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2015

PREVIEW
ISSUE

JANUARY / FE B RUARY 2015

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02

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e
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u

INSIDE:
Will this be the year
Genie Bouchard
wins a Slam title?
PAGE 4

Roger Federer
faces a major
new challenge
PAGE 34

A tournament
unlike any youve
ever seen before
PAGE 40

Eight men with the


potential to make
serious noise in 2015
PAGE 50

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Jan /Feb 2015


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2015 SEASON PREVIEW ISSUE

WTA PLAYER
ATP PLAYER
PREVIEWS
PREVIEWS
S
TOURNAMENT GUIDE
53

36

P.

P.

ONES TO
WAT C H

P.

W TA

P.

28 AT P P. 50

Plus:

CHRISSIES VIEW

FIVE BURNING
Q U E S T I O N S ( W TA )

32 F I V E B U R N I N G
Q U E S T I O N S ( AT P )
40 T O U R N A M E N T
OF CHAMPIONS
BRACKETS
80 2 0 1 5 AT P & W TA

AP

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 1

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Chrissies View

Guesswork
At the start of every season, pundits in
every sport love to play the prognostication game. It gives us the chance to
make bold assumptions with the luxury
of not having to be correct. As the saying goes: Prediction is very difficult,
especially if its about the future. In this
issue, several of our writers take stabs
at answering some of the compelling
questions facing the pro tours heading
into 2015. I decided to join the fun by
offering predictions on the storylines
that most piqued my interest.

2 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

Wozniacki. Other than Serena, she showed the best form


at the end of 2014. I liked the elevated aggression she
added to her game, and she seemed to be over the bumps
in her personal life. Plus, not having a Slam title on her
resume, Wozniacki still has something to prove.
The Big 4 on the mens side dont have that problem.
For them, its a question of sustaining their excellence,
but I think this year their stranglehold on the game will
continue to loosen. I have little doubt Novak Djokovic
will add to his trophy collection, as his game looks as
impressive as ever. But Rafael Nadal has been battling
the injury bug; Andy Murray has also struggled physically
and with his form; and Roger Federer, still playing great
ball, will nonetheless be a year older. Younger players
like Grigor Dimitrov, Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori will
continue to show growth and make further inroads at the
Grand Slams.
So Im predicting less predictability in 2015. Murky
forecasting to be sure, but the best stories usually end up
being the ones we never saw coming.

Chris Evert
Partner, Tennis Magazine

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TOM DIPACE

Theres always speculation over which player is going to


capture a rst Slam, and Eugenie Bouchard is going to be a
popular choice. I think Bouchards gameher aggression,
temperament and big-match resultsscreams potential
major champ. But for a couple of reasons it wont happen
in 2015. First, while she was consistent at the Slams, she
had nine opening-round losses at other tournaments; she
needs to be steadier on a weekly basis. Then theres the
sophomore slump: Her success means shes going from
the hunter to the hunted. History says this added pressure
proves too challenging an adjustment. Bouchards time
will come, but it may take another season of maturation.
It would help Bouchard, and her cohorts, if Serena
Williams took a step back. However, I think Serena has
another two highly productive years in her. Now a savvy
veteran, she knows her physical limitations and has
surrounded herself with a smart team. But the mental
drive to continually compete at the highest level comes
from within, and as long as she stays motivated, she
will continue to reign. Unlike other past champions in
the twilights of their careers, Serena still doesnt have a
signicant younger rivala Monica to her Stethat
can match her. Unless someone bubbles up, her ercest
opponent will continue to be her place in history.
That leaves the rest of the eld to navigate through
Serenas wake. Im most intrigued by which of the players
who had previously reached the mountain top will be
able to make the arduous climb again. My pick is Caroline

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SEASON PREVIEW 2015
The Tennis ROUNDTABLE
OUR PANEL DEBATES FIVE BURNING QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW SEASON

2015 Predictions

Peter Bodo

Ed McGrogan

Nina Pantic

Stephen Tignor

SENIOR WRITER

SENIOR EDITOR

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

SENIOR WRITER

2015 Player of the Year:


Serena Williams
Biggest Breakthrough:
Eugenie Bouchard
Biggest Disappointment:
Sloane Stephens

2015 Player of the Year:


Petra Kvitova
Biggest Breakthrough:
Madison Keys
Biggest Disappointment:
Caroline Wozniacki

2015 Player of the Year:


Caroline Wozniacki
Biggest Breakthrough:
Simona Halep
Biggest Disappointment:
Agnieszka Radwanska

2015 Player of the Year:


Serena Williams
Biggest Breakthrough:
Simona Halep
Biggest Disappointment:
Sloane Stephens

No.

IS GENIE BOUCHARD
READY TO
WIN A MAJOR?

Bouchards 2014 record was 4523,


and she won just one title. She hits at
and doesnt leave herself much room
for error, yet its hard to say she owns
a nishing shot. At times Genie seems
wise beyond her years; at others she
seems to wilt under the spotlight.
I hope Bouchard is standing in that
spotlight, hoisting a major trophy,
someday. Shes a likable player and
could be one of the tours leaders in
the post-Serena era. But shes not a
nished product, and she should
expect greater resistance and added
pressure after taking the tour by
storm. I see Bouchard winning more
titles in 2015just not a major one.

up just short at the Slamsfor a player to be saddled with this question. But
Eugenie Bouchards 2014 campaign was so good that its not only fair to ask if shes
ready, its the biggest question of them all. And one thats very dicult to answer.
Youd think that its only a matter of time before a 20-year-old who reached an
Australian Open seminal, French Open seminal and Wimbledon nal breaks
through for a title. The losses were learning experiences, although Bouchard was
beaten badly by Petra Kvitova, 63, 60 at Wimbledon, which took a little luster o
her accomplishments. Of greater concern, however, is her lack of consistency.
4 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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from her 2014 results, youd have to


say yes. She already knows how to
beat the players she should beat at the
Slams, and now shell know what to
expect in the later rounds. One
slip-up from Serena Williams, which
we know can happen, and Bouchard
goes to the top of the contenders list.
Yet I dont think shell win a Slam

S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

AP

T I G N O R : At rst glance, judging


M C G R O G A N : It usually takes years of consistently strong playand coming

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ITS NOT ONLY


FAIR TO ASK IF
SHES READY,
ITS THE BIGGEST
QUESTION OF
THEM ALL.
this year; a sophomore slump seems
almost as likely. Thats not because
Bouchard isnt the real thingher
exemplary mental approach alone
should make her a contender for years.
But her serve still needs work and,
more important, so does her record
against the games other top players:
Shes 412 versus the women who made
it to the 2014 year-end championships.
Those are the same women shell be
facing in the later rounds at the Slams.
Plus, theres that little thing called
pressure. Bouchards rise came without
much in the way of expectations; now
the WTA is hoping she can become the
games next face, its next Chris Evert.
Those are big expectations.

B O D O : Bouchards 2014 breakout

was the most impressive in womens


tennis since the debut of the Williams
sisters. Now comes the hard part:
Closing the deal. Her three great
results at the majors took tennis by
storm, as did the commercial appeal
of this young Canadian. But Bouchard
also left a trail of questions in her wake
after a so-so post-Wimbledon period.
Bouchard picked up her only title at
Nrnberg, a minor event at which she
beat nobody ranked higher than
No. 52. She was also a dismal 24 at
the four Premier Mandatory events
in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and
Beijing. Thats a truly strange statistic,
especially when you review her performances at the more critical majors.
More likely, she had trouble getting
fully motivated at sub-Slam events.
For that reason, I think Bouchard
canand willwin a major this
year. Her aggressive, at, high-risk
style is ideally suited to todays
game, and she has a knack for winning
that cannot be taught. The great
danger for her now is having been

showered with too much, too soon, in


the way of attention and remuneration.
P A N T I C : While Bouchard was the

steadiest WTA player at the majors,


she notched just ve wins over Top 10
players the entire season and isnt
quite ready to hoist a Grand Slam
trophy. There will be an intense
amount of pressure for Bouchard to
defend all the points she racked up at
the Slams, starting right away in Australia. If she doesnt reach the seminals, look for critics to pounce. And
dont forget how she absolutely froze
in the home spotlight at the Rogers
Cup, where she lost 60, 26, 60 to
113th-ranked qualier Shelby Rogers.
Bouchard spent 2014 as a rising star
and underdog, free to go for broke while
taking a fairy-tale ride to the top. She
even picked up stued animals along
her merry way. All that changes now
that shes the highest-ranked Canadian
ever. Bouchard has a solid grasp on
handling the spotlight of the cameras,
but she still must prove that she can
handle a major moment on the court.

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S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 5

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o.

WHAT DOES

SERENA WILLIAMS

NEED

TO DO TO WIN HER FIRST


AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE SINCE 2010?

B O D O : Only one person stands between

Serena and another title in Oz, and


thats Serena. Last year, her fourth-round
loss to Ana Ivanovic set the tone for
most of her Slam year, in which she
struggled until the last moment, saving
her season with a win at the US Open.
Williams four-year drought Down
Under ought to give her some extra
incentivenot that she will need it on
the hard courts so suited to her game. Of
course, shes 33 and has been incrementally more injury prone with the passing
years. But if she can keep herself healthy
and avoid lapses of focus, shell win it all.
P A N T I C : Given Serenas stellar, gritty

performance at the WTA Finals, the


veteran American shows no signs of
losing interest in competition. Ups and
downs regarding health are nothing new
for Williams, but 2014 was the rst year
in quite some time that she bowed out of
6WorldMags.net
tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

three Slams early. It should inspire her


to make her marks this year, starting in
Australia. A motivated Williams almost
always wins, as she showed by mowing
through the draw at Flushing Meadows.
Bottom line: If Serena wants it, she
usually gets itas long as Alize Cornet
is nowhere to be found.
M C G R O G A N : Theres been a lot of talk

about Williams health, and for good


reason. Serena is like Rafael Nadal: At
their physical peaks, their games are a
visible level above everyone elses. But if
I may venture into the technical realm,
its imperative that Williams serves
accurately in Melbourneor anywhere
she playsif shes to win. The stroke
remains her biggest advantage over the
eld, but when the point lasts longer
than three shots, the gap narrows
considerably between the 18-time Slam
champ and her opponent. She still holds
the edge, of course, but none of her
three major conquerors in 2014 (Ivanovic, Garbine Muguruza and Cornet)
pulled the big upsets with their serves.

AP

T I G N O R : Serena once dominated


Down Under. She has ve titles there,
and she has said that she loves few things
more than starting the season with a win
in Melbourne. So its strange that, in the
three years since she has returned to No. 1,
she has done it without an Australian
Open title. In each of those years, Serena
was contending with an ailment. That
could mean she needs to train harder in
the o-season to get sharp right away, or
it could mean she needs to rest more to
stay healthy. Or it could mean she just
needs to be luckier. Regardless, getting
her body right is the rst step to returning to the winners podium.

o.

3 WorldMags.net
N 4

WHICH FORMER
NO. 1 WILL
PERFORM BEST
IN MELBOURNE
AND BEYOND:
AZARENKA,
I VA N O V I C ,
S H A R A P O VA
OR WOZNIACKI?

B O D O : I give Caroline Wozniacki


the best shot to win in Oz. Shes started
the new year with a good head of steam,
thanks to the momentum with which
she nished 2014 and the condence
boost she must have earned from
having run the New York City Marathon
in an impressive time of 3 hours and
26 minutes. Look for her to tap into that
athleticism and continue a resurgence
that began last spring, not long after the
break-up of her engagement with
runaway groom Rory McIlroy.
M C G R O G A N : Maria Sharapova. Shes

rened her game since shoulder surgery


and brings an edge to the court that only
Serena can surpass. She is a threat to
win on any surface, allowing her to go
deep more often.
T I G N O R : Of these four, Victoria

Azarenka presents the most intriguing


case. She has always started the year
well, but she has never started it after
a full season of injuries, which is what
shell be doing in 2015. But Ill take
Wozniacki. The medium-paced hard
courts suit her counter-punching
game, and now that shes back among
the top 8 seeds, she should have a
manageable draw.
P A N T I C : Of those four, Wozniacki has
shown the most steady improvement
and has the fewest health concerns. The
Danes ex-anc did her a favor last year
by forcing her to focus more on her
career and herself. Maybe shell thank
him in her championship speech.

o.

IS THERE A YOUNG AMERICAN WHO


CAN EMERGE THE WAY SLOANE
STEPHENS DID IN REACHING THE
2013 AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEMIFINALS?

P A N T I C : Outside of
the Williams sisters,
there are 10 U.S. women
in the Top 100. While
several of them have
shown potential in the
past, none have been
able to sustain success
for any considerable
length of time. Theres
a good chance that one
of them can emerge at
some point in 2015, but
Id be surprised if theres
an American besides
Serena still playing
into the Australian
Opens second week.

T I G N O R : Most Likely
to Succeed is Madison
Keys. At No. 30, Keys
began this year ranked
ahead of Sloane
Stephens, and her
gunslinging game gives
her a chance to upset
anyone. But the 19-yearolds problem will be
putting together the ve
back-to-back wins she
needs to reach the
seminals. She has yet
to show that kind of
consistency at a major
to this point in her
young career.

No.

B O D O : If an American
were to win Down
Under, her name will
only be Williams. Keys
has taken over the
mantle of U.S. heiress
apparent from the
slumping Stephens,
and Alison Riske,
Varvara Lepchenko
and Coco Vandeweghe
are promising works
in progress. But theres
a big dierence between
being a solid pro and a
Grand Slam champion,
as the American women
surely realize.

WILL THE WOMEN BE MORE


ENTERTAINING THAN
THE MEN DOWN UNDER?
M C G R O G A N : Yes. The Big 4 have
been great for tennis, but what more
can they really give us? Im not asking
for more; its simply a testament to
their dominance. And as painful as it is
to admit, its gotten somewhat repetitive. The WTA oers up much more
unknowns at the moment. While a
classic match involving Nole, Rafa or
Roger can scale to greater heights, in
terms of day-to-day intrigue, I give the
WTA the edge.
B O D O : They might, but that isnt
necessarily a good thing, not unless
you put drama above demonstrations
of consistent excellence. Entertaining isnt synonymous with great or
even artful, after all. Thats the ip

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side of all the competitive WTA events


and matches we saw in 2014.
T I G N O R : The best argument for
equal pay at the majors is to look at
entertainment value: Who provides
more over the two weeks? In recent
years, it has been pretty, well, equal.
The women have dominated the
rst-week headlines, oering up
drama, surprise and new story lines.
Then, in the later rounds of the second
week, the ATPs big guns typically
come to life. That blend of early
excitement from the women and late
star power from the men was in
evidence through much of 2014, and
Im hoping we see more of the same
from both tours Down Under.

S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 7

WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

COUNTRY:

United States

2014 RECORD:

52-8

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
RIGHT-HANDED
BIRTHDATE:
SEPTEMBER 26, 1981
BIRTHPLACE: SAGINAW, MICHIGAN

o.

