I also think women should have been incorporated into the Laver Cup and that it was a missed opportunity to really make something special and unique out of that event. Yes, it was successful, and probably what was hoped for, but there is too much separation between the men and women, too much talk and then too little action regarding equality, with regard to modernising the two tours in parallel.

It does seem rather hypocritical from the higher powers of tennis, to bring Grand Slam prize money in line between the two genders (as in recent years) and then allow other aspects to remain dated and lacking (addition of new events, TV coverage, court allocations and so forth). The WTA tour is rich with young talent, has seen a player only a few days past her teenage years capture a first Slam in one of the shocks of the year, and is every bit as deserving of the same limelight, focus and dedication as the ATP tour. 

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Ending A Long-Term Hoodoo

Breaking a long term losing streak against a player can feel like a never-ending challenge, a riddle, a puzzle that just doesn’t fit.

When finally you find the solution it’s like an epiphany. Take, for example, the relief more than outright and visibly manifest excitement on the face of David Goffin after his match against Roger Federer in the semi-final of the ATP Finals at The O2 in London. Finally ending such a long-standing curse (Federer had led the head-to-head 6-0 before that match) can provide a great source of confidence to a player and feel like a colossal hurdle has been removed from your career. At least now it is known – you CAN beat that player. That confidence must have come in handy in the last match of the ATP Finals, as Goffin almost overturned the horrendous loss to Dimitrov (6-0, 6-2) in the group phase only days earlier. Goffin did indeed come close to winning the final (7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to Dimitrov), and surely the belief he had having beaten both Nadal and Federer over the previous week must have played its part.

Sometimes though, two players’ styles of play, tactics and problem-solving skills just don’t match up - one is left flailing and floundering whilst the other player looks to be on autopilot, aware they have won before they’ve even stepped on court. Well, almost. The other player is inside your head, a grip has taken hold, its far more mental than physical as you can beat most, if not all, other players on your day. You just find a groove with certain players – one the winning groove and the other the losing groove. The one on the wrong end of those results becomes increasingly frustrated and can envisage a way to beat that player less and less – in short, they cannot foresee a way to change it. With each loss the psychology of the situation, of the match-up becomes more and more profound, a gradually deeper scar.

Take Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Not since a 17-year-old Maria beat Serena twice in 2004 has she had the taste of victory over the female legend of the game. While Sharapova does know the feeling of overcoming her nemesis it’s now an eighteen-match losing streak that must surely take its toll psychologically, and that must make Williams smile.

Stan Wawrinka went on an eleven-match, five-year losing streak to compatriot Roger Federer before finally ending that streak in 2014. He has won again since and had won once before that streak, but the players’ head-to-head isn’t cheerful reading for Stan fans. Tomas Berdych had a similar hoodoo playing Rafael Nadal, in which Berdych was on the losing end for a period of almost nine years (17 matches), before finally he beat him again at the 2015 Australian Open, as he had three times back in 2005/2006 (Nadal leads their head-to-head 19-4 at present).

The coin has two sides – some players you love to play, some players you hate to play. It doesn’t fit, it’s effortless, it’s uncomfortable, it’s like a kite on the wind. So, to David Goffin and those who have broken a losing hoodoo in recent times great congratulations are in order. To those plotting and scheming how to bring down an absolute arch rival, a true nemesis, and the one subjecting you to a form of on-court torture - may you find the magical recipe that until now (or for a mentionable period) has eluded you, as nobody likes to know the outcome as soon as the draw has been made.

Goffin clearly holds Roger Federer in a post of great respect - saying he had pictures of him on his wall as a child. However, he played as he is capable of over the course of 2017, he carried it into the ATP Finals and was possibly the surprise of the entire tournament (not only beating Federer but also an out of sorts Nadal, and Thiem), despite not quite capturing the title. He proved if you keep on plugging away, if you try something different, if you believe in yourself, and your team, and play and impose your game on the opponent, then the outcome is anything but guaranteed. 

