Category archive: Andy Murray
Which players need good results in the next few weeks to give them a boost at the French Open, which starts in three-and-a-half weeks? These six, for a start.
Men
Andy Murray: Murray reached the French Open semifinals for the first time in 2011. Coming off a miserable Indian Wells and Miami, Murray got a dose of confidence by landing in the semis in Monte Carlo and Rome. At the latter, Murray should have downed Novak Djokovic and ended the Serb's marathon winning streak.
They were the springboards to his Roland Garros success.
This clay-court season hasn't begun well for Murray. The Scot blew a set advantage and was toppled by Tomas Berdych in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals. Berdych is a more experienced player on dirt and can still overpower anyone on his day, so it wasn't a huge surprise.
However, Murray's quarterfinal loss to Milos Raonic in Barcelona was a stunner. Murray usually swallows up big servers, and Raonic is a clay-court novice.
Earlier-than-expected losses in Rome and Madrid might chip away at Murray's belief heading into Roland Garros, even with Ivan Lendl in his corner.
John Isner: Losing early in Rome and Madrid wouldn't necessarily affect Isner's confidence at the French Open. With that big serve, he can turn things around in an instant.
Take 2011. Isner went 2-4 on European clay leading into Paris, then almost engineered one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history, winning the first two sets off eventual champ Rafael Nadal in the first round.
But we expect more from Isner at the two Masters events in 2012, and so, surely, does the 6-foot-9 Isner. He has raised expectations after going 4-0 on European clay in the Davis Cup, ousting the likes of Roger Federer in Switzerland and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Monte Carlo.
With Mardy Fish's health a question mark, Isner will likely be the U.S. No. 1 in Paris.
Note that the last U.S. man to reach a Masters quarterfinal on clay was Andy Roddick three years ago in Madrid.
Nicolas Almagro: Almagro excelled (as usual) on the Latin American golden swing. Surprisingly, though, he was making an effort and doing the business on hard courts, too. In four hard-court tournaments prior to the European clay-court stretch, he had only failed to reach the quarterfinals once, in Miami, where Almagro let Fish off the hook in the fourth round.
So according to the script, Almagro, back on dirt, was supposed to be a major threat in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. It didn't happen. Go figure.
Almagro lost to Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round in Monte Carlo; Wawrinka remains dangerous, yet Almagro didn't put up much resistance, falling 6-3, 6-3. He was felled by Raonic in the same round in Barcelona.
Women
Li Na: Li is a confident player, and the Chinese baseliner was in the right frame of mind entering the French Open last year, given she had advanced to the final four in both Rome and Madrid.
With Danish coach Michael Mortensen on her team, Li's level rose further at Roland Garros and she became China's maiden Grand Slam singles champion.
But if Li thought expectations back home capsized for the rest of 2011, imagine what fans in China will be expecting at this edition of the French Open.
Li must go deep in Rome and Madrid again as she gears up for her title defense in France. Li has reached the quarterfinals at three straight tournaments, but like in Indian Wells and Miami, she disappointed once there, this time squandering a one-set advantage to Agnieszka Radwanska in Stuttgart.
Francesca Schiavone: The swaggering Schiavone, 2010 French Open champion and a finalist last year, is nowhere to be found. An already dismal season has worsened for Schiavone after switching to clay.
Deciding she needed more matches, Schiavone accepted a wild card into Barcelona, but as the top seed, the Italian was humbled in the first round -- in straight sets -- by Olga Govortsova.
On this occasion, the Fed Cup didn't relieve Schiavone, as she then lost both her encounters in straight sets. There was reason for mild celebration in Stuttgart, with Schiavone winning a round -- before Petra Kvitova crushed her.
Could playing at home in Rome be the spark? Who knows? Only once in the past six visits has Schiavone achieved a quarterfinal, although it was in 2011.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: When Pavlyuchenkova is on, the Russian can dictate, no matter who the opponent. But Pavlyuchenkova has rarely been in form in 2012, compiling a dismal 3-11 record heading into this week. She's been, easily, one of the most disappointing players on either tour.
Perhaps this month's Fed Cup semifinals will prove to be a turning point. After going 0-2 in singles, a coach on the Russian team said Pavlyuchenkova's fitness simply wasn't good enough. That part of her game has been questioned in the past.
Even though Pavlyuchenkova lost her next match, in Stuttgart, she extended Julia Goerges to three sets.
Pavlyuchenkova has significant points to defend in Madrid, Rome and the French Open, where she reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time before succumbing to nerves in her match with Schiavone.
Sony Ericsson Open Headlines
But, believe it or not, a whole lot more transpired. Here are our top 10 takeaways from a tournament rife with entertainment and unexpected drama:
1. Listen to me, would ya?
Don't you just want to give Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray a good old finger-wagging, in-your-grill lashing on how to win? Maria, please stop making those silly mistakes. Andy, why can't you play the important points better? If only it were so easy to follow these directives, we might have two different champions at the podium. Alas, the stubborn ones find themselves the bridesmaids again. But before we get too down on Murray and Sharapova, let's consider the good: Murray was, after all, playing the world's greatest player. No one, but no one, has found the necessary ingredients to blunt Djokovic's pristine play in these mandatory tournaments. But the saga of the mercurial Murray has gone on for so long that you wonder if he'll ever find a way to leverage his dynamic shot-making during key moments. As for Sharapova, lest we forget, she's been a top-tier player going back almost a decade now, finishing in the top 10 every year since 2004, except for 2009 and 2010. That's an incredibly hard feat. She's come back from a career-threatening shoulder injury and still sits at No. 2 on the world. But Sharapova, by her own admission, knows only one way to play: fast and furious. If she could channel just a little Caroline Wozniacki and stick with the point a shot or two longer, who knows? For now, second place will have to suffice for these two.
