Aussie Open: Serving Up A Treat

It’s back! Once again tennis season is upon us but to be honest it feels like it hasn't really been away. With the ATP Tour Finals at the O2 in December and then Andy Murray’s Sports Personality of the Year annihilation, tennis has been floating around our shores all Christmas. Despite 2014 being just a week old, a number of tournaments have already been completed and with the Australian Open lurking on the horizon, it’s time to assess what the season has thrown at us so far and what to expect down in Melbourne.

Nadal triumphs in Qatar

The Spanish Armada

The Spanish fleet sets sail to Melbourne in full force. Captain Rafa will be the man to beat off the back of a simply remarkable comeback year which saw him win the French Open and the US Open as well as finishing the year as World Number One. Nadal has already won the Qatar Open this year, beating Gael Monfils, his Qatar nemesis, in the final. It was not plain sailing for Rafa though, as he lost a few sets on the way, something rivals will certainly have picked up on.

Ferrer's looks focused

First mate David Ferrer will also be manning the decks as he seeks to win his maiden Grand Slam. Quietly conducting his business, Ferrer ended the year in third place in the World Rankings and will be looking to continue that form this year. What he lacks in power he more than makes up for in his hyperactive-childlike attitude, darting around the court and refusing to give up on any point. Could he shock his captain in Melbourne? Or will he be made to walk to plank.

Djokovic eyes the prize.

The Serb in the Shadows

Despite an excellent season, Novak Djokovic will be bitterly disappointed to have won just one Grand Slam, as well as losing his World Number One position to Nadal. Whilst the other big names all took part in tournaments earlier this year, Djokovic decided against it and so we will see nothing of his form going into Melbourne. Expect the Serb to pounce from the shadows, and if we get anything close to a repeat of last year’s semi-final against Nadal then boy are we in for one heck of an entertaining tournament!

The end of an era? Roger that.

Federer: A man on the decline

For any tennis fan, last year was a despairing sight. Seeing the great Roger Federer succumb to loss after loss in mediocre fashion stung the very core of the sporting world. The fact is that, as age catches up with him faster than an Andy Roddick serve, it will only get worse. There have been early signs of this already, a loss to fellow veteran Leyton Hewitt in the Brisbane Open served as an unhealthy reminder that the great Swiss is not as immortal as he once was. I do not expect Federer to challenge for his eighteenth Grand Slam but it would not surprise me if it some point this year we saw a retirement.

Tsonga celebrates in style

French Revolution

With the decline of Federer and question marks over the fitness of Andy Murray, there is a gap in the semi-final market for some outsiders and there is no stronger contingent than that of the French. With both Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasguet in the top ten and Gael Monfils showing imperious form in reaching the Qatar Open Final, do not be surprised to see the French flag flying in the latter stages of the competition. Tsonga is the real danger man after storming to the Hopman Cup title alongside fellow competitor Alize Cornet and the great showman will no doubt test the top seeds. The main obstacle will of course be the persistent phone calls from Newcastle United’s hapless Director of Football, Joe Kinnear as he accidently mistakes them for footballers and attempts to sign them up during the transfer window.

Knock Knock. Who’s There?

A confident looking Dimitrov

Long gone are the days when males burst onto the scene in their late teens. Men’s Tennis has developed into a gruelling sport of never-ending schedules and marathon matches and that is making it increasingly difficult to break into the top twenty. So are there any youngsters who might make an impression?

Grigor Dimitrov is the name head on the tennis grapevine. Nicknamed ‘Baby Fed’ after his similar playing style to Federer, Grigor is the youngest player ranked inside the top fifty at just 22 years old. He is yet to have a Grand Slam run, his furthest being a third round at last year’s French Open, but after beating Djokovic in last year’s Madrid Masters he certainly has the game to test the big boys.

Raonic on the stretch

The man most likely to challenge is the big-serving Canadian, Milos Raonic. He likes the Australian Open, never failing to get to the third round in his three outings however is yet to beat Djokovic, Nadal, Federer or Ferrer.  He does, however, have two scalps over Andy Murray and will be looking to press on this year after his first World Tour Masters Final last year in Montreal.

Big forehand from a big Pole

Many of the young men coming through the ranks are big powerful individuals and this trend continues with Jerzy Janowicz. A Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, Janowicz burst onto the scene at the end of 2013 with an unseeded final at the Paris Masters. At six foot eight, do not be surprised to see Janowicz in the thick of it in Melbourne.

