ESPN Tennis

Big four? What big four? Their hegemony was unexpectedly interrupted last week, with Rafael Nadal the only one to make it as far as the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open.

Nadal went on to win the title, while the rest headed to Italy with mixed feelings. Here's a reflection on their very different weeks.

Rafael Nadal

After making a slow start in both the Monte Carlo and Barcelona final, Nadal came out storming in Madrid against Stanislas Wawrinka and collected a record 24th Masters title, his 55th overall and his 40th on clay, tying Tomas Muster for second in that category. (Only Guillermo Vilas, with 45 titles, has more clay victories.)

It was a week of ebb and flow for Nadal. The Spaniard looked brilliant at times, showing superb improvisation and touch, but backed off at others and let his opponent get competitive. But he was in real danger only against compatriot David Ferrer in an all-Spanish quarterfinal, which was played in front of a packed home stadium.

How much danger? Ferrer was close to having two match points in the second set, only to have it snatched away by one of those brilliant moments from Nadal. After capturing the ensuing tiebreaker, Nadal again found himself facing break points at the beginning of the third but fended them off. The tour's most fabled competitor then stomped his good friend 6-0 to finish things off.

The two compatriots could face each other again in Rome this week, and if Nadal takes the title, he would overtake Ferrer and become the world No. 4. That will be a closely watched storyline, because Nadal getting to No. 4 would prevent the possibility of Nadal and Djokovic ending up in the same quarter of the draw at the French Open. (With Roger Federer at No. 3, all three could end up on the same half at the French Open if Nadal stays where he is.)

The only negative of the week: Nadal's knees continue to bother him, even though he can't always predict when. That means he might still be vulnerable at times, particularly if he happens to be playing a tough opponent. If not for that, the rest of the field might be tempted to pack up and head for the grass right now.

Novak Djokovic

After the boos Djokovic got last week, he'll be happy to be in Rome, the Masters event where his popularity is the highest. With his fluent Italian and outgoing personality, he has charmed the locals, and this is the one big event where crowds turn out to cheer for him as much as they do for Federer and Nadal (or even more).

That will be welcome as Djokovic licks his wounds from a physically and psychologically painful defeat in Madrid. Not only did he lose his opening match in three sets to Grigor Dimitrov, but the Serb got booed by the crowd and needed treatment on the same ankle he hurt at Davis Cup a few weeks ago.

Though Djokovic played through the injury to win Monte Carlo, he revealed that it had continued to trouble him afterward and almost kept him from playing last week. "For 12 days after Monte Carlo I haven't touched the racket," he said. "I didn't know up to Saturday if I'm going to come here or not because of the ankle."

Djokovic didn't get much sympathy from the Spanish crowd, which suspected gamesmanship when he stopped to get treatment at a set and 4-2 down and then got back on serve. Djokovic also drew their ire for drop-shotting Dimitrov when the Bulgarian was suffering cramps later in the set. It may have been smart strategically, but fans found it unsportsmanlike.

But the hostility had begun well before that, with Djokovic greeted by jeers and whistles when he asked the umpire to come down and check a mark. Though that also happened to other non-Spanish players during the week, it was ironic because Djokovic is extremely sporting about giving up calls and acknowledging his opponents' good shots.

"You know, in the first set, every single close call that I went to look at the ball and the chair umpire comes to see, I got whistled," Djokovic said afterward. "I don't see any reason for that. I didn't do anything bad. When I see the ball, it's good, I clear the mark. I give him a point."

Once it looked like Dimitrov might pull off the upset , the crowd barracked loudly for the 21-year-old. A resentful Djokovic apparently screamed an obscene remark in Serbian after winning the first set, but assuming most spectators had no idea, their treatment of him was a little harsh.

At least the physical damage didn't seem to be serious. "The ankle is not bothering me anymore, which is great news," Djokovic reported at Rome.

Roger Federer



While Djokovic's exit was full of drama, Federer's was largely anticlimactic in an error-filled loss to Kei Nishikori that didn't really stir the crowd one way or the other.

"I'm pretty disappointed with my play," Federer said afterward. "I'm not sure how well Kei thought he played. I didn't think he had to play his very best, either, which is even more disappointing.

"We're so accustomed to always finding that rhythm eventually, so it's even more disappointing if you never really find it, which was the case today," he added.

Much of that was attributed to rust. Federer was playing his first tournament in almost two months and rarely found any consistency from the baseline in his second match in Madrid. But his serve was in working order, and he did say he did not feel any pain during the week, a change from the back problems he suffered at Indian Wells.

The takeaway from the week? "I'm going to go back to the practice court, train hard, and make sure I don't have these kind of days anymore," Federer said.

Still looking for a patch of good form after running out of steam against Andy Murray in the Australian Open semifinals, Federer has seen his ranking drop back to No. 3 behind Murray. But the Swiss hopes the extra rest will pay off against top players -- if he gets to face them.

"Most of them have played two or three tournaments on clay and I'm still looking to get into it, but that can be a big advantage down the stretch," Federer said after arriving in Rome. "But for that, I need to start winning matches."

At least he made Nishikori's week. "To beat him, that was one of my goals for my tennis career," said the 23-year-old Japanese, who became the youngest player to defeat Federer.

As for the appearance-fee saga with his hometown tournament in Basel, Switzerland, Federer spelled out that he planned to play there in October for free. "For me personally, it's a place I look back on with a lot of great emotions as a ball boy, winning the title there eventually, and making my second finals there on tour," he said. "I've had a great time there always, and I don't want that to change just because of some business situation that couldn't get solved, you know.

"I wanted to diffuse the situation and announce that I'm going to play without getting paid and just enjoy myself over there. So that, for me, is the most important thing above everything."



Extra controversy was generated after Basel tournament director Roger Brennwald said he could no longer speak directly to Federer and phoned him in front of reporters to demonstrate. The move was criticized as a gimmick, and Brennwald later apologized, saying it was an impulsive response to a press-conference question. Federer declined to give a reaction, saying, "It doesn't matter. I don't discuss those things in the press like he does. I did the utmost, and that's all I need to know."

Andy Murray



Murray was practically invisible last week. He fell a little ill before the tournament and looked stiff and sore in his first match, which he said was exacerbated by Florian Mayer's unorthodox game. His next match against Gilles Simon was a marathon. The last match of the day, it finished close to 1 a.m., and Murray didn't get to bed until about three hours later, leaving him in less-than-ideal shape for a quarterfinal against Tomas Berdych.

Murray lost in straight sets, and his back started to bother him a little bit in the last two matches.



But with expectations always low for him during this part of the season, it was an acceptable showing overall. "I need to do a better job of taking my chances," Murray said, but otherwise felt he was improving after some intense training during the previous couple of weeks.

To talk of men's tennis in the past few years has been to talk of gripping rivalries and epic matches. Those have been produced by the ability and consistency of the top players, but also enabled by their remarkable capacity for playing a heavy schedule year after year without serious time off because of injury. The hole created last year when Rafael Nadal missed nine months shows how important the players' health has been in allowing this period to unfold the way it has.

But the big four have been looking a little creaky recently -- there's Nadal's knee, Roger Federer's back, and now Novak Djokovic's ankle. Andy Murray was last seen hobbling around on the court during the final of the Sony Open in Miami, but he might be the healthiest of the bunch right now. Here's a checkup of each of them.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal has a knee problem. People keep asking him about his knee, and he's tired of talking about it. "Talking about my knee every day is not helping me," he said, sounding weary. "If something is going very wrong that doesn't give me the chance to compete, I will let you know."

Part of why Nadal is uncomfortable is that it sounds churlish to complain about injuries when you're winning so much. He is coming off a title at the BNP Paris Open in Indian Wells, and going for a record ninth straight title in Monte Carlo. "I cannot say I'm not 100 percent when I won three of the four tournaments that I played since my return," Nadal said. "The other players would say that I am arrogant."

His triumphant return spells that it's the usual Nadal-dominated clay season for most observers, but for the Spaniard, his time off the tour means playing these clay tournaments again feels anything but routine. "A lot of big emotions happened for me in the past, but this year is probably more special," he said.

He had missed competing at something, Nadal told reporters in Monte Carlo, and had tried to substitute the urge by playing a lot of golf -- and got a lot better at it.