2. A new breed of success
Radwanska won the Sony Ericsson Open with a brand of tennis that's tricky to explain. She's defensive-minded, as we know, but she also plays a beguiling style that her opponents don't seem to like very much. Radwanska is kind of like Wozniacki in her overall approach, but with more creativity. She's a little bit like Jelena Jankovic, but with superior precision. Her unassailable attention to detail and her unique tactical approach have vaulted her up the ranking to No. 4. But, like Wozniacki, you wonder how high the ceiling is. You also have to wonder how long until the power hitters figure out how to crack her craft, much like they did versus Woz. But for now, Aga, as she now likes to be referred to, is doing all the little things right, which is leading to some big results.
3. You sure fooled us
Venus, Venus, where have you been? There were few people in and around the game who gave her any shot of producing a decent result, considering her extended time away. Venus Williams, who surmounted a few arduous three-setters to reach the quarterfinals in Miami, might not move with fleet of feet, which she never really has, and sometimes appears to be limbering along with almost no footwork. But she can still serve some serious heat, and she can also end points early when she's in the right position. That'll be a lethal combination at the All England Club. Plus, her five previous Wimbledon trophies suggest she has an inkling on how to make a healthy living on those lush lawns.
4. Rafa, don't be so sad
In a vacuum, Rafael Nadal appears to be your typical superstar going through a few rough patches. But if you parse it closely, the issues are a lot more disconcerting: He hasn't won a title in a year, his knees are hurting and he's obviously ticked off by his inability to persuade the ATP brass to adopt his views on a scheduling reform and a two-year ranking system. And he's even more vexed that his greatest on-court rival, Federer, won't use his vast influence to help push his agenda. Nadal's overall dour disposition came to light at Key Biscayne, even before pulling out of his semifinal match against Murray. The grind of the tennis season takes a hefty toll, especially for someone who plays as punishing as Nadal. If he's not in the right frame of mind, 2012 could be a long season. Fortunately for him, the clay circuit, his longtime oasis, is next on the calendar, but you get this uneasy suspicion that things might not work out for him quite the way they have in the past.
5. Welcome to planet Earth, Vika
You can't win them all. Well, Victoria Azarenka did until finally conceding to Marion Bartoli in the quarterfinals. But don't get too worked up. Azarenka's level and, more so, her will to win from the onset of the season have greatly changed from a year ago. For Bartoli, she's made a nice living thwarting the game's giants. She ended Serena Williams' run at Wimbledon last year, and in 2007, Bartoli reached the final of Wimbledon before running into a far superior Venus Williams. As we reported last week, Bartoli actually has 12 career wins over top-five players. But as for Azarenka, she should fare quite nicely on the dirt. Azarenka's irrepressible mindset is a good match for the surface, which requires maximum physical output.
6. Slow down, boy
It was clear from the beginning that the slower conditions here in Miami were going to be a considerable obstacle for Roger Federer to overcome. The courts themselves are slightly faster than at Indian Wells, but the high humidity caused the ball to almost poof up after hitting the ground. Federer's stout strokes were clearly nullified, and Andy Roddick capitalized. Of course, it didn't hurt that Roddick played "like the No. 1 player in the world," as Federer said after the match.
7. Woz up with that?
Say what you want about the most scrutinized player on the WTA. But Wozniacki showed she has enough game to hang with today's power players, when she wants to. Against Sharapova, she was in it until the bitter end when a controversial call (albeit the right one) on a Sharapova serve led to an abrupt ending to the match. But Wozniacki showed some pop on her own serve and, on occasion, some oomph in her groundies. Perhaps she is taking a small step toward making the requisite changes everyone knows she needs to make.
8. Going, going … gone!
It was a pretty amazing scene on center court this past Friday afternoon. With the air yanked out of the stadium after Nadal withdrew from his semifinal match against Murray, world No. 1 Djokovic galloped onto center court a couple of hours later for a practice session. But first, he began taking … batting practice as his hitting partner pitched ball after ball to him. Djokovic used the handle of his racket as a baseball bat and smacked some prodigious home runs into the sparse, but suddenly galvanized, crowd. This was, obviously, intended for the amusement of the fans, but you couldn't help but admire his superb hand-eye coordination.
9. Ewww!
Radek Stepanek has to be ugliest dressed tennis player -- maybe ever. (Well, perhaps second to Dominik Hrbaty, but that's a conversation for a different day). Forgive the hyperbole, but his garish blue-checkered, wannabe golf shirt crammed way too tightly into his slightly-longer-than-John Stockton-wore white shorts probably turned a few heads away. If you don't believe me, just ask de facto fashionista Sharapova, who named Stepanek as one of the worst-dressed athletes when she briefly was given the editorial keys to a 2011 issue of ESPN The Magazine. It didn't help that his doubles partner, Leander Paes, was donning a pretty hideous florescent lime green top. Together, well, let's just say he would not pass the Tommy Hilfiger "American Idol" design test.
10. Juan's the Mon-aco
Many a tournament, especially those with slower conditions, often produces an unexpected floater deep into the draw. It was Juan Monaco's time at Key Biscayne. You'd think that Monaco would be outclassed versus Roddick and Mardy Fish -- and certainly Djokovic, even after a bleak opening set. But his modus operandi -- don't stop, don't ever stop -- drove his opponents crazy. He actually made the aforementioned Americans look, dare we say, old and slow. In the end, Djokovic outplayed the spritely Argentine, but with the clay season just moments away, you had better watch out, 'cause Juan is coming for you.