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-9
1995
No. 1

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 4

No 3

No 1

No 1

No 12

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$9,317,298

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

16

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 8

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

10

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Serena Williams
The essential question in womens tennis for the
foreseeable future is this: How will it end for Serena?
Shell turn 34 in the fall, an advanced age for any tennis
player. But so far there have been few signs of decline, and its
hard to say exactly how hers will begin. Will a younger player
surpass her? Theres no one on the horizon. Will she lose a
step? Her unmatched condence and determination can make
up for that. Will she get tired of the sport? Shes more
committed to it now than she was in her 20s, and she has more
career goals in her sights, including passing Chris Evert and
Graf at 22.
Martina Navratilova at 18 majors and catching Ste

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Serena will have her


off-days, physical
struggles and maybe
even a slump or two.
But the thought of
passing Chrissie and
Martina and getting
closer to Graf on
the all-time Slam
list should drive her
to win at least one
major, if not two.
Different players have
challenged her in
recent years, but no
one has come close to
matching her.

At 33, even a top


player doesnt know
how shell feel or
play from day to day,
or whether her next
injury will be her last.
While she nished
No. 1 in 2014,
Serena had her share
of bad days, and
three of them came
at the majors. She
wasnt as dominant
as she was in 2013;
that could be a sign
of more trouble
to come.

Watching her outclass opponents when shes at her best, its


not hard to imagine Williams still contending for majors three
years from now.
But as we found out last year, being No. 1 is not the same as
winning every match. Much of Serenas 2014 season was a
disappointment to her, as she lost early at three of the four
majors. A mysterious physical ailment also took her out of the
Wimbledon doubles. There will likely be moments of
vulnerability from Serena in 2015, and then there will be
p last year,
y , she
moments when,, as she did at the US Open
Eno
noug
ugh!
h!
says, Enough!

Serenas advancing age, and the inevitable decline that comes with it, will be pitted
against her determination to keep moving up the all-time Grand Slam ladder. With her,
determination usually wins.
8 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

All WTA profiles written by


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STEPHEN TIGNOR

AP

Bottom Line

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Fabio FOGNINI
(ITA)

FB.COM/BABOLAT

@BABOLAT

BABOLAT - OFFICIAL RACKETS, STRINGS, BALLS,


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BAGS AND ACCESSORIES OF THE FRENCH OPEN ROLAND-GARROS

BABOLAT - OFFICIAL TENNIS RACKETS, SHOES*,


BAGS AND ACCESSORIES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON

WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

COUNTRY:

Russia

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

RIGHT-HANDED
APRIL 19, 1987
NYAGAN, RUSSIA

2014 RECORD:

49-13

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

o.

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

6-FOOT-2
2001
No. 1

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 4

No 2

No 4

No 2

No 18
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$5,839,357

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

16

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 11

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Maria Sharapova
How many lives does Maria Sharapova have as a
player? After a decades worth of winners, double
faults, shrieks, injuries, coaching changes, clenched
sts and Grand Slam titles, she must be up to her fth or sixth
by now. But the 27-year-old keeps coming back. Sharapova
started 2014 trying out a new coaching team, and trying to
shake o an old shoulder problem. After getting out of the
gates slowly, she ended it at No. 2 in the world, and she won
her fth major title, in Paris, in the grittiest p
performance of
the season on either tour.

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Sharapova had her


share of downs
along with the ups
in 2014. But this
season she should
benet from a
years worth of work
with coach Sven
Groeneveld; theyve
already won a Slam
together.

She has always had


her bad days, but
when Sharapova
was off in 2014,
she was really off,
and no amount of
grit and ght could
save her. That could,,
after a dozen years
on tour, be an early
sign of decline.

Yet much like Serena Williams in 2014, it was hard to feel


condent in Sharapova from one tournament to the next, and
even one day to the next. She melted down in the round of 16
at three of the majors, and struggled against the tours best
players at the WTA Finals. Once again, her best results came
on clay, in Madrid and Paris. Sharapova should be commended
for turning herself into a bona de dirtballer in the middle of
the career, but has the shift adversely aected her on other
surfaces? She hasnt won a Slam outside of Roland Garros
since 2008.

Her hunger hasnt diminished, and shell be the woman to beat on clay. The big question will be
whether Sharapova can find success again on other surfaces now that shes in her late 20s.
10 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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Bottom Line

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WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Romania

COUNTRY:

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
RIGHT-HANDED
BIRTHDATE:
SEPTEMBER 27, 1991
BIRTHPLACE: CONSTANTA, ROMANIA

o.

46-16

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-6
2006
No. 2

YEAR-END RANKINGS

N 11
o

N 81
o

No 53

2010

2011

No 3

No 47
2012

2013

2014

$4,519,763

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 3

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Simona Halep
The freshest game on tour last year came from a slightly
surprising source: An undersized, 23-year-old Romanian
who began the 2013 season ranked No. 47, but nished the
2014 season all the way up at No. 3. Simona Halep is just 5-foot-6,
but she makes up for her lack of leverage with smooth movement
and clean ball-striking. Shes a natural in every part of the game;
no one makes changing the direction of the ball look so easy.
Haleps 2014 was a series of tests,, and she passed
p
them all. In

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
ASE
CASE
CENARIO
SCENARIO

Halep had her ups


and downs in 2014,
but after beating
Serena in roundrobin play and
reaching the
Singapore nal in
October, she should
come into the new
year with condence
despite losing 63,
60 to Serena in that
tournaments nal. If
Halep does play with
condence, shell be
among the favorites
at each of the rst
three majors, and
especially on the
Parisian clay.

Shell
hell no longer be
orking with coach
working
im Fissette, who
Wim
uided her through
guided
er breakout
her
ason. And now
season.
at the top players
that
ave seen and
have
ced her, theyll
faced
ake adjustments.
make
hether Halep has
Whether
thee tactical help she
eeds to combat
needs
em remains
them
to be seen.

February, with her title in Doha, she showed that she could win a
quality event. In June, with her runner-up nish at the French
Open, she showed that she could go deep at a major. In October,
with her blowout win over Serena Williams in Singapore, she
showed that she can beat anyone on a given day. Her rst test of
2015 will be whether she can win a Grand Slam; but even if it
doesnt happen this year, Haleps youth and all-around skills
p of the class in the near future.
should take her to the top

Halep will show us how far a natural can go in todays power game. She can be out-slugged,
but she moves too well and hits too cleanly to stay down for long.
12 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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Bottom Line

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WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Czech Rep.

COUNTRY:

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
LEFT-HANDED
BIRTHDATE:
MARCH 8, 1990
BIRTHPLACE: BILOVEC, CZECH REP.

o.

43-16

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

6-FOOT
2006
No. 2

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 2

No 8

No 6

No 4

No 34
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$5,203,236

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 5

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Petra Kvitova
She might not be the best in the world, but she is the
Queen of the All England Club. While every player tries
to bring her best to Wimbledon, no one transforms
herself over the course of the fortnight quite like Petra Kvitova,
the champion in 2011 and 2014. The question now for the
Czech, who at 24 is entering her prime, is whether shell ever
be able to play the same way anywhere else. She has never
reached a nal at any of the other majors.

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Now that Kvitova


knows her rst
Wimbledon win
was no uke, she
should also realize
that shes good
enough to win big
elsewhere. There
have been challengers to Serena
Williams in recent
years, but none with
Kvitovas crushing
power. Wimbledon
is denitely possible
again, but so is a
whole lot more if she
believes it.

From match to
match, set to set,
game to game,
you never know
if youre going to get
Good Petra or Bad
Petraperhaps no
player in history
has been so up
and down. If a
player hasnt
fullled her potential by 24, what are
the chances she
ever will?

Kvitovas go-for-broke ground strokes and skidding lefty


serve are tailor-made for grass, but the biggest dierence in her
game at Wimbledon is her attitude: Last year, she refused to let
herself lose a close early-round match against Venus Williams,
and she sprinted to the nish line against Eugenie Bouchard in
the nal. In the past, Kvitova has left that single-mindedness
behind: After winning Wimbledon in 2011, she looked ready to
take over No. 1; instead, she nished the next season at No. 88.

The power is there, and after two Wimbledon titles, the belief should be as well. No one
would be surprised if she won two majors in 2015; no one would be surprised if she didnt
win any tournaments at all.
14 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Serbia

COUNTRY:

58-17

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

RIGHT-HANDED
NOVEMBER 6, 1987
BELGRADE, SERBIA

o.

2014 RECORD:

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

6-FOOT
2003
No. 1

YEAR-END RANKINGS

N 13
o

No 17

No 5
No 16

N 22
o

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$2,317,649

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 3

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Ana Ivanovic
What was the biggest WTA surprise of 2014? The Slam
struggles of Serena Williams? The rise of Simona Halep
and Eugenie Bouchard? Few anticipated those developments, but its fair to say that even fewer would have predicted
that Ana Ivanovic, at 27, would nish the season at No. 5, with
four titles to her name. It was her rst year-end appearance in
the Top 10 since her Slam-winning days of 2008. After half a
careers worth of busted comebacks, she made this one stick.
Some of the credit, she said, goes to the Serbian coaches she
o comfortable
hired: She felt comfortable with them, but not so

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Ivanovic was steady


throughout 2014;
she didnt let her
losses turn into
slumps. That
bodes well for
her continued
resurgence this
season. A second
Grand Slam title
would seem to
be a stretch, but a
seminal or even
a nal wouldnt.

Shell be 28 at the
end of 2015; has her
condence come
back just a little
too late for her to
make full use of it?
Another misguided
coaching change
and her old doubts
could come to haunt
her again.

that she didnt make yet another coaching change by the end of
the season. On court, Ivanovic got back to doing what she does
best, attacking early and often with her forehand, and she didnt
let her famously wayward service toss do her in. This former
French Open champion and world No. 1 has always had the
ball-striking skills; it was a matter of getting out of her own way
and letting them work. The only aw in her season was her
performance at the majors: Her best result was a quarternal
run in Australia. But after 2014, we can no longer bet against her
xing that problem either.

Ivanovic rediscovered her A-game in 2014; now well see how long she can keep it, and how
far it can take her.
16 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

Bottom Line

COUNTRY:

Poland

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

RIGHT-HANDED
MARCH 6, 1989
KRAKOW, POLAND

2014 RECORD:

47-22

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

$3,195,411

WorldMags.net
HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-8
2005
No. 2

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 8

No 4

No 5

No 6

No 14

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

11

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

N o.

Agnieszka Radwanska
Its beginning to be now-or-never time for the quiet
killer known around the WTA as The Ninja. Agnieszka
Radwanska, who will be 26 in March, reached a
Wimbledon nal in 2012, reached the semis there in 2013 and
matched that result at the Australian Open in 2014. But is that
as far as this consummate nesse player believes she can go?
Aga won just one title in 2014, in Montreal, failed to reach the
quarters at the last three majors and, worst of all, by early
October had been surpassed in the rankings for the rst time
by two younger players, Simona Halep and Genie Bouchard.

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Radwanska has gone


deep at majors and
nearly reached No. 1
in the world in 2012.
But that was before
the latest youth
movement; Aga
starts 2015 not
only ranked behind
Serena Williams and
Maria Sharapova,
but also behind
Halep and just
one spot ahead of
Bouchard, all of
whom can overpower
her. At this point,
a Slam semi and a
Top 5 nish would
spell success.

Her 2014 season


was her weakest in
recent years. Has
she lost condence?
Is her retrieving
game too difcult
to continue into
her late 20s? Right
now, as good as she
remains, its hard to
see a road upward
for Radwanska.

Is there anything the Pole, who has a lollipop second serve


and a terminal lack of pace, can do? In some ways, she has
already done more with her career during this power era than
most would have expected. If a big hitter is on her game,
Radwanska will always be at a severe disadvantage. Perhaps
the best we can hope for is that she stays where she is, in the
Top 10, giving us her uniquely artistic take on tennis. Her
best shots are so brilliant and unlikely, all we can do is laugh.
Grand Slam champion or not, tennis can always use a player
like that.

Bottom Line
Radwanska is edging toward veteran status. With the next generation passing her by, its looking as
if her days as a major-title threat may be gone. Her days as a tennis genius, however, arent over yet.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 17

WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Canada

COUNTRY:

2014 RECORD:

45-23

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

RIGHT-HANDED
FEBRUARY 25, 1994
MONTREAL, QUEBEC

o.

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-10
2009
No. 5

YEAR-END RANKINGS

N 32
o

No 302

No 7

N 144
o

No 538
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$3,220,929

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 0

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Eugenie Bouchard
Its tough to nd fault with what Eugenie Bouchard
has accomplished at age 20. Shes been a Wimbledon
nalist, a seminalist at the Australian Open and French
Open, and a Top 10 player. She plays an intelligent, ambitious
game thats beyond both her years and her natural ball-striking
talent. Theres obviously substance beneath her hype.
Yet all of her achievements so far have come with the benet
hat the expectations
of low expectations. How will she do now that

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Nobody loves a
challenge like Genie,
and she responds
well to them. So
you would think
that her dismal
end-of-year performance in Singapore
would inspire her
to work on her
weaknessesin
particular her
servein the offseason. If any of the
other big names falter at the majors, the
resilient Bouchard
will likely be there
to take advantage.

The dreaded
p.
sophomore slump.
Bouchard, whosee
pect
serve can be suspect
and who isnt the
smoothest of
hitters, can go offf
the rails, and the
pressure for the
future of womenss
n
tennis to stay on
nse.
them will be intense.
A temporary step
back wouldnt
be surprising.

are sky high? Last August, The New York Times Magazine
put her on its cover, under the headline: Eugenie Bouchard
could be the future of womens tennis. All she has to
do is win.
Did we see the start of a sophomore slump at the WTA Finals,
where Bouchard was blown o the court? Shes probably too
heady a player to take a nosedive in 2015, but the next step, beating the world
worldss best, may be one she
shess not quite ready to take.

Bouchard says she wants it all now: big wins, major titles, a top ranking and stardom. But with
bigger hitters still in front of her, the 20-year-old may have to wait her turn for a year or two.
18 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

Bottom Line

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M
O
S
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O
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H
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N
PU
.
E
M
A
G
YOUR
H E AD
W
E
N
E
TH
E XT
N
E
H
P
A
GR

T
C
N
I
T
S
IN
R

E
M ER AI S TEN N IS
A
G
#
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BE
OM/
H E A D.C

EXPERIENCE THE
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FASTER RACQUET.
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WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Denmark

COUNTRY:

49-19

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

RIGHT-HANDED
JULY 11, 1990
ODENSE, DENMARK

o.

2014 RECORD:

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-10
2005
No. 1

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 1

No 1

N 10
o

2010

2011

2012

N 10
o

2013

No 8

2014

$3,372,350

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

10

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 7

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Caroline Wozniacki
Talk about a roller-coaster year. A loss in Caroline
Wozniackis personal lifeher anc, Rory McIlroy,
broke o their engagement in Maycoincided with a
big gain in her professional life. In danger of falling out of the
Top 20 before the break-up, she rebounded to reach the US Open
nal, nish the season No. 8 and nish her rst marathon in a
stunningly fast time (3:26). The only reason Wozniacki didnt
go further at the end of the year was that she kept running into,
and losing close matches to, her friend Serena Williams.

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Granted, Wozniacki
was a Slam-less
No. 1, but she also
held that position
for two years, so she
knows how to win
consistently, and
she showed at the
end of 2014 that she
can still hang with
todays more powerful top players.
Finally settling on a
coachher father,
of courseshould
also help. With her
renewed desire, the
Top 5 awaits.

