When 2009 wrapped up, those with crystal balls were predicting a much different 2010.  For one, Juan Martin del Potro had just won the US Open.  There was some thought that he could challenge for the Australian Open title and possibly defend his US Open title.

And Nikolay Davydenko had just wrapped up an amazing week beating Nadal, Federer, and del Potro in the same tournament.  Davydenko was also one of those names that experts thought might challenge for the Australian Open title.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic also had very successful 2009 years.  Although neither player reached the finals of a Slam, they won many matches and many tournaments, and some felt they might be able to crack the Nadal-Federer stranghold on the majors.

None of it happened that way.  Nikolay Davydenko gave Federer all he could handle, but eventually went down and then got injured at Indian Wells.  He returned just before Wimbledon, but never quite got to the lofty play that marked a successful end of 2009.  Juan Martin del Potro only played the Australian Open, then two tournaments after the US Open, before focusing his efforts of 2011.

Both Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic had ho-hum years, but both reached the finals of a Slam with Murray at the Australian Open and Djokovic at the US Open.  Murray eventually won two Masters 1000 titles.  Djokovic won two ATP 500 titles (Beijing and Dubai).

With Federer and Nadal meeting for only the second time in 2010 (and the fourth time since last year), everyone is now ready to proclaim them as kings of tennis.  For now, that seems reasonable, but look back a year ago, and you’ll see that what seems reasonable months before tennis resumes (well, 6 weeks) may change dramatically.

Everyone assumes Juan Martin del Potro will come back strong as ever.  Where they get this conclusion is rather baffling.  Few think it may take him over a year to even begin playing at his former level.  As evidence of this, Davydenko took about 3 months off, and hasn’t played the same yet, nearly 6 months after returning to tour.  To be fair, Davydenko signed a new deal with Dunlop and may be trying to get used to a new racquet.

And Davydenko, is he going to make another push?  He’s about Federer’s age.  But then, so is Mardy Fish, and he had a good few months.

And is it possible that some player comes out of nowhere to make a big impression?  In 2007, it was Djokovic.  In 2008, it was Tsonga and del Potro.  In 2009, it was Soderling.  Will some player make a push in 2011?

And is Andy Murray ready to make that push that people have been waiting years for?  Or Djokovic?

It’s so much easier to say that tennis will be the way tennis has been for the last few years: Federer and Nadal.  Nadal and Federer.  It may very well be.

But it may not.