It's time for reviewing last season's top moments in ATP World Tour. Once again I write these posts in English hoping to get more views, specially on Twitter.
Well, the season started with Novak Djokovic as world's top ranked and the Serbian didn't disappoint in Melbourne on the first Major of the season. By defeating Andy Murray in a five-setter outstanding tennis match in semis and then clashing Rafael Nadal in their third Slam final in a row - this time in five sets, which meant Nole had played 10 sets in about three days to get his second consecutive AO title and third in his career -, Novak "Nole" Djokovic started the year in the best possible shape.
Next, the World Tour moved to USA where the first two Masters 1000 events of the season took place in California (Indian Wells) and Miami. It would be time for players like John Isner to confirm their potential - and eventually reaching the top-10 -, thus reaching the final in the BNP Paribas Open where he'd lose to Roger Federer.
Next week in Miami, the Sony Ericsson Open took place and Djokovic - who had lost his first match of the season in Dubai semis, vs Andy Murray - successfully defended his 2011 title by defeating the British in the final match. Hard-court season was nearly ended and we were back to European clay courts.
Next week in Miami, the Sony Ericsson Open took place and Djokovic - who had lost his first match of the season in Dubai semis, vs Andy Murray - successfully defended his 2011 title by defeating the British in the final match. Hard-court season was nearly ended and we were back to European clay courts.
Starting in Monte Carlo, Rafael Nadal won this first M1000 event on clay and history was written. The King on Clay became the first player ever winning the same tournament for eight times in a row; personally, it also meant his first win versus Djokovic after seven matches lost in a row. This victory would psychologically mean a lot, as long as it led Nadal to another great clay court season (after losing in Madrid and Rome last year against the world number one). Rafa won again in Barcelona and then in Mutua Madrid Open an awkward tournament took place; the event manager decided to try a different surface, the blue clay, and many players such as Nadal and Djokovic lost early in the draw and created huge controversy about the surface. Roger Federer didn't give a shit about it and ended up defeating Tomas Berdych in the final, winning his second M1000 of the season and the second in Spain's capital after 2009 victory.
Next week, it was time for the Internazionali BNL D'Italia in Rome. The final match was once again between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, the two top-ranked, and as I mentioned earlier the Spaniard was now a lot more confident than the previous year and defeated Nole to win his third title on clay. Bring us the French Open!
Roland Garros started in late May, and just like in the previous season tennis world was expecting to see if Novak Djokovic already had what's needed to win in Paris.
The point is, he may have. But when you have Rafael Nadal competing in the biggest clay event of the season, you can barely have a chance - Roger Federer won in 2009 not specially due to his clay abilities, although he's also a good clay-court player, but due to Robin Soderling's epic win in 4th round versus an injured Nadal. This year, Nole have finally reached the final but Nadal was on the other side, so... Although I believe that if the rain wouldn't come up to delay the final Djokovic could have done better, the Serb had his chance last year when he was mentally stronger than everyone in every surface but had never challenged Rafa in Paris because Roger Federer showed up in the semis to put Djokovic out of the tournament. That's it, Nadal ends clay court season with four titles, one more than in the previous season, and Djokovic goes to grass with no titles since Miami.
In mini-grass court season, it started with David Nalbandian kicking an umpire's leg to lose a Queen's Club final he was actually taking the lead. At the same time in Halle, Federer reached once again the final but this time Tommy Haas wanted to show the world he was not done yet and defeated the former five-times champ. David Ferrer would also win a tournament during the preparation for Wimbledon, in Den Bosch, his first ever on grass that would make him the ATP player with more singles titles in 2012.
Wimbledon started with a huge upset; in the 2nd round, the two-times champion Rafael Nadal lost in five-sets to Lukas Rosol, exiting a Major tour in the second round for the first time since 2006. This would also mean the last time Nadal would step on a tennis court in 2012, as long as he got injured in his misfortunated knee - the diagnosis would conclude he suffered from Hoffa's Syndrome.
The tournament would obviously go on, providing Andy Murray a great chance for finally reaching the final match in his country's Slam event, and the British did reach the decisive match where he found the six-times former champion Roger Federer that had defeated Djokovic previously in the semis. Murray started to win the first set, his first one in four Major finals, but couldn't avoid Federer's seventh title on Holy Grass. This title, Roger's first Slam since Melbourne'2010, would also mean his comeback to the top-ranking and eventually becoming the player with more weeks spent as #1 ever.
As long as we are in 2012, Olympic Games tennis tournament was a reality and it would take place in the same Wimbledon grass. The final was a rematch of previous month one - Federer reached it by defeating Del Potro in an epic battle with 36 games in the decisive set, and Murray defeated Djokovic by a double 7-5. But this time, Murray gave no chance to the best tennis player ever and just lost seven games to win his most important title ever; for Federer, the chance of getting a Golden Slam ended there - although he says he's thinking in Rio'2016. The Bronze medal came to Del Potro, that was so close of reaching the final but did put his hard feelings away to defeating Djokovic, 2008 Bronze's medallist.
Afterwards, it was time to go back to USA. Toronto and Cincinnati hosted the next two Masters 1000 events of 2012 and as in 2011, Nole reached the final match on both - winning the Rogers Cup, his first title since March, but losing again in the decisive of Western and Southern versus the now and again world number one Roger Federer.
