2013 ATP Predictions

Hey Y'all... I'm going to finish off 2013 with my predictions for 2013 with some help and input from Patrick, too! And then I'll be back in January or whenever Todd sees fit to put batteries back into me. I'm very excited to be in Australia as the new season starts. I'll get to see Brisbane and Hopman Cup and all the other great Australian tournies. And I'll support Sammy Stosur all the way, not to mention Bernie Tomic, although if either were to win even 5 matches in Australia I'll be very impressed. Perhaps next year is the year...

I'll do Patrick’s Top 10 predictions first off. Oh, also this list is alphabetical. If Berdych does finish at number one I'll eat my poncho.

*PATRICK's 2013 ATP TOP 10+1 PREDICTIONS*
Tomas Berdych, CZE
Juan Martin del Potro, ARG
Novak Djokovic, SRB
Aleksandr Dolgopolov, UKR
Roger Federer, SUI
David Ferrer, ESP
John Isner, USA
Andy Murray, GBR
Rafa Nadal, ESP
Kei Nishikori, JPN
Milos Raonic, CAN

And now my slightly different picks...

Berdych
...I just don't see him falling out of the TT next year. I know he may be getting a little older and he may lose a couple of matches a year that he should really win, but he's a solid top ten player even though, overall, his career hasn't been massively impressive. If he had taken his chance and beaten Nadal at the Aussie this year and then played like he did at the Open he would have the "Nalbandian Slam," which is making the Semis at all slams.
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del Potro
...Out wide serve, inside-out forehand. On the ad court, this is like a bomb. You can't defend against it. Add to that the fact his backhand is now a consistent and, yet, still powerful weapon, and also that his deadly up-the-line forehand appears to have come back from the dead. What you get is a scary, scary guy who no one will want to face. If Rafa's injuries persist then this guy has the weapons to take a top four finsih.
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Djokovic
...Do I really need to write this section? OK, consistent, doesn't miss a ball, great returner, great backhand and is apparently the best player. Also, I can't remember the last time a men's year end number one dropped out of the top ten the next year, not including injury-related or retirement from the sport related.
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Federer
...Even though he's playing a limited schedule, he'll still finish in the top ten easily. In fact I think he'll be even more dangerous now that he's playing less events. He still has the best forehand of any righty currently -- except perhaps JMDP -- and his backhand slice is still the best in the business. He should win 3 or 4 titles next year and I wouldn't be surprised to see him take the French IF Rafa is still injured or unable to play.
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Ferrer
...A solid clay court specialist that turned into an all-court machine. Highly skilled on all surfaces now and with a fine game, even if it lacks frills. He'll finish in the top ten easily.
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Richard Gasquet, FRA
...There's an excellent website/blog called changeovertennis and in this article it said this: "The Frenchmen quietly made four semifinals, three finals, and won one trophy (in Thailand). He also made it to the Round of 16 in all four majors, notched a win over Andy Murray, and won a bronze medal in Olympics doubles with Benneteau. All of this got him back to the top 10 for the first time since 2008."
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Isner
...The beginning of his year was good and I think the offseason will help him to forget about the other half of his year. He -- I think -- will finish in the top 11 at least and make two slam quarters if he gets a favorable draw of course.
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Murray
...He may only have a few years left at this standard, but next year should be one of them. I would write more but the more I write about him the more I get tempted to just start ranting about him again. Sorry to all you Muzza supporters out there, but I'm not a fan.
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Nadal
...This depends a lot on Nadal's knees. He has just been diagnosed with a syndrome which affects the fat pads of the knees or something. I'm no Superman. I mean, I'm no expert and I'm not a doctor, but I wish him a swift recovery.
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Raonic
...Hmmmmm. He is on the up and had a decent, but not stellar, 2012. I think he will end up at about 8 or 9 in the world next year. Very nice game with a lot of firepower. This guy has "multiple slam winner" written all over him, but then so did Gasquet.
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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA
...He is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma wrapped in a baguette. If he puts it all together with help from his new coach, Roger Rasheed, then slam semis beckon for sure for the mercurial Frenchman.
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*FOUR MORE TO PONDER*
Jerzy Janowicz, POL
Bernard Tomic, AUS
Ryan Harrison, USA
David Nalbandian, ARG



*MISCELLANEOUS*
O, tis the season for outrageous predictions and verily shalt I start them.

