This first season of 21st century's second decade is over. If we look back and compare this season to last decade ones, we'll find a lot of differences and, first of all, the end of a paradigm.
It happened in both ATP and WTA tours, but obviously that men's one is really into a new era. I'm talking, of course, about Novak Djokovic.
This 23 year-old serbian player did an astonishing season (I think I don't need to remember the 3 Majors and 5 Masters 1000 won by the ATP top-ranked, do I?). Therefore, the 4th of July is an historical day in ATP tour: after winning his 2nd Slam of the season (Djokovic, still, wasn't happy and won in Flushing Meadows as well, two months later) the Belgrade-born became the first player since February 2004 to reach the #1 ATP without being Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. It was really epic, considering Nadal and Federer's influence in the tennis' world on last 6 years - since 2005, when Rafa won his first Slam, there was just 6 of 32 Majors whose winner wasn't the Spaniard or the Swiss.
But Nole's great year isn't all about of ranking places; the serb also became the first player in Era Open winning 5 Masters 1000 in a single season (Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Rogers Cup) and, in this last edition of the US Open, the top-ranked also became the 2nd player in history to defeat both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the same championship (Del Potro did the same in Flushing Meadows as well, but in 2009). We can also remember Nole's epic comebacks, like that one in US Open semi-final when he saved 2 match-points and, after being 2 sets down, defeated the 5 times winner Roger Federer.
We have to say, what a year! But it all restarts in three weeks, 2012 is coming and Nole will have to prove he's really the best tennis player in the world - which I truly believe he is. Actually, he'll have 11 000 points to defend between Majors and Masters 1000 - a tough task, but not impossible. I believe he'll keep his shape and perform another great year.
We can't forget about the other players, specially the top-4. In fact, 2011 was the first year ever whose all Masters 1000 were won by the 4 best players in the world (Nole won 5, Murray won 2, and Rafa/Federer won one each). There's still a big difference between this "Fantastic Four" and the rest of the professional players, but I believe there's one who can possibly join top-4 in two years, maybe one; his name is the Comeback of the year, the Tandil-born Juan Martin Del Potro.
The already mentioned 2009 USOpen-winner, who finished that same year as #4 and was the runner-up in Masters Finals, spent almost the whole 2010 season without playing due to a wrist injury and started this season as the 257º ATP player. The 23 years-old Argentinian did a good season, winning two titles (Estoril Open and Delray Beach) and reaching, for example, the 4th round in Wimbledon. Consequently, Delpo - who was runner-up in Davis Cup with is national team - will start 2012 as the 11th best player of the world and, in my opinion, with great possibilities of reaching top-5 again.
Last but not the least, I also wanna mention 2011 newcomers: Milos Raonic (who is ATP official Newcomer of the Year), Bernard Tomic and Kei Nishikori.
Milos Raonic, who'll turn 21 in the 27th December, started the season as #156 and finished 2011 as the 31st world player, after being #25 in November. The Canadian but Podgorica-born also won half of his career total victories this season (36 of 62), won his first title in San Jose and reached R16 of Australian Open after coming up from the qualifying! In the second half of the season he got some injuries that didn't let him show more of his serve-based tennis but I believe 2012 will be a great year for this young player.
The aussie Bernard Tomic was another of the best youths of the season. Tomic, who was born in Stuttgart, started the season in the 208th place and got an wild-card to participate in Australian Open main draw. The 19 years-old didn't waste it and reached 3rd round by defeating players like Jeremy Chardy and Feliciano Lopéz without losing a single set (!)... then he lost in 3 against Nadal, but still a great performance.
After that, he didn't win a match in Roland Garros and many people thought he was just a random player; that thought couldn't be worse, due to Tomic's astonishing performance in Wimbledon. Starting in the qualifying, the aussie reached the quarter-finals (defeating Robin Soderling in 3 sets on R32) and won a set against the future champ Novak Djokovic. As soon as the tournament ends, Tomic appears as the best aussie player at the moment (Hewitt is old) and finishes 2011 in #42, one rank down his 41st place in November.
And, of course, mention to the Japan number 1 Kei Nishikori. In what concerns about Majors, the 21 years-old had his best at Australian Open, when he reached the 3rd round. Kei was also involved in charity campaigns to help the victims of Japan's earthquake, showing his human side that's so important in a tennis player. In the last months of the season, Nishikori did his best results of the year: semi-finals in Shanghai Masters 1000 (defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2nd round), when he lost to Andy Murray, and runner-up in Basel. In this Switzerland city, Nishikori defeated the top-ranked Novak Djokovic (first japanese since 2003 to defeat a world number one) and lost in the final against Roger Federer, city-born player.
Pedro Mendes
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