Afterwards, it was time to go back to USA. Toronto and Cincinnati hosted the next two Masters 1000 events of 2012 and as in 2011, Nole reached the final match on both - winning the Rogers Cup, his first title since March, but losing again in the decisive of Western and Southern versus the now and again world number one Roger Federer.
Late August came, and the 2012 US Open edition as well! With Rafael Nadal out of the way, Murray knew he needed to reach the final in order to move to the third place of the ranking. The problem: Roger Federer, five-times champion, was in Murray's half too.
Or at least I thought it was a problem. In the quarters, Federer played Berdych in the quarters on night season where he had never lose a single match but this time it was different and Berdych scheduled a clash versus the Great-Britain #1. Murray defeated the Czech and met the current champion Djokovic in order for fighting for his first Major title after four lost finals.
I wasn't rooting for anyone specially; Nole is my fave but Murray deserved a Slam so bad. He started taking the first two sets, then Nole woke up to tie the clash at 2-2 but a physically clever Andy Murray was ready for playing a decisive set and taking his first Grand Slam tournament ever.
With no more Majors to play, it was time for Asian hard-court season. Many players won titles in the biggest continent in the world but Nole was probably the best one, by winning in Tokyo and then the Masters 1000 of Shanghai - in an epic final where he needed to save 5 match-points versus Andy Murray. The top-ranking was very close of returning again to the Serbian, and it virtually became a reality when Roger Federer didn't successfully defended his home town title - Juan Martin del Potro revenged his loss in the Olympics - and then withdrew from Paris.
Paris, the place of BNP Paribas Masters, the last M1000 event of 2012. With Nadal out of the courts and Federer resting for World Tour Finals, both Djokovic and Murray had her chances of taking the trophy but surprisingly lost in the 1st and 2nd round, respectively - Nole won the first 8 games of his match versus Sam Querrey but then ended up losing, and then Muzz didn't convert match-points versus the qualifier Jerzy Janowicz who would eventually reach the final. In the decisive match, however, David Ferrer wanted to end Janowicz fairytale in the City of Lights and the veteran Spaniard finally won his first Masters 1000 event.
It was the time of ATP World Tour Finals. The top-3 and Juan Martin del Potro naturally reached the semis, and poetically the last match of the ATP World Tour was played by the only two players who have occupied the top-ranking in 2011. Novak Djokovic spent a lot of time in the final trying to turn the set up to his side, but after another lesson of mental strength he defeated Roger Federer by 7-6 7-5 to win the last title of the season and confirm his status of world number one for the second year in a row.
The season couldn't end without the Davis Cup final. In Prague, the Czechs could defeat Spain by 3-2 - and Radek Stepanek became the national hero after so many years - and became the first National Team ever winning Hopman, Fed and Davis Cup in the same season. Also the ATP Challenger Tour Finals were once again played in São Paulo, giving the Italian Guido Pella his most important title of his career.
Or at least I thought it was a problem. In the quarters, Federer played Berdych in the quarters on night season where he had never lose a single match but this time it was different and Berdych scheduled a clash versus the Great-Britain #1. Murray defeated the Czech and met the current champion Djokovic in order for fighting for his first Major title after four lost finals.
I wasn't rooting for anyone specially; Nole is my fave but Murray deserved a Slam so bad. He started taking the first two sets, then Nole woke up to tie the clash at 2-2 but a physically clever Andy Murray was ready for playing a decisive set and taking his first Grand Slam tournament ever.
With no more Majors to play, it was time for Asian hard-court season. Many players won titles in the biggest continent in the world but Nole was probably the best one, by winning in Tokyo and then the Masters 1000 of Shanghai - in an epic final where he needed to save 5 match-points versus Andy Murray. The top-ranking was very close of returning again to the Serbian, and it virtually became a reality when Roger Federer didn't successfully defended his home town title - Juan Martin del Potro revenged his loss in the Olympics - and then withdrew from Paris.
Paris, the place of BNP Paribas Masters, the last M1000 event of 2012. With Nadal out of the courts and Federer resting for World Tour Finals, both Djokovic and Murray had her chances of taking the trophy but surprisingly lost in the 1st and 2nd round, respectively - Nole won the first 8 games of his match versus Sam Querrey but then ended up losing, and then Muzz didn't convert match-points versus the qualifier Jerzy Janowicz who would eventually reach the final. In the decisive match, however, David Ferrer wanted to end Janowicz fairytale in the City of Lights and the veteran Spaniard finally won his first Masters 1000 event.
It was the time of ATP World Tour Finals. The top-3 and Juan Martin del Potro naturally reached the semis, and poetically the last match of the ATP World Tour was played by the only two players who have occupied the top-ranking in 2011. Novak Djokovic spent a lot of time in the final trying to turn the set up to his side, but after another lesson of mental strength he defeated Roger Federer by 7-6 7-5 to win the last title of the season and confirm his status of world number one for the second year in a row.
The season couldn't end without the Davis Cup final. In Prague, the Czechs could defeat Spain by 3-2 - and Radek Stepanek became the national hero after so many years - and became the first National Team ever winning Hopman, Fed and Davis Cup in the same season. Also the ATP Challenger Tour Finals were once again played in São Paulo, giving the Italian Guido Pella his most important title of his career.
And that's all. Soon I'll also talk about WTA 2012 season, if you're still able to read such a extended text.
Cheers,
Pedro Mendes
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