But will the king of clay get any competition in the next few weeks? Nadal says he doesn't expect as much from himself because his body is still readjusting to the tour, and would be surprised if he did as well as years past. Of course, that's also what he said at Indian Wells.

As for how the knee really is? It's not perfect, though "getting better every day."

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic's participation in the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters this week was in doubt until practically the last minute after the world No. 1 turned his ankle during Davis Cup competition last week. He reported being "really positive and strong" after the initial tests came back, insisting that the injury will not be a problem by the time the Madrid and Rome Masters come along. But to risk it by playing Monte Carlo? Why not take this week off?

Well, this is something of a home tournament, he explained. "I'm always feeling very inspired and motivated to perform my best in this tournament because I live in Monaco and I spend the majority of my time, when I'm not in tournaments, here in this club, practicing on these courts," Djokovic said.

Djokovic would have been a bit of a question mark even without the ankle, having fallen to Tommy Haas in Miami the last time he played. He's in a tough section of the draw, with Indian Wells conqueror Juan Martin del Potro leading the challengers, so Djokovic's form and fitness should be thoroughly tested by the time the week is over.

Andy Murray

With all his variety and time spent training in Spain early in his career, Murray might be expected to flourish on the clay. But his results have lagged behind those on other surfaces, and he's hoping this is the year that starts to change.

The world No. 2 is coming off a couple of weeks training in Miami with coach Ivan Lendl, working on his movement and talking to Lendl about how to play on the surface.

And he's healthy. "I'm in better shape physically because my back's not an issue like it was last year," he said in Monte Carlo.

To try and keep it that way, Murray has given up soccer and golf -- so there'll be no challenging Nadal on the course. "I used to play a lot of football and golf but I've stopped all that now," Murray said. "I've been playing tennis a long time and you pick up things so you have to manage your body."

Roger Federer

Federer isn't in Monte Carlo, choosing to take almost a two-month break after Indian Wells. He did make one addition to his schedule, however, announcing that he plans to play his hometown event in Basel in October.

Federer's participation in the tournament was in doubt, with the two sides having trouble agreeing on the appearance fee. After six months of talks, the tournament's reported date for Federer to make a decision arrived last week -- and he relented, saying he would not refuse to play even if there was no deal by then.

"I can play at Basel without any contracts or agreements, if I feel like it," he told Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger. "To compete on home soil is every special for me."

Federer, who has been at home in chilly Switzerland for the past few weeks, also said his back took longer to recover than he expected. But he is back training again, and set to return at the Mutua Madrid in early May.

Jennifer Capriati proudly took three or four steps from the front row of luminaries to the podium where she would get to tell her story. On a near-perfect Newport afternoon, Capriati tearfully delivered her enshrinement speech into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She spoke poignantly of acceptance and forgiveness and what it meant at that moment to embrace everything she loved about the sport.

It was only a few minutes long, but she managed to squeeze in a lifetime of reflection. I was there that day some eight months ago and listened intently to a speech that was just as much about confession as it was a collection of achievements. Capriati, as she said, never left the game on her own terms, and that stung for someone who knew little else than the only place she ever really felt at home -- a tennis court. After all the arrests, the glazed-eyed mug shots, the injuries and the depression, gone were the days marred by all that melancholy.

Until now.

On Thursday, Capriati was charged after allegedly punching her ex-boyfriend on Valentine's Day. Although she was not arrested, Capriati now faces a series of offenses, including stalking and battery in North Palm Beach, Fla.

To be clear, I have no inside knowledge of what did or did not happen. For all we know, it's a terrible misunderstanding. Maybe it's not. Who knows? The point here is not to speculate and belabor this one incident or to admonish her for creating more damaging news. For a player whose career, whose life came crumbling down so many times, this matter, at least on the surface, seems low by comparison.

It's just sad to hear Capriati's name as the centerpiece to another tawdry headline when all her shortcomings seemed to vanish for good that day in Newport. Like anyone else with a modicum of compassion, I wanted the legacy of the newest hall-of-famer to end with that Hollywood moment. And yes, perhaps that's a bit hyperbolic. But think about her story in a nutshell: Teenage prodigy goes pro at 13. The next year, she reaches the semis at the French Open at the ridiculous age of 14. She wins a gold medal in at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona by beating Steffi Graf. And then ... the shoplifting, the arrests, the marijuana. It would foil years of stardom.

All those transgressions led to a 14-month layoff from tennis and seasons of relative anonymity, even when she did return. And then defying any rational mind, Capriati would rock the tennis community with a championship at the Australian Open in 2001 -- eight years after her initial break from the game. Eight years! And, oh by the way, she vanquished the No. 1 player in the world, Martina Hingis, in the final. Capriati would then win the French a few months later, snare the No. 1 ranking in October and defend her Aussie trophy the next year.

So, if that's not the classic feel-good flick for a player who harbored and eventually conquered some very ambitious dreams, then what is, Rudy fans? Capriati had come so far in rediscovering her game, in rediscovering herself.

Newport was a celebration of her wins on the court but more so her win in life. And yes, that might sound hokey, and it is, but her adventure from a naive ponytailed S.I.-cover sensation to a player plagued by countless misfortunes, to the hall-of-fame champion she became, the Jennifer Capriati script was supposed to end right then, right there.

And that's why this latest incident, whatever it turns out to be, is so troubling.

The story started with his knee. It ended with his racket.

For nearly a year, we questioned and cross-examined what fraction of Rafael Nadal would be left when he eventually made his way back to the circuit. On Sunday, that interrogation finally came to a close. He squeezed by Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. It was a fitting end to a comeback already marked with various obstacles.

Now the narrative of a player beset by a career-threatening injury will finally take a healthier twist and focus on Rafael Nadal the tennis player. And that, as you might expect, should leave his many interested challengers rightfully frazzled.



For all the bluster heading into Indian Wells, Nadal looked very much like the spirited Grand Slam champion we've always known. There were no discernible signs of knee or any other physical woes. Against del Potro, Nadal found himself playing defensively and taking abrupt stops and turns for three sets, but he still showcased his imposing speed and finished points with the same jarring winners.

Nadal can now call himself a Masters 1000 champion for a record 22nd time, one more than Mr. Roger Federer. But this one has to be as much about relief as it does exultation, considering the ordeal he's been though.

For the uninitiated, and there's probably only one of you (so here's the cliff-notes version), Nadal went to Wimbledon last year and left broken. An unknown, Lukas Rosol, stunned the serial Grand Slam champ in five sets. That match knocked Rafa out of England and out of tennis for seven months with a damaged knee. Other ailments would eventually arise and delay even further any kind of return to the court.

In early February, Nadal's comeback finally began in Chile, where he lost in the finals, and it continued in two other smaller tournaments in Brazil and Mexico. Nadal won both of those titles, but they were played on the comforts of clay, and the level of competition -- well let's just say beating guys like Delbonis and Souza, even Almagro -- doesn't have the same cachet as taking down a hearty Masters 1000 field.

Amazingly, 346 days removed from his last hard-court match, Nadal's vintage game materialized with each passing round at Indian Wells, despite some laboring along the way. Ryan Harrison played him tight in the opener, and after a walkover, Ernests Gulbis had Rafa reeling before the Latvian realized he was, in fact, Ernests Gulbis and folded. But you can also credit that W to Nadal's cool championship demeanor, which, as it always does, belied his bone-crushing groundies.

But it was the big, ballyhooed "reunion of a rivalry" that set the tone of his comeback. From the moment the draw was announced, all eyes eagerly counted down the days until Nadal and Federer would square off again. The match had the electric feel of a Grand Slam final going in but left the fervent crowd flat after a straight-sets demolition. Nadal, like so many other times, appeared to have Federer beaten before they walked onto the court and then dashed through the defending champion 6-4, 6-2 with clean, crisp winners from the get-go.

Now after beating Tomas Berdych and del Potro in his last two matches, Nadal is at a near-perfect 17-1 this year, including 14 straight wins. That is, unbelievably, the best start of his career.

Against del Potro, Nadal found himself stretching and defending, chasing and clawing, but he managed to break del Potro early in the third set to solidify the win. Rafa will move back to No. 4 in the ATP World Tour Rankings.

