The new season is just around the corner :Banana: So i thought, i'd make a thread. Before the season starts, i thought some predictions would be good to get the discussion going. My predictions... Grand Slam winners Australian Open: Djokovic French Open: Nadal Wimbledon: Murray US Open: Del Potro Australian Open: Serena French Open: Sharapova Wimbledon: Serena US Open: Azarenka Top 10's 1. Djokovic 2. Murray 3. Nadal 4. Federer 5. Del Potro 6. Tsonga 7. Ferrer 8. Berdych 9. Nishikori 10. Raonic 1. Serena 2. Azarenka 3. Sharapova 4. Kvitova 5. Kerber 6. Radwanska 7. Wozniacki 8. Petrova 9. Li 10. Errani
I think the Aussie is between Djoker and Andy, and you'd have to give an edge to Djoker. I don't expect Rafa to reach the semis considering the layoff and the noises coming out of his camp. Think it's known to be rather slow for hardcourt so I would expect Murray/Djokovic to handle Federer in a matchup. Roland Garros could be very interesting. I suppose Rafa will have had plenty of clay tennis by then to prepare him, but I just have a feeling that he's not going to be the same player again. I'll take Djokovic. Semis would be a good showing for Andy but he didn't really take clay seriously this year, and he's always more vulnerable on clay. I always think that he's got everything needed to be a great clay player, but it's clearly still his weakest surface. I really do like Murray's chances at Wimbledon. Although Djokovic has won the title before, he just doesn't seem to be as comfortable on grass. As for Roger, well maybe I'm naively counting out the great man, but I really don't see him winning another slam. He's got a very light schedule for 2013, clearly worried about how the tour will take its toll on him. US Open I see similarly to the Aussie, but yes someone like Del Potro is more of a threat if he keeps on building as he's done recently. I think the big problem for him is running into Murray or Djokovic, and beating them over 5 sets. Think it's such a big ask against great defensive players who can outlast him. Agree with your top 10 apart from Tsonga, who I can see either dropping out of the top 10 completely, or just clinging on. And I'd probably have Nadal at #4, he's such a big question mark though that it's hard to say. Definitely see him dropping below Ferrer after the Aus Open, you'd expect him to gain ground in the clay season but who knows? Raonic is going to be very dangerous before too long. WTA should be Serena domination, scary thing is that she seems to have a better attitude now than she's ever had before. Except maybe Roland Garros, where I can see someone unexpected winning again. Hope Kvitova finds some form.
I think Tsonga has got another good year or 2 in him. Now he's got Rasheed as his coach, i expect him to refind some form next year and finish in 6th or there abouts. I think he'll go deep at Wimbledon again. Djokovic will win the Aussie open by beating Murray in the final i think. Djoker is the best in the world currently, and i expect him to remain as world number one throughout most of the year. I think his slam results will be W,F,SF,F, and he'll win some masters titles and finish as #1 again. Nadal will still end up dominating clay season because he's that good on clay. You also got to consider that he has no points to defend after Roland Garros, while other players do, and thats why i think he'll finish as world #2. Djokovic is a huge threat though at RG and i expect that to be the final. Murray will have a simular yera to this one i reckon. He'll grab another slam and a masters title. Even though i don't like him, i see that he's turned the corner with Lendl and i expect to see those improvements continue. I'm not counting Roger out of anything really, but the only slam i see him winning next year is Wimbledon. But i've gone for Murray, as i think his Grand Slam win this year will help next year. Fed will have a decent year and finish 4th, but shows signs of decline. I've chosen Del Potro to win the US Open because he's finding his best form again. It's taken 2 years, but his performances last year has told me that he's getting back to his best. He has what it takes to win another grand slam, and i think he will win the US Open next year and go deep at RG. I expect the younger players like Raonic and Nishikori to step up next year. If Nishikori can stay injury free then i think he'll have a good career. He's already Japan's best ever player and i expect him to get to top 10 if injuries don't ruin it. Raonic will finally break through in a grand slam i reckon and will have a deep run in one of the hard court slams. Perhaps the US Open. For the womens, i expect Serena to continue her dominance, winning 2 of the 4 slams. RG will go to Sharapova i reckon, because she's the best clay courter atm. I see Serena getting upset at one of the grand slams (i've gone for the US or RG) by a dangerous player outside the top 10. A player like Shvedova, who's capable of producing amazing tennis. I think Kvitova will find some form next year after a disapointing 2012, and i expect Radwanska to fall a little bit. Errani won't be able to repeat her 2012 but will still have a solid enough year imo. I expect Venus to get back into the top 20, and Shvedova to join her. As for the British players, i think Robson will finish between 20-30, and Heather around the same area but slightly below.