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Love Is in The Air – A Distraction Between Two Players?

Do romantic relationships between two players disturb their careers? It’s a fascinating topic with no clear answer, but there are certainly cases to signal a more prominent distraction when two players commence a romantic exploration compared to cases of players dating non-players. There are examples of both sides. Depending on those involved it can be an interruption that affects all other aspects of life. 

There’ll always be cases for both sides of any argument, and finding that all-important balance is imperative to make any additional relationships in life work. Stan Wawrinka has seen some of his best days during his time dating fellow player Donna Vekic, and her biggest title to date has come in the same window of time (the Nottingham title in 2017). Despite a substantial age gap these two players have now been together since at least 2015. Stan has won one slam during their time together, possibly two, depending on when they began dating (some say 2014, some 2015).

Something (or someone) needs to keep the players grounded. Take the example of the ‘Big Four’ in the men’s game. None of them coupled with fellow players (Mirka Federer was a player when she first met Roger in 2000, but retired {2002} before Roger’s first slam win {2003}), all of them in stable long-term relationships with figures who are devoted and dedicated to their partners’ careers. It’s a state of affairs that clearly works, being with someone with a more down-to-earth life.

When tennis players date one another it makes sense. The mutual existence on tour brings you into each other’s lives on a more than recurring basis. But like actors and musicians many of those unions do not last. While they share a common lifestyle, and that makes certain aspects of their lives relatable and easier, the pressure on the individual to remain focussed week after week must be hard, with both in the limelight, both having similar duties. The same could be said of coach/player relationships in which the hierarchy is another potentially problematic factor to consider, although they do not face the same separation. For two players it might be a distraction when they’re together at tournaments and a distraction when the tournaments take them to different locations. It must be hard to get a footing and find the all necessary balance that a successful relationship of any kind needs. It’s far from the stability of having a partner on the road with you, week in, week out.

Therefore, as career paths part and cross, divide and meet again, it cannot be a very fluid and stable situation to be in, romantically. One minute you are practically living in each other’s pocket, the next the relationship has switched back to a long distance one, as the WTA and ATP tours take players to different countries. The recent example of Mladenovic and Thiem would seem to signal a changing in on court fortunes, for at least Mladenovic, whose form until Wimbledon was explosive, as she passed through the best period of her career thus far. The slide since has been not only noticeable but almost the scale of a Shakespearian tragedy. Apparently, they got together over the summer. There’s certainly a collision of dates to support the theory yet again. Thiem, at a time in which Murray, Djokovic, Wawrinka and some other brilliant players have been absent, hasn’t truly capitalised on that advantage as players like Sock and Dimitrov have (each winning first Masters titles).

Think Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, and how their successful relationship came post-Graf success, in fact, starting only months before she called time on her playing days. It’s hard to see how it would’ve worked prior to that and how it wouldn’t have proven a distraction. The success both achieved during the nineties might have looked rather different.

Returning to Dimitrov, his much-highlighted relationships with Sharapova and Serena Williams seemed to garner more attention than his on-court achievements of that time. Dimitrov, long labelled ‘Baby Fed’, wasn’t fulfilling his potential in those days and it wasn’t until some time into his relationship with Sharapova that he had a breakthrough year in 2014, reaching the Australian Open quarter finals and the Wimbledon semi-finals. While both women suffered less than Dimitrov, it’s clear that some players are affected by their off-court lives. It doesn’t need to be a fellow player for that to happen, but it seems to be less common to pass through a good moment than a bad one when two pros are dating. 

It's easy to pick multiple examples of relationships between two professional tennis players that have seen them enter poor periods on court, and there are always examples of those who can make it work too. Perhaps Radek Stepanek is the finest example. He knows as well as anyone that it has both its pros and cons, like anything. He has dated a number of female players (even marrying one) and finally concluded that it didn’t work. While there is a common basis for the couple the differences are even clearer owing to the joint life out on tour. It’s intense, much scrutinised and very hard to escape the bubble. In short, if you are happy in your love life with your fellow tennis pro but your on-court career is suffering, perhaps you don’t have very far to look for the reason. 

