The main ATP site keeps track of two races. The rankings, as they stand now, which include one year of ranking points, and the rankings starting from January 1. Despite Roger Federer being number 1, Novak Djokovic has a healthy lead in the 2012 rankings. Novak Djokovic (9910) Roger Federer (8905) Rafael Nadal (6840) Andy
When Andy Roddick came up around 2000, he was the next Pete Sampras. The problem? Roger Federer. When Pete Sampras retired, he left something of a vacuum. There were supposed successors to the mantle of Sampras. Two came from men who beat Sampras in 2000 and 2001. Those were Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt. Those
When commentators talk about Bernard Tomic, Florian Mayer, Alexandr Dolgopolov, they talk about their quirky playing styles that makes it difficult for opponents to handle. In this lineage, however, Andy Murray predates them all (though Fabrice Santoro predates Murray). When I first began watching Murray, I'd wonder "How did this guy win?". He seemed to
In 2008, Roger Federer failed to reach a Slam final at the Australian Open. He had had mono. Despite this, he reached the semis. At the French Open, he once again, lost to Rafael Nadal, the year Nadal didn't drop a set in the tournament. At Wimbledon, after several years of being runner up, Rafael
If you had asked me, a week before Wimbledon, if I thought Roger Federer could win Wimbledon, I'd say sure, he could, but that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic would be favored, and possibly Andy Murray, though, at the time, he was the big unknown. He hadn't had a good tournament in quite sometime, arguably
The point lead seemed insurmountable. Novak Djokovic had had the best year of any player in quite some time. Even with his loss to Nadal at the French, he was still the reigning champ in the other 3 Slams. But somehow, Roger knew. He knew, if a series of events happened, he just might make
The two week period between the French Open and Wimbledon is among the shortest in sports that feature major events like the Grand Slams in tennis. The contrast of the dirt, which requires patience and topspin, and high-kicking balls, to the fast, low-bouncing surface of grass was so extreme that it was considered a rarity
Players get frustrated. Racquets get bounced. Umpires are questioned or yelled at. Umpires have even been threatened, as in the 2009 US Open women's semifinals where Serena Williams infamously yelled at a lineswoman who had called foot fault on a second serve. Even then, Serena lost due to a point penalty at break point caused
It's funny how, in tennis, people like comparing pros of different eras. Perhaps if you put a gun to McEnroe's head, he would tell the truth, but Mac likes to say that Nadal and Borg would be about even and they would play long points. Even Tennis Channel had a show wondering how pros of
The French Open (referred to as Roland Garros by the locals) released its main draw. Once again, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are in the same half of the draw. Novak's section has some solid, but not overly tough players. Hewitt is in his section, but Hewitt is not a noted clay courter, and he's
