Tennis

New year, new thread...

This is probably the most exciting year of all time for anyone who loves tennis. The men's game is so stacked it's amazing. There are 6 players who have a 100% legitimate chance of winning a Grand Slam. I can't remember the last time this has happened.

If anyone likes to bet, I reckon a really good one is to put a bit of money on 4 different winners for the Grand Slams.

Federer is still the man, the best ever, but the chasing pack are really on the rise. Nadal looks 100% again (won an exhibition tournament this week beating Ferrer and Soderling (who beat Federer in the semi's) along the way.

Federer was using a serve and volley tactic a lot on his second serve this week which is interesting. This time last year he was practicing the drop shot all the time, and it probably won him the French Open. After winning 15 GS's he still wants to learn new tactics. Pretty good.

Djockovic at the end of last year really stepped it up, beating Ferderer and Nadal several times. Murray will be desperate to win a GS.

Del Potro was the breakout star last year. He won the US Open and it wouldn't suprise me if he wins another one this year. I think he's the only player who can prevent Nadal from reclaiming the French Open title.

You also have Roddick, who was so unlucky not to win Wimbledon last year.

Players like Tsonga and Monfils will break through soon. Tsonga especially I think is the next player to follow Del Potro and break the 'top 4'.

The Aussie Open starts in a couple of weeks. I really couldn't predict who will win this. I'll go with Nadal though, as it's a slower hard surface.

The current ranking list:

1. Federer ------------10,550
2. Nadal----------------- 9,205
3 .Djokovic-------------- 8,310
4 .Murray---------------- 7,030
5 .Del Potro------------- 6,785
6 .Davydenko---------- 4,930
7 .Roddick --------------4,410
8 .Soderling------------ 3,410
9 .Verdasco------------ 3,300
10. Tsonga------------- 2,875


Federer has a LOT of Ranking points to protect, while Nadal has a lot to gain as he went out in the early stage of the French Open, and didn't play at Wimbledon.

This time next year, providing no one get's any big injuries I think the top 5 will look like this:

1. Nadal
2. Federer
3. De Potro
4. Djockovic
5. Murray

--------------------------------

The womens game could turn a corner aswell. You have the usual Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Sharapova, and now we have Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

Golden era for the men's game, while the womens game doesn't look to shabby now with the return of Henin and Clijsters.

Should be an interesting year.

Clijsters beat Justine Henin 6-3 4-6 7-6 in the final of the Brisbone masters.

They don't come much closer like that. Pretty amazing that both made it to the final considering they have only just come back from retirement.

Federer + Sampras vs Nadal + Agassi





Haha

Love Agassi

Since Murray lost in the Aussie Open final to Federer he's been awful.

He lost in the 2nd round of Indian wells to John Isner, then lost inthe 2nd round in the next torunament and this week got knocked out in the 2nd round by Kolschrieber(sp) 6-1, 6-2. His first round opponent pulled out aswell, so you could say this was his first round.

Currently Monte Carlo is on. Nadal and Djockovic as per are looking to get into the final. Federer hasn't entered.

Murray just lost in the 3rd round (his second match) against David Ferrer 6-3, 6-4. Having a stinker. Federer also got knocked out in the 1st round.

Woohoo, 28 yr old Anna Kournikova is set to make an appearance at Wimbledon this year...in the senior doubles tournament!

Hingis, 29, will be partnering her - the first time she'll have made an appearance after receiving a 3yr ban for failing a drugs test when she'd taken cocaine.

Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova to be reunited for double act at Wimbledon - Telegraph

Del Potro is having surgery so will be out of the French Open (where he would be 2nd faviorite and a great chance of winning) and Wimbledon.

Federer vs Nadal is on at 5.30. Madrid Masters final (on clay).

This time last year Federer won 6-4, 6-4. It's probably the fastest clay court to play on. Nadal is obviously faviorite though,

Nadal wins 6-4, 7-6.

Federer will be pleased though. He changed his tactics when he was a break down in the 2nd and started using drop shots, and began to almost dominate.

He was 4-2 up in the tie break but messed up a drop shot, and then on Nadal's match point there was a really strange bounce, so Federer missed the ball completely.

Neither player played that well, though Nadal probably deserved it.

Wasn't Federer's fault. Del Potro was basically smashing bombs at him for 4 hours.

Del Potro will miss the US Open aswell as the French, while Nalbandian is out of the French aswell. Probably the 2 players aside from Federer who have a small chance of beating Nadal.