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Big Times Coming For Coach Agassi

2018 is going to be a big year for Coach Agassi. A little like being thrown in at the deep end, he has some big shoes to fill in his first coaching role, and Novak Djokovic is going to want to hit the ground running after his lukewarm 2017. The Australian Open has been Djokovic’s most successful Grand Slam in the past, by some way, and at the start of the season he will be hoping to make an impression, to stamp his mark on the early proceedings of the new season.

Since the appointment of Agassi, filling the gap left by Becker’s departure and the ensuing split with the remainder of his team (including Marian Vajda who had been his coach for over a decade and overseen his ascendency to world number one) on an initially temporary basis, everything in camp Djokovic has seemed a little uncertain. Only a couple of small titles over the course of the year, and having to cut it short after the summer due to injury has meant that a much-needed break was enforced. His body was clearly worn by his years at the top and the exertions therein. Having seen what Federer and Nadal have achieved post-injury, Djokovic and Murray will be chomping at the bit to get back on court and back up the rankings.

This inevitably puts pressure on Andre Agassi. Having never had a coaching post before, and with his predecessors having overseen a total of 12 Grand Slam victories and 30 Masters’ titles (to name the Serb’s greatest achievements to date), it’s both a high-profile post and one accompanied by great expectations. Agassi seemed to take it in his stride in the early months of the union, but he must surely know that the spotlight and pressure will fall on him should his player not quickly resume his position amongst the elite of the sport. It’s a tentative role, to say the least. Agassi’s coaching credentials have been neither previously witnessed nor proven and here he now occupies one of the most demanding and intense roles in the whole of tennis. He looked nervous at times watching on, as Djokovic failed as he had for the past year to re-capture his astounding form of the previous five years, during the summer. Agassi is clearly invested, hoping to carve a successful path as a coach in addition to his magnificent playing career, and the months ahead could prove a fascinating period for both player and coach.

What is clear is that after the initial months before Djokovic’s injury, in which Agassi was in his corner, they have clearly cemented their relationship and decided that for now it works for each of them. Nobody can predict if Djokovic will return to his previous heights (he also turns 31 next spring), but his partnership with Agassi proves the type of move that signals ambition and heralds a new and exciting era for both parties. What happens next is anybody’s guess, and Coach Agassi might just have the magic to bring Djokovic’s tennis back to life.

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Fissette Move Signals Kerber Ambition

The signing of Wim Fissette as new coach is a brilliant move. After finally coming good last year, 2017 has been a disappointing time for Angelique Kerber and her fans. Not only did this year see her eventually lose the top spot, but during Serena Williams’ absence she has slipped out of the year end top 20, a noticeable slide, outrageous even. It’s hard to argue that the timing of this change in coach wasn’t necessary. In fact, it’s a very positive move from a player who surely should have achieved more in the absence of the best female player ever. Further glory was there for the taking, surely, and with the pressure on for once, Kerber had a predominantly yearlong poor streak. This change, hopefully, will bring that to an end.  

Wim Fissette is a well-known coach with successful periods coaching some of the top names of the past decade. Sabine Lisicki’s finest moment came months after commencing work with him, as she reached the Wimbledon final in 2013. He has also been a part of the development and success of Simona Halep, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and more recently Johanna Konta, who had a fine first half to 2017. Last month, as Konta struggled through injury and the hardcourt season with a multitude of losses, they parted ways. Enter Kerber and a move filled with ambition for what is to come.

Winning the Australian Open in 2016 might have been considered a one off. It was, however, followed by a Wimbledon runner’s up plate and cheque and then her second Grand Slam title a little over a month later at the US Open. It capped a brilliant year, thrust Kerber into the limelight far greater than winning only one Slam can, and made her one to watch (of course, she reached world number one and ended the year in top spot). Being watched proved to be too much pressure and over the course of 2017 it felt like a slow-motion capitulation. Kerber only months shy of her thirtieth birthday clearly wants to repeat her success of 2016 and prove she is anything but finished. Appointing Wim Fissette might prove a masterstroke in realising that mission. His record speaks for itself and he will bring a fresh approach to a player more in need of it than most. Over 2017, Kerber lost a substantial number of matches she would never have lost a year earlier.