Del Potro himself is no stranger to injury. After winning the 2009 U.S. Open, he missed 10 months to surgically repair his persistent wrist injury. But Saturday, the Argentine ended Novak Djokovic's 22-match winning streak, which dated back to last October, in the semifinals. This a day after dismissing Andy Murray from the tournament. Del Potro, who fell to 3-8 against Nadal, failed to win his first Masters 1000 title.

Sure, there are some detractors, justified or not, who will still shed a few doubts. Nadal, perhaps with the tennis lords giving him a little nudge, was able to safely avoid his other two archrivals, Djokovic and Murray, at Indian Wells. But this day, this tournament was about what Nadal did accomplish. It was about a cathartic end to a painful year, physically and most certainly mentally.

So now what? Nadal pulled out the Sony Ericsson Open, which starts later this week, as most suspected he would so as not to risk reinjury. Thus the onset of the clay season is next, and with that, the French Open, where Nadal will be the overwhelming favorite to win for an eighth time. And if Nadal was this good on a surface so evil to his knees, what's to stop him from rolling through the next few months?

Not Lukas Rosol, that's for sure.

Where were you the first time you saw Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal play?

For me, it was my final day at my previous job here at ESPN. I was sitting at my desk, packing boxes and glued to the final of the 2005 NASDAQ-100 Open in Key Biscayne (now the Sony Ericsson). It was the second time they had meet. Federer was far and away the preeminent player in the game. Nadal was a phenom, one of the few Next Big Things who would actually pan out.

Federer beat him, but he fell behind two sets to love against Nadal before winning. I remember thinking back then, "Hmmm, this could be a good rivalry for years to come." Turns out I was on to something. OK, so apparently, anyone who knew anything about anyone who hit little yellow fuzzy balls on blue, green and red tennis courts knew this, too.

Anyway, watching Federer and Nadal at Indian Wells on Thursday night had a much different vibe than just one moment in this storied history. We've spent so many years dissecting game plans and shot-making and turning points between these two. So much time parsing each match, each set. This one, though, spoke less about the current state of their respective games than it did about nostalgia and cherishing what's left of these glorious, insatiable battles.

You see, a year had passed since they last played. A year! At that match was here at Indian Wells. You can blame Nadal, er the world's most famous teetering knee that is, for the sojourn this rivalry took.

In the 29th chapter in this rivalry, a healthy Nadal beat down a now-ailing Federer 6-4, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the first Masters 1000 tournament of the year. But this clash was merely a sidebar to a much bigger storyline: How much longer? How many more memories?

This isn't to say the offing is bleak and that we won't have many more Federer-Nadal matches. But we waited so long, and the future, as bright and hopeful as we want it to be, is more tenuous with each passing tournament.

What if Rafa can't withstand the intensity of the circuit the way he once did? What if Federer's tennis dotage finally catches up to him? It has to at some point, no? The squirrely back he had at Indian Wells, especially against Nadal, will only become more pervasive as time passes. What if Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray take the game over week in, week out. Sure, perhaps we're overreacting and being a little hyperbolic here, but the questions are legit, the apprehension justified.

Imagine no more Fed-Nadal, a rivalry that has withstood a generation of players and one that resonates well beyond tennis circles. Does anything in tennis even come close to giving you chills when they walk on the court? Is there a greater contrasting of styles between two stalwarts anywhere in sports?

But maybe the staying power of these two isn't going anywhere. Rafa is back and Federer never went anywhere. There aren't players outside Djokovic and Murray who can beat these two with any kind of consistency. Rafa's knee looks strong right now and we've been constantly proven wrong by Federer's capacity to ignore those vexing suggestions of what he should and shouldn't do. And, oh by the way, he's still the No. 2 player in the world. And the last time he lost any Grand Slam match before the quarterfinals, guys like Coria, Schuettler and Grosjean were relevant. So there's that.

And though we don't know what's left, we've reached the point in the Federer-Nadal history in which the rivalry itself far surpasses any singular, salient moment, or any one championship along the way. The collective credentials they've accrued is mind-numbing. Twenty-eight Slam titles, each owns a career Slam and they've snared an unthinkable 42 Masters 1000 titles. But the zeal that penetrates the sport when they meet is real -- and that's what matters now.

So when was the first time you saw Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal play each other? Was it the gutsy 2008 Wimbledon final? Perhaps one of their one-sided French Open affairs? The Aussie? World Tour Finals? Nonetheless, just relish the rivalry from here on out. Don't sweat the results. Because whether you are an ardent Rafa lover or a Fed fanatic, one doesn't feel right without the other.

The doubts were running high at times last week, but Rafael Nadal is looking set to play at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this week. And that means all of the big four members will be playing at the same event, the first time that's happened since Wimbledon eight long months ago.

Nadal has been the missing piece of the puzzle, with a knee injury keeping him off the tour for seven months until he returned in February. The Spaniard will be arriving in the California desert fresh off an impressive week in Acapulco (with an exhibition match in New York squeezed in) and has made it clear he hasn't lost his mastery on red clay. But now the attention turns to hard courts, where Djokovic currently rules. Here's how the big four have been faring ahead of the season's first Masters event.

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic underlined his early dominance of this season by taking the title in Dubai last week, bringing his record for the year to 12-0 and his winning streak to 18-0 (excluding a loss in Hopman Cup). Playing his first event since winning the Australian Open, Djokovic handled Juan Martin del Potro and Tomas Berdych in the last two rounds without dropping a set. On this surface, Djokovic's movement and ability to move the ball around is unmatched these days. And he knows it -- a source of confidence when matches do get close. "I feel I know how well I can play and I know what my qualities are and abilities," said Djokovic.

After winning Dubai, Djokovic took in a Los Angeles Lakers game and met some of the team ahead of taking part in the L.A. Tennis Challenge before heading to Indian Wells, where the golf course will probably be one of his first stops. Never mind, his tennis doesn't look like it needs much practice anyway.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal's 6-0, 6-2 defeat of David Ferrer in the Acapulco final was simply stunning, not so much the win but the astonishingly one-sided score line against one of the very best clay-court players. Even though it came against his friend and fellow countryman, Nadal sobbed into his towel with relief afterward, exulting at such a fine performance just three events into his comeback.

He has two titles and a final so far, and even more encouragingly, his knee has responded better at each tournament. "There were days in Brazil when it was really bad, and in Chile, during one match as well. But here, it didn't hurt. It just bothered me some," he said in Acapulco. "This was the first week where I could run with complete freedom and no limitations."

Now comes the first test on hard courts, the most difficult surface for the knee, and at what will be his fourth event in just over five weeks. He is in the difficult position of needing to play matches but also needing to save his knees as much as he can, a balancing act that will also come into play over the question of whether to play the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami a few days after Indian Wells ends.

Roger Federer

Another tournament, another tough loss for Federer, this time a semifinal defeat in Dubai against Tomas Berdych after missing three match points. "That's just disappointing right there, because the match was in my racket," said Federer. "You do all the right things for so long, and then at the end you've got to explain why you didn't hit two shots decent, you know."

Berdych is one of the handful of players capable of overpowering Federer from the baseline and sensed weakness in his opponent's net-rushing strategy. "That's just show[ing] that he definitely doesn't want to play the rallies with me from the back," Berdych said. "When he doesn't feel that he has it in his hands, you know, that he can control the ball, he can do whatever he wants, then, yeah, that's what he like."

Earlier in the week, Federer had a different theory about his net approaches, laughingly suggesting that his pink shoelaces made it too easy for opponents to see him coming. "Definitely not camouflage," he joked.

Less amusing for Federer is not being able to defend his titles in Rotterdam and Dubai last month, and he now must try to make another title defense at Indian Wells. If Federer fails, he could lose yet more ground to Andy Murray, who is quickly encroaching on Fed's No. 2 ranking.

Playing a reduced schedule this year will also hurt Federer's ranking prospects, but speaking to reporters before Dubai, he suggested he might play more next year. "I need to make sure I have enough time off, so that when 2014 comes I am in a position with options, which I almost wasn't this year to a degree," he said.

Andy Murray

Murray hasn't played since the Australian Open, choosing to train with coach Ivan Lendl in Miami instead. Not much has been heard from him since an appearance at the Queen's Club media day three weeks ago, except for the announcement that he is buying a boutique hotel near his hometown. It's where Murray's brother, Jamie, was married before it closed last February and was put up for sale. Murray plans to reopen the business and hopes it will help boost the local economy.