When all was said and done, Novak Djokovic finally beat Andy Murray in 4 hours, 50 minutes in this cat-and-mouse war of attrition. Djokovic will now face Rafael Nadal for the Australian Open men's title Sunday.
Here's how this epic unfolded:
Set 1: Djokovic 6-3, 47 minutes
Murray rattled from the outset: Although Murray fought off two break points in his opening serving game, he was promptly broken the next time he was up. It was as much a sign of nerves from Murray as it was Djokovic looking relaxed and confident. And after Murray broke Djokovic back, the Serb again returned the favor to take a 4-2 lead. Murray looked agitated, continually engaged in heated discussions with the chair umpire. Djokovic would go on to win the first set 6-3. Your Set 1 stats: A combined 35 unforced errors and nine winners. Ouch.
Djokovic's breathing: Djokovic has a long history of breathing ailments. This manifested itself again versus David Ferrer in a grinding quarterfinal matchup. It then appeared to be a factor after the fifth game of the first set when Djokovic was motioning to his camp. It did not appear to affect his movement, though.
Set 2: Murray 6-3, 65 minutes
Same ol', same ol': One game into the second set and Djokovic broke Murray again. An inauspicious start for someone trying to prove he has more resolve and resilience.
Soft second serve: According to ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert, Murray was hitting his second serve, at times, up to 30 mph less than his first, a huge disparity among the pro ranks. Djokovic, for his part, was clocked at over 120 mph.
Momentum swing and momentum swing after … : Down 2-0 in the second set, Murray settled down, but his game picked up. He broke Djokovic to tie the set at 2-all, and in the process hit a couple of screaming winners. Murray, who has long suffered from an unwillingness to seize control of rallies, was dictating play and hitting with aplomb. He would break Djokovic a second time to go up 4-2. Two more consecutive breaks by each player made it 5-3 Murray before he finally sealed the set with a hold.
Punishing set: The 42-shot rally in the middle of the set was a mere microcosm of a grueling second set. At its conclusion, Djokovic slumped over in an attempt to catch his breath. Clearly, the long side-to-side points took their toll on the defending champ. Murray did not appear to be nearly as affected, though both players were exceeding their allotted time in between points on a regular basis.
Set 3: Murray 7-6 (4), 88 minutes
What a start: After an 18-minute opening game, Djokovic finally held serve. Murray failed to capitalize on five break opportunities. Djokovic was doing a lot more running around than Murray, and as Gilbert asked: Would the toll of these long rallies and games take its toll on Djokovic? Murray was clearly dictating the points -- even if he wasn't winning them all.
No freebees here: You're getting the feeling that Nadal, who had his own arduous battles in the last two rounds, is sitting home smiling. Djokovic and Murray are working incredibly hard to win points. Based on the time of this match, you'd think they were deep into the fifth set.
Special concoction: Among Ivan Lendl's vast responsibilities, apparently, is to help charge up his new charge. Lendl was seen delivering a lemonade-like drink to someone to give to Murray. Who knows what it was, but both competitors needed something to rejuvenate them at this point.
Wowsers! Djokovic had Murray fetching balls from one wing of the court to another. The great Scot played remarkable defense in yet another excruciating rally to win the point and snag the break for a 6-5 lead. Murray had 11 chances to break Djokovic in the set and finally capitalized for the second time.
But … Just befitting of this match, Djokovic broke him back and sent the set into a tiebreaker. Murray would win it and take a two-sets-to-one lead over the defending champ. This match was now a war of attrition.
Set 4: Djokovic 6-1, 25 minutes
Oh, boy: The first game of the second set, and you'll (facetiously) never guess what happened: Djokovic broke Murray for the early lead. Should we have expected anything less?
Wheels coming off: Just like that, Djokovic took a two-break lead. It was obvious a fifth set was in the very near future. It would behoove Murray to now salvage any fight he has left for the decider. Djokovic had found a new level and dictated nearly every point. Murray did not help his case with some sloppy play. He finished the set with two winners and 11 unforced errors.
Novak's bounce: Djokovic showed us the true heart of a champion by dismantling Murray in a paltry 25 minutes. It's the best thing that could have happened to him -- win a set and save your legs.
Set 5: Djokovic 7-5, 65 minutes
The four-hour marker: Three games into the fifth set and the players have been on the court for four hours. So far, a fairly routine 2-1 Murray lead with no breaks of serve. Who would strike first?
Still waiting: Five games into the fifth and no breaks. Both Djokovic and Murray have been playing a little more conservatively to this point. But as ESPN's Chris Fowler notes, you get the feeling Djokovic can't be beaten after his exploits last season.
Fowler appears right: Djokovic finally converted a break point opportunity to take a 4-2 lead. You can kind of smell a third straight date with Rafa in a major final, right?
Not so fast, kids: Who is this mentally robust Brit? With Djokovic serving for the match, Murray breaks him without breaking a sweat. The score: 5-4 Djokovic with Murray to serve.
What a hold: Murray had a viable chance to break Djokovic and serve for the match. Djokovic held on in a heart-palpitating 11th game of the final set. This is now officially one for the ages.
And then … You kind of saw this coming. Murray had his chance and failed. So what does Djokovic do? Break Murray, of course. And now his chance to serve for the final.
That's a wrap -- finally! Djokovic saved his best for last, something we probably should have expected. Four hours, 50 minutes later and Djokovic finally advances. Unbelievable resolve by both players in a truly punishing affair. Bring on Rafa, baby.
100 memories: Kim Clijsters falls in Paris
70. Dokic reunites with dad
Who saw this coming?