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Federer takes the French-Wimbledon double.
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Tomic finishes inside the top forty with a 250 title to his name.
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There will be a big profile retirement in 2013. Nalbandian? Hewitt?
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Roddick announces at some point his intent to become a commentator or starts doing light commentary work.
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Nadal quits tennis temporarily. He decides to return at the start of the 2014 clay court season.
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Tipsarevic finally crashes out of the top ten and begins to enter the twilight of his career.
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John Isner will play a fifth set at some point that exceeds 9-9. He will also play Mahut at Wimbledon.
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The Bryans retire at the end of the year.
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Jerzy Janowicz has an amazing season and finishes at 6 in the world, after getting to the final of the WTF. On a similar note, the Poles get to the World Group of the Davis Cup.
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I managed to get Patrick to lend a hand here, too. His picks are first. He just picked finals, but not winners.

=PATRICK's EARLY OUTLOOKS=
AO: Murray v. Djokovic
RG: Nadal v. Federer
WI: Murray v. Fed OR Nad
US: Surprise v. Djokovic

When it says surprise, he thought perhaps Nishikori, Janowicz (how many times will we hear that name in the next five years, folks?) or Klizan. I thought Delpo or Janowicz.

And now my slightly different outlooks...
AO: Djokovic d. Del Potro
RG: Nadal d. Del Potro
WI: Federer d. Djokovic
US: Federer d. Murray
ATP: Del Potro d. Janowicz

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, y'all .See you in January...over and out....and once more to reiterate I don't hate Serena Williams. I even follow her on Twitter...and visit WTA BACKSPIN, too. :)

And, now, a third opinion:



*2013 ATP TOP 10+1 PREDICTIONS*
Marin Cilic, CRO:
...of course, he's been looked at as a potential Top 10er in season's past and not quite been up to the task.
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Juan Martin del Potro, ARG:
...if it looks like a duck, and it sounds like a duck, he might just really be a slam contender again.
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Novak Djokovic, SRB:
...with Rafa questionable with injury again, and Federer committed to a lighter schedule than the one that got him back to #1 (for a while) in '12, what are the odds that ANYONE other than the Serb will be ranked #1 in 2013?
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Roger Federer, SUI:
...less time on the court likely means he won't contend for year-end #1, but he'll surely continue to contend for slams.
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David Ferrer, ESP:
...led the ATP in singles titles in '12, and could soon be the #1-ranked Spaniard. How great would it be, by the way, if the working man's tennis player could somehow find his way into a well-deserved slam final at some point?
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John Isner, USA:
...of course, with his penchant for marathon five-setters in any (if not EVERY) round, the chances of him ever being able to truly contend for a slam are probably pretty minimal. Come summer, it will be a full decade since Andy Roddick became the last American man to win a slam.
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Juan Monaco, ARG:
...coming off a career year, can he possibly scale new heights again?
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Andy Murray, GBR:
...well, now what? Was 2012 the pinnacle, or the start of the back-half of a career that makes up for lost time (and slam titles)?
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Rafael Nadal, ESP:
...it's all about the knees. Still, one can't rule out him dominating the clay season again. Even if it ultimately means he's a virtual myth on the tour the rest of the year.
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Milos Raonic, CAN:
...his BIG slam breakthrough might be at least a season away, but Top 10 is do-able in '13.
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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA:
...still waiting for all that talent to bloom to its full potential during one two-week stretch.
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*FIVE MORE TO PONDER*
Nicolas Almagro, ESP: If Nadal misses the clay season, his prospects go up.
Tomas Berdych, CZE: Can beat anyone. Can disappoint at any time, too.
Aleksandr Dolgopolov, UKR: On deck for some big success. Maybe soon.
Ryan Harrison, USA: The REAL best American hope (not Isner) for the rest of the 2010's
Bernard Tomic, AUS: I'm not really a fan, but the talent is there

=EARLY SLAM OUTLOOKS=
AO: Djokovic d. Murray (SF: del Potro/Tsonga)
RG: Nadal d. Federer (SF: Djokovic/Ferrer)
WI: Djokovic d. Federer (SF: Murray/Tsonga)
US: del Potro d. Federer (SF: Djokovic/Murray)


All for now.

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