I can see good things coming from this union. It’s a partnership that sees two proven winners coming together. Kerber needed a fresh perspective, as it seemed her and her coach Torben Beltz had achieved as much as they could together, and 2017 showed things needed shaking up. It’s good timing and it’s an early statement of what big things she wants to achieve over the coming season. It’s hard to not think that 2017 was a big missed opportunity though. While lots of players excelled, nobody really stole the show, and in the absence of the biggest player some will be disgruntled when pondering that. Kerber, however, is one of the few who proved she could not only cope with Serena’s explosive game, but she could contain it and find ways to beat her. ‘Explosive’ might be just the word to describe what lies in wait in Australia and beyond.

The ‘new chapter’ of which Kerber herself has spoken recently looks like being an attractive prospect. It will inevitably accompany the return of Serena, the attempts to rise up through the rankings again of Azarenka and Kvitova, and the push for world number one that is now so open for a number of players in the top ten at present. 2018 doesn’t only look highly attractive for the men’s game, the women’s looks as unpredictable as ever, with it very difficult to pick who might come out on top. Serena returning to the game post childbirth and resuming her role as the one to catch may not be quite so simple and there are more possible winners than for some time. As for Kerber, it’s just possible that she has missed Serena and that her return, along with Fissette in her corner, may just reignite the fire that had clearly gone out this past year. It’s an exciting new phase, and just what Kerber has needed. Let’s hope she finds her way back up the world rankings. 

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Comfort Break, You Say? No, It Was Purely Tactical

Comfort breaks have become a tactical ploy to mess with the opponent’s head as well as provide a player in need of a short, sharp ‘time-out’ with just the jolt back to reality needed. Yes, at times it works, at others not so.

In the melting pot atmosphere, it’s inevitable at times to lose your way over the course of a match. Taken as an extended bridge between sets, a momentary pause, such breaks often see one player left on the court, all rhythm previously built being broken, the player looking a little lost at having more than ninety seconds in the changeover. The longer the wait for the player to return the worse it gets, the not knowing when play will start again a form of torture. By the time the player who took leave of the court returns, which seems to be from anything between a couple to well over five minutes, the entire atmosphere has changed (see multiple cases) as well as the mindset of each player. The one left stranded on his or her chair at courtside, waiting, has had far too long to stare into space considering the position they had just worked their way into.

Occasionally, a comfort break might be taken for its genuine purpose, but mostly it doesn’t feel that way. The changeovers never feel like any form of break, only when someone leaves the court is it noticeable to all – a ‘switching off’ of any rhythm or tempo. Just what the person who lost the previous set needed, and the opposite for the one in the ascendency, the one who had the momentum on their side. There is also the rare occasion in which both players leave the court at the same time – which feels like the second player matching the psychological hand the other player has dealt them – taking their own extended break to re-focus their mind on what is to come next, whilst in a slightly calmer environment without the noise. Then it can feel like whoever emerges last still has the upper hand, and there are increasingly profound psychological considerations. It’s certainly tactical, and it has become a part of the game that really needs to be curbed.

As it’s a difficult topic to question the legitimacy of, in each case, it is a rule that goes on unchanged. Many examples, however, push the envelope of what is credible and sportsmanlike. Perhaps the rules should remain but with tighter guidelines. It certainly needs addressing though, as stopping the flow of a match as it reaches its climax (as in most cases) has no benefit to most and in fact unfairly spoils many a moment in great tennis matches. Where there are questionable examples of gamesmanship and rules being bent and twisted inside out there needs to be a constant reviewing process that adapts these rules to stamp out such behaviour. It’s a desperate tactic to get a psychological edge over an opponent in such a way, but it does work.