Former Wimbledon semifinalist Jelena Dokic, an often tortured soul, confirmed in September that she reconciled with controversial dad Damir Dokic.
Damir Dokic coached his daughter before an acrimonious split. He recently spent about a year in jail for threatening to blow up the Australian embassy in Belgrade.
"I am in a very positive and confident frame of mind in my life, and I really wanted to do this because I believe it is the right thing to do both for me and for all of my family," Jelena Dokic said. "My father was very receptive, and I believe he has changed greatly."
69. Cancer hits Kleybanova
Every so often, the idyllic tennis world gets gate-crashed. It happened in July.
Russian Alisa Kleybanova revealed -- on her 22nd birthday -- that she was undergoing treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer.
"This is the toughest time in my life, and I hope it always stays the toughest time in my life," said Kleybanova, a gritty competitor but bubbly character off court. "I'm sure I'll be able to overcome this -- it's just a matter of patience and time."
We wish you well, Alisa.
68. Zvonareva crumbles in Istanbul
It wasn't as bad as her meltdown against Flavia Pennetta at the U.S. Open in 2009, but Vera Zvonareva's 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 loss to Agnieszka Radwanska at the year-end championships was still painful.
Zvonareva's first mistake was letting a tired Radwanska back into the match after cruising in the opening set. Then in the third, she failed to take advantage of three match points on her own serve. Radwanska helped saved the third match point, however, with some unbelievable scrambling.
Instead of tears from Zvonareva, there were painful looking smiles.
67. Ailing Andy
Andy Roddick, after being blessed with good health for most of his career, is now having a hard time staying fit.
As the defending champion in Miami, Roddick encountered breathing issues and moved gingerly in a second-round loss to Pablo Cuevas. A shoulder injury ruled him out of the French Open -- and hampered his Wimbledon prep -- before a problem with his oblique meant he had to skip a portion of the U.S. Open Series.
"It's been, I think, the toughest year I've had," Roddick said in Shanghai. "I feel like I've been starting and stopping a lot."
Despite the lack of fluency, Roddick managed to finish inside the top 15.
66. To Russia with love
Alex Bogomolov Jr. was named the most improved player on the men's tour, climbing more than 130 spots in the rankings. His season got even better when his desired switch from U.S. to Russia in the tennis world became official this month.
Bogomolov, a longtime U.S. resident, is suddenly the Russian No. 1, which means he's a lock to be on the Russian Davis Cup team when it meets Austria in February.
Bogomolov was appreciative of the help the USTA gave him in his formative years but said the opportunity to represent the country of his birth was too great to pass up.
"I'm going to do the best I can for my family," he said. "That's my main priority, my kid, my family."
65. Murray sizzles in Asia
The field might not have been as strong as in years past, as Roger Federer so eagerly pointed out, but Andy Murray winning in Bangkok, Tokyo and Shanghai in consecutive weeks was quite the achievement.
Murray responded in the best possible fashion after yet more disappointment at a Grand Slam (the U.S. Open).
"This is one of the best runs I've had, and I'm playing very well," Murray said.
Minor injuries surfaced thereafter, so he couldn't keep it going.
64. A classic tiebreaker
Novak Djokovic had to deal with not only the elements on a windy day in New York, but an unorthodox, unpredictable opponent in Alexandr Dolgopolov Jr. Their fourth-round clash produced arguably the best tiebreaker of the season.
Dolgopolov began by taking a 4-0 lead, only to see Djokovic win the next five points. The seesawing continued. Djokovic saved four set points and ultimately converted on his sixth attempt to win 16-14. Dolgopolov went down tamely in the next two sets.
"It was an interesting first set," Djokovic said.
The women's tiebreaker of the season also stemmed from a fourth-round match in New York. Maria Kirilenko edged eventual champion Sam Stosur 17-15.
63. Clijsters capitulates
Making her first French Open appearance in five years, this wasn't what Kim Clijsters had in mind.
Clijsters blew a set and 5-2 lead, as well as two match points, in a stunning 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 second-round defeat to tall, shy Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus.
Clijsters had missed the previous two months with an ankle injury, but that was no excuse. The inexperienced Rus was ranked 114th at the time.
"I started doubting a little bit," Clijsters said. "That's definitely the wrong attitude to have, especially for me on clay."
62. Seven in a row for Rafa
When all else fails, Rafael Nadal can count on winning in Monte Carlo.
Nadal, not having to confront Djokovic, made it lucky No. 7 -- in a row -- at the posh Monte Carlo Country Club after toppling good pal David Ferrer 6-4, 7-5 in a punishing final.
"It would have been impossible to imagine a few years ago winning seven titles here," Nadal said. "I'm a lucky guy to have done this by age 24."
When will Nadal lose in Monte Carlo?
61. Tennis players going splittsville
Two longstanding tennis romances involving Eastern Europeans came to an end.
Tomas Berdych and the oh-so-nice Lucie Safarova went their separate ways, with the former now dating a much younger model and the latter linked to a cage fighter.
Kirilenko, a former SI swimsuit model, and Igor Andreev also cut ties. Kirilenko moved on quickly, to Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin.
Ovechkin posted a picture of himself and Kirilenko on Twitter; "Me and my girlfriend Maria....she is my queen!!!!" was the accompanying caption.
The mammoth serves were missing between Andy Murray and David Ferrer, and, on a slow hard court with two of the game's best movers, it made for extended windshield-wiper rallies. Hitting winners was as tough as finding a seat on London's Tube at rush hour.
