As another scintillating Australian Open wraps up, it shows us how good a year 2013 could be for tennis.
A new year also brings with it some new faces and the emerging newcomers, with the potential to take the game by storm.
But who will be tennis’ next generation of shining lights?
Well here are our top tips for the year ahead.
Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt and bad boy Bernard Tomic are off to a great start in 2013 with their preparation for the Australian Open, which starts tomorrow, with both capturing trophies in the first fortnight of play.
Veteran Hewitt defeated Juan Martin del Potro 6-1, 6-4 for the Kooyong Classic crown with his young family watching on. Hewitt is enjoying a great start to what could be his final year on the tour.
Clearly comfortable with his current form, Hewitt appears at ease with yet Read more
Juan Monaco is currently 12th in the race to the World Tour Finals after a terrific year which also saw him reach a career high ranking of number 10.
Aussie battler Lleyton Hewitt, who is rumoured to be bidding farewell to his beloved professional tennis tour after the 2013 season, came up with a surprise straight sets win over the Argentine. Read more
Sam Stosur’s poor record at Wimbledon is well known. Sam has said that she ‘hates’ playing on grass in the past and her results (nine times out of ten she has failed to reach the third round) reflect this. Unfortunately for Stosur her second round loss also means that there are no Australian’s moving through to the third round after the cocky but promising Bernard Tomic also failed to impress.
Predictably Hewitt and some of Australia’s lesser known players also failed to progress, some facing difficult draws that never worked in their favour – but this is a match Stosur could have, and should have, won. Read more
Posted in Arantxa Rus, Bernard Tomic, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur, Wimbledon
There is something about the Indian Wells-Miami hard court swing that seems to consistently destroy Rafa Nadal’s troubled knees. Today Rafa announced that he would not continue with the tournament by withdrawing from his semifinal match against Andy Murray.
There are two ways you can look at this latest set back:
1) It’s about self preservation.
Nadal’s been having trouble with his knees since the Australian Open (and years before that). His right knee locked up and he could barely move it when he stood up from a chair.
He stood up from a chair.
He wasn’t sprinting, twisting or changing directions he was just standing up after sitting down. To say this is unusual is an understatement. Since then, despite six weeks of training and rehab, Rafa hasn’t been right. Read more
There was never any doubt that one of tennis’ most psychologically strong men, Lleyton Hewitt, would give everything he had against Novak Djokovic and he did. After a rough first set Hewitt changed his tactics and gave Novak more of a fight.
Hewitt was handily battered by Djokovic in the first two sets and then put his body on the line to get the third. After feeling a chance to go up 4-3 Hewitt was left frustrated as the opportunity went wanting.
Lleyton struggled to scramble everything back as it became obvious he was even compensating as he walked to keep the pressure off his degenerated big toe. Then he started shaking out his hands as he struggled to block out his screaming body. Read more
Posted in Australian Open, David Ferrer, Injury, Lleyton Hewitt, Match Report, Novak Djokovic
I think it’s safe to say that even though we’re only just into the first day of the second week that this has been the strangest Australian Open ever.
There have been a significant number of injuries on both the men’s and women’s side but at the time of writing there had been an incredible 8 retirements and 1 withdrawal on the men’s side alone.
Rafael Nadal injured his knee getting up from a chair but played on. Kim Clijsters re-sprained her troublesome ankle but played on. Li Na seemed to be the kiss of death for ankles knocking both Anabel Medina Garrigeus and Kim Clijsters to the ground in the early stages of their first set. Read more
Posted in Anabel Medina Garrigues, Australian Open, Bernard Tomic, David Ferrer, David Nalbandian, Donald Young, Fernando Verdasco, Gilles Simon, Injury, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Kei Nishikori, Kim Clijsters, Li Na, Lleyton Hewitt, Marcos Baghdatis, Media, Nicolas Almagro, Rafael Nadal, Tomas Berdych
Andy Roddick was forced to retire from his match against Lleyton Hewitt as he trailed 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 after injuring what appeared to be his hip or his groin early in the match. It was another tough blow for Roddick who has battled his health and various unlucky injuries over the past two seasons.
During the early stages of the match Jim Courier revealed he has implored Roddick to return to his younger days when he ripped his forehand violently around the court, ending points quickly and aggressively. Strangely it was Lleyton who seemed to have more bite on his ground strokes. Read more
This years Australian Open is a tough one to call, mostly because there are a few niggling injuries in the top 15 and quite a few who are yet to show form that warrants their high ranking.
Then there are a few variables.
Sam Querrey is returning after a lengthy and serious injury time out but according to American insiders is playing well. David Nalbandian is always dangerous and overflowing with potential but always seems to come up short or injured, much like Lleyton Hewitt. Read more
Posted in Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Australian Open, Bernard Tomic, Body Watch, David Nalbandian, Fernando Verdasco, Gael Monfils, Injury, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Juan Monaco, Kooyong Classic, Lleyton Hewitt, Milos Raonic, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Roland Garros, Tomas Berdych, Wimbledon
Jarmila Gajdosova left the center court at the Burswood Dome absolutely devastated yesterday after she was handled by Marion Bartoli 6-0 6-0 in just 52 minutes.
For some time behind the scenes Jarmila was quite upset, her disapointment with her result not helped by a group of roudy fans that booed her once and cheered her every mistake.
Jarmila has had some issues being accepted by the Australian crowd since her divorce from Sam Groth and has been subject to significant online abuse – this incident clearly not helping. Read more
Posted in Hopman Cup, Jarmila Gajdosova, Lleyton Hewitt, Marion Bartoli, Media, Richard Gasquet, Sam Groth