Brits Down Under

Murray winces in Qatar

This week the England Cricket Team returned from Australia, battered, bruised and outstandingly beaten.  It wouldn't be any great shock if this feat was replicated at the Australian Open by the Brits. Murray looks rusty after his back surgery last year, losing convincingly to Florian Mayer in Qatar and will probably see this tournament more as a recovery than as a real chance at a title.

A dejected Robson

At least Murray will make it to Melbourne. Poor Laura Robson looks set to miss out on the Aussie Open after suffering from a wrist injury in a match against Wickmayer in the first round of this week’s Hobart International as well as in the ASB Classic the week before. Laura will be bitterly disappointed as, being born in Australia, it is also her home Grand Slam so we hope she will make it to the first round next week..

Evans ready for the main draw

Aside from Andy and Laura, no other Brits made it straight into the draw so will have to rely on the qualification to get in. With both James Ward and Dan Cox crashing out in the first round, hopes will rest solely on the shoulders of Dan Evans to accompany Murray in the main draw after Evans won his first round match last night. There is slightly higher hopes in the Women’s qualifying, with the three ladies, Heather Watson, Johanna Konta and Tara Moore all playing their opening matches tonight. With both Konta and Watson seeded, it would be disappointing if neither of them make it into the main draw. That said, should they manage to get in, hopes will not be high as the Brits face a tough tournament down in Oz.

The Queen winning in Brisbane

Queen Serena

Long live the Queen, and last year Serena cemented her royal ascension to the top of the women’s game with two Grand Slam titles as well as nine other tournament victories, making it her most successful year ever by some distance. Finishing the game as World number one by some considerable distance she then went on to win in Brisbane earlier this year, continuing her twenty-two game unbeaten run. Can anyone usurp the crown from the Queen of tennis, or is Serena set to continue her reign?

Her Disloyal Servants

Anguished Azarenka

Well if the Queen is to be challenged then it’s likely to come from only a select few individuals, notably Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova.

Williams and Azarenka clashed on four occasions last year, holding two victories each. Serena holds the early advantage this year after defeating Victoria in last week’s Brisbane final but Azarenka is the defending champion in Melbourne and will be looking to reclaim her title. Williams, on the other hand, will desperately want to win back the title she has won on five previous occasions.

Screaming Sharapova

Maria Sharapova is the other looking to get her hands on the crown but must be sick of the sight of Serena. Sharapova has not managed to beat her since 2004 so will be looking to put that right on the tenth anniversary of her last victory. Re-emerging after an injury that kept her out of last year’s US Open, the Russian will be eager to prove she still has what it takes to fight at the top of the Women’s game.

American Sweethearts

Whilst Serena dominates the women’s game, there are a number of other young Americans coming through the ranks looking to step into her shoes, or more likely, her trainers.

Stephens in action

The biggest name of the three is Sloane Stephens. Stephens has been testing the World’s best for a number of years but it was in Melbourne last year that she demonstrated her true ability, beating Serena and advancing to the semi-final before eventually being denied a place in the final by Victoria Azarenka. The only concern will be that she withdrew from the Hopman Cup with a wrist injury and it is not yet known how badly this will affect her going into the Aussie Open.

18-year-old Keys enjoying her tennis

Madison Keys is the youngest of the American youngsters at just 18 years old and one of the hottest prospects in tennis. Reaching two third rounds in Grand Slams last year, Keys made her impact, ending the year at number 37 in the world. A disappointing performance in Brisbane last week will not stop the fearless youngster as she aims to push herself into the top twenty in the World alongside compatriot Stephens.

Determination from Hampton

The ‘big sister’ of the three is Jamie Hampton who, like Stevens, is a doubt for Melbourne after withdrawing against the Queen’s sister, Venus in the ASB Classic in New Zealand. Should she recover in time, Hampton will undoubtedly be a menace in Melbourne. The most experienced of the three, she had a steady season last year, reaching the third round in Melbourne. With these three on the scene, as well as Serena, do not be surprised to see Uncle Sam littering the fourth round and onwards.

And Finally...

An interesting revelation came from the Hopman Cup this week as it emerged this week that 6 foot 10 American John Isner turned down a career in basketball to pursue his tennis career after not realising how tall he would eventually become. Let me just reinforce 6 ft 10 and American. Hardly a surprise that Isner was a talented basketball player as well as tennis player but as a fan of tennis over basketball I am certainly grateful that the American was a late bloomer. Especially as I was lucky enough to be at Wimbledon during this incredible encounter.