The results from late


last year were positive, but Wozniacki
still suffers from a
power deciency
against her peers.
She had actually
begun to talk about
retirement before
her break-up with
McIlroy; does she
still have the desire
to make tennis her
life again over the
long haul?

It had appeared that Wozniackis best years were behind


hershe nished No. 1 in 2010 and 2011, before dropping to
No. 10 in 2012 and 2013. Now, at 24, it looks like shes in her
prime again. Not only did she start going deep at tournaments,
she started beating players who had seemingly passed her by;
Wozniacki nished with wins over Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka
Radwanska and Petra Kvitova in Singapore. Look for her to rise
a little more in the rankings to start 2015; she doesnt have a lot
of p
points to defend earlyy in the yyear.

A rededicated Woznaicki showed that she can still compete at the top of the sport in 2014.
Her best years no longer appear to be behind her; at 24, shes in her prime again.
20 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

COUNTRY:

Germany

2014 RECORD:

47-24

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

LEFT-HANDED
JANUARY 18, 1988
BREMEN, GERMANY

o.

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-8
2003
No. 5

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 5
No 47

No 9

N 10
o

No 32
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$1,862,585

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 4

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Angelique Kerber
The German should probably avoid any mid-season trips
to Australia in 2015. This past April, Angelique Kerber
joined her Fed Cup teammates for a tie in Brisbane; they
won the battle that weekend, but Kerber lost the war with jet lag
over the next month, when she went out in the rst round of
three clay-court events. If she had avoided that slump, her year
would have looked much better, and she almost certainly would
have qualied for her third straight year-end championship.
Outside of her spring swoon, Kerber was her usual steady

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Kerbers game
doesnt deviate
much, in style or
quality. You know
shell play dogged
defense and make
her share of quarters
and semis. In 2015,
a lot may depend on
the staying power of
last years breakout
performers, Halep
and Bouchard.
If they falter, she
should move back
into the Top 8 or
higher.

In 2012, Kerber
was swept into the
Top 10 in a defensive
wave that included
Radwanska and Sara
Errani. In 2014, a
subsequent, more
offensive wave
threatened to send
all three back down
the rankings again.
Well see if that new
wave continues,
and if more young
players can join it.

self, routinely reaching the quarternals or better at tournaments. But as with Agnieszka Radwanska, this wasnt a year of
progress for Kerber; the two retrievers, each rmly in their
mid-20s, were swept aside by two younger, more oensiveminded players in Simona Halep and Genie Bouchard;
the Canadian stopped Kerber at both the French Open and
Wimbledon. Was this is a sign that defense doesnt win titles,
or at least earn high rankings, anymore on the womens side?
We
ll nd out more in Kerber
Well
Kerberss 2015 campaign.

Kerber will likely hold steady near the top of the second tier, but the WTA could be on the
verge of passing by her defensive style.
22 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

AP

Bottom Line

COUNTRY:

Slovakia

2014 RECORD:

33-24

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

$1,998,734

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
RIGHT-HANDED
BIRTHDATE:
MAY 6, 1989
BIRTHPLACE: BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-3
2004
No. 10

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 11

N 15
o

No 18

N 23
o

No 31
2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 3

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

N o.

10

Dominika Cibulkova
First came the feast, then the famine for Dominika
Cibulkova in 2014. She began the year by reaching her
maiden Grand Slam nal, in Australia; winning a
tournament in Acapulco; and reaching the quarternals in
Indian Wells and the semis in Miami. At the last event, she also
cracked the Top 10 for the rst time. Domi said she had always
wanted to do it, just to say she had been there once. Its good
she made the most of the opportunity, because it was all
ayed
downhill from there. After Wimbledon, Cibulkova played

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

The best case is that


the rst Domi we
saw in 2014 was
the real Domithe
one who xed her
serve, reined in
her errors, beat
Maria Sharapova
and Agnieszka
Radwanska in Melbourne, and looked
ready, at 24, to join
the big girls. Maybe
with some smarter
scheduling, she
can get that Domi
to hang around a
little longer.

By the end of 2014,


a couple of new
faces, in Simona
Halep and Eugenie
Bouchard, and a
couple of familiar
ones, in Caroline
Wozniacki and
Ana Ivanovic, had
sprinted past
Cibulkova in the
rankings. It will be
tough to catch up to
all of them. Theres
only so much a
player can do at
5-foot-3, and Domi
may have done all
she could last year.

10 tournaments and lost in the rst round of seven of them.


Cibulkova overplayed early; she wasnt used to going so
deep at each event she entered. But its also likely that her
season was the tennis equivalent of a market correction.
The 25-year-old Slovakian has always been precipitously
hit-or-miss; until 2014, she was better at pulling surprise,
one-time upsets than she was at moving up in the rankings.
Hopefully a little rest in the o-season will give her some of
her trademark high energy back.

Bottom Line
It was a tale of two seasons for Cibulkova in 2014. Shell need to combine the confidence she gained
from the first half with the lessons she learned from the second half to put it all together again.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 23

WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

COUNTRY:

Russia

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

LEFT-HANDED
JUNE 7, 1988
MOSCOW, RUSSIA

41-21

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

o.

11

2014 RECORD:

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-11
2004
No. 11

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 50

No 52

2010

2011

No 20

2012

No 12
No 24

2013

2014

$2,345,310

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 2

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Ekaterina Makarova
The unsung Russian had a career season in 2014.
At 26, she achieved one long-held goal by reaching
her rst Grand Slam seminal, at the US Open. In the
process, Ekaterina Makarova single-handedly revived The
Macarena, which rattled through Arthur Ashe Stadium after
each of her wins (this was likely not a goal of hers). By the end of
the year, Makarova had come within a hairs breadth of another
mark, one that hadnt been on her radar at the start of the
season: She nished just short of the Top 10.

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

It has been a long,


steady, heady climb
for this smart player,
so theres little
reason to think shes
a ash in the pan.
But she also doesnt
have the type of
power that could
lead to a major-title
run. Instead, qualifying for the year-end
championships in
Singapore would
seem to be a plausible goal.

Shes solid and


tricky to face, but
the top rungs of the
WTA are still
reserved for its
power playersall
four majors in 2014
were won by big
hitters. Makarova,
for all of her assets,
is not a big hitter.

Will this semi-breakthrough be a springboard for more


success, or has Makarova topped out her talent? Its likely the
former. With her lefty spin and sense of court craftShe
reads the game well, more than one top player has said of
Makarovathere should be more success in store. She has
always had the game to beat top players, including Serena
Williams; now she knows she can do it consistently over the
course of a Slam and a season. The place to start: winning
smaller events. Makarova has just two titles to her name.

This low-key lefty surprised herself with her success in 2014; to rise higher, shell need to believe
she can do even more.
24 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

Bottom Line

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WTA 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Italy

COUNTRY:

2014 RECORD:

33-20

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
BIRTHPLACE:

RIGHT-HANDED
FEBRUARY 25, 1982
BRINDISI, ITALY

o.

HEIGHT:
TURNED PRO:
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:

5-FOOT-8
2000
No. 10

YEAR-END RANKINGS

12

No 20

No 24

No 13

No 45
N 31
o

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$2,388,245

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

SERENA WILLIAMS

VS.

MARIA SHARAPOVA

VS.

SIMONA HALEP

VS.

PETRA KVITOVA

VS.

ANA IVANOVIC

VS.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA 3

VS.

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

VS.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

VS.

ANGELIQUE KERBER

VS.

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

VS.

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

Flavia Pennetta
If youre going to win one tournament, make it a
good one: That might be the lesson Flavia Pennetta
learned from her 2014 season. The 32-year-old Italians
lone title was the Premier Mandatory event at Indian Wells in
March. Not only did it earn her half of her roughly $2 million
in prize money for the year, it kept her ranking aoat,
even as the waters got choppy later in the season. The win
seemed to surprise Pennetta as much as it did everyone else;
after years of injury and inconsistency, she had been on

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Pennettas high
ranking will be a
boon to start: Shes
seeded in the Top 16
at the Australian
Open, which could
help this veteran do
what she does best:
Sneak into Grand
Slam quarternals.
If she has a good
result there and at
Indian Wells, she
can avoid a rankings
tumble.

If she doesnt have


decent results in
Melbourne and
Indian Wells,
Pennetta will take
that tumble, and
may be matched
against better
players in earlier
rounds for the rest of
the year. Thats not
what a woman who
turns 33 in February
wants to do.

the verge of hanging up her racquet for good the previous year.
Inconsistency returned in 2014, but Pennetta was more
than a one-tournament wonder. You could say she saved her
best for the biggest stages. She reached the quarternals at
the Australian Open and US Open, and closed on an up note
with a runner-up nish at the Tournament of Champions in
Soa, a season-ending event for the second tier. At this stage,
Pennetta can probably live with that kind of result, and
4
another season like 2014.

Even past 30, Pennetta is savvy enough to reach second weeks at majors. But shell need to defend
points early and keep her ranking up as the year progresses.
26 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

AP

Bottom Line

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WTA
ONES TO WATCH
E I G H T P L AY E R S T O K E E P A N E Y E O N I N 2 0 1 5

LUCIE
SAFAROVA

The WTA was lled with


resurgences
in 2014 Ana

the opposite of a
It became evident early on
diva?Whats
in 2014
On the WTA tour, it would
that a new womens

Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki


and, a little farther down the
totem pole, Andrea Petkovic.
The 27-year-old German
reached the Top 10 three
years ago, before a series
of injuries to her back, ankle
and knee relegated her to the
sidelines for the better part
of two yearsit even had her
thinking about retirement in
2013. A year later, Petkovic
showed that she can still
compete with the best when
shes injury-free. She won three
titles, reached the French Open
seminals, led Germany to
the Fed Cup nal and nearly
climbed back into the Top 10.
She also ended the season with
a title at the Tournament of
Champions in Soa. The only
thing she didnt do was bring
back the Petko-dance after her
victories. (Shes grown up now,
it seems; too bad.)

28 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

GARBIE
MUGURUZA

be Lucie Safarova, perhaps the


least-talked-about very good
player in tennis. The 27-year-old
Czech has nished in the
Top 30 each of the last four
seasons, and she reached a
career-high No. 14 in 2014.
One of the games best bigmatch players, the hard-hitting
lefty reached the round of 16
at the French Open and
US Open, the seminals at
Wimbledon, and held a match
point on eventual champion Li
Na at the Australian Open. She
nished the year by helping her
country win the Fed Cup.
On the one hand, it would
be nice to predict that Safarova,
one of the most likable players
on tour, will build on that consistency and momentum and
have a breakout year in 2015.
On the other hand, shell turn
28 in February, and its possible
that window has already closed.

star was about to take the


stage. Last January, 20-year-old
Garbie Muguruza came out of
the qualifying at Hobart to win
eight matches, all in straight
sets, for the title. The Spaniard
had been on fans radar as a
teenager before a foot injury
sidelined her in 2013. Now she
was back, and ready to start
realizing her potential.
Muguruza is a 6-footer who
hits with the compact, twohanded urgency of Jennifer
Capriati. By seasons end, she
had used that game to crack
the Top 20 for the rst time.
She also sealed her rising-star
status by pulling off the most
stunning result of the year, a
62, 62 demolition of Serena
Williams at the French Open.
Muguruza had dry spells after
that, but she also successfully
demonstrated just how high
her upside is.

WorldMags.net

ALIZE
ZE
CORNET
Cornet is one of the
moreAlizeexpressive
players on
the womens tour; perhaps
only Serena delivers a higher
rate of drama per second
on court. Cornet provided
more than just theatrics as a
24-year-old in 2014; she
also produced big wins and
consistent results.
Three of Cornets big
victories last season came at
the expense of Serena, and
she backed up those shockers
by nishing in the Top 20
for the rst time since 2008.
While she lacks killer power,
Cornet has a nicely nuanced
game. Historically, her
problem has been nerves;
The key in 2014, she said,
was that she nally learned
not to think. Now that a
potentially mature Cornet
is entering her prime, well
see how long she can keep
from thinking, and how far
that approach can take her.

S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

AP

ANDREA
PETKOVIC

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BELINDA
BENCIC
Last years US Open was
tennis
version of Millennials
Ball: Youngsters Nick Kyrgios,
Dominic Thiem and Aleksandra
Krunic made their presence
known and reveled in the New
York spotlight. But the role of
Cinderella was reserved for
Belinda Bencic. The 17-year-old
reached the quarters, beat
former nalist Jelena Jankovic
in front of a night crowd in
Arthur Ashe Stadium and
showed off a future Top 5 game.
The 5-foot-9 Swiss, who
says she learned everything I
know from her coach, Melanie
Molitor, plays with power and
loves to take big cuts with her
two-handed backhand. And
like Molitors daughter, Martina
Hingis, Bencic also has a sixth
sense for the game. She ended
2014 at a career-high No. 32;
the next step for this emotional
youngster is to learn to deal
with adversity better. She has
plenty of time to work on it.

VENUS
WILLIAMS

MADISON
KEYS

In 2014, the games elder


American
stateswoman celebrated the 20th anniversary of
her tour debut. But while Venus
Williams occasionally shows
signs of slowing down, she
hasnt lost her love for tennis or
the tour. Shes still as stony and
stoic during matches, and still
as noticeably joyful in victory.
Venus went 3214 in 2014,
won her 45th career title and
nished in the Top 20 for the
rst time in four years. And she
wasnt as far as it might have
seemed from winning her sixth
Wimbledon; in the third round,
Williams gave eventual champ
Petra Kvitova her biggest scare
of the fortnight. Venus did
all of this while continuing to
battle an immune-deciency
syndrome day to day and
match to match. Look for her
drive to continue: She says
she wants another crack at her
favorite event, the Olympics,
in 2016.

The 19-year-old Illinois


native
and USTA product
emerged last year as the next in
a long line of U.S. tennis hopefuls. She won her rst pro title,
at Eastbourne in June, and by
the fall had passed Sloane Stephens to become the top U.S.
woman not named Williams.
For all of those young hopes,
Venus and Serena remain this
countrys two best players. Is
Madison Keys the player who
can change that? A basketball
players daughter, the 6-footer
has two of the basic requirements, a big serve and a big
forehandfew women can
match her power with either
shot. But she has yet to nd
a way to harness that power
consistently; she either goes
big or goes home. While its
possible she could belt her way
to a Wimbledon title with that
style, Keys wont reach the
Top 10 until she learns to play in
something other than fth gear.

WorldMags.net

SLOANE
STEPHENS
Sloane Stephens has been
One
to Watch for a couple of
years now, ever since she beat
Serena at the 2013 Australian
Open. But while Stephens
has enjoyed some success at
the Slams, in part because of
favorable draws, she has also
suffered her share of one-sided
losses and motivational
meltdowns. As her ranking
dropped from No. 12 to No. 37,
there were times when her
passion for the game was
called into question, including
after her loss in the second
round of the 2014 US Open to
96th-ranked Johanna Larsson.
Yet Stephens arguably still
has the brightest future among
all of the U.S. hopefuls. Shes
still only 21, still has the same
easy power and athleticism
that shes always had, and
still possesses the valuable
experience her peers have yet
to achieve. The Sloane saga has
many more acts to come.