It wasn't long before potential names began pouring in, with Jumurrah and the Murriot among the suggestions.

Nadal, meanwhile, has purchased two hotels in Mexico, so these two may now have something else to compete over apart from their bitter PlayStation rivalry.

But it's the on-court rivalries that will be the focus over the next week and a half. Not only does Nadal's return complete the big-four summit, his comeback prospects will add a little mystery to this now-familiar cast of favorites.

NEW YORK -- He sprinted out to the service line at Madison Square Garden as the applause swelled.

Cliff Drysdale is 71 years old and has spent most of his life playing, organizing and broadcasting tennis, his sport of choice. Monday, he was introduced as a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame's class of 2013, along with Martina Hingis, Charlie Pasarell, Ion Tiriac and Thelma Coyne Long.

Drysdale left the court almost as swiftly as he entered; his ESPN2 broadcast was only minutes from starting. Looked after by a security guard, he jumped into an elevator.

Was he surprised to be named a Hall of Famer?

"Yes," he said, looking touched. "It was very nice."

And then he jogged to the broadcast position, where he called the exhibition match between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka with partner Mary Joe Fernandez.

Although Drysdale was a formidable player in his day -- he was a finalist in the 1965 U.S. Open and a doubles champion there in 1972 with Roger Taylor -- perhaps his greatest contribution to the game was as an organizer. He was a co-founder of the ATP in 1971 and its first president.

Hingis, obviously, is the marquee name at the enshrinement ceremony set for July 13 in Newport, R.I. She slipped into the major mix after Steffi Graf and Monica Seles dominated and was fortunate to win five Grand Slam singles titles before the coming of the Williams sisters. Hingis, along with Justine Henin, was among the last of the mortal-sized multiple-major champions.

Pasarell, a nice player, too, joins Drysdale as an enshrinee in the contributor category. He was the No. 1-ranked United States player in 1967. More important, he was one of those who helped launch the ATP, which gave the players greater control of their collective destiny. He was an involved board member from 1971 to '78 and went on to build Indian Wells into one of the world's best tournaments.

This year, the ATP World Tour will stage 62 tournaments in 32 countries. Prize money is expected to exceed $95 million by 2014. Drysdale and Pasarell established the foundation that made it all possible.

Would Rafael Nadal be making a reported $1.5 million for a two-hour exhibition Monday night if those players hadn't been so brave?

This question was posed just as Nadal walked by Pasarell's front-row seat.

Pasarell smiled, shrugged and shook his head.

"Cliff and I were part of a very special generation of players," he said. "When the tennis went from the amateur days to the open days for professionals, that did not happen by chance. The best players were all pushing for that."

Although Roger Federer and Nadal have been vocal at times about the state of the game for the athletes themselves, they have done little to mobilize the players. The Grand Slams have increased prize money, but imagine if Rafa and Roger and their friends actually threatened a shutdown? That's what happened back in 1973, when the players united behind a suspended player, Niki Pilic, and threatened to walk at Wimbledon. The All England Club capitulated.

"We were made to look like the bad guys, but we did what we had to do," Pasarell said. "I'm not sure today's fans, or even the players, know much about any of this. We're proud that we helped give the players a say in how the business operates."

Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, the world No. 35, is not a pushover. He demolished the relentless David Ferrer in Monte Carlo on clay last year and Janko Tipsarevic in the final at Gstaad. He's taken a set off Roger Federer twice and one off Novak Djokovic.



A left-hander with a big serve, Bellucci is like most players ranked in that 30-50 range: hampered not by insufficient weapons but by consistency. He's what opposing coaches and commentators would call a "tricky matchup," where he is hardly ever the favorite but isn't a guy anyone should take lightly either.

So his victory over John Isner last week in the fourth rubber of the U.S. versus Brazil Davis Cup tie in Jacksonville, Fla., wasn't as surprising as, say, Sam Querrey's victorious but serious struggle against noisy, unheralded 135th-ranked Thiago Alves in the clincher.

The importance of Isner losing is not reflected by his one-on-one matchup with Bellucci but by where he was at this time a year ago, where over a two-month period he had beaten Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Davis Cup and Djokovic at Indian Wells, losing to Federer in the final. From that streak, Isner knew he belonged and said as much.

"When I step on the court, with my serve, I believe I can beat anyone," he said at Indian Wells. His opponents were on notice.

Isner had become "The Guy You Don't Want to Play." He pushed into the top 10. The bigness of his game transformed his weaknesses from chronic to correctable. Once he smoothed out his wrinkles, he had the firepower to be major contender material.

The problem is that Isner's game hasn't matched the expectations created by that run last year, which, incidentally, placed him at a career-high No. 9 in the world. In all four majors last year, Isner lost in five sets, failing to reach the quarters in any of them.



While the supersized portions of Isner's game -- the big serve and forehand combination -- allow him to be scary, his fatal imprecision, inability to break serve, lack of balanced footwork that creates massive unforced error counts on both wings and the questionable stamina is what makes him ripe for upset against the Belluccis and Paul-Henri Mathieus of the world.

The Isner conundrum matters because a lingering heart ailment has made Mardy Fish's status a mystery. Andy Roddick is gone. Isner (now No. 16) and Querrey (No. 20) are the American standard-bearers. The first and fourth rubbers of a Davis Cup match now belong to Isner. The draw of a major will -- at least along these shores -- focus on Isner and his chances to get deep in to the second week.

Isner missed last month's Australian Open with a knee injury and flailed badly to end the 2012 season. He is one of the most candid players on tour and has admitted that, in addition to the inconsistencies of his game, he is not playing with a high level of confidence.

Since beating Jarkko Nieminen in the second round of the U.S. Open, Isner has lost three of his last four Davis Cup matches and eight of his last 11 matches overall, which doesn't include two exhibition losses to Kevin Anderson and Tsonga at Hopman Cup.

As the American No. 1, Isner is charged with projecting confidence not just for himself but as the player toward other American players will look, just as he and younger Americans did with Roddick. Whether he is ready or not, Isner has entered a new stage in his career. He is the leader.

One major down, the rest of the season awaits. Looking forward, the Australian Open provided numerous signposts along the roadway toward Indian Wells and Miami and the clay season. For me, a couple of billboards stood out:

1. Sloane Stephens is ready

After her heady takedown of the injured -- yet plenty formidable -- Serena Williams, the question is, "ready for what?" She may not be ready yet to be favored to win a Slam, but that doesn't mean she's not ready to win one.

No, thinking highly of Stephens isn't hyperbole. Nor is it getting carried away with her terrific run. Considering Stephens as dangerous material now is merely the byproduct of two very important factors: The first is that, yes, she's that good. The second is that the field really isn't so much better than her current game right now.

In a very short time, Stephens has become the player you don't want to play. She began the Australian Open ranked 29th and is now down to 17th. She beat Williams because Serena hurt her ankle in her first match Down Under and then her back against Stephens. But it was also because Stephens made Williams nervous with her easy power on the forehand, her athleticism defensively and ability to return balls that Williams would normally hit for winners.

Stephens frustrated Williams defensively, making the 15-time Grand Slam champion hit harder and faster and less comfortably. The result was a more erratic Williams. Serena was hurt, but Stephens drove her to make mistakes. For the first time in years, Serena looked across the net and saw a player who could deal with her power far more easily than the rest.

Stephens may not be in the Williams-Sharapova-Victoria Azarenka category, but even now, though she starts slowly and struggles when she's ahead in games (she had 10 game points against Azarenka in the first set of their Aussie Open encounter and served to even the second at 5-5 before being broken to lose the match), she can compete with anyone else in the field.

2. A next stage for Roger

There is a fundamental difference between being written off and realizing that the day is coming when Roger Federer will no longer be a professional tennis player. The latter is still quite a way off, but there is a sunset quality to Federer that is nothing short of elegiac.

Federer is still ranked second, still eerily immune to letdown, still the beautiful shot-maker and still at his forceful, velvety best when challenged by the next generation. (His regal dismissal of cocky, rising Bernard Tomic in Melbourne was a prime example.) But Federer's five-set loss to Andy Murray in the semifinal underscored some obvious truths that are both painful and, in some ways, invigorating.