For those who take a comfort break for its legitimate purpose it seems unfortunate to have seen it become the opportunity it now has. As with inter-match coaching, abusive language and bad behaviour on court, the extended pauses for drinks when it isn’t the correct time and much more, it needs to be monitored and controlled a little better. When something is so blatantly to the detriment of the sport, and individual matches, in the grand scheme of things it can only be beneficial if such rules are amended.

First published on tennisworldusa.org

Toni Nadal’s Reign Has Ended (Or Has It?)

Throughout the world of sport, the name ‘Nadal’ is well known. You don’t need to be a tennis fan to know it deserves its place in the pantheon of greats, regardless of what happens from this point henceforth. But, has the ‘other’ Nadal earnt his dues? You hear about football sorts Guardiola and Mourinho all the time when talking about great coaches, and yet across sport and the generations few can have achieved what Rafael’s Uncle Toni has.

Rafael’s withdrawal from the ATP Finals at the O2 in London two days ago didn’t really come as a surprise, but perhaps the timing is perfect to address just what his uncle has also achieved. It wasn’t for nothing that Roland Garros got Toni down on the court to receive a replica of the Coupe des Mousquetaires (as he was also winning it for a tenth time), and boy did he deserve his moment in the spotlight, despite it seemingly making him uncomfortable.

So, while Federer, Seles, Sampras, Navratilova, Agassi and many more have seen varying numbers of coaches across their careers (some small galleries of faces), Uncle Toni has been present closely watching over his nephew’s career since Rafael was the age of four. In an age in which people are constantly jumping ship and moving on to fresh pastures, new work, Toni stayed and accepted the challenges that came his and Rafa’s way. That’s twenty-seven years together, sixteen Grand Slam victories, thirty Masters’ titles and other smaller ones too (not just on the clay). And while it isn’t completely at an end, or so it is said, Toni Nadal’s year-round, on-the-road coaching position is over. How many other coaches have stayed around long enough to witness their charge achieve the level of success Rafael has? How many can achieve such things? So, while the way this year has ended for the Nadals may be slightly disappointing – injury meaning Rafa goes out with a whimper rather than a bang (advised by Toni to not even play his first match two days ago) – what Team Nadal has done in the absence of Murray, Djokovic et al. is truly magnificent.

Uncle Toni, a silent force, shunning the spotlight and media that one can clearly enjoy given such a position, chose to get his head down and keep on finding new ways to improve every aspect of Rafael’s game. With an equally restless thirst for victory, Toni and Rafael have made the ultimate partnership. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Let Federer’s achievements not dwarf those of the two Nadal men. In any other era, people would be talking endlessly about what the Spaniards have achieved. Sixteen Grand Slams didn’t seem fathomable when Sampras hung up his racket, and Rafael has won both the slams that have taken him past Sampras’ total this year at the age of thirty-one (at that age Sampras played his last professional match). Uncle Toni must take great credit for this reinvention and return to form and the top of the game of his nephew. Let us also remember that 2015 and 2016 were not easy years for camp Nadal, fighting through injuries, confidence problems and a falling ranking. Now, Toni leaves Rafa with the year-end number one (the record of being the oldest man to hold that title), two Grand Slam titles and a series of other titles that capped a fantastic year.

And so, Toni Nadal, one of the greatest coaches ever, retires from being Rafael’s permanent coach to remain in Mallorca and run the Rafa Nadal Academy that was opened last year. With any luck he will still attend the majors and be the undeniably positive force he has been for so many years. But, if ever a man deserved some acknowledgement of his achievements, if ever an unsung hero should be steered into the spotlight for a moment again, if ever people should talk about the greatest coaches, of any sportsperson, of all time, then Uncle Toni should surely be mentioned. Take a bow, Mr. Nadal, for your achievements are unlikely to be matched any time soon. Everybody is always talking about GOATs these days - I think they might just be overlooking not one but two Nadals. 

First published on tennisworldusa.org