S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 29

ADVERTISING SECTION

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Your Official
Preview
Guide to the
Best in Tennis

BNP
PARIBAS
OPEN 2015
15-40: A score, and a story. In 2015, the BNP Paribas
Open will celebrate its 40th anniversary. It all began
in 1976, when Jimmy Connors won a small tennis
tournament that had just moved to Palm Springs. The
24-year-old was in many ways an ideal champion for
the edgling event: Connors would redene the way
tennis would be played, much like the event would
redene the way tennis would be enjoyed in California.
Age treated both Connors and the
tournament well. He would win the title
twice more and reach the U.S. Open semis
at 39; the tournament, which would
eventually call the Indian Wells Tennis
Garden home, would go on to become the
most attended in the world outside of the
four Majors. Its not hard to see why. With
the top men and women competing
annually, the tournaments roll of champions
reads like an all-time fantasy tennis roster:
Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Steffi
Graf, and Roger Federerto name a few.
But theres more to the BNP Paribas
Open than just Championship Weekend.
From the Qualifying rounds to the nals, the
atmosphere, amenities, and experience are
unlike any other in tennis. At what other
event can you watch your favorite players
compete in bustling stadiums, practice on
intimate side courts, and let loosewithout
racquetson the open green space?
Pick-up soccer games between tennis pros
are as common as a sunny day in the

Coachella Valley. The same goes for


world-class food: Nobu, The Chop House,
and Pieros PizzaVino are located inside
the gleaming Stadium 2. Dotted with palm
trees and framed by mountains, Indian
Wells is truly a one-of-a-kind venue.
Speaking of unique, no one does
doubles like the BNP Paribas Open. Top
singles stars such as Rafael Nadal, Novak
Djokovic, and Roger Federer have taken
part in the doubles draw several times,
giving fans another chance to watch the
greats of the game up close. And this year,
its possible to take it all in, from rst ball
to last, from the same seat. Its called the
Daily Double, a ticket package that offers
a singular, picture-perfect perspective for
both the day and evening sessions.
In total, over 3,625 new seats have been
added for the 2015 BNP Paribas Open,
bringing the total to 45,110. Tickets for
Stadium 1, which has been outtted with
eight new video screens to enhance the
visual experience, start at just $15 for the

rst Thursday evening session, which also


benets The Champions Volunteer
Foundation. USTA members can receive 30
percent off regular-priced Loge seats in
Stadium 1 between March 11-19, 2015.
And thats just whats at the Indian Wells
Tennis Gardenthe surrounding area is a
destination all its own. Play world-class golf
at the Indian Wells Golf Resort, which was
ranked in the Top 20 Best Courses You Can
Play, enjoy luxurious spa treatments at
resorts throughout the area, and savor
quintessential California culture in nearby
Palm Desert and Palm Springs, which
boasts diverse shopping, restaurants, and
other local landmarks. More than 431,000
peoplethe attendance at last years BNP
Paribas Opencant be wrong.
Over the past 40 years, the BNP Paribas
Open has grown into one of the worlds top
sporting events and anchors an experience
that offers something for everyone.
Whether youre a veteran visitor or making
your rst trip, this years tournament will
amaze, and the region will inspire. If you
cant make it, the BNP Paribas Open, held
March 9-22, will be televised on Tennis
Channel and ESPN. But if youre ready to
see why we love 40, call 1-800-999-1585
or head to bnpparibasopen.com for more
ticket information and details.

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US ON

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MARCH 9-22, 2015
INDIAN WELLS,
CALIFORNIA

COME
EXPERIENCE
THE
BNP PARIBAS
OPEN
Day and Evening Session
Tickets Available
Order online at bnpparibasopen.com and print tickets
at home. Daily Doubles, Evening Sessions, & Group
Packages Also Available.
For more information visit bnpparibasopen.com
or call 877-LOVE-10S (877-568-3107).

CELEBRATING OUR

40
TH

ANNIVERSARY

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ATPWorldMags.net
SEASON PREVIEW 2015
The Tennis ROUNDTABLE
OUR PANEL DEBATES FIVE BURNING QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW SEASON

2015 Predictions

Peter Bodo

Ed McGrogan

Nina Pantic

Stephen Tignor

SENIOR WRITER

SENIOR EDITOR

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

SENIOR WRITER

2015 Player of the Year:


Kei Nishikori
Biggest Breakthrough:
Marin Cilic
Biggest Disappointment:
David Ferrer

2015 Player of the Year:


Novak Djokovic
Biggest Breakthrough:
Milos Raonic
Biggest Disappointment:
Roger Federer

2015 Player of the Year:


Novak Djokovic
Biggest Breakthrough:
Grigor Dimitrov
Biggest Disappointment:
Gael Monls

2015 Player of the Year:


Novak Djokovic
Biggest Breakthrough:
Kei Nishikori
Biggest Disappointment:
Jerzy Janowicz

IS GRIGOR
DIMITROV FOR
REAL?
B O D O : I have a two-word answer: Roger Federer. Its not so much that
Federer has endorsed Grigor Dimitrov, the 23-year-old Bulgarian who nally
made an impression last year. The important detail is that Federer didnt win his
rst major until he was almost 22. Great champions sometimes take their time
hitting their stride. Not all prodigies are destined, like Boris Becker or Mats
Wilander, to win Grand Slam titles as teenagers.
Dimitrov had won just one title before last season, but he added three more in
2014, giving us conrmation that hes getting more comfortable playing under

32 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

M C G R O G A N : Ill take your Federer


analogy one step further, Pete. Like the
all-time great, Dimitrov passes the eye
test, an assessment that cant be quantied by statistics, wins or titles. Dimitrov will move the numbers on all of
those measures, but you dont need
advanced analytics to realize what the
youngster does so well. His backhand
not only looks good, but it ies through
the court on any surface, as you point out.
That stroke has tended to overshadow
Dimitrovs other formidable shots:
He makes awless contact with his
forehand and he can serve into the
130-m.p.h. range. He plays good defense
when necessary and has a coach, Roger
Rasheed, who will accept nothing less
than a fanatical devotion to tness.

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AP

No.

pressure and in big moments. Those


three titles also represented the most
common surfaces used on the pro tour,
clay (Bucharest), hard (Acapulco) and
grass (Queens Club). Dimitrov is
demonstrating a versatility that will
make him a threat on any surface, at any
time. Hes here to stay.

WorldMags.net
o.
N

There is brawn behind Dimitrovs


beautiful game, and I see 2015 as the
next chapter of his evolution into one
of this generations great players.
T I G N O R : It depends on what the

meaning of real is here. Dimitrov is


undeniably a star and an appealing
new attraction for the sport. On the
court, his game will keep the explosive,
attacking, one-handed tradition of his
hero, Federer, alive for years to come.
O the court, he has made a name for
himself as Maria Sharapovas boyfriend
and Nikes next meal ticket.
If real means becoming a Grand
Slam champion or future No. 1, though,
the verdict is not in. In 2014, Dimitrov
reached his rst Grand Slam seminal
and cracked the Top 10, but he faded
down the stretch, and nished the year
well behind two other young guns, Kei
Nishikori and Milos Raonic. He also
lacks the unstoppable weaponbomb
serve, killer forehandthat most major
champs have relied on when theyve
needed it. The most serious problem for
Dimitrov, though, may be age. Specically, those of Rafael Nadal (28), Andy
Murray (27) and Novak Djokovic (27).
Theyre also going to be at the tops of
their gamesand in young Dimitrovs
wayfor a few more years to come.

HAVE WE REACHED THE


END OF THE BIG 4 ERA?

P A N T I C : Hes as real as his relationship

with Sharapova. Knocking out crowd


favorite Murray in the Wimbledon
quarternals showed impressive maturity, and in doing so he surely earned
some new fans of his own. Dimitrov can
resemble Gael Monls with his ability to
pull o remarkable shots with stylish
air, and he has a level of smoothness
that has fueled much loftier comparisons. Despite Dimitrov distancing
himself from the Baby Fed nickname,
it doesnt hurt being mentioned alongside one of the greats in any context.
The problem with Dimitrov is that he
notched just four Top 10 wins this year.
He went 5018 in 2014, but to become a
Top 5 player hell need to beat the
players in front of him more often. At
6-foot-3, Dimitrov has the build to go
with his strong game, and he should
contend for bigger titles in 2015. Maybe
his girlfriends success will give him
some extra motivation.

T I G N O R : Virtually
every time Djokovic,
Federer, Nadal or Murray has suered a setback in recent years,
there have been whispers about cracks in the
Big 4. In 2014, those
whispers threatened to
turn into a scream, with
two rst-time mens
major champions, Stan
Wawrinka and Marin
Cilic. Yet if you read
between the Slams, you

can see that while the


Big 4 no longer win everything, they remain the
players to beat. Djokovic,
Federer and Nadal
nished No. 1, 2 and 3,
respectively, and Murray
wasnt far behind at No. 6.
They also won two
Slams, seven of the nine
Masters 1000 events and
the ATP World Tour
Finals. By seasons end,
the younger generation
looked out of gas, while

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the old guard rolled on.


They shouldnt stop
anytime soon: Of the
four, only Federer is
over 30.
P A N T I C : To me, the era

ended last year. Murray


struggled badly against
his fellow Big 4 members, piling up an 09
record in 2014. Federers
dominance has been
dissipating, and Nadals
injuries have resulted in

Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 33

B O D O : This tennis

trust is proving to be
harder to bust than
some assumed last
year, when Nadal was
out of commission and
Murray was struggling,
ranked outside the

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Top 10 for the rst
time since 2008. With
a 618 record, Djokovic
was almost as good in
2014 as in his celebrated
2011 season, and
Federer more or less
picked up the Big 4
slack created by
Murray, moving from
as low as No. 8 to very
nearly No. 1. Federer
forced Djokovic to
wait until the last

o.

tournament of the
year to clinch the top
spotby which time
Murray was back near
the Top 5. Mark Twain
might have anticipated
the fate of the Big 4
when he famously
remarked, Reports of
my death have been
greatly exaggerated.

M C G R O G A N : The

Big 4 era is over only

if youre considering
Slams won in 2014
and nothing else. By
any other measure, the
Big 4 are still the big
men on court. They
split the Slam titles
with two interlopers,
but they still accounted
for nine of the 16
seminal berths at the
majors (the one youre
forgetting: Murrays
seminal run at Roland

WHAT DOES ROGER FEDERER


NEED TO DO TO WIN HIS
FIRST AUSTRALIAN OPEN
TITLE SINCE 2010?
T I G N O R : Each year since 2010,
Federer has come to Melbourne fresh,
lifted his fans hopes with some vintage
early-round playIts like 2006 all
over again, they gushand then fallen
back down to earth in the semis against
either Nadal (2012, 2014), Djokovic
(2011) or Murray (2013).
For Federer to win his fth title, he
needs to do what he almost always
doesget himself to the semisand
hope that someone else knocks Nadal
o before he has to face him. Rafa has
won their last ve matches while losing
just one set. If Rafa loses, Roger becomes
the co-favorite with Djokovic.

34 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

Garros). And as Steve


pointed out, they
combined to win seven
of nine Masters tournaments, plus the yearending championships.
Thats still dominance,
utter or not, and itll
take more than an
occasional surge from
the second tier before
anyone outside the
Big 4 breaks up this
quality quartet.

eects or vulnerabilities remain following the back injury he suered at the end
of 2014. If Melbournes notoriously hot
conditions loom as a factor, Federer
must avoid getting into long, tiring
matches during the rst week. One
signicant and recently added tactic
will help his quest and conserve energy:
a willingness to move forward and end
points quickly.

M C G R O G A N : If you were told that

Federer would play a fth set in the


Wimbledon nal and could beat Cilic
and Nishikori for a US Open title, how
many Slams would you have pegged him
to win: One or two? Federer failed to
capture either major during a year in
which a lot went right for him. His
opponents played great, but in both
cases, Federer didnt play at his best
when he had to. As strange as it is to say,
the 17-time Slam champ must learn to
deal with the pressure if hes to win it all.
B O D O : First of all, he needs to do all

he can to mitigate whatever lingering

P A N T I C : Build a time machine. It

might seem dramatic, but despite his


second-place nish at Wimbledon, time
is not in Federers favor. Every passing
year is making it harder for him to stave
o the eects of ageparticularly his
back, which will continue to be a question mark. Theres no doubt hes still a
contender to go deep into the second
week, but getting past an in-form
Djokovic or a returning Nadal, on top of
two long weeks playing best-of-ve-set
matches, is likely asking too much.
Everyone knows the wrinkles of time
cant truly be stopped.

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AP

longer and longer


layos. Now, its left in
the capable hands of
Djokovic to run whats
left of the Big 4 show.

N 4
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o.

WILL THIS BE THE SECOND


STRAIGHT YEAR WELL SEE
A FIRST-TIME SLAM WINNER
AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN?
M C G R O G A N : I dont think so,
because I sense Novak Djokovic realizes
the opportunity he has in front of him.
Hes in the prime of his career, his two
biggest rivals ended last year with
injuries and two major personal milestonesmarriage and the birth of his
rst childare behind him. His aim
coming into 2015 should be nothing less
than the Grand Slamhes that good
and is capable of achieving the feat.
P A N T I C : If we were to see a maiden

major champion on the mens side


again, Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori,

o.

MCGROGAN:

Success does not have


to mean title. It can
be CiCi Bellis at last
years US Open, or
Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon. One win over a
big player would do it
for me. And this type of
success is certainly
attainable. U.S. tennis
fans should enjoy the
Aussie Open like they
do another distinctly
American tournament,
March Madness, and

two leaders of the next generation, are


the best bets. But Nishikoris durability
is an issue, despite a run of ve-set
marathons at last years US Open;
Raonic, who lives and dies with his
serve, has never beaten Nadal or
Djokovic. The better odds are that the
Australian Open will distill into a contest between the men at the very top.
B O D O : Its unlikely that anyone can

repeat what Stan Wawrinka did last


year. He has established himself as an
elite pro and is one of ve top-tier
contenders who have won at least

one major. Perhaps youve heard of


the other four.
Djokovic nished 2014 on a roll, and
given his record Down Under, he will be
motivated to prove that he still owns the
years rst Slam. Also, Nadal will be
fresh, Federer is resurgent and Murray
has been to three Australian Open nals,
losing each time. The chances of all
those men stumbling out is slim.
T I G N O R : The Australian Open once

had a reputation for surprises among the


men: Petr Korda won in 1997, Thomas
Johannson won in 2002, and Marcos
Baghdatis and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
reached their only major nals in Melbourne in 2006 and 08, respectively. But
as with everything else in the ATP, the
Aussie Open turned into another playground for the Big 4. Then Wawrinka
brought the madness back to Melbourne.
As the new season begins, Oz has the
makings of a return to form and sanity.
Nadal will be starting fresh; Djokovic
will be hungry to win Down Under again;
Federer should have renewed condence. And all of them should be prepared for anything after Stans stunner.

WHAT CONSTITUTES
SUCCESS FOR U.S.
TENNIS IN MELBOURNE?

look for One Shining


Moment.
B O D O : Its a painful
question to have to
answer, but Im a
believer in the triedand-true second
week theory. That
being, unless youre
one of the top four
seeds, making it into
the second week of a
Slam means that you
can call your tournament a success.