BTW, who are your favourite players Valiant? Mine are... Tsonga Del Potro Nishikori and Shvedova for womens
First and foremost, Murray. I could quite easily be a fan of any of the others in the top 4, such great sportsmen, but since they're the main rivals it would be difficult. Used to like Roddick quite a lot, also have a lot of respect for Ferrer. Quite like Dolgopolov, very talented guy, but has health issues and probably won't fulfil his potential. I also like Nishikori, could go far but his lack of power may hurt him against the very best, he's had a few whippings against them already. WTA, I root for Kvitova, she's dynamite when on form, I liked how she stormed to that Wimbledon title when everyone (like usual) expected Sharapova to win. I think the contrarian in me makes me root for Azarenka as well, since everyone seems to dislike her because of the BOOOOOO noise! She has got a great mentality though, a heck of a competitor. Similar to Maria in that regard, but I think Vika is a better player.
Nishikori will be fine if he stays injury free imo. he needs work on his serve, as he doesn't win many free points. Also his defensive shot making, as he's got great movement, but his shots on the defensive aren't great. But he's a really good player and has the potential to have a great career. He's already beaten some of the top guys. Bageled Djokovic in 2011, and Raonic this year, beaten Ferrer, winning records against Berdych and Tsonga. The player he struggles with most is Del Potro, because Del Po easily overpowers him. Good to see another Kei fan though Whilst many in this country are fans of Murray, i just can't like him. He's a great player, don't get me wrong, but he's too passive imo when he's capable of playing more agressively. He's more agressive since Lendl arrived, but he tends to push too much for my liking. Also, his constant moaning and his attitude on court rubs me the wrong way. I respect him though because he's a great player. I like Tsonga because of his entertaining style of play. Ultra attacking, and always looking for winners. When he's on, he's almost unbeatable. Shame he's not on enough really. Needs to work on his backhand and ROS definately, because they only work when he's playing well. He seems like a great guy too, smiling on court and having fun out there, which is good to see. Tsonga is declining a little though, but i expect him to still have a decent season in 2013 Del Potro seems like a really great guy, and also brings a great game. He's aggressive, but in a different kind of way to Tsonga. Uses his power to put a player on the defensive before unleashing a winner. He shows his class in every match win or lose. The only time i can think of him doing something wrong was when he said that Murray and his mother are both a like or something. But thats about 4 or 5 years a go now. I think Del Potro will go on to win more slams in the future, and have a really good career. I like Shvedova because of her game and personality. You never see her moan, racket smash, and she's always smiling and respectful to her opponents. Her game is well rounded, as she can mix offensive and defensive tennis depending on the opponent. Great to watch. Potential top 10 player, but lacks consistency and her constant choking is annoying. She's choked against Lisicki, Vinci, Schiavone this year, and was 5-1 up against Kirilenko and lost the set 7-5. Many people might know her from the Golden set at Wimbledon
Grand Slam winners Australian Open: Djokovic French Open: Nadal Wimbledon: Federer US Open: Djokovic. Top 10 1) Djokovic 2) Federer 3) Murray 4) Ferrer 5) Nadal 6) Tsonga 7) Del Potro 8) Raonic 9) Berdych 10) Tipsarevic Got Tipsarevic in there, saw him at Wimbledon and thought he looked very good. Can see Nadal dropping out the top 4 because of injury. Not going to comment on womans tennis, as don't really follow it.
If anything I thought Murray was too aggressive in the last couple of months of the season. Especially against Federer at the ATP Finals, that's about as bad as he played last year, was just lashing the ball all over the place. Almost as if he got carried away by the effectiveness of his new aggressive approach, and the win in Shanghai (one of my favourite matches of last year, Murray blasting Federer off the court). I don't get why his occasional rage on court bothers anyone, for one it's funny, and for another, it's just his will to win, and the manifestation of him as a perfectionist. It does hurt his game though, so as a fan I don't like to see it. We didn't see much of it at all in the Olympics and US Open, and that's no coincidence. I think Del Potro's remark towards Murray was out of character, he usually seems a classy guy. Agree he'll have a good career, in a post-Fed/Nadal world he would be the one I'd look towards to contend with Murray and Djokovic. Think that'll be the problem for him, besting those guys in slams, but I do expect him to add to his US Open at some point. Tsonga is a double-edged sword, when he's on he can be brilliant, but the likelihood of him being on with the style he has is just not very high. Think he came to the pro-game very late, it's a shame because he could potentially have been so much better. Most guys on tour are likeable enough really. Berdych can be a bit of an arse at times, Almagro is temperamental. Think they had a falling out recently in the Davis Cup, and it was Berdych that came off looking bad, but could be wrong on that. Stepanek quite often does seem like a prick. One of the least sporting guys. Oh and Tomic, what an utter clown. Yeah that golden set was ridiculous, for that to happen in a Grand Slam against one of the top players, just unbelievable.
