A Final Glance Back, and a Look Ahead

Hey Y'all...Merry X-Mas!

Righty, for the last time I think until the new season I shall update the ATP. The next season starts in just over two weeks. There isn't much left to say except that I wish you a happy New Year and a very merry Christmas. It's a time for family, having one too many and regret on Boxing Day. Or is that just me?

*2013 ATP PLAYERS OF THE YEAR*
1. Rafael Nadal
Well, really could it be anyone else. He finished as the number one in the world. He went 10-4 in his finals. He won Brasil, Acupulco, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, the French, Rogers Cup, Cincinnati and the US Open. Together, Raonic and Isner have won 14 titles. Nadal reached more finals than they have titles this year. Those North Americans are ranked 11 and 14 respectively. Nadal has blown everyone away except for Novak Djokovic. Here's another mind blowing fact. In fact, I am going to leave this section with this simple fact. His win loss for this season was 75-7.
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2. Novak Djokovic
He managed a paltry 74-9 win/loss this season. Just not good enough to only win 74 matches. Incredible. The pair of them have created a duopoly. It is rather frightening. He won Australia, Dubai, Monte Carlo, Beijing, Shanghai, Paris and the WTF. Throw in slam finals in the UK and the US and that is a very impressive season. Essentially, three Masters titles and three slam semifinals, too. He could be the world number one. Already in this year alone, he has achieved as much as Jankovic, Safina, Wozniacki and Ivanovic have, if not more. In this year, he has won as many grand slams as those four combined. Those four ladies are all former number ones. He has also won more year end championships than those women combined in this year alone. Coincidentally, only one person has ever won the WTA year end championship who was not a grand slam winner. Hanika won it in 1982, beating Navratilova in three sets.
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3. Andy Murray
I suppose I have to give this to Andy Murray. He just won the British Spots Personality of the year. Murray reached five finals this year. He won a pair of 250's -- at Brisbane and Queens, he won Miami and he had a pair of slam finals, too. Had he not won Wimbledon, similar to Bartoli, his year would have been average. He has still yet to even reach a final on clay. At any level. That is the main reason why I don't think he is at Nadal or Djokovic's level. You have to be able to compete on all surfaces. Overall, 2013 was a good year for him but don't let the British hype fool you, it was far from perfect.
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4. David Ferrer
Ferrer reached nine finals this year, one of those coming at the French Open. He reached two 500 finals and two Masters finals. It has been another solid year and he even hit his highest ever ranking of #3. He is ranked deceptively high and he has serious points to defend. However, I believe he ranks at number four on this list because he worked hard again to nobody's surprise and he consistently delivers. I think next season will bring a drop in the rankings, though.
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5. The Bryans
The Americans went 54-7. In winning the Australian-French double, they dropped just three sets. In winning three slams, they dropped just six sets, keeping in mind Wimbledon makes them play best of five. Yep- Wimbledon make them play best of five, has a day off in the middle, has several rainy days and still manages to finish on time. The US Open? Well they're not so good at finishing on time. Anyway, the Brians won Sydney, Australia, Memphis, Madrid, Rome, French Open, Queens, Wimbledon, Cincinnati and Paris. The Bryans will likely win two slams next year, if not more. This year just gone, they were perfect just about. However, with McEnroe calling for doubles to finish, it may not matter soon. Just kidding, I hope.
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6 (tie). Stanislas Wawrinka & Richard Gasquet
Both these exciting one-handers had fantastic seasons. They even had one of the best matches of the year, at the French Open. Gasquet lost in a heartbreaker. Gasquet was the more consistent, reaching number 9 and staying there or at 10 for the season. He also won more titles. He went 3-0 in his finals whereas Wawrinks went 1-4, the last final coming in June. Wawrinka had three Masters quarters and one final, whereas Gasquet had three quarterfinals and two semifinals. In the slams, Gasquet was 4th, 4th, 3rd, SF whilst Wawrinka managed 4th, QF, 1st, SF. Wawrinka beat 9 top tenners whilst Gasquet only beat three, plus Wawrinka got out of his group in the WTF, though it was the far easier group. Wawrinka finished at a career high of eight, one above Gasquet. Essentially, they have had very similar seasons and I think both of them will be in the top ten come November 2014.
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8. Juan Martin Del Potro
He just won an Argentinian sports award, edging Lionel Messi to the top spot. He got to six finals, winning four. He won four 500's, and lost in the finals of two Masters. Not only that, but he also made the Wimbledon semifinals. He did poorly at the other three slams, winning just three matches combined, although he did withdraw from the French. He also reached a Masters quarterfinal and a semifinal in addition to those two finals. He had a good if not exceptional year.
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9. Roger Federer
Roger went from ranked 2 to being ranked 6. He only went 45-17. He was injured, and lost to players he should not have such as Brands. He only made one semifinal. However, he did win Halle and he did manage to look good at the tail end of the year. Sadly, it was too little, too late. A poor year from Federer but still better than Berdych's.
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10. Tommy Haas
This was exceptional considering that the German was 35 for most of it. He has reached the quarters of every slam. Not only that, but he went 2-1 in finals and finished at 12 in the world. The scary thing is that he has few points to defend in January and, if he wins Sydney and does respectably at the Aussie, he could rise to top ten easily. Another solid year from a solid veteran. Can he keep it up?
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HM- Canada
Pospisil and Raonic continue to impress.
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P.S. -- I know Berdych isn't on here. No tour titles means your ATP season has been poor. Even Tomic won one.