P A N T I C : Last years

Australian Open was


nothing short of
disastrous for the U.S.
men. John Isner
retired in the rst
round, and just two of
12 Americans made it
as far as the third
round (Donald Young
and Sam Querrey). But
the bar being set so low
isnt all bad going into
2015. Theres still
pressure to perform,
but not the ominous

pressure to defend
points. A showing past
the third round would
spell success, for now.
T I G N O R : The crisis

in U.S. tennis is much


more acute and immediate among male
singles players than
anywhere else. Serena
Williams will be the
favorite to win the
womens title, while
Bob and Mike Bryan
will be the favorites to

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win in doubles. If they


both live up to those
billings, I dont think
you can call it an
unsuccessful tournament from a U.S.
perspective.
Still, this is a year of
possibility for Jack
Sock. The 22-year-old
won big in doubles at
Wimbledon in 2014; in
Melbourne, well start
to see how hard he has
worked to match that
success in singles.

Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 35

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

COUNTRY:

Serbia

2014 RECORD:

61-8

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS: $14,250,527

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

RIGHT-HANDED
MAY 22, 1987
2003

o.

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-2
WEIGHT:
176 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 1

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 3

2010

No 1

2011

No 1

2012

No 2

2013

No 1

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

17

19

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

19

23

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

16

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

15

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

17

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

11

VS.

DAVID FERRER

13

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

13

Novak Djokovic
Since Novak Djokovics career year of 2011, in which
he won 64 of his rst 66 matches and three Grand
Slam titles, his results have been less astounding but
still outstanding. Take his 2014 season. He won seven tournaments, including Wimbledon and the ATP World Tour Finals,
g
and nished the year with a sterling 618 record. Against
the
nd No. 2, Roger
three other Grand Slam champions and year-end
Federer, Djokovic went a cumulative 75.

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

It can be summed up
in two words: Roland
Garros. Its too early to
call the French Open
Djokovics great white
whale, but that title is
the only thing that has
kept him from joining
Federer and Nadal in
the career Grand Slam
club. If Djokovic nally
secures that trophy, all
other things will pale in
signicance.

While its true that


ix
Djokovic lost ve of six
fore
Grand Slam nals before
ast
he won Wimbledon last
h
July, reading too much
ininto his apparently minn
ute loss of motivation
or condence would
my
be silly. The big enemy
for Djokovic, a new
uld
husband and dad, could
well be complacency
sborne of his own satiss.
faction and happiness.

Two matches kept Djokovic from coming close to matching


that career year: a 97 in-the-fth heartbreaker of a loss to Stan
Wawrinka at the Australian Open and a disappointing four-set
defeat to Rafael Nadal in the nal of the tournament the Serb
most wanted to win, the French Open. The losses added to
j
p
Djokovics
heavilyy chronicled battle with the mental aspects
of
closing a big win. But he would win the war, nishing 2014 with
a seventh Slam title, and at No. 1 for the third time in his career.

Expect Djokovic to sustain his high level of consistency. Hes gotten off to good starts with
success at the Australian Open prior to last year; dont be surprised if the four-time champion
revives that tradition in Melbourne.
36 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

All ATP profiles written by


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PETER BODO

AP

Bottom Line

COUNTRY:

Switzerland

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

2014 RECORD:

73-12

2014 TITLES:

2010

2014 WINNINGS:

$9,343,988

WorldMags.net

RIGHT-HANDED
AUGUST 8, 1981
1998

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-1
WEIGHT:
187 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 1

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 2

No 3

2011

No 2

N6
o

2012

2013

No 2

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

19

17

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

10

23

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

15

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

12

11

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

12

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

16

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

11

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

No.

Roger Federer
Its clearly brazen to suggest that Roger Federer had a
bummer of a year in 2014. He won ve titles (including
two Masters 1000 events), a Davis Cup, played two
seminals and a nal at the Slams, and slashed his way back up
to No. 2 in the rankingsall at the age of 33. But this is Roger
Federer. And for him, failing to win a Grand Slam titleand
seeing his bid to become the oldest year-end No. 1 in history end
in failuremust have left a bitter taste in his mouth.

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

By Federers age, every


pro comes with a warning label: Results not
guaranteed. Yet Federerr
was largely immune to
al
injuryas well as mental
or emotional fatigue
until the very end of thee
long season. Federer
played a remarkable
amount of high-level
n
tennis in 2014. If he can
keep it up, his re-tooled
ts
attacking game suggests
ithat he can achieve similar results in 2015.

Its no secret that


Federers back has
troubled him from time
to time for a few years
now, and it will be something to keep an eye on
in 2015. In addition to
that, as he approaches
34, Federer is likely to
have a little more trouble
with the top youngstersKei Nishikori,
Milos Raonic and Grigor
Dimitrovnow threatening the top tier.

Although he didnt win the matches that meant the most


to him, Federer won more than anyone else on the tour last
year. He won nearly 86 percent of his matches, just a hair o
the percentage of top-ranked Djokovic. Federer must take
satisfaction in having complied a 32 record against Djokovic in
2014, even if the Serb won the match that mattered most, their
Wimbledon nal. Still, the gap between the two greats was
smaller than that of the Swiss veteran and the rest of the tour.

Bottom Line
This is Roger Federer, arguably the greatest player of all time, and whatever he does at this point
will be gravy. But if he falls off the pace set by the top performers, his life will get complicated,
as the R wordretirebecomes an incessant subject of conversation.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 37

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Spain

COUNTRY:

48-11

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

LEFT-HANDED
JUNE 3, 1986
2001

o.

2014 RECORD:

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-1
WEIGHT:
188 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 1

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 1

No 2

2010

2011

N4
o

2012

No 1

2013

No 3

2014

$6,736,843

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

23

19

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

23

10

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

12

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

15

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

18

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

22

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

Rafael Nadal
There was exactly one bright and shining moment in
Rafael Nadals year: victory for a record ninth time at
Roland Garros. Other than that, the 14-time Grand Slam
champions season started poorly, then went from bad to worse.
It looked as if Nadal began to make a nal push to topple
Roger Federers record mark of majors at the rst Slam of
he nal,
the year, the Australian Open. He belted his way to the
defeating Federer in straight sets along the way, but in the title

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Given that Nadal, among


other things, wasnt
able to defend his Grand
Slam title in Flushing
Meadows in 2014 (not
the rst time he was
unable to defend a Slam
titlehe also skipped
Wimbledon in 2009, the
year after his memorable
triumph over Federer
at the All England
Club), the best thing
that could happen to
the Spaniard might be
to get through 2015 with
no signicant injuries
or illnesses.

This is no state secret:


Players prone to injury
often tend to stay that
way, as if mortality once
compromised is never
quite the same. The
struggles that began for
Nadal with knee trouble
in 2009 have continued
to interrupt his stellar
career. Hes managed
to sandwich some
outstanding years in
between bouts of breakdown and rehab, but
eventually his absences
will make it that much
harder to rebound.

match his back seized up and Stan Wawrinka emerged as


champion. The Spaniard suered a far more shocking, if not
inexplicable, upset in the fourth round at Wimbledon to teenager Nick Kyrgios, then hurt his wristthe injury so severe that
it kept him from defending his US Open title. When Nadal
returned in the fall, he was stricken with appendicitis. Only a
player of Nadals
Nadal s caliber can make a third-place
third place nish
nishaa career
year for so many othersseem disappointing.

If Nadal can stay healthy through the Australian Open, his largely idle end to 2014 may turn out
to be an asset. Hes still got a good game for the courts in Melbourne, and a 10th French Open title
is not just a possibility but a probability.
38 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

Bottom Line

COUNTRY:

Switzerland

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

39-17

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT
WEIGHT:
179 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 3

N8
o

N 17
o

2010

2014 WINNINGS:

$5,582,116

WorldMags.net

RIGHT-HANDED
MARCH 28, 1985
2002

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 21

2011

No 4

N 17
o

2012

2013

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

16

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

15

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

12

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

10

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

No.

Stan Wawrinka
Stan Wawrinka emerged from the shadow of Roger
Federer last year, and by the end of the season he was so
pued up that he was volubly criticizing his compatriots
wife, Mirka, during a match between the two men in London.
That isolated bit of drama aside, Wawrinka earned a revision
of his nickname in 2014; just call him Stan the Occasional Man.
His year was one of peaks and valleys, although he managed to
o his
secure a privileged place in the Top 5 thanks mainly to

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Wawrinka has a big, big


game. He may not move
as well as the three men
ranked above himor,
for that matter, many
ranked below himbut
if he can take better care
of his serve and become
a more dangerous and
procient returner,
his game could go
up another notch.

Wawrinka ought to
focus on mounting a
good defense of his title
at the Australian Open.
He will undoubtedly feel
pressure there, and his
condence has waxed
and waned considerably
for a man of his accomplishments. If he gets
off on the wrong foot,
he could backslide, with
the emerging youngsters of the ATP ready
to take advantage.

maiden major title win at the Australian Open. He also won his
rst Masters title, by defeating Federer in Monte Carlo, but
took early losses at Indian Wells, Miami and Roland Garros.
After a dismal fall, Wawrinka stepped up and made the semis of
the ATP World Tour Finals, where he lost to Federer after
holding four match points. Yet it was Wawrinka who Federer
lauded after each man won a singles match,, and a doubles
match together, in Switzerlands Davis Cup-winning tie.

Bottom Line
Although Wawrinka bookended his year with a good showing at the ATP World Tour Finals and a
Davis Cup win, he never did develop enough consistency to suggest hes comfortable being a
permanent fixture at the top of the game.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 39

Tournament of Champions:
WorldMags.net

th

A 50 ANNIVERSARY EVENT
1 ROGER FEDERER

3 PETE SAMPRAS

32 FRED STOLLE

30 STAN SMITH

MEN
16 STEFAN EDBERG

14 JOHN NEWCOMBE

17 JIM COURIER

19 MANUEL SANTANA

24 LLEYTON HEWITT

22 JAN KODES

9 KEN ROSEWALL

11 JOHN MCENROE

25 ANDY MURRAY

27 PATRICK RAFTER

8 IVAN LENDL

6 ROD LAVER

WINNER
5 BJORN BORG

7 JIMMY CONNORS

28 SERGI BRUGUERA

26 MARAT SAFIN

12 NOVAK DJOKOVIC
KOVIC

10 ANDRE AGASSI

21 ARTHUR ASHE
HE

23 JOHAN KRIEK

20 GUSTAVO
KUERTEN

18 G
GUILLERMO VILAS

13 MATS WILANDER
NDER

15 BORIS BECKER

29 YEVGENY
KAFELNIKOV

31 ILIE NASTASE

4 ROY EMERSON
ON

2 RAFAEL NADAL

40 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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WorldMags.net

As part of this years


celebration of the
50th anniversary of the
launch of Tennis Magazine, were
holding a fantasy Tournament
of Champions to determine the
greatest mens and womens
players weve had the pleasure of

covering over the past half-century.


Each bracket has names of 32
players that have won at least
one Grand Slam singles title over
the past 50 years. Each champion
has been seeded according to
the number of career Slam titles
he or she has won.

Now comes the fun part:


Who would win each of these
match-ups when each player was
at the peak of his or her career?
Each fantasy match is a best-ofthree-set contest, played across
three surfaces: the first set on a
clay court, the second set on a

hard court and the third set


on grass. In February, well
start to reveal in Tennis.com
and in our weekly digital
magazine Tennis Tuesday, the
round-by-round results as
determined by a panel of former
players and tennis experts.

1 MARGARET COURT

3 CHRIS EVERT
30 GABRIELA
SABATINI

32 JANA NOVOTNA

WOMEN
16 ARANTXA
SANCHEZ-VICARIO

14 KIM CLIJSTERS

17 JENNIFER
CAPRIATI

19 VIRGINIA WADE

22 SVETLANA
KUZNETSOVA

24 TRACY AUSTIN

9 MARIA BUENO

11 VENUS WILLIAMS

25 MARY PIERCE

27 PETRA KVITOVA

8 JUSTINE HENIN

6 BILLIE JEAN KING

WINNER
5 SERENA WILLIAMS

7 MONICA SELES

28 NANCY RICHEY

26 VICTORIA
AZARENKA

12 MARTINA HINGIS

10 EVONNE
GOOLAGONG

21 AMELIE
MAURESMO

23 LI NA

20 ANN HAYDON
JONES

18 LINDSAY
DAVENPORT

13 MARIA
SHARAPOVA

15 HANA
MANDLIKOVA

29 LESLEY TURNER
BOWREY

31 CONCHITA
MARTINEZ

4 MARTINA
NAVRATILOVA

2 STEFFI GRAF

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 41

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Japan

COUNTRY:

54-14

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

RIGHT-HANDED
DECEMBER 29, 1989
2007

o.

2014 RECORD:

HEIGHT:
5-FOOT-10
WEIGHT:
163 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 5

YEAR-END RANKINGS

N 98
o

N 25
o

2010

2011

No 19

2012

No 17

2013

No 5

2014

$4,431,363

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

Kei Nishikori
One of the most unassuming players in the game, Kei
Nishikoris on-court persona could be said to resemble
a comic-strip character: baseball cap, baggy shorts and
feet that somehow look too large. But dont be fooledthe
24-year-old is lethal with a racquet in his hand, as he proved
throughout a breakout 2014 season.
his, reaching
Nishikori burst out of the blocks, winning Memphis,
awing) and
the seminals of the Miami Masters (before withdrawing)

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

With his youth, excellent footwork and at,


laser-like groundstrokes,
Nishikori compensates
more than adequately
for his relatively small
stature. Hes a tough
competitor who could
establish himself in the
upper reaches of the Top
10 for good if he continues to play on or inside
the baseline, and keeps
nding winning angles
like he did last year.

Nishikori has a history


of injuries, and he hasnt
proven capable of playing with pain the way
some of his rivals do.
The amount of wear and
tear he endures, combined with his modest
physique and punishing style, means that
Nishikori can expect to
face more physical challenges. If he capitulates
to them, or plays less
aggressively than last
year, he could end up
taking a step back.

claiming another title in Barcelona. That launched a 14-match


winning streak, halted when Nishikori retired with a bad back
while leading Rafael Nadalon clayin the Madrid nal.
Nishikori shook o his latest ailment and saved his best
tennis for the US Open, where he outlasted Milos Raonic, Stan
Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic to reach his rst career Grand
Slam nal. If the Japanese stars health ever equals his consistency on court, expect even greater achievements.

Given his rock-star status in Japan, Nishikori will have to avoid resting on the laurels he earned
in 2014. The odds on that happening are slim, though, because hes been immersed in the
performance culture that exists at the IMG Academy Bollettieri Tennis Program since he was 14.
42 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

Bottom Line

COUNTRY:

Great Britain

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

2014 RECORD:

59-20

2014 TITLES:

2010

2014 WINNINGS:

$3,904,822

WorldMags.net

RIGHT-HANDED
MAY 15, 1987
2005

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-3
WEIGHT:
185 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 2

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 4

No 4

2011

No 3

No 4

2012

2013

N6
o

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

15

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

11

12

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

15

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

10

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

10

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

No.