Murray never looks staisfied though. Against Berdych in the tour finals, he was ahead in the 3rd set and was on the Berdych serve. Berdych hit a good winner to 15-0 up in the game and Murray started F'ing and Blinding. I can understand it in certain situations, but he's constantly doing it. I agree that his attitude affects his game. It rubs people the wrong way, but of coruse there are some who don't mind it. I agree with what you said about Tsonga. Brilliant one minute, crap the next. If anyone wants to see what this man can do, then watch highlights of his match against Nadal at the 2008 Aussie open, he Completely owned Rafa. His game is very risky, but thats why he's a joy to watch. The Golden set was so awesome. After Shvedova reached the RG Quarter Finals, i started to pay close attention to her at Wimbledon. I liked her game, and was thinking that she should be ranked higher than she was at the time. Her match against Errani was on BBC, so i decided to watch it, and i couldn't believe what i saw in that first set. Shvedova completely owning her, not losing a point was incredible. Only one Unforced error from Errani, there was nothing she could do. Funny thing is though, is that Shvedova came close to doing it in 2006. She won the first 23 points, and then Doubled faulted on set point
BREAKING: Nadal is out of the Australian open!!! Craig Gabriel @crosscourt1 JUST IN - official. Rafa Nadal is out of the Australian Open due to stomach virus. Jon Wertheim @jon_wertheim From the camp : Rafa Nadal will not play DOHA & MELBOURNE... a stomach virus makes him stop his rehabilitation and thinks in the new season
Bloody hell. It doesn't even start for 3 weeks so it must have been a nasty virus. Or I suppose it's a possibility that the knee isn't ready, and they don't want to reveal the extent of the trouble with it, having already postponed the comeback at least a couple of times. Like I said before, from all the noises coming from the Nadal camp I get the distinct impression that his knee hasn't healed as they would've liked and he's a long way from being in the right shape. Rafa himself said it hadn't healed well in the months following Wimbledon, then this talk about not playing much hard court, and then there's these postponements. I'd be very worried as a Rafa fan. I'd be sad to see his demise even though it would benefit Murray, since his record against Nadal is worse than against anyone else by a country mile. Clay season would be interesting without him, but I think Djokovic would win at least one masters and have a good shot at Roland Garros. Didn't realise Errani only made one UE, that is pretty amazing.
Yeah, even if he does eventually recover, this kind of thing just has to take a big toll. And the likelihood of reoccurence must be a worry, considering how his camp have talked about playing less on hard courts. Outside of clay, I don't see him winning anything of note again.
That certainly means that Ferrer will pass him in the rankings and most likely be seeded 4th for RG. That means that if Rafa returns in time, then there is a strong possibility that he faces Djokovic, Murray or Federer in the Quarter Finals. That certainly makes it interesting
Womens Brisbane is stacked. Serena, Azarenka & Sharapova competing. (1)Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v BYE Sabine Lisicki (GER) v Lucie Safarova (CZE) Urszula Radwanska (POL) v Tamira Paszek (AUT) Q v (8)Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) (3)Serena Williams (USA) v Varvara Lepchenko (USA) Alize Cornet (FRA) v Q Sloane Stephens (USA) v Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) v (7)Samantha Stosur (AUS) (6)Petra Kvitova (CZE) v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) Lucie Hradecka (CZE) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) (wc)Olivia Rogowska (AUS) v Q Anna Tatishvili (GEO) v (4)Angelique Kerber (GER) (5)Sara Errani (ITA) v Q Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) v Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP) Roberta Vinci (ITA) v (wc)Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) BYE v (2)Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Wow, that's the equivalent of a 250 isn't it? Yet all the stars are there. ATP Brisbane should be Murray's, though Raonic tends to play his heart out against Murray and would be a threat in the final. Not that Murray can't lose to any number of people in a 250, but he owns most of the better players in this one.
Equivilent to a 500 i think. The Auckland tournament is equivalant to a 250 i think. WTA's system for that stuff is too complicated. But still an impressive line up none the less.
Yeah, no doubt. I can never remember the women's event structure, other than 'Premier 5' or something for the masters events, but then even those are split up in some way. ATP have got it right - 250, 500, 1000, makes the level of the tournament obvious and even tells you how many points are up for grabs.