The outcome on Day 2 of the World Tour Finals was tough on Murray, who suffered a 6-4, 7-5 loss as Group A commenced. The tournament thus had its first upset after behemoths Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal escaped in three sets Sunday. As much of a bulldog as Ferrer is, he had lost all five of his previous encounters on hard courts and 11 of 12 sets against the newly turned world No. 3.
Murray, all of a sudden, has dropped two in a row after winning 17 straight. Not that Federer was overly impressed with the winning streak. "I'm not taking anything away from what he did, but was Asia the strongest this year?" Federer said. "I'm not sure. Novak Djokovic and I were not there, and Rafa Nadal lost early in Shanghai."
Federer, as if to rub it in, also appeared on court afterward to collect yet more awards, the fans' favorite and sportsmanship.
Ferrer and Tomas Berdych to advance from the group, anyone?
Even if Murray were hurt -- he took a medical time out following the first set for a groin injury and doesn't know if he'll be able to play his two remaining matches -- you can envisage the headlines in some of the newspapers Tuesday in these parts. "Murray bottles it" or "Not so dandy Andy" would be two tamer versions. In England, he'll go from being called British to Scottish.
Murray often clutches at parts of his body when things aren't going well, but his irritability early in the first set -- more than his usual -- seemed to suggest something was amiss. He jawed at his camp, struck himself on the thigh with his racket and broke out in sarcastic smiles. He was making progress in that respect.
"I'll decide tomorrow whether or not I keep playing," he said in his news conference.
Some of the numbers also baffled.
When was the last time Murray made 24 unforced errors in a set, as he did in the first? He makes the other guy miss. Not so unusual was Murray's overall first-serve percentage of 44. Against a returner of Ferrer's quality, it had to be higher.
Murray was passive, allowing Ferrer to dictate throughout. In the opening stages, the most aggression he showed came, ironically, in the form of drop shots. Ferrer moved Murray around with his favored inside-out forehand. Still, Murray led by a break in both sets.
"I think maybe he had a little bit problems, but not too many strong problems, no, because he can play all the match," Ferrer said.
Murray can at least take solace in the fact that he won two highlight-reel worthy points, sending a backhand pass past Ferrer after he scrambled to stay in a rally and crunching a cross-court forehand midway in the first. It wasn't of Federer quality, but Murray additionally executed a 'tweener in the second set.
Murray, picked by many to win the tournament, now faces a struggle simply to get fit for Wednesday, a sledgehammer-like blow. 
The end of the Slam season means it's time for our Grand Slam awards.
Here goes:
Men's player of the year: Novak Djokovic
Easy, eh?
For a few years, Djokovic drifted. He was one of those players who seemed destined to go deep at majors and beat the top two here and there, but not deliver at crunch time.
That all changed.
Winning the Davis Cup last year whetted his appetite; he said bye to gluten, and the serve became a useful weapon. Along with his already-dominant baseline game, this proved to be a perfect mix.
The result was emphatic victories at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.
Let's hope the back injury he aggravated over the weekend doesn't keep him out long term.
Women's player of the year: Li Na
That Li won a major wasn't a shock. The surprise was that she won at the French Open, the only Slam where she hadn't reached the quarterfinals prior to 2011.
But it was no fluke. Li downed two in-form players (Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka) before topping the defending champ, Francesca Schiavone, to become China's first Grand Slam winner.
And she was the only women's major winner of 2011 to get to at least the semis at two Slams, landing in the finale in Melbourne.
Most disappointing men's player: Andy Murray
Murray had his best Grand Slam year, reaching a final and three semis. But he still can't get over the hump.
Will he ever?
Murray failed to win a set in the Australian Open final, making it three straight-set losses in all three of his Slam finals.
Until he tinkers with his game and plays aggressive in all of his matches, his best chance of ending the drought comes from the unlikely scenario he doesn't have to face at least two of the big three.
Most disappointing women's player: Caroline Wozniacki
Wozniacki proved to be a memorable figure at Slams. She concocted a tale revolving around a kangaroo and orchestrated her own press conference in Melbourne. In New York, her relationship with Rory McIlroy and the identity of her new coach were hot topics of discussion.
Unfortunately for the Dane, no one was talking about her snapping out of a much-maligned Grand Slam drought. A more defensive player than even Murray, she was out-powered by Li, Daniela Hantuchova, Dominika Cibulkova and Serena Williams at the majors.
The good news for Wozniacki: She's younger than Murray and doesn't have to deal with anything that closely resembles the big three on the women's tour.
Best men's match: Roger Federer-Novak Djokovic, U.S. Open
This award was a toss-up between their meetings in Paris and New York. The French Open was a higher-quality affair, and forceful chants of "Roger, Roger" from the crowd made for a Davis Cup atmosphere. The Fed prevailed, ending Djokovic's unbeaten start to 2011.
But that semi didn't go five and feature perhaps the shot of the year: Djokovic slapping a cross-court forehand return to save a match point.
The most punishing match of the year? Djokovic's slugfest versus Rafael Nadal two days later.
Best women's match: Svetlana Kuznetsova-Francesca Schiavone, Australian Open
The lion-hearted Schiavone backed up her breakthrough 2010 by reaching another French Open final and progressing to the quarterfinals in Melbourne.
She went deep Down Under the hard way, saving six match points against Kuznetsova in 4 hours, 44 minutes, the longest women's match in Grand Slam history. The final set ended 16-14.
"At some stage I was like, 'What's the score?'" Kuznetsova said. "'Who's serving?' I had no clue sometimes. I was like, 'Who is up, she or me?'"
Best comeback: Serena Williams
Like her or not, Williams deserves much respect for playing at Wimbledon in the aftermath of a life-threatening illness. And once there, she didn't disgrace herself, losing a tight match to Marion Bartoli in the fourth round.