Andy Murray
Give Andy Murray credit: When he was in danger of
missing out on the ATP World Tour Finals in London,
a home event of sorts for the Scot, he did everything
in his power to make the cut. He played six straight weeks in
the fall and accomplished his goal, even if in doing so he
hurt his chances for success at the season-ending championships. The good news for Murray iss that he regained some
n drive, reversing a slide
credibility with his frantic autumn

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
ST
CASE
ARIO
SCENARIO

Murrays fall push was


probably just what the
doctor ordered in terms
of getting him into ghting shape for 2015. With
his surgery and rst full
year with coach Amelie
Mauresmo behind him,
a more relaxed Murray
could have a good tournament Down Under.
Hes always played
well at the Australian
Open, and that ought
to provide him plenty
of motivation for the
new year.

The weakest
kest link of the
Big 4 needs
eds to further
improve his game to
maintain such honorable
status. If Murray posts
mediocree results during
the early hard-court
segment, the wheels
could fall off early.

that had him ranked as low as No. 12 for the rst time since 08.
Murray spent the early part of the year recovering the form
he lost following the back surgery he underwent the previous
fall. Given his travails, Murray performed well at the majors,
reaching three quarternals and a seminal, even if his
Wimbledon title defense was ruined by Grigor Dimitrov. By the
time the ATP Finals were over
and despite his 60,
6 0, 6611 loss
overand
there to Roger FedererMurray was well-positioned for 2015.

Bottom Line
Despite his success, Murray still seems like a player reluctant to play as positively and aggressively
as he needs to challenge his main rivals, and theres a fleet of young players out there who have the
tools to quash his coy, passive-aggressive game.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 43

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Czech Rep.

COUNTRY:

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
RIGHT-HANDED
BIRTHDATE:
SEPTEMBER 17, 1985
TURNED PRO:
2002

o.

55-22

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-5
WEIGHT:
200 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 5

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 6

No 7

2010

2011

No 6

2012

No 7

2013

No 7

2014

$3,899,534

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

17

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

12

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

18

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

10

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

Tomas Berdych
Seemingly endowed with a permanent seat at the
Top 10 table, Tomas Berdych had a 2014 that was very
Berdych-like. Consistent as they come, he reached the
quarternals or better at 13 tournaments, and he rode his big
serve and straightforward, powerful groundstrokess to two titles
on the indoor hard courts so friendly to his game.
ailed to break
But once again, the former Wimbledon nalist failed
nd burn
through at the Grand Slam level. He didnt crash and

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

If Berdych can nd a way


to round out his game
with a little dash of spice
or extra avorsomething unexpectedhe
could have something
worthy of a major title.
Then the only remaining question would be
conquering his mental
obstacles. Its asking a
lot, but if he can master
those two challenges, he
could have a great 2015.

Given that he generates


a lot of power, owns a
strikingly clean game
and moves very well for
a big man, its surprising
that Berdych hasnt put
up at least a few more
notable results. What
has prevented him? The
culprit appears to be his
mind, and thus he may
have to continue playing
out a tennis players
version of the Bill Murray
movie Groundhog Day.

three of those quarternal-or-better runs came at the Slams


but he missed a golden opportunity at Roland Garros when,
with a shot at the semis, he failed to gure out Ernests Gulbis,
who had already taken Roger Federer out of the draw.
For all of Berdychs physical gifts, the lanky Czech has developed a reputation as a headcase. His lopsided losing records
against the games elite are telling and, approaching 30, the time
for Berdychs breakthrough seems to be running short.

Berdychs ability to open up the courtessential in todays gameis extremely limited, even
though he achieves great north-south penetration with his groundstrokes. The over-under on
Berdychs ranking at this time next year remains at No. 7.
44 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

Bottom Line

Canada

COUNTRY:
SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

49-20

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-5
WEIGHT:
216 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 6

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 13

2010

2014 WINNINGS:

$3,494,480

WorldMags.net

RIGHT-HANDED
DECEMBER 27, 1990
2008

No 156

No 11

N8
o

No 31
2011

2012

2013

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

No.

Milos Raonic
If you want a denition of incremental improvement,
look no further than Milos Raonic. The male leader of
the Canadian tennis boom has added one upgrade after
another to an already potent game, working his way to the
career-high ranking of No. 6 he hit last July. But that wasnt his
true apex, despite what the ATP computer spit out. That came
in October in Bercy, when he faced Roger Federer. Needing a
win to reach the ATP World Tour Finals, Raonic crafted a

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Theres really nowhere


left for Raonic to go
other than up on the dais
where they present the
winner and runner-up
trophies. Despite his
outstanding consistency, he still has some
trouble closing the deal
at tournaments. But
his play in the majors
suggests hes becoming
accustomed to life near,
if not at, the top.

Although the sleeve


Raonic wears is precautionary, the care
he takes to keep that
arm warm and live
underscores the degreee
to which he relies on hiss
massive serve. Raonic
en
was one of only two men
es
to crack over 1,000 aces
in 2014. If his serving
efciency diminishes,
his entire game
will suffer.

straight-sets triumph over the world No. 2, who himself needed


the win to maintain a realistic shot of ending the year at No. 1.
Whether Raonic can reach such heights remains to be seen,
but hes trending upward. Demonstrating consistency on all
surfacesa tribute to an increasingly judicious use of his
booming serve and vicious inside-out forehandRaonic has
improved his movement and also shored up his backhand, no
longer leery of using it to go down the line.

Bottom Line
Raonics coaches, Ivan Ljubicic and Riccardo Piatti, have done excellent work in turning a
sometimes gentle giant into an aggressive one. With a little more confidence and perhaps a bit
more work on his backhand and return, Raonic could join the Grand Slam champions club.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 45

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

COUNTRY:

Croatia

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
RIGHT-HANDED
BIRTHDATE:
SEPTEMBER 28, 1988
TURNED PRO:
2005

o.

54-21

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-6
WEIGHT:
180 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 8

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 14

No 9

N 15
o

No 21
2010

2011

No 37
2012

2013

2014

$4,879,359

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

11

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

10

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

Marin Cilic
Marin Cilic became a Grand Slam champion at the 2014
US Open, ending half a decades worth of speculation
about whether he would ever fulll his obvious talent.
He proved his backers right, thanks in no small degree to an
ironic career plot twist. Cilic served a four-month suspension in
the latter half of 2013 for violating the sports anti-doping policy.
The Croat claimed his innocence,, but duringg that time o he
hip with a new coach, the freewheeling
developed a relationship

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Like fellow heavy hitter


Juan Martin del Potro,
Cilic has the ability to
simply blow opponents
off the court. He slowed
down at the end of last
season, but if he goes
into the new year with
some well earned condence, he could barge
into the Top 5.

The thoughtful, introspective Croat has often


been his own worst
enemy. If Cilic withdraws
and loses his appetite
for being as aggressive
on the court as he is
mild-mannered off it, he
could slip back into his
old habits and wind up
outside the Top 10.

loose cannon and former Wimbledon champ Goran Ivanisevic.


In addition to improving Cilics already solid serve and
convincing him to play more aggressive, rst-strike tennis,
Ivanisevic helped his compatiot loosen up and break a habit of
over-thinking. The dividends became apparent immediately
when Cilic won Zagreb, then culminated with back-to-back-toy , Roger
g Federer and Kei Nishiback wins over Tomas Berdych,
kori in the nal three rounds at Flushing Meadows.

Cilic has a chance to build on the momentum he gained at the end of last year. Ivanisevic surely
will help him try to accomplish that, but the desire to improve on his overall record will have to
come from within.
46 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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S I G N U P N O W F O R O U R F R E E W E E K LY D I G I TA L M A G A Z I N E AT T E N N I S T U E S D AY. N E T

AP

Bottom Line

COUNTRY:
SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

Spain

54-24

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

2010

2014 WINNINGS:

$2,809,026

WorldMags.net

RIGHT-HANDED
APRIL 2, 1982
2000

HEIGHT:
5-FOOT-9
WEIGHT:
160 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 3

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 7

No 5

2011

No 3

No 5

2012

2013

No 10

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

13

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

16

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

22

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

No.

10

David Ferrer
Here we are, once again, with a familiar question
hanging over David Ferrers head: Can he win a major
to cap a career based on unrelenting eort but, alas, a
tendency to come up short when all the chips are on the table?
Something similar could also be said to describe Ferrers 2014
season, in which workmanlike excellence never did translate
d either predicted or hoped
into the seismic victoryy so many had
for. He went 13 in nals, th
the most signicant loss against

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
ST
CASE
ARIO
SCENARIO

At this point in his career,


it would be a net plus
for Ferrer to cut back on
his traditionally loaded
schedule. His inconsistency suggests that as
he ages, he needs to pick
his spots with greater
care. If he does that, hell
have a better chance to
add another Masters
title to his resume.

The surprising
rising losses
ok in 2014
Ferrer took
strike an ominous note.
He plays an effortful
at requires
game that
ble focus and
implacable
taminaqualimental staminaqualities that become harder
n with age.
to sustain
ould plummet
Ferrer could
down thee rankings if he
o break down.
begins to

Roger Federer at the Cincinnati Masters. Ferrer went just 17


against Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, although
his win over Rafa in Monte Carlo was certainly signicant.
Last year was also one when ssures appeared in the game
of the hardest working man in tennis. He took surprisingly bad
losses relatively early in many tournaments. Ferrer turned 32
p and that helps explain the erosion of his legendary
in April,
consistency. This is a pivotal season for The Little Beast.
Beast.

Bottom Line
Over the past four years, Ferrer has reached at least the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.
How he does in Melbourne this year may tell us a lot about what lies in store for not only
2015, but beyond.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 47

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

Bulgaria

COUNTRY:

50-18

2014 TITLES:

2014 WINNINGS:

WorldMags.net

SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

RIGHT-HANDED
MAY 16, 1991
2008

o.

11

2014 RECORD:

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-3
WEIGHT:
176 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 8

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 76
No 106

No 23

No 11

No 48

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$2,759,359

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

Grigor Dimitrov
Pundits and fans have been waiting a long time for
Grigor Dimitrov to fulll his prodigious promise. Their
satisfaction was deferred until 2014, when Dimitrov
rose as high as No. 8 and made many believe he could go even
higher. Dimitrov showed excellent versatility last year, winning
),
titles on all three major surfaces: hard courts (Acapulco),
clay (Bucharest) and grass (Queens Club). His other highlight
ocal hero and
was a quarternal win at Wimbledon over local

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

With 50 victories in 2014,


Dimitrov demonstrated
a habit of winning that
ought to serve him well.
He also earned increased
condence, valuable
experience on all surfaces against all kinds of
players, and a reputation
as a tough out. He seems
primed to win at least
one Masters 1000 title
this year, perhaps even
a Grand Slam.

There appears to be very


little that might keep
eep
Dimitrov from completmpleting his process of
maturation. His muchuchpublicized relationship
nship
with Maria Sharapova
ova
doesnt seem to have
ave
created a distraction,
on,
but if his recent succcess and the stardom
om
that hes already
achieved creates
too much pressuree
or goes to his head,
d,
he could struggle.

defending champion Andy Murray, who he also defeated in


the Acapulco seminals.
But the most impressive thing about Dimitrovs year was his
consistency. He lost his opening-round match on only two
anding display by any player, particularly
occasions, an outstanding
one so young. With time on his side, Dimitrov set himself up
beautifully to make his nal push into the elite company of
Grand Slam champions.

If Dimitrov feels the same degree of eagerness and continues to show the flexibility and
versatility that drove him in 2014, he will always be in the huntand his major moment
will very likely come.
48 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

Bottom Line

COUNTRY:
SWINGS:
BIRTHDATE:
TURNED PRO:

France

36-19

2014 RECORD:

2014 TITLES:

2010

2014 WINNINGS:

$1,928,983

WorldMags.net

RIGHT-HANDED
APRIL 17, 1985
2004

HEIGHT:
6-FOOT-2
WEIGHT:
200 POUNDS
CAREER-HIGH RANKING:
No. 5

YEAR-END RANKINGS

No 13

No 6

2011

No 8

No 10

2012

2013

N 12
o

2014

CAREER HEAD-TO-HEAD

VS.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

13

VS.

ROGER FEDERER

11

VS.

RAFAEL NADAL

VS.

STAN WAWRINKA

VS.

KEI NISHIKORI

VS.

ANDY MURRAY

10

VS.

TOMAS BERDYCH

VS.

MILOS RAONIC

VS.

MARIN CILIC

VS.

DAVID FERRER

VS.

GRIGOR DIMITROV

ATP 2015
STARTING
RANKING:

No.

12

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Over the years, this spectacularly gifted Frenchman has
kept his ardent fans on tenterhooks, wondering if he will
nally win the Slam title that has continued to elude him
since losing the 2008 Australian Open nal. The sands in the
hourglass are running out, though, as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will
be 30 by the time he takes the court at the French Open.
es like his in
Tsonga holds out hope because of performances
ters title. He
Toronto, where he bagged his second career Masters

BEST
CASE
SCENARIO

WORST
CASE
SCENARIO

Tsonga has always been


injury-prone, but if he
stays healthy and nds
the motivation and
determination that so
often seems missing, he
still might make a career
statement. His title run
in Toronto demonstrated
that when hes dialed
in, he can beat anyone.
Whether Tsonga has it in
him to make a big push is
another question entirely.

Tsonga has had a ne


career. Hes never
seemed the most ambitious player, and that
helps explain why the
main highlights of his
resume are two Masterss
titles. But as he gets
older, and less capable
of reaping wins simply
because of his talent,
gs
the slope of the rankings
y.
becomes more slippery.

had a spectacular run: From the third round on he defeated, in


succession, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov
and Roger Federerlosing but one set along the way. Thats
an impressive weeks work, but in all-too familiar fashion,
Tsongas star quickly went dark. He lost in straights to Murray
in the fourth round of the US Open and ended the year quietly,
failing to mount a serious bid to reach the ATP World Tour
Finals. For a player of Tsongas caliber, one title isnt enough.

Bottom Line
Tsonga needs to sit down and ask himself: Do I really want to go quietly into the night?
A big, strong player, Tsonga has no limit to what he could do, provided his commiment
is there.
+

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 49

WorldMags.net
ATP
ONES TO WATCH

ERNESTS
GULBIS

GAEL
MONFILS

MA
MARTIN
KLIZAN
KLI

STEVE
JOHNSON

A 6-foot-3 Latvian known


for having a huge serve and
powerful ground strokes,
Ernests Gulbis has a big
personality, a big game
and a fearless streak once he
feels condent. The one thing
the 26-year-old lacks is the
day-in, day-out consistency
that would more frequently
put him within striking
distance of nals.
Gulbis is coming off his best
year on the court, compiling
a 41-21 record while winning
two titles. After defeating
top-seeded Richard Gasquet
and defending champion
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in succession to win the Marseille title
in February, he beat Federico
Delbonis to claim the Nice title
and raise his career record in
ATP nals to a perfect 6-0.
He then briey cracked the Top
10 following a seminal run
at Roland Garros, where he
eliminated Roger Federer and
Tomas Berdych. Gulbis may be
a ham and a provocateur once
he gets in front of a mic, but he
is learning that on the court,
he needs to be all business.