In the semifinal, Murray dominated Federer. He was the stronger player, the steadier player, the one who controlled who won and who lost -- or so it looked. What Murray didn't do, however, was dominate the score. Federer played with a lionish pride that robbed Murray of comfort, kept him believing that yes, there was a possibility that for all Murray was doing cosmetically, the great Federer could still win the match, could still beat him in a major. The invigorating moments drizzled throughout the match illustrated the sharklike intensity that lies so near to his elegance.

Still, it was clear that against Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, Federer will spend the rest of his days (when not on grass) an underdog against both. Watching Federer in Melbourne explains why he has scaled back the number of tournaments he will play, why he will play Indian Wells but not Miami and why he won't play Monte Carlo but said yes to Madrid. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga neared him before succumbing in a five-set quarter, and consecutive five-setters appeared to affect him. Federer is smartly hoarding his miles.

There is a beauty to watching this edition of Federer, seemingly vulnerable, viciously competitive, the fighter inside carrying the legend even more than his talent.

3. Trick or treat?

Is it time to call Tsonga the Tony Romo of the ATP? Tsonga, like Romo, puts up big numbers, can never be completely overlooked because of his ability and yet -- and yet -- will always find a way to break hearts with the crucial error at the worst possible time. Just when it seems that Tsonga has finally broken through, he (like Romo) will be the one wondering and explaining why things didn't seem to work out for him. Perhaps worse, like Romo, Tsonga suffers from that terrible malady Federer has thoroughly overcome: the ability to avoid bad losses (see: Tsonga versus Martin Klizan, 2012 U.S. Open).

Tsonga was close to Federer in the Melbourne quarterfinal, sending the match to five sets before succumbing. The question for Tsonga in 2013 is whether he possesses a marathoner's kick and can pass, reach and defeat Federer. Tsonga has a new coach, lost some weight and has confidence in fighting Federer hard. But still Romolike, he did not record a single win against a top-10 player, the damning stat of the year for any player. He and Federer may see each other in several days as both have agreed to play Rotterdam.

And so, the question remains as to whether Tsonga will have belief and momentum and move closer to beating the top players, or whether the Melbourne quarters were just an inspired, one-night tease and Tsonga falls back again.

The first time I saw Sloane Stephens live was on Court 1 at Roland Garros last year, in the famed Bullring against Samantha Stosur. It was a terrific test for Stephens, a talented American for whom great things are forecast. It was a fourth-round match, and thus Stephens had entered the business end of the tournament. She had beaten Ekaterina Makarova (who had knocked out Serena Williams at the Australian Open) in the first round, and, to reach her first quarterfinal of a major, she would have to go through Stosur, a top-10 player who defeated Serena in the 2011 U.S. Open final.

As the sun cast shadows on the Bullring, the 19-year-old Stephens fell in straight sets 7-5, 6-4, but what I remember was her losing much more than Stosur winning. She was not intimidated by Stosur's pace, no small thing considering Stosur's serves and forehands are among the sharpest in the women's game.

The second time I saw her play was a few weeks later at Wimbledon, against another highly ranked player, Sabine Lisicki. Lisicki took that third-round match in three sets 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-2, the death blows coming in the decider, when Stephens squeaked and squawked her way through unforced errors and frustration. Still, with a big serve (Lisicki is one of the bigger servers on tour, and Stephens matched her at about 117 mph) and forehand, Stephens had numerous chances to take control of the first set, only to be undone by inexperience.

Maybe Stephens is arriving faster than expected. She is ranked a career-high 25th -- the third highest American, behind Serena and Varvara Lepchenko -- but is seven full years younger than the 26-year-old Lepchenko, 11 years younger than Serena and 13 years younger than No. 26 Venus Williams. She lost 4 and 4 to Serena in Brisbane but has wins this year over 14th-ranked Dominika Cibulkova (who recently beat No. 5 Angelique Kerber in Sydney) and Laura Robson, a player she beat in the third round of the Australian Open.

The American women are showing promise. Seventeen-year-old Madison Keys (ranked No. 135) beat No. 17 Lucie Safarova and reached the quarters in Sydney before losing in three sets to Li Na, and Serena has already won a title this year, in Brisbane. The Americans have five women -- Serena (t), Lepchenko (20), Stephens, Venus and Christina McHale (35) -- in the top 40, and Stephens, who has career wins over Maria Kirilenko, Sara Errani, Cibulkova and Francesca Schiavone, might be the player best positioned for a breakout at the Aussie.

Her latest challenge comes Monday in Melbourne, when Stephens faces Bojana Jovanovski. And then a potential clash with Serena. And you can bet the tennis world will officially take notice.

The first time I saw Sloane Stephens live was on Court 1 at Roland Garros last year, in the famed Bullring against Samantha Stosur. It was a terrific test for Stephens, a talented American for whom great things are forecast. It was a fourth-round match, and thus Stephens had entered the business end of the tournament. She had beaten Ekaterina Makarova (who had knocked out Serena Williams at the Australian Open) in the first round, and, to reach her first quarterfinal of a major, she would have to go through Stosur, a top-10 player who defeated Serena in the 2011 U.S. Open final.

As the sun cast shadows on the Bullring, 19-year-old Stephens fell in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, but what I remember was her losing much more than Stosur winning. She was not intimidated by Stosur's pace, no small thing considering Stosur's serves and forehands are among the sharpest in the women's game.

The second time I saw her play was a few weeks later at Wimbledon, against another highly ranked player, Sabine Lisicki. Lisicki took that third-round match in three sets, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-2, the death blows coming in the decider, when Stephens squeaked and squawked her way through unforced errors and frustration. Still, with a big serve (Lisicki is one of the bigger servers on tour, and Stephens matched her at about 117 mph) and forehand, Stephens had numerous chances to take control of the first set, only to be undone by inexperience.

Maybe Stephens is arriving faster than expected. She is ranked a career-high 25th -- the third-highest American, behind Serena and Varvara Lepchenko -- but is seven full years younger than 26-year-old Lepchenko, 11 years younger than Serena and 13 years younger than No. 26 Venus Williams. She lost 4 and 4 to Serena in Brisbane but has wins this year over 14th-ranked Dominika Cibulkova (who recently beat No. 5 Angelique Kerber in Sydney) and Laura Robson, a player she beat in the third round of the Australian Open.

The American women are showing promise. Seventeen-year-old Madison Keys (ranked 135) beat No. 17 Lucie Safarova and reached the quarters in Sydney before losing in three sets to Li Na, and Serena has already won a title this year, in Brisbane. The Americans have five women -- Serena (3), Lepchenko (20), Stephens, Venus and Christina McHale (35) -- in the top 40, and Stephens, who has career wins over Maria Kirilenko, Sara Errani, Cibulkova and Francesca Schiavone, might be the player best positioned for a breakout in at the Aussie.

Her latest challenge comes Monday in Melbourne, when Stephens faces Bojana Jovanovski. And then a potential clash with Serena. And you can bet the tennis world will officially take notice.

On Wednesday, we unveiled five predictions about the women's game in 2013. Now it's time for the men.

Simply put, expect Novak Djokovic to be the clear MVP, with Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal (hopefully) and Juan Martin del Potro doing the chasing.

5. No Grand Slam quarterfinals for Raonic

Reasons exist to root for Milos Raonic in 2013.

Canada needs something to cheer about after being deprived of hockey (let's not underestimate that one, eh?) and Raonic is a likable, well-spoken chap.

But compared to a year ago, the future holds less promise -- at least in this author's opinion. Back then, I thought Raonic would one day become a Grand Slam champion. Not so sure now.

Raonic looked a whole lot like John Isner in 2012: The serve makes him a threat against any player, but not being able to break opponents means he's vulnerable in any round.

Twelve of his 20 defeats came against lower-ranked foes, and he was 47th in percentage of return games won -- one spot ahead of Isner. Although he moved up from 52nd in the same category in 2011, the actual percentage of return games won slipped from 16 to 15. Going in the wrong direction.

In a defeat to Grigor Dimitrov this week in Brisbane, Raonic didn't win a point on the Bulgarian's first serve, and Dimitrov isn't known for having an overpowering delivery.

