The 2018 tennis season was certainly a memorable one. If there’s a word that could sum up the year, it just might be “vocal”. Both players and fans, on the court and off, were ready to express their opinion, most of it displeasure. Still, in what was rather an uneasy year, it still had its significant accomplishments and milestones. Continue reading
The “Sunshine Double” better known as the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments over the last few weeks certainly provided enough compelling storylines and surprise champions. Whether the results in the desert and in South Florida translate into long-term trends for the rest of the season is still very unclear, but it certainly proved that the ATP and WTA – though joined together at these combined events – are on different paths – at least when it comes to dealing with the lack of a dominant player or group of players week in and week out.
Normally at the end of each year, I write up a best and worst list of all things tennis. For a lot of reasons, mostly lack of time, I’ve decided to just write a more concise year-end review with my thoughts on the players, matches, and off-court events that stood out the most to me in 2017.
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Filed under ATP, Australian Open, French Open, Tennis, U.S. Open, Wimbledon
Unusual. Unknown. Unlikely. Unforeseen.
These were just a few of the words starting with “un” that were used throughout the week in various media reports to describe this year’s ATP Finals in London. And one can’t blame some of the writers for doing so. After all, for those that don’t follow the ATP Tour week in and week out, the sight of some “unfamiliar” (yet another “un” word used) faces in the elite eight lineup was cause for head scratching and double takes at the lineup. Especially considering the two men in that draw who dominated the tour all year – Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
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At the start of the year, many wondered if Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were, perhaps, past their glory days. But Federer, coming back from a long injury recovery, and Nadal, almost out of the top ten, then delighted tennis fans by reaching the Australian Open final that Federer won. Now both find themselves the most talked about players entering this year’s US Open. Despite their long history together, neither man has faced the other across the net in New York. If they do in the semifinals, it will cap off what has been the biggest, yet most welcomed surprise this year.
Serena Williams, who won in Melbourne before revealing her pregnancy soon after, will not be in New York. But her absence on the women’s tour is still very much felt. Especially with an ongoing race to the top WTA ranking that now includes eight women in the hunt. One being her elder sister Venus Williams, herself enjoying the best season of her career in some time having reached two major finals. Yet, the open-ended, unpredictable women’s tour these days has many, including one of the all-time greats, longing for the rivalries of the past.
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Adjusting the Net 