Gael Monls tennis


tends to be like a radio signal:
Its strong, then fades, then gets
strong againit all depends on
the ambient conditions. While
the Frenchmans signal was
relatively strong throughout
much of 2014Monls entered
the year outside the Top 30 and
ended it inside the Top 20, with
a 36-15 recordhe yet again
found a way to break the hearts
of his compatriots at Roland
Garros: Down two sets against
Andy Murray in the quarternals, he nearly mounted an
impressive comeback before
a wretched, puzzling fth set
that he lost, 60.
Monls did end his 2014
season with a win, in straight
sets in November against
Roger Federer in the Davis Cup
nal. It was at least a sliver of
comfort to Monls after his
loss to Federer in the US Open
quarternals, a match in which
he was up two sets and held
match points. The loss was
enough, however, to make
many wonder if the 28-year-old,
despite his many aws, has a
Slam title in his future after all.

A 25-year-old Slovak with a


mercurial game, Martin Klizan
is a former French Open junior
champion. After reaching
the fourth round of the
2012 US Open, he ascended to
a career-high No. 26 ranking
the following spring, then
almost immediately went into a
tailspin that culminated in a
61, 60, 61 loss to Donald
Young upon his return to
Flushing Meadows. A few
weeks later, Klizan was ranked
outside the Top 100.
It is thus accurate to describe
2014 as a comeback year
for the 6-foot-2 lefty. Klizan
reached the third round of the
Australian Open as a lucky
loser, won the Munich
tournament as a qualier,
upset Kei Nishikori in the rst
round of Roland Garros and
outplayed Rafael Nadal for a set
and a half in the rst round at
Wimbledon before falling
46, 63, 63, 63. He would
end up beating Nadal in
October in Beijing, saying
afterward,I think my tennis
is now great. I think I can beat
anyone on tour.

Call him Throwback


Stevie. Numerous critics and
pundits thought Johnson, a
25-year-old native of Orange
County, CA, would never make
it as a pro because of his
old-school slice backhand.
Heading into 2014, it seemed
those critics might have been
right. Johnson was ranked
No. 126, outside of direct
acceptance territory at the
Grand Slams, but his
gameand world ranking
would take a quantum leap
over the ensuing months.
It isnt as if he suddenly
started whacking topspin backhands or Milos Raonic-grade
serves, either. Its just that
Johnsons innate competitivenessthe former USC Trojan
is a two-time NCAA singles
champion and played a large
role in four team titlesbeneted from an additional year
of seasoning. He began to win
the kinds of matches that 12
months earlier hed typically
been losing, nishing the year
with a career-high No. 37 ranking and a match record just
below the .500 mark at 1920.

50 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

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AP

E I G H T P L AY E R S T O K E E P A N E Y E O N I N 2 0 1 5

WorldMags.net

DOMINIC
THIEM

JERZY
JANOWICZ

NICK
KYRGIOS

BORNA
CORIC

Known as The Dominator,


Dominic Thiem combines two
of the most potent assets in the
contemporary game: ferocious
racquet-head speedfreely
applied on nearly every swing
from the baselineand terric
range. The 21-year-old
Austrian rst caused a
sensation in his homeland in
2013 when he upset the best
player Austria has produced
since Thomas Muster, former
top-tenner Jurgen Melzer, on
red clay in Kitzbuhel. Later in
the year, on indoor hard, Thiem
demonstrated his versatility
when he made the quarternals in the Vienna ATP 250, and
it took a 76 in-the-third win by
Tsonga to keep him from going
even further.
While he went just 2223 last
year, Thiem emerged as one of
the tours top young talents. By
mid-July, he was the youngest
player in the Top 50. At the US
Open, he won three matches,
including back-to-back upsets
of Gulbis and Feliciano Lopez.
Ranked No. 39, hell be the
proverbial dangerous oater
at the Australian Open.

If Jerzy Janowicz were a


stock, he would be a good buy
at todays low price. The
24-year-old is 6-foot-8 and
capable of shooting the lights
out with his serve. He had an
off year in 2014, slipping from a
career-high No. 14 ranking to
No. 43 on a match record of
24-26. But his game, which
incorporates plenty of touch to
back up his atomic serve and
powerful forehand, remains big
enough to loom as a major
threat to any player in the
coming year.
Janowicz has yet to win his
rst ATP nal, but hes been
close. At Winston-Salem last
year, he failed to convert two
match points in a battle of
bombardiers with Lukas Rosol.
That loss had to be frustrating
for Janowicz, who burst upon
the scene in 2012 and a year
later reached the Wimbledon
semis. Although hes a familiar
face on the tour now, dont be
surprised if the deceptively
mobile Janowicz comes up with
another stunning run or two
in the coming year. He has the
game to do it.

Only 19, Nick Kyrgios


became the rst teenager to
defeat a world No. 1 at a major
since 19-year-old Nadal beat
Federer at the 2005 French
Open. The victim this time was
Nadal himself, in the fourth
round of Wimbledon. It was
one of the most stunning
upsets in recent memory, and
not the last time Kyrgios will be
heard from at the Slams.
Starting 2014 at No. 183, the
6-foot-4 Aussie relied on a fearsome serve and lashing topspin
shots to rise to No. 52 by years
end. A known threat by the
time hed reached the US Open,
he advanced to the third round,
then kept Australia in the World
Group of Davis Cup with two
singles victories.
Late in September, the
gregarious youngster took
a rst-round loss at Kuala
Lumpur and pulled the plug
on his year, citing emotional
fatigue. That decision raised
some eyebrows; after all, he
was just 109 in main-tour
matches. Well see how it works
out for this potential Grand
Slam champ.

Call him the quiet prodigy.


The 18-year-old began 2015 as
the youngest player ranked
among the Top 100, and the
youngest to crack that barrier
since Nadal in 2003. And heres
the thing: Borna Coric may be
the best of the entire crop of
youngsters, including the
aforementioned Kyrgios
and Thiem.
A lean and exible 6-foot-1,
the Croat is a bit like Novak
Djokovic in both game and
temperament. Hes quicksilver
and plays great defense. Coric
goes down the line with his
two-handed backhand with
impunity and has terric shot
placement. All of those qualities were on display in Basel,
where Coric stunned Nadal in
the quarternals after having
already upset Gulbis.
Add an impressive serve,
and the last question remaining
about the teen is his attitude.
Heres a hint: Corics Facebook
page states this line: Croatian
tennis player on a mission to
the top. No less an authority
than Marin Cilic himself predicts that Coric will get there.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 51

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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO


K N O W A B O U T T H E M O S T I M P O R TA N T
TOURNAMENTS IN 2015
by S T E P H E N T I G N O R

AP

The tennis season is infamously long; no other sports athletes get so little time
o. But theres an upside to the excess: It is the only sport thats played in such a
variety of beautiful locales. The 2015 season runs from the rst week in January to
the middle of November, and takes the players from the shores of Australia to the
cities of Europe to the California coastand seemingly everywhere in between.
How can anyone follow it all, let alone make sense of whats happening from
week to week? Were here to help.
The next 20-plus pages preview the 15 tournaments that matter the most in the
coming season: the four Grand Slams, the tours two season-ending championships
and a variety of ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier events. For each tournament,
youll nd facts (including prize money, which has been converted to U.S. dollars),
stats, memorable moments and reasons to watch. Its a section youll want to
hang on to all year, to track the players as they criss-cross the globe.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 53

Jan.19 - Feb. 1

COMBINED 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

$27,644,395
WorldMags.net

Hard

SURFACE:

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

CATEGORY:

Grand Slam

AUSTRAL
When it comes to tournament resurrections, the
Australian Open remains the shining success story of
the last 30 years. After a couple of decades in the wilderness, when it was ignored by virtually every male player of note,
the Aussie Open reclaimed its full Slam status when it moved
into Melbourne Park, and changed from grass courts to hard, in
1988. Since then, the tournament has become perhaps the most
popular of the majors with the players, and one of the most
entertaining for spectators; some of the best matches of the last

20 years have been played on its medium-paced hard courts. On


the ip side, The Happy Slam has also become known for its
antipodal summer heat, which regularly exceeds 100 degrees.
In the years before the current ATP Golden Era, the Australian Open had a reputation for producing surprise winners; they
included Thomas Johansson, Petr Korda and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. That trend ended in 2004, when Roger Federer, Rafael
Nadal and Novak Djokovic took over and split nine of the next
10 titles between them.

BERDYCH

2014 Results

NADAL

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 STAN WAWRINKA
2013 NOVAK DJOKOVIC

BERDYCH

NADAL

2012 NOVAK DJOKOVIC


2011 NOVAK DJOKOVIC
ANDERSON

NISHIKORI
NADAL

2010 ROGER FEDERER


2009 RAFAEL NADAL

BERDYCH

2008 NOVAK DJOKOVIC


MAYER

DIMITROV

2007 ROGER FEDERER


2006 ROGER FEDERER

DIMITROV

2005 MARAT SAFIN

FERRER

NADAL

FERRER

BAUTISTA AGUT
WAWRINKA

WAWRINKA

MURRAY

WAWRINKA

MURRAY

WAWRINKA

ROBREDO

ROBERT
FEDERER

WAWRINKA
FOGNINI

TSONGA

DJOKOVIC

FEDERER

DJOKOVIC

FEDERER

Flashback: 2005
Federer has become known, among other things, as the master
of the tweener, but he didnt always have the shot down pat. In
fact, 10 years ago in Melbourne, he missed the most important
between-the-legs shot of his career. After reaching match point
in the fourth set of a terric seminal against Marat San,
Federer ranged back to the baseline and tried to end it in the
54 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

most spectacular way possible. Instead, his tweener ended up


in the net, and San came back to extend this classic. Federers
loss was tennis gain, as the two players dueled into a fth set,
which San won 97. The Russian went on to win the title, but
Federer went on to win the year as a whole. It was one of just
four losses, against 81 wins, that he suered in 2005.

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643,280

Jan. 19 - Feb. 1

SINGLES CHAMPIONS 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

$2,218,911
WorldMags.net

2014 ATTENDANCE:

128 players

DRAW:

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

IAN OPEN
The dark years werent quite as dark on the womens
side as they were on the mens. Starting in the early
1980s, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert made the
trip Down Under to play on the sloping grass at the creaky old
Kooyong Club in Melbourne; not surprisingly, they split ve
straight titles between them.
Greatness has continued to reign at the event over the last
decade: Serena Williams has won it ve times, and Justine
Henin, Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova once each. But the

womens event has begun to oer up its share of surprises and


breakthroughs. Victoria Azarenka won her rst major there in
2012. Ana Ivanovic and Li Na reached their rst Slam nals in
Australia before going on to win their rst majors at Roland
Garros. And Dominika Cibulkova came from outside the Top 10
to reach the nal in 2014. Now that Li, the defending champion,
is retired, there will be a scramble to ll her shoes. Serena hasnt
won it since 2010, so you know shell want to put an end to that
streak. The WTAs Slam season should begin with a shootout.

JANKOVIC

2014 Results

S. WILLIAMS

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 LI NA
2013 VICTORIA AZARENKA

HALEP

IVANOVIC

2012 VICTORIA AZARENKA


2011 KIM CLIJSTERS
HALEP

IVANOVIC
BOUCHARD

2010 SERENA WILLIAMS


2009 SERENA WILLIAMS

CIBULKOVA

2008 MARIA SHARAPOVA


CIBULKOVA

DELLACQUA

2007 SERENA WILLIAMS


2006 AMELIE MAURESMO

BOUCHARD

2005 SERENA WILLIAMS

CIBULKOVA

LI

SHARAPOVA

BOUCHARD
LI

RADWANSKA

LI

CIBULKOVA

LI

RADWANSKA

MUGURUZA

MAKAROVA
LI

RADWANSKA
STEPHENS

KERBER

AZARENKA

PENNETTA

AZARENKA

PENNETTA

AP

Flashback: 1970
You think Rafael Nadal has dominated the French Open? He
still has some work to do before he matches what Margaret
Court did at the Australian Open. From 1960 to 1973, the Perth
native and the most underrated great player in tennis history
won the tournament an astounding 11 times.
None of those wins were as signicant as the one she put

together in 1970, in Sydney. That title run 35 years ago, in which


she lost no more than three games in any set (including a 63,
61 quarternal dismissal of Evonne Goolagong), launched
Court to the tennis version of the Holy Grail, a calendar-year
Grand Slam. It was a feat that wouldnt be matched on the
womens side until Ste Graf did it 18 years later.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 55

March 11- 22

2014 PRIZE MONEY:

INDIAN WELLS, CA

CATEGORY:

$10,480,030

96 players

WorldMags.net
DRAW:

SURFACE:

Hard

Masters 1000 ( ATP ) Premier Mandatory (WTA )

BNP Paribas Open


An oasis has grown in the California desert over the last
ve years. Even as this tennis-loving state has watched
its other pro events zzle one by one, the sports roots
have only deepened in Indian Wells. A decade ago, this dualgender event appeared ready to relocate to Asia; instead, billionaire Larry Ellison got his handsand his dollarson it in
2009. Since then, the tournament has installed Hawk-Eye on
every court, boosted prize money and built a new stadium
complete with a Nobu restaurant. That might sound like tennis

for the 1 percent, but Indian Wells hasnt lost its laid-back,
sun-saturated appeal.
After a fan incident in 2001, Serena and Venus Williams have
boycotted the event, but many players enjoy its spring-training
vibe. The heart of the tour calendar starts here, as the top pros
groove their games on the slow hard courts; many of them
compete in doubles as well. But what happens here has consequences, especially on the mens side. Three of the past four
champs went on to nish the year No. 1.

ISNER

DOLGOPOLOV

ISNER

DOLGOPOLOV

FEDERER

RAONIC

GULBIS

DJOKOVIC
BENNETEAU

ANDERSON
DJOKOVIC
FEDERER

DJOKOVIC

( AT P )

PAST CHAMPIONS:
ATP

WTA

2014

N. DJOKOVIC

F. PENNETTA

2013

R. NADAL

M. SHARAPOVA

2012

R. FEDERER

V. AZARENKA

2011

N. DJOKOVIC

C. WOZNIACKI

2010

I. LJUBICIC

J. JANKOVIC

2009

R. NADAL

V. ZVONAREVA

2008

N. DJOKOVIC

A. IVANOVIC

2007

R. NADAL

D. HANTUCHOVA

2006

R. FEDERER

M. SHARAPOVA

2005

R. FEDERER

K. CLIJSTERS

DJOKOVIC

FEDERER

2014 Results
HALEP

LI

LI

HALEP

( W TA )

PENNETTA

CIBULKOVA

DELLACQUA

PENNETTA
JANKOVIC

PENNETTA
RADWANSKA
RADWANSKA

PENNETTA

RADWANSKA

STEPHENS

Flashback: 1999
Serena Williams may have experienced the worst moment of
her career at Indian Wells, when she was booed o the court
while winning the title in 2001. But before that, and before her
familys subsequent boycott of the tournament, we witnessed
one of her best. In a classic nal two years earlier, the 17-yearold, with beads ying, showed no fear or lack of condence in
56 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

beating 29-year-old legend Ste Graf, 63, 36, 75. That would
be the last time they would face each other, as Graf, who beat
Williams in their only other meeting, would retire three
months later. Did Graf see the writing on the wall? If so, this
match was responsible for ushering out the greatest player of
one era, and ushering in the greatest player of the next.