4. Top 30 for Ryan Harrison

A young pitcher comes in and has success in his rookie season. The next year, with batters knowing his stuff and patterns, he dips. What happens in the third year? If he's the real deal, he sticks with it, stabilizes and the quality shines through.

Though some aren't convinced, we're backing the 20-year-old Harrison to rebound from a disappointing 2012 and reach the top 30.

He still has the tools to be competitive against the best of them, and unlike, let's say, Ernests Gulbis, he'll put in the hard work. He's more settled now, too, after sorting out his coaching situation.

In assessing the American men overall, with little ranking points to defend in the first half of 2013, Sam Querrey will hope to make his top-10 debut. But for what would be only the second time since the rankings were introduced in 1973, an American man ending the year in the top 10 isn't likely.

Do you miss Andy Roddick? Take comfort in knowing he still has a ranking. It's 39th this week.

3. A Grand Slam final for del Potro

Had it not been for a wrist injury, del Potro would have landed in several Grand Slam finals by now and been the fourth member of the Big Four first, ahead of Murray. The worst, however, is behind del Potro, and he can add to the 2009 U.S. Open.

While the chunk of the calendar post-U.S. Open isn't the most vital, it turned out to be hugely significant, in a good way, for del Potro in 2012. He ended a seven-match losing streak against Federer -- the moment was similar in importance to his breakthrough victory against Nadal in Miami in 2009 -- and won back-to-back titles in Vienna and Basel.

He's on an upward curve that only another injury can send tumbling.

2. No Slam titles for Roger

We can stipulate that Federer is dangerous.

He may be 31, but the Swiss is a young 31, given his game style and effortless movement. He has been able to avoid serious injuries and his motivation remains high.

Deciding not to play Miami in 2013 shows how motivated he is to add to his 17 majors: Why mess around with a non-Slam tournament (albeit a substantial one) ahead of the clay-court season? He'll get a nice two-month break to recharge, train and prepare for the French Open and Wimbledon.

He wants to avoid a repeat of late last summer, when he was "exhausted" after chasing the No. 1 ranking and going deep at the two European Slams and the Olympics.

Count on Federer to achieve a clean sweep of Grand Slam semifinals -- the last time he did that was in 2009. But going on to win a major will prove to be difficult because of Murray's progress and, more relevant, Djokovic. If Nadal picks up where he left off on clay when he re-emerges on the tour, the Spaniard will have to be considered the favorite at Roland Garros.

If not, Djokovic is the man to beat.

Federer won't slide out of the top four. Not even close. But he'll remain stuck on 17.

1. Three majors for Nole

Djokovic coped well with increased expectations in 2012 while dealing with the death of his grandfather and illness of his father.

He matched his 2011 season by appearing in three Grand Slam finals and won the year-end championships.

With Nadal's future uncertain, and even if Murray has raised his level under Ivan Lendl, Djokovic has a fine opportunity to claim three more majors in a season.

Murray figures to be Djokovic's top challenger on hard courts, and the Serb has won two straight against the Scot.

Djokovic tends to get roped in by Murray and mirror his mostly defensive style instead of being aggressive (as he was in the third and fourth sets of the U.S. Open final), leading to extended slugfests. But when he does step on it, there's only one winner: Djokovic.

He's comfortably the better player.

Perhaps he should pretend he's down a match point against Murray on every point. Far from being overly risky, when Djokovic fended off five match points in Shanghai, it was controlled aggression that won him three of the points. (A good serve and backhand winner on the defensive accounted for the other two points.)

You'd also have to anticipate that Djokovic will perform better at Wimbledon than in 2012, when he underwhelmed in the semifinals against Federer.

This will indeed be Djokovic's year.

You say resolutions. We say predictions.

With the tennis season starting this week, here are five about the women's game in 2013. We turn our attention to the men Thursday.

1. Serena won't be as good

Serena Williams concluded 2012 by winning 31 of her final 32 matches.

Wow.

She triumphed at Wimbledon, the Olympics and U.S. Open -- the three most important tournaments following the French Open -- and was barely troubled at the year-end championships in Turkey, despite almost two months of inactivity.

It's far from brave or adventurous to forecast that Williams won't be as untouchable in 2013. Winning all four majors is nearly impossible for a variety of reasons, as the record books tell us, and Williams hasn't bagged the French Open in more than 10 years.

Furthermore, closer inspection reveals Williams lapsed in the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals, and instead of claiming majors No. 14 and 15, it could easily have been zero titles instead.

Victoria Azarenka served for the U.S. Open, you'll recall, and with another year under her belt, she will become a tougher opponent for Williams.

Having immersed herself in her tennis all of last year when she was determined to make a statement on court after a life-threatening illness, will Williams remain fully committed in 2013? She has been known to stray from tennis in the past.

We'll go for one or two majors for Williams -- which would be nothing to be embarrassed about.

2. Slam No. 2 for Petra

Remember Petra Kvitova, the tall, Czech lefty who won Wimbledon in 2011?

While Serena was doing her thing, Azarenka won her first major, Maria Sharapova completed her Grand Slam collection and Kim Clijsters retired, Kvitova was indeed the player women's tennis forgot in 2012.

By no means was it a poor year for Kvitova. She had success on North American hard courts for a change and reached the semifinals of the French Open. But Kvitova, who likes to maintain a low profile, no doubt had a tough time coping with her newfound fame.

More worrying was her health. Illness made for a fragmented season, and if her body continues to break down, Kvitova's great potential won't be fulfilled.

Thankfully, however, her issues were relatively minor.

Expect Kvitova to land her second Grand Slam title. She certainly won't be a one-Slam wonder.

3. A top five return for Caro

A low profile for Caroline Wozniacki? That seems out of the realm of possibility.

When Wozniacki lost her No. 1 ranking and then slid outside the top five, cameras were nonetheless still close by, given the bubbly Dane's relationship with Rory McIlroy, the top-ranked golfer in the world. Be it tennis or golf, Wozniacki has a fondness for news conferences.

Wozniacki was defiant in Melbourne last year after relinquishing the top spot in the rankings, vowing that she'd return to No. 1: For one of the game's best competitors, the demotion stung.

For 2013, Wozniacki should be content with re-emerging in the top five.

By the end of 2012, Wozniacki focused more on making a charge in the rankings instead of dwelling on no longer being the No. 1: She won eight of her final nine matches.

Her first-round exit at the U.S. Open could be blamed on an injury, and Wozniacki held match points in a first-round loss at Wimbledon.

Don't get too carried away with Wozniacki and Kvitova's upset losses this week.

4. Robson into the top 15

It's not unusual to see players rise from outside the top 150 in the rankings to inside the top 60 in a season. More difficult is making the next jump, to inside the top 20 or 10. Angelique Kerber did it in 2012, becoming the leading member of the impressive German quintet.

Count on Britain's Laura Robson, a fellow lefty, to follow Kerber.

Robson, the former Wimbledon junior champion, finished 2012 at No. 53, a progression of 78 spots from 12 months earlier. The power baseliner's climb was based on winning matches at smaller tournaments (such as Guangzhou) but also, impressively, at majors, especially at the U.S. Open.

Her game and coach -- he divides opinions but Zeljko Krajan gets results -- mean Robson is looking good to feature in the top 15 and achieve a first Grand Slam quarterfinal. She'll outdo fellow Brit Heather Watson.

Andy Murray, you have company.

5. No first-time winner -- or finalist

There was a period recently when first-time winners were the norm at majors: Li Na, Kvitova, Samantha Stosur and Azarenka made it four straight from the middle of 2011 to last year's Australian Open. Sara Errani and Agnieszka Radwanska were first-time finalists in 2012.

But the chances of a first-time winner, or even finalist, in 2013 are small: Kerber is the likeliest candidate, yet her serve is exposed against the elite. Radwanska, meanwhile, won't repeat her 2012.

Williams' clash with Azarenka in New York was the women's match of the year in 2012, and pencil them in to battle in the Australian Open final if on opposite sides of the draw.

Editor's note: The tennis season now over, it's time to look back. Ravi Ubha has been unveiling his top 100 memories of the 2012 season. The countdown began on Dec. 10 and it ends today with the final 10 moments.