Williams, with her discernible desire, was the heavy favorite in New York, coasting to the final before succumbing to Samantha Stosur.
You wonder if the result would have been different had Williams' toe been 100 percent and if she were afforded a more generous turnaround time after the semifinals.
Biggest breakthrough: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Pavlyuchenkova had long lived with the tag of highest-ranking teen in the top 100. But she hadn't yet made any noise at Grand Slams.
That changed at the French Open, where the flat-hitting, tenacious Pavlyuchenkova upset Vera Zvonareva to advance to a first quarterfinal. Then, blowing a hefty lead against Schiavone, Pavlyuchenkova turned the tables and rallied against the Italian in New York to reach yet another Slam quarter.
Most memorable Slam: U.S. Open
The Australian Open, where Nadal sought to complete the "Rafa Slam" (remember that?) featured ample drama.
Player power, rain delays, banged up courts and retirements -- plus the exciting matches -- gave the edge to the U.S. Open, however.
Bring on Australia.
At next week's Monte Carlo Masters, the unofficial, and dazzling, clay-court curtain-raiser, the Serb is sure to match Ivan Lendl's 25 straight ATP victories to begin a campaign. He needs simply to win a round. Whether he can pull level with John McEnroe's 39, set in 1984, is the real question.
If Djokovic falls short, he'd happily settle for success at Roland Garros. Never before has a men's pro bagged the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and the French Open in a single calendar year.
Kim Clijsters has outdone Djokovic in winning two straight Grand Slam titles, yet her U.S. road trip was, relatively speaking, disastrous. An ailing shoulder contributed to a pair of early defeats, with the Belgian also worried by any radiation that might have filtered to California in the aftermath of Japan's ravaging earthquake and tsunami.
Clijsters, atypically, brooded.
Here are five burning questions heading into the European clay-court swing:
Can the Djoker outdo Rafa -- again?
It was quite the sight Sunday, Djokovic beating Nadal at his own game. Undone by heat and fitness in the past, and on the biggest of stages, Djokovic this time outlasted the Spanish gladiator.
Nadal was tired, admitting as much afterwards. His serve and forehand didn't click. Djokovic found energy following a shaky start, and the final score didn't reflect his substantial superiority.
But clay is another animal; yes, there's a reason Nadal didn't lose on the sport's slowest surface last year, collecting a sixth straight Monte Carlo title and fifth French Open.
Nadal's heavy forehand, which failed to trouble Djokovic in Miami, becomes a bigger weapon, exploding off clay. While Djokovic moves better than the nine-time Grand Slam champion on hard courts, the same can't be said on dirt. And Djokovic won't get as many free points on serve.
Further, Nadal, as strange as it may seem at the moment, enters this clay-court spell with more momentum than in 2010.
Once Nadal works himself into optimal shape, losing over five sets is unlikely. When Djokovic almost took out Nadal in Madrid two years ago, it was a three-set affair, psychologically a different proposition.
Nadal isn't into revenge. However, you can bet he'd like to send a message to his buddy if they meet in Monte Carlo.
Where does Roger stand?
At this juncture, the thought of anyone but Nadal and Djokovic appearing in the French Open final is unfathomable.
Federer still has little difficulty dispatching the likes of Andy Murray, Robin Soderling, Tomas Berdych and David Ferrer, going a combined 7-1 since Wimbledon. But the gap between the Swiss and the top two is stretching.
Federer, though, probably enters the French Open with as little pressure as ever, or at least since his dominant reign began. Never really playing the sort of aggressive game pundits have wanted on clay, perhaps Paul Annacone can lend his expertise in their first clay-court season together.
And who knows, Nadal and Djokovic could pummel each other, a la 2009, boosting Federer's chances in Paris.
Don't expect a hat trick of finals for Soderling at Roland Garros. Since the last French Open, he's no closer to seriously challenging Nadal, Djokovic and Federer.
Sure, injury and illness explained some of it, but his body language in Indian Wells and Miami wasn't good.
Will Kimmy brighten?
Upon exiting to the reinvigorated Victoria Azarenka in Miami, Clijsters told Belgian journalists she was drained -- physically and mentally. The fighting spirit and motivation were gone.
Would Clijsters recover in time for the Fed Cup semifinal against the Czech Republic on April 16? She was unsure.
Tuesday's announcement on her website ended speculation -- Clijsters was ruled out for a month with right shoulder and wrist injuries.
More and more, it appears this is Clijsters' last full season, and no one would be surprised if she calls it quits altogether at the end of 2011.
In the very short term, spending time at home with hubby and daughter should ease Clijsters' mind and benefit her body.
Even if Clijsters plays a solitary Roland Garros warm-up, she'd have to be the favorite or close to it -- assuming she's 100 percent. Well before winning three U.S. Opens, Clijsters reached a pair of French Open finals.
How will Woz hold up?
Caroline Wozniacki flew to New York after losing to the flamboyant -- off court, that is -- Andrea Petkovic in Miami, barely missing out on a meeting with President Obama. The Slam-less world No. 1 returned to Miami, then zipped off to Charleston to compete in this week's Family Circle Cup.
Why, oh, why did Wozniacki do that?
She, too, said she was exhausted following Key Biscayne. Wozniacki hopes for a better outcome this year than last, as an ankle injury sustained in South Carolina hampered her preparation for the French Open and Wimbledon.
Wozniacki is setting herself up for more physical woe, no matter if she's a tender 20. After a week off, the Dane plays in Germany. It's another week off, then Madrid, Rome and Brussels, leading straight into the French Open.
Hardly the recipe for peaking at a major. Even Rafa plays only four tourneys.