RISER: Stanislas Wawrinka
FRESH FACE: Grigor Dimitrov
JUNIOR: Thanasi Kokkinakis
SURPRISE: Fabio Fognini
VETERAN: Tommy Haas
COMEBACK: Rafael Nadal by a landslide
DOWN: Janko Tipsarevic
TEAM/DUO: Bob and Mike Bryan, again by a landslide
MOST IMPROVED: Richard Gasquet/ Stanislas Wawrinka
UNDERRATED: John Isner
OVERRATED: Tomas Berdych
PLAYER TO WATCH in '14: Juan Martin Del Potro
NATION TO WATCH in '14: Canada

And now for some predictions for 2014:


*2014 WTA YEAR-END TOP 10+1 PREDICTIONS*
V. Azarenka
S. Halep
J. Jankovic
P. Kvitova
N. Li
S. Lisicki
A. Radwanska
M. Sharapova
S. Stosur
S. Stephens
S. Williams

*FOUR MORE TO PONDER*
Pavlyuchenkova, Vinci, Kuznetsova, Ivanovic

=EARLY OUTLOOKS=
AO: S.Williams d. Azarenka
RG: Kuznetsova d. S.Williams
WI: S.Williams d. Sharapova
US: S.Williams d. Li Na
WTA: Azarenka d. S.Williams

*OUTRAGEOUS PREDICTIONS*
Serena Williams wins all the premier events, all the slams and the WTA Championships. Scary thing is, it might actually happen.
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Lisicki wins Wimbledon. Or is she destined to become the new Novotna?
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Kuznetsova wins a slam every five years. She takes the French. She choked last year when she had Williams.
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Venus Williams makes two deep slam runs.
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Sloane Stephens hits one million followers on Twitter.
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Someone wins their home slam in the ladies singles. Frankly, that will only happen in America. Sorry Robson, Cornet and Stosur.
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Halep wins two premier events.
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Ash Barty makes a slam quarterfinal.
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Serena and Venus open a new line of clothes.
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Ivanovic and Jankovic both fall out of the top twenty.
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I shall now do top ten ATP here. I'm aware this is quite lengthy. My apologies. I will just list the top ten.

J.M. Del Potro
N.Djokovic
D.Ferrer
R.Federer
R.Gasquet
A.Murray
R.Nadal
M.Raonic
J.W. Tsonga
S.Wawrinka

*FOUR MORE TO PONDER*
T.Berdych
J.Isner
B.Paire
B.Tomic

And now my slightly different outlooks...

AO: Federer v. Djokovic
RG: Nadal v. Djokovic
WI: Nadal v. Federer
US: Del Potro v. Murray
ATP: Djokovic d. Murray



Here are some outrageous predictions. Please enjoy.

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Federer wins a slam, any slam.
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Tomic wins two titles this year.
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There is an unexpected retirement, such as Simon or Berdych.
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Nadal wins a slam, a celebrity golf tournament and a celebrity poker tournament.
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Djokovic gets an injury after some seriously heroic defense.
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Murray does not win a slam, but does win three Masters titles.
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Gael Monfils wins four titles and finishes the year within the top fifteen.
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The Bryans win three slams once more.
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Del Potro wins a slam, and two Masters titles.
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, y'all. See you in January friends. Remember to stay away from egg nog because thats just good sense and visit WTA BACKSPIN, too. :)

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