10. Those poor rackets

If told that a match between Stanislas Wawrinka and Marcos Baghdatis would feature one player smashing four rackets, the Swiss had to be the "favorite." He's been known to do a Marat Safin or Fernando Gonzalez.

Baghdatis, though, pulled off the upset, pummeling his rackets after he fell behind two sets to Wawrinka on Margaret Court Arena at the Australian Open.

"I've never done that," Serena Williams said. "That's impressive, wow."

As of this week, Baghdatis' demolition job had amassed more than 1.4 million views on YouTube.

9. Roger denies Andy at Wimbledon

Here was Andy Murray's chance to end his own, and Great Britain's, Grand Slam drought at Wimbledon, for many Brits the only major that really matters.

Entering the second week, he would have to beat only one member of the big three, with Rafael Nadal out of contention and Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the other side of the draw.

But this was an opportunity for Federer, too. No Nadal was a good thing for him.

Federer took advantage of an off-color Djokovic in the semifinals and overcame Murray in four sets in the Scot's maiden Wimbledon final to win a first major since 2010.

Tied 1-1 in sets, covering the stadium in the third due to a drizzle benefited Federer, who particularly thrives indoors. When Murray was broken in the middle of the third set, dropping a 40-0 lead in a 20-minute game, he couldn't recover.

As Federer did at the Australian Open in 2009, Murray wept in despair as he addressed the crowd on Centre Court.

"I'm getting closer," Murray said.

He was indeed.

8. A golden Murray

Murray didn't have to wait long to get another crack at Federer at the All England Club.

The Olympics at Wimbledon proved to be special, and the men's final was the one most people wanted: Federer, seeking a first gold medal in singles, against Murray, part of Team Great Britain.

Murray wasn't blown away at Wimbledon, and with Federer a little tired after his 4.5-hour semifinal against Juan Martin del Potro, Murray thumped Federer 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.

OK, so maybe Federer was more than a "little" tired.

Irrespective of Federer's condition, the victory significantly boosted Murray's confidence.

"I have lost some tough matches," Murray said. "I've had a lot of questions asked about me, many times. So I'm glad that today I was able to put on the performance that I've been waiting for."

With Federer turning 35 several days after the opening ceremony in Rio in four years, he'll likely end his career without an Olympic singles gold.

7. Rafa's long absence

For different reasons, some of tennis' greatest men's players endured lengthy layoffs. Think Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi.

Nadal, unfortunately, joined the trio, and -- you guessed it -- his fragile knees were to blame. More specifically, it's his left knee that's currently the problem.

He hasn't played since a second-round loss to Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon in June, but wisely Nadal hasn't tried to rush back.

"My recovery is going well, and the doctors are pleased," Nadal, 26, said this month. "I have to look at my career with a five-year view. I considered having surgery, but the doctors have always preferred not to take risks with my treatment."

Nadal is expected to return at the end of December at an exhibition in the Middle East.

6. Serena's French Open meltdown

Owning a 17-match winning streak, Williams was the leading contender heading into the French Open, the only Grand Slam she hasn't conquered more than once.

Who would Williams play in the semis? And in the final?

Wait a second.

She didn't get past the first round.

For the first time in her career, Williams was indeed ousted in the round of 128 at a major, crumbling against French favorite Virginie Razzano 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Unusual was Williams' blowing a 5-1 lead in the second-set tiebreak and dropping 13 straight points; more so was Williams' appearing to cry in her chair prior to the start of the third.

"I kept going for my shots, which always works for me," Williams said. "It didn't work out today."

Still, Razzano, whose fiance died before the French Open last year, needed eight match points to put Williams away. She was also penalized as the chair umpire -- ironically, Eva Asderaki -- enforced the hindrance rule. Asderaki clashed with Williams in the 2011 U.S. Open final after enforcing the same rule.

5. An American workhorse says goodbye

He won the U.S. Open, Davis Cup and reached No. 1 in the rankings. Yet some feel Andy Roddick underachieved.

Ridiculous.

Roddick got the absolute most out of his 12-year career, and had it not been for Federer, he'd have walked away from the game with at least two or three more Grand Slam titles. His devotion to the Davis Cup added to the toll on his body and did more harm than good to his play at Grand Slams and ATP tournaments.

By the time Roddick called it quits at Flushing Meadows at the age of 30, he had captured 32 titles. His on-court earnings topped $20 million.

"Ever since I have been on tour, it feels like Andy has been there," Williams, a longtime friend of Roddick, said. "He has been great for American tennis, great for the U.S. Open, doing so much, playing so well."

4. Serena unstoppable at Olympics

Williams and her team made a clever decision when they brought aboard Patrick Mouratoglou, Baghdatis' former coach, after the French Open.

Williams wasn't as convincing as we've seen her in the past at Wimbledon, but she still won.

At the Olympics, however, Williams' display was one of the most impressive ever at a big tournament. En route to becoming the second woman to complete the career Golden Slam -- Steffi Graf was the other -- Williams relinquished a mere 17 games in six matches.

Maria Sharapova managed a single game in the final.

Sharapova was ill, but even if the Russian were healthy, the outcome wouldn't have changed.

"After winning Wimbledon, you've seen her level progress so much here, over this tournament," Sharapova said.

Williams and older sister Venus didn't drop a set in the doubles competition.

3. It was coming for Murray

If Djokovic had had a day off between the U.S. Open semis and final and, thus, been slightly fresher (physically and mentally), I'll say he probably would have won the fifth set of the finale.

Murray, though, was owed this one.

In 2008, he was the one who didn't have a day of rest between the semi and final in New York, and Federer crushed him in straight sets.

Murray was aided along the way: Feliciano Lopez couldn't seize on Murray's lethargy in the third round, Marin Cilic crumbled in the quarterfinals and Mother Nature's wind barrage irritated Tomas Berdych more than Murray in the semifinals. But he was able to win the crucial points (going 6-0 in tiebreaks).

The gold medal must have bolstered his belief as he went head-to-head with Djokovic in the fifth set. That, and all the wisdom he received from Ivan Lendl in 2012.

"When I realized I had won, I was a little bit shocked," said Murray, a loser in four previous Grand Slam finals. "I was very relieved and very emotional."

2. One of the upsets of all time

The Wimbledon draw potentially pitted Nadal against Ivan Dodig in the second round -- Dodig upset Nadal last year in North America.

When Dodig lost to Rosol in the first round, it was thought to be the better result, then, for Nadal.

It didn't work out that way, did it?

Rosol, then age 26 and ranked 100th, played without any fear on Centre Court, hitting aces, service winners and blasting forehands and backhands. Instead of hanging his head after losing a first-set tiebreak 11-9, the Czech didn't waver.

With Nadal on the charge after winning the fourth set 6-2, Rosol got a break when organizers decided to use the roof, even though about half-hour of light remained. A delay ensued.

Rosol regrouped and took the fifth 6-4.

If he was nervous trying to serve out the encounter, he didn't show it. The points went like this: Ace, forehand winner, ace, ace.

"It's not a tragedy," Nadal said. "It's only a tennis match."

Only later would Nadal reveal the extent to which his left knee was bothering him.

George Bastl, Ivo Karlovic and Peter Doohan, who orchestrated gargantuan Wimbledon upsets in the past, now had company.

1. Men, marathon, Melbourne

Even with a day off, Djokovic couldn't beat Nadal in the Australian Open final after a grueling five-hour semifinal, could he?

Sure, Nadal played a similarly protracted semifinal Down Under in 2009 before edging Federer -- but he was Nadal.

When Nadal grabbed the first set, he was on his way to avoiding a third consecutive reverse in a Grand Slam final to Djokovic.

But Djokovic would rally for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 win in 5 hours, 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam final (in time) in history, to thwart Nadal once more.

It was bruising, not scintillating, tennis, yet still highly memorable: Djokovic bossed proceedings for most of the second, third and fourth sets; Nadal played his most aggressive tennis ever on a hard court to come back in the fourth; Nadal sunk to his knees after the fourth, as if he'd already won the match; and Djokovic was floored in the fifth following the umpteenth exhausting rally.

The momentum shifted in the fifth when Nadal missed a backhand sitter at 4-2, 30-15.

More history was possibly made during the trophy presentation -- it might have been the only time the combatants were given chairs.

They had been on their feet long enough.