What's the prognosis for the two Andys?
Murray is slumping. Andy Roddick can't get healthy.
The Scot thus needs to garner some momentum leading into the grass-court season, and the U.S. No. 2 (yes, No. 2) wants to get fit in time for Wimbledon, since Roddick's best shot at winning a second major comes in southwest London.
Reaching the second week of the French would be plenty good enough for both.
Murray should have a coach in place by then. He continues to get linked with everyone who's anyone, including Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Darren Cahill (again), Roddick's coach, Larry Stefanki (again), Roger Rasheed and Bob Brett.
Nadal earns high marks for historic 2010
Who was the star of the show in tennis in 2010? Rafael Nadal, without a doubt.
Entering the season under a cloud of uncertainty, Nadal achieved one of the finest years in the history of the sport. He reclaimed the No. 1 ranking and completed his Grand Slam collection at the age of 24. Nadal's main rival, Roger Federer, dipped. Well, that was inevitable given his past.
Nadal leads the way in our grading of the men's elite.
And just a word on the rationale: It's all relative.
Rafael Nadal (A): Nadal had the type of 11 months Federer produced in 2004, 2006 and 2007, winning three majors. He surpassed Fed, though, by claiming three in a row in a single season. After the backhand slice, volley and more aggressive approach from the baseline, his serve was the next part of his game to improve. If he's healthy in 2011, can we discount similar results?
Roger Federer (B): The good news for Federer was his title at the Australian Open, marking an eighth consecutive campaign with a major. The bad news? His semifinal streak at Grand Slams ended in Paris, and, further, he failed to reach the semis at his beloved Wimbledon. He lost four times after holding match points, too. But Federer remains as hungry as ever, and his partnership with Paul Annacone has already produced results, evidenced by Sunday's win over Rafa in the ATP World Tour Finals.
Andy Murray (C+): Another year finished, and another year without a major for Murray. Time isn't exactly running out, but still. When the pressure is off, Murray excels. When it's on, he flops. The latest example came at the year-end championships, when the Scot crumbled against Federer before playing Rafa extremely tough.
Novak Djokovic (C+): Like Murray, Djokovic disappointed. When will the Serb win Slam No. 2? Djokovic went a combined 1-6 against Nadal and Federer, and 7-12 versus top-20 foes, excluding the charged-up atmosphere of the Davis Cup. Beating Federer at the U.S. Open was great, but Djokovic took just one set against the Swiss in three subsequent encounters. Not so great.
Andy Roddick (C): We can't be overly harsh in judging Roddick. He was flying in the spring, almost achieving the Indian Wells-Miami double. But Roddick was never right physically after being struck down my mono during the European clay-court swing. Roddick did well just to qualify for the World Tour Finals.
Robin Soderling (B-): Soderling proved he was no fluke. He goes down in history as the guy who snapped Federer's outrageous semifinal streak. Has the imposing Swede hit his ceiling, however? Soderling was outclassed by Nadal and Federer in their head-to-heads after Roland Garros. According to reports from Sweden, Soderling will cut ties with coach Magnus Norman in the offseason.
Tomas Berdych (B): Berdych started to live up to his potential, first at the French Open. Vitally, he backed it up at Wimbledon. His effortless groundstrokes, when on, overpower most opponents. The tall Czech struggled with heightened expectations post-Wimbledon, yet he ensured a strong conclusion to 2010 by testing Nadal at the year-end championships.
Nikolay Davydenko (C): Davydenko might be haunted for years by that match against Federer at the Australian Open. Crushing Federer, up a set and a break, he collapsed, going AWOL in the next hour. He later broke his wrist, an injury he didn't recover from. Davydenko's ranking has slipped outside the top 20, signaling his first year-end finish outside the top 10 since 2004. Thankfully for him, Davydenko has few points to defend in 2011.
Marin Cilic (C+): Cilic began the season so well, reaching a maiden Grand Slam semifinal in Melbourne and defending his titles at Chennai and Zagreb. He was drawing a few comparisons to Juan Martin del Potro. The towering Croat flopped badly thereafter, though, and his forehand is a real concern. However, given his work ethic and determination, the 22-year-old will get things right.
Juan Martin del Potro (N/A): Del Potro's serious wrist injury wasn't good for tennis. Minus the injury, the lanky Argentine would have posed a serious threat to Nadal and Federer -- more so than Murray and Djokovic. Instead, del Potro was limited to six matches. The wrist might be fine physically, but how long will it take for the 22-year-old to recover mentally? His ranking has dropped to 259th.
LONDON -- Could we have had more excitement thus far at the ATP World Tour Finals in London? Yes. Only one match has gone to three sets.
It makes up for last year.
But there's plenty of reason to get excited about the semifinals, since the Big Four face off, just as they did at the U.S. Open in 2008.
With a little luck, we might get a Roger versus Rafa final.
ESPN.com previews the semis.
Rafael Nadal versus Andy Murray
Head to head: Nadal leads 8-4
Inside stat: Murray leads 4-1 in their past five on hard courts
Who knows what Murray's mindset is?
He said following his win over David Ferrer on Thursday evening he had little chance of beating Rafa. It was a silly stance, given his recent positive hard-court record against the world No. 1. Perhaps Murray was trying to fool the media, since he was lambasted after a horribly disappointing performance against Federer in the round-robin stage.
Nadal wasn't buying Murray's prematch analysis, and he looked annoyed when told of the Scot's words.
When he got down to talking about the nuts and bolts of the encounter, Nadal shifted a bit of the pressure back to Murray.
"Everybody can say the conditions are a little bit easier for Andy than for me here," Nadal said. "The court is a little bit easier for him than for me."