Editor's note: With the tennis season now over, it's time to look back. Beginning Dec. 10, Ravi Ubha is unveiling his top 100 memories of the 2012 season. Check back each weekday until Dec. 21 as we count down to No. 1.

20. Djokovic and Murray go deep into the night

The ebbs and flows of a long five-set match shift storylines, which was evident when Novak Djokovic met Andy Murray in the Australian Open semifinals.

With Djokovic leading by a set and break, it was all about the Serb putting in a commanding performance and Murray flattering to deceive yet again. But when Murray won the second and third sets, Djokovic's health was called into question and the Scot was flashing his newfound grit under coach Ivan Lendl.

Djokovic won the fourth and fifth sets, and so in the end he further exhibited his resilience while Murray was categorized as brave in the nearly five-hour defeat.

Djokovic edged the fifth 7-5 after initially blowing a 5-2 lead. He saved a break point at 5-5 by hitting a gutsy forehand down the line as part of a 29-shot rally.

"It was one of the best matches I played," Djokovic said.

Even with a day off, how could he possibly recover for the final against Rafael Nadal?

19. A first, and not last, for Vika

Her time had come.

Victoria Azarenka had threatened big things at the Australian Open before, twice in commanding positions against Serena Williams, in 2009 and 2010. Both times Williams was victorious (one courtesy of a retirement) and went on to win the tournament.

There was no Williams to worry about in the latter stages this year in Melbourne; Azarenka was on an upward curve, and the result was the Belarusian landing a maiden Grand Slam title.

Azarenka didn't flinch in her first Grand Slam final, dropping three games against Maria Sharapova in a battle of shriekers.

Sharapova did well to reach the final, given an ankle injury disrupted the end of her season in 2011.

18. Maria completes career Slam

Five years ago at the French Open, Sharapova said, "I feel like a cow on ice." Back then, she wouldn't have imagined that one day she'd be the French Open champion.

Sharapova, however, enjoyed consistent success on dirt in 2011, and her progression continued this year when, ahead of the French, she landed titles in Rome and Stuttgart, Germany.

Her draw kind, Sharapova proceeded to lose one set during the fortnight at Roland Garros, turning the Russian into the Queen of Clay.

She completed her Grand Slam collection and won a first major following shoulder surgery in 2008.

"I felt like I really deserved this one today," Sharapova said in the aftermath of her 6-3, 6-2 victory against Sara Errani in the final. "I've worked so hard and I went through so many tough days to get here."

17. Nalbandian loses his cool

So much talent, that David Nalbandian. When his career is over, though, he'll be remembered for not winning a major and the Davis Cup. The latter is the trophy he truly craves.
He'll also be remembered for his poor behavior.

Nalbandian was disqualified from the final at Queen's in London in June when he kicked an advertising board that then struck linesperson Andrew McDougall's shin, drawing blood. Game, set and match to Marin Cilic.

He forfeited his prize money of $59,000 from the event and was hit with the maximum $13,000 fine from the ATP.

"I never intended to hit him," Nalbandian said in a statement. "It was an unfortunate reaction in which I wanted to relieve the loss of a point."

What is it about grass and disqualifications, eh, Tiger Tim?

16. More controversy for Nalbandian

It wasn't the first time Nalbandian was fined in 2012. He had to cough up $8,000 for throwing water at an Australian Open official in January.

He was wrong for doing that, of course, but Nalbandian was justifiably frustrated after his five-set loss to John Isner in the second round.

Locked at 8-8 in the fifth and with Isner serving at break point, Isner's delivery down the tee was called wide but overruled by chair umpire Kader Nouni (he of the deep voice) for an ace.

Amid the noise at Margaret Court Arena, Nalbandian genuinely, it seemed, didn't realize Nouni overruled, and by the time he decided to challenge, Nouni said it was too late.

And guess what? TV replays showed that the ball was indeed wide.

"Eight all, break point, can you be that stupid to do that in that moment?" Nalbandian fumed. "What does the umpire need? Press, the name, his picture [in the paper] tomorrow? Incredible."

Nouni made a mistake, but he remains one of the tour's top umpires.



As for Isner, it was the only time he won a five-set match all year (1-5).

15. Serena takes advantage of Vika's nerves

Azarenka didn't get close to defeating Williams in four of their five matches in 2012. But boy, she had her opportunity in the U.S. Open final when Williams, as was the case in the Wimbledon final against Agnieszka Radwanska, slumped in the second set following a convincing first set.

With Williams growing erratic as the third set got to the business end, Azarenka led 5-3 in front of a stunned crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. If she hung on, Azarenka would be the women's player of the year.

Williams, though, steadied herself when Azarenka served at 5-4, a jittery Azarenka produced three errors and was broken at 15, and Williams prevailed 7-5.

"Being so close it hurts deeply to know you didn't get it," Azarenka said. "But at this moment I have no regrets."

14. A perfect set for 'Slava

Sara Errani isn't a player you'd pick out to be on the receiving end of a Golden Set. She hustles and retrieves with the best of them, habitually drawing errors from her opponent.

But against Yaroslava Shvedova in the third round at Wimbledon, no errors came from Shvedova in the opener. No winners came from French Open finalist Errani in the first set, either.



The result was Shvedova winning all 24 points to become the first known woman in the Open Era to toss a shutout.

"I was like, probably they made a mistake or something," Shvedova said. "My manager came and she's like, 'No, they checked all the stats.'"

"I didn't feel on the court that I was playing so bad," Errani said.

She wasn't: Errani made one unforced error in the set.

Errani did win points in the second set, although Shvedova claimed it 6-4.



Was it a surprise that Shvedova was the first woman to achieve the feat? Maybe not. She won the first 23 points against Amy Frazier in Memphis in 2006 -- double faulting on point No. 24.

13. The ultimate comeback kid

American men have seen better days on the tennis tour. Ryan Harrison and Donald Young took a step backward in 2012, Isner faltered after a promising start, Mardy Fish's body didn't cooperate and longtime stalwart Andy Roddick retired.

Positives came from Sam Querrey, Jack Sock and, particularly, Brian Baker.

Baker missed most of the previous six seasons due to injuries, undergoing five surgeries. He wasn't ready to pack it in, though, and feeling good physically, returned in style.



He won a Challenger in Georgia, qualified and reached a final in Nice, France, and qualified and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.

"Baker is just one of the great stories in sports, forget about tennis," ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe said.

Despite not maintaining the momentum after Wimbledon, he has much to look forward to in 2013.

12. Death of the Novak Slam

Roger Federer came close but couldn't do it. Nadal came close but couldn't do it. And this year Djokovic was the latest to be foiled as he sought to win a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title.

He would have to triumph at the French Open, and most likely against one of the best-ever players on clay, if not the best, in Nadal.

But Djokovic's tournament preparation was stop-start. The death of his grandfather predictably affected him in Monte Carlo; he skipped his home country event in Serbia; the slippery blue clay threw him off in Madrid; and Nadal, as in Monte Carlo, beat Djokovic in straight sets in Rome.

That Djokovic got to the final at the French was an achievement, since he toiled against Andreas Seppi and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.



And just when it looked like he might be able to come from two sets down against Nadal in the final, the weather came to the ruffled Spaniard's rescue.

"I managed to come to the finals [at the French] for the first time in my career," Djokovic said. "I should be happy about that. I will be and I am, but in this moment I am disappointed about this loss."

Nadal avoided a career Grand Slam of losses in finals to Djokovic and collected title No. 7 in southwest Paris.


11. Steps the Czech savior

Tennis' equivalent of the seventh game in the World Series or Stanley Cup is a so-called 'live' fifth match in a Davis Cup or Fed Cup final.

We were treated to one in the men's competition in November when the Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek battled Spain's Nicolas Almagro in Prague.



On paper Almagro was the favorite, but he has garnered a reputation for not being able to win the big matches. Stepanek, with his tools, has underachieved in his career.



Neither would be considered extremely popular among their peers.



It was the 34-year-old Stepanek who would be euphoric, staying focused for a change and winning 6-4, 7-6 (0), 3-6, 6-3.

"I'm living a dream," said Stepanek.

Almagro's lackluster display undid the good work of teammate David Ferrer, who posted a 6-0 record in the Davis Cup this year.