Nadal, though, is playing great -- and this after a five-week layoff. He called Friday's victory over Tomas Berdych, an entertaining affair for a few reasons, his best match of the tournament. When Nadal gets going, he's almost impossible to stop.
Murray, inconsistent in 2010, needs to flash the game he exhibited at this year's Australian Open, when he crushed Nadal in the quarterfinals. That means being aggressive, not relying on defense.
His cross-court backhands, to the Nadal forehand, punished the Spaniard in Melbourne.
This is a huge match for Murray. Losing to Federer and Nadal, at home, in the same tournament isn't how he wants to end the campaign.
Prediction: Nadal in two.
Roger Federer versus Novak Djokovic
Head to head: Federer leads 12-6
Inside stat: Four of their past five have gone the distance
Credit Djokovic.
Some thought he wouldn't be focused on London with the Davis Cup final looming, but right from the first match against Berdych, he's been committed.
Djokovic endured horrible luck against Nadal in his second tilt when a problem with a contact lens limited his vision. Instead of sulking and feeling like the world was against him, which happened in the past, Djokovic still didn't waiver when he met Andy Roddick in Friday's night's crunch clash. Roddick had beaten him four straight times.
His words after the defeat to Nadal were telling.
"The fact was and the truth was that I was feeling great on the court," Djokovic said. "I had time to prepare for this tournament mentally, physically. I put all my effort into it, desire to win."
Federer has, too.
The Swiss impressed with his unbeaten record in Group B, easing past Robin Soderling (that's becoming the norm again) and routing Murray. Federer has been broken just twice and is being aggressive when he needs to.
Further, he's won both meetings against Djokovic since their epic U.S. Open semifinal.
Prediction: Federer in three.
LONDON -- Roger Federer looked a little tense, perhaps boorish, in his prematch interview at the World Tour Finals on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, his opponent, Andy Murray, was loose as a goose.
Murray revealed his tactics, saying he wanted to be aggressive when given the chance, while the Swiss kept pretty quiet, only suggesting he needed to perform well to reverse an ugly two-match losing streak against the versatile Scot.
Their Group B encounter at London's O2 Arena, quickly becoming a favorite venue for the players thanks to the 17,000 or so routinely in attendance, was the most hotly anticipated round-robin clash at the year-end championships.
Fans, who gave Federer a slightly bigger cheer as he and Murray walked on the court, hoped for the sort of entertainment produced Monday evening by Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick, who toiled for more than 2½ hours.
It didn't happen. Not even close.
Federer indeed played solidly, improving to 2-0, and is almost assured of a spot in the semifinals. Murray's crushing 6-4, 6-2 loss, though, raised more questions, especially by the British media, about his big-match temperament.
"That it went as well as it did today, I'm quite surprised," Federer told the crowd. "I'm almost shocked. I don't think Andy played his best, that's for sure."
Federer won the toss and, unusual for him, elected to receive. The move paid dividends. Murray was forced to save a break point in a six-minute opening game before dropping serve at love to trail 2-1. At one stage, Federer won nine straight points.
The lone glimmer of hope for Murray resulted as Federer tried to serve out the first. Federer, wary of Murray's outstanding passing capabilities, hesitated approaching the net. Murray ripped a fine cross-court, forehand pass for 0-30. Federer suddenly became edgy, next challenging an out call on his serve that was miles long. However, he won the next four points.
Federer's most troubling moment of the day came when he caught his clothing in the net post seconds after the handshake.
When Murray blitzed Federer in the final of the Shanghai Masters this fall, the latter won a measly five points on second serve. In Toronto in the summer, he won half. In the opening set Tuesday, Federer went 10-for-12. And this was a slow hard court.
"That's a bit strange," Federer said of his dominance on serve. "Andy's a good returner, one of the best we have."
Murray's serve, which is frustratingly inconsistent, is still a source of angst. He converted only 32 percent in the first set and only slightly better in the second.
"I did the two most important things in tennis very poorly today, which is serve and return," Murray said in his news conference. "And against someone as good as Roger, you can't do them badly."
The world No. 5 made uncharacteristic backhand errors, and his forehand continues to lack penetration. When short balls are steered to the forehand, Murray rarely puts the ball away.
Murray needs to recover by Thursday, when he'll battle David Ferrer. The Spaniard leads their head-to-heads 3-1, so it won't be easy.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ravi Ubha (top left) is a London-based journalist. He holds a business degree from McGill University and a journalism diploma from Concordia University, both in Montreal, where he formerly covered baseball and hockey. Ubha is a tennis and soccer contributor to ESPN.com, also featuring in other publications, and does play-by-play in tennis.
Kamakshi Tandon (top center) is a freelance writer and tennis junkie who contributes regularly to ESPN. She has also written for Tennis magazine, Reuters and Dow Jones Newswires. Tandon is based in Toronto.
Sandra Harwitt (top right) is a graduate of New York University's School of Journalism and covers tennis for various media outlets. Harwitt has been accepted to pursue a part-time master of science in strategic communications at Columbia University. She is based in South Florida and New York.
Matt Wilansky (bottom left) is the tennis editor for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 1998 after graduating with a B.A. in communication from the University of Hartford.
Tom Tebbutt (bottom center) is the tennis writer for The Globe and Mail in Toronto. He has been covering tennis for more than three decades and is a regular at the Grand Slam tournaments. Tebbutt lives in Toronto but is originally from Quebec.
Greg Garber (bottom right) joined ESPN in 1991 and provides reports for NFL Countdown and SportsCenter. He is also a regular contributor to Outside the Lines and a senior writer for ESPN.com.