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2014 PRIZE MONEY:


CATEGORY:

Hard

Mar. 24 - Apr. 5

Masters 1000 ( ATP ) Premier Mandatory (WTA )

MIAMI, FL

$9,440,760

96 players

WorldMags.net
DRAW:

SURFACE:

Miami Open
In the eternal, imaginary race to be named the Fifth
Grand Slam, Miami has been surpassed by its dualgender, hard-court twin in Indian Wells. But the tournament is planning a counterattack, in the form of an ambitious
revamp and expansion of its aging Crandon Park connes. The
event was originally billed as the Winter Wimbledon by its
founder, Butch Buchholz. And while the European players have
been known to beat a hasty retreat home if things dont go their
way here, it remains one of the games major xtures. Maybe its

the moody night-session lighting in the main stadium, but


things tend to happen in Miami: This is, after all, where Mikhail
Youzhny took a racquet to his own forehead a few years ago.
For the last 13 years, Miami has also had two important assets
that Indian Wells has lacked: Venus and Serena Williams. Their
presence alone raises the prestige of the womens event. The
mens isnt too shabby either. Like Indian Wells, the slow courts
in Miami reward a patient game; little wonder that Novak
Djokovic won for the fourth time there in 2014.

FEDERER

NADAL

NISHIKORI

NADAL

NADAL

RAONIC

NISHIKORI

DJOKOVIC
MURRAY

DOLGOPOLOV
DJOKOVIC
BERDYCH

DJOKOVIC

( AT P )

PAST CHAMPIONS:
ATP

WTA

2014

N. DJOKOVIC

S. WILLIAMS

2013

A. MURRAY

S. WILLIAMS

2012

N. DJOKOVIC

A. RADWANSKA

2011

N. DJOKOVIC

V. AZARENKA

2010

A. RODDICK

K. CLIJSTERS

2009

A. MURRAY

V. AZARENKA

2008

N. DAVYDENKO

S. WILLIAMS

2007

N. DJOKOVIC

S. WILLIAMS

2006

R. FEDERER

S. KUZNETSOVA

2005

R. FEDERER

K. CLIJSTERS

DJOKOVIC

BERDYCH

2014 Results
CIBULKOVA

S. WILLIAMS

S. WILLIAMS

CIBULKOVA

( W TA )

S. WILLIAMS

KERBER

RADWANSKA

S. WILLIAMS
WOZNIACKI

SHARAPOVA
LI
SHARAPOVA

LI

LI

KVITOVA

AP

Flashback: 1997
Perhaps the most welcome, and unlikely, title on these hard
courts was won by a player known as the King of Clay. In 1989,
Thomas Muster had just won his semi when he was hit by a
drunk driver. The accident severed ligaments in Musters knee
and forced him to withdraw. Some thought his career was in
jeopardy, but not Muster. Practicing in a specially made chair,

he was back on tour within six months. It took this dirtballer a


little longer to get back to the nal in Miami, but he made it
there in 1997. This time, with his health intact and the crowd
behind him, he beat Sergi Bruguera for the title. The Mu Man
was rarely a sentimental favorite with his brutally physical
playing style, but he made the most of his chance in Miami.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 57

May 2 - 10

2014 PRIZE MONEY:

MADRID, SPAIN

CATEGORY:

$9,100,605

( ATP ): 56

( WTA ):

64

WorldMags.net
DRAW

DRAW

SURFACE:

Clay

Masters 1000 ( ATP ) Premier Mandatory (WTA )

Mutua Madrid Open


The big spring clay events in Monte Carlo, Rome and
Paris have been around so long that they seem carved in
stone. Not so their peripatetic sibling in Madrid. Billionaire owner Ion Tiriac rst took the event from Stuttgart and
made it a fall indoor tournament in Spains capital. Then, when
that nation turned into a tennis powerhouse, he built a hulking,
metallic multi-use facility on the citys outskirtsthe coldly
ambitious Caja Magicaand drove a mandatory dual-gender
event right into the heart of the clay season. The tennis world

has yet to warm up to the facility, and the players hated the
slippery blue clay that Tiriac laid down in 2012, but Madrid has
given a new look to an old surface.
Tiriacs grandest plan is to turn his event into a Grand Slam.
Thats a stretch, even for him, but Madrid has served as a dress
rehearsal for the French Open in recent years, especially on the
womens side. In 2013, Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova in
straight sets in the Madrid and Paris nals; in 2014, Sharapova
beat Simona Halep 64 in the third in both title matches.

NISHIKORI

NADAL

NISHIKORI

NADAL

NADAL

BERDYCH

LOPEZ

NADAL
FERRER

BAUTISTA AGUT
NISHIKORI
BAUTISTA AGUT

FERRER

( AT P )

PAST CHAMPIONS:
ATP

WTA

2014

R. NADAL

M. SHARAPOVA

2013

R. NADAL

S. WILLIAMS

2012

R. FEDERER

S. WILLIAMS

2011

N. DJOKOVIC

P. KVITOVA

2010

R. NADAL

A. REZAI

2009

R. FEDERER

D. SAFINA

2008

A. MURRAY

2007

D. NALBANDIAN

2006

R. FEDERER

2005

R. NADAL

GULBIS

GIRALDO

2014 Results
GARCIA

S. WILLIAMS

KVITOVA

RADWANSKA

( W TA )

HALEP

KVITOVA

RADWANSKA

SHARAPOVA
SHARAPOVA

HALEP
SHARAPOVA
SHARAPOVA

HALEP

LI

IVANOVIC

Flashback: 2009
The 2009 seminal between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic
will forever be known as Death in the Afternoon. The name is a
reference to Ernest Hemingways Spanish bullghting novel,
but from a tennis perspective, it was quite literally true for
both players. That year Rafa and Nole came in having contested
two roller-coaster nals on clay in Monte Carlo and Rome.
58 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

They outdid themselves in Madrid, as they took the crowd on a


four-hour thrill ride of twists, turns, winners, digs, drop shots
and running passes. Finally, after saving three match points,
Nadal ended up the winner, 36, 76, 76 in 4:03, and ended up
at on his back in triumph. Neither man won another tournament for six months. They had gored each other in the bullring.

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2014 PRIZE MONEY:


SURFACE:

$5,892,109

56 players

May 10 - 17

Masters 1000 ( ATP ) Premier 5 (WTA )

ROME, ITALY

WorldMags.net

Clay

DRAW:

CATEGORY:

Internazionali BNL dItalia


Rome, the Eternal City, oers tennis in a suitably
historic setting, though its probably better just to
appreciate the sunken marble arena and the mysterious
statues that tower over it without thinking too much about why
theyre there. The Foro Italico, one of the games most picturesque facilities, was originally called the Foro Mussolini. Italys
Fascist dictator had it built for his own greater glory in the 1930s.
Recently remade into a dual-gender event, Rome has
upgraded itself accordingly. The 4-year-old main stadium,

the Campo Centrale, puts spectators right on top of the players.


Thats the way it has always felt in Rome; the fans wander
wherever they want, and make noise whenever they want. But
nothing has distracted the worlds best from dominating on
Romes relatively quick, low-bouncing clay. The last time a man
other than Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic won here was 2004,
and Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have split the last
four WTA titles. This is the last stop before the French Open,
and the top players start rising to the occasion early.

RAONIC

NADAL

RAONIC

NADAL

NADAL

MURRAY

CHARDY

DJOKOVIC
FERRER

HAAS
DJOKOVIC
DIMITROV

DJOKOVIC

( AT P )

PAST CHAMPIONS:
ATP

WTA

2014

N. DJOKOVIC

S. WILLIAMS

2013

R. NADAL

S. WILLIAMS

2012

R. NADAL

M. SHARAPOVA

2011

N. DJOKOVIC

M. SHARAPOVA

2010

R. NADAL

M. MARTINEZ SANCHEZ

2009

R. NADAL

D. SAFINA

2008

N. DJOKOVIC

J. JANKOVIC

2007

R. NADAL

J. JANKOVIC

2006

R. NADAL

M. HINGIS

2005

R. NADAL

A. MAURESMO

DJOKOVIC

DIMITROV

2014 Results
JANKOVIC

S. WILLIAMS

S. WILLIAMS

JANKOVIC

( W TA )

S. WILLIAMS

ZHANG

RADWANSKA

S. WILLIAMS

SUAREZ
NAVARRO

ERRANI
ERRANI
ERRA
IVANOVIC

ERRANI

LI

IVANOVIC

AP

Flashback: 1978
Fans in Rome still make noise, but they dont get rowdy the way
they once did. In the 1978 semis, fans serenaded Italys Adriano
Panattaand rained boos, jeers, coins, Coke cans and cries of
Buoon! on his opponent, Jose Higueras. The chair umpire
eventually screamed into his microphone, Silenzio, cretini!
(Silence, cretins!), but that didnt stop them. The match

ended with Higueras making an obscene gesture to the crowd


and walking o before it was over. Bjorn Borg was next in the
nal, but the Romans heat could not defeat the Swedes icy
cool. After ve sets, Panatta was no match for Borgs consistency and stamina either. Borg is Borg, was how Panatta, a
cigarette hanging from his mouth, summed it up afterward.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 59

May 24 - June 7

COMBINED 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

$30,994,914
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Clay

SURFACE:

PARIS, FRANCE

CATEGORY:

Grand Slam

ROLAND
In 2005, Rafael Nadal rst put his hand on the winners
trophy in Paris, known as the Coupes des Mousquetaires. Only once in the last 10 years, when he was
beaten by Robin Soderling in the upset of the century in 2009,
has he let it go. Theres only one name youve needed to know at
the French Open over the last decade. During that time, Nadal
is 66-1 at Roland Garros, with nine titles in 10 attempts. Theres
death, there are taxes, and theres Nadal in Paris.
Is there any reason to think that someone other than Rafa

could hoist the hardware in 2015? Yes and no. For the last three
years, Novak Djokovic has been publicly gunning for Nadals
crown; its the only major title he doesnt own, and the one that
he has repeatedly said he wants the most. Maybe repeating that
has been a mistake. Each of those years, Djokovic has had a
crack at Rafa in either the semis or the nal; each time he has
pressed, gotten down on himself and come up short. But you
can bet Nole will be there to try again in early June. Rafa has to
lose sometime. Right?

BERDYCH

2014 Results

NADAL

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 RAFAEL NADAL
2013 RAFAEL NADAL

BERDYCH

NADAL

2012 RAFAEL NADAL


2011 RAFAEL NADAL
ISNER

LAJOVIC
NADAL

2010 RAFAEL NADAL


2009 ROGER FEDERER

GULBIS

2008 RAFAEL NADAL


GULBIS

ANDERSON

2007 RAFAEL NADAL


2006 RAFAEL NADAL

FERRER

2005 RAFAEL NADAL

GULBIS

NADAL

FEDERER

FERRER
NADAL

RAONIC

GARCIA-LOPEZ

DJOKOVIC

MONFILS

RAONIC

GRANOLLERS

MONFILS
MURRAY

DJOKOVIC
TSONGA

VERDASCO

DJOKOVIC

MURRAY

DJOKOVIC

MURRAY

Flashback: 1990
Before Robin beat Rafa, the biggest shocker at the French had
been Andres Gomezs win over Andre Agassi in the 1990 nal.
The 19-year-old American was thought to be the future of the
sport, while Gomez, at 30, was already receding into the past.
In fact, Agassi thought the Ecuadorian lefty had already retired.
Little did anyone know, though, that Agassi had a secret
60 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

problem: Warming up before the match, I pray, he remembered, Not for a win, but for my hairpiece to stay on. It had
come loose in the shower the previous night, and was clamped,
shakily, in place by bobby pins. Agassi was distracted; even
worse, he had the wrong game plan. He tried to make the rallies
longer, but Gomez kept them short and beat him to the punch.

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2013 ATTENDANCE:
DRAW:

428,751

May 24 - June 7

SINGLES CHAMPIONS 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

$2,038,599
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128 players

PARIS, FRANCE

GARROS
Rafa, rinse and repeat: Thats how the mens draws have
gone at Roland Garros in recent years. Not so on the
womens side, where the last player to repeat was
Justine Henin in 2007. The Belgians retirement led to an
immediate free-for-all, in which Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana
Kuznetsova and Francesca Schiavone emerged as surprise
winnersless surprising is that none of them has won a major
nal since. But champions abhor a void, and two of them have
since rushed in to ll the one left by Henin. Maria Sharapova

and Serena Williams have turned themselves into late-career


dirtballers, splitting the last three titles between them.
Can anyone break up their budding dirt dynasty? The most
likely candidate would seem to be 23-year-old Simona Halep.
In 2014, Sharapova willed herself through several three-setters,
none tougher than her nal-round gut-wrencher over Halep.
It doesnt take much imagination to picture the Romanian,
a smooth mover and eortless ball-striker, turning the tables
and winning it all in Paris this spring.

KUZNETSOVA

2014 Results

MUGURUZA

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 MARIA SHARAPOVA
2013 SERENA WILLIAMS

KUZNETSOVA

MUGURUZA

2012 MARIA SHARAPOVA


2011 LI NA
SAFAROVA

PARMENTIER
SHARAPOVA

2010 FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE


2009 SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA

HALEP

2008 ANA IVANOVIC


STEPHENS

STOSUR

2007 JUSTINE HENIN


2006 JUSTINE HENIN

SHARAPOVA

2005 JUSTINE HENIN

HALEP

SHARAPOVA

HALEP

SHARAPOVA
SHARAPOVA

JANKOVIC

TOMLJANOVIC
SUAREZ
NAVARRO

HALEP

ERRANI

SUAREZ
NAVARRO

ERRANI
BOUCHARD

PETKOVIC
BERTENS

BOUCHARD

PETKOVIC

BOUCHARD

PETKOVIC

KERBER

AP

Flashback: 1985
Something had to give for Chris Evert in the 1985 nal. On the
plus side, the ve-time champ was playing on a surface where
she had gone 189-2 from 1973 to 81. On the minus side, she was
facing her least favorite opponent at the time, Martina Navratilova. Heading in, Evert had lost 15 of 16 to her longtime rival.
She would save some of the best tennis of her career for this,

perhaps the most memorable of all 80 matches in their rivalry.


Evert won the rst set, but Martina came back numerous
times to force a third. The two raised each others games
throughout; the nal 20 minutes were a whirlwind of desperate
shotmaking. Evert came up with the most desperate, and best,
shot of all for the titlea stunning, running backhand pass.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 61

June 29 - July 12

COMBINED 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

$39,225,525
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Grass

SURFACE:

LONDON, ENGLAND

CATEGORY:

Grand Slam

WIMBL
The Big W is still as big as ever among the men: Novak
Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all say that
its their favorite trophy to hold, and Andy Murray made
himself immortal in 2013 by becoming the rst British man to
win that trophy in 77 years. Since 2001, when the All England
Clubs groundskeepers switched to a heartier, all-rye variety of
grass, weve been hearing laments from the old guard about how
no one serves-and-volleys on Centre Court anymore. Thats
true, but the style played there today is more entertaining and

dynamic than it ever was in the age of the one-and-done service


bombers. These days at Wimbledon, aggression and athleticism
are a requirement, and risks are rewarded.
Not surprisingly, the ATPs best are rewarded the most. The
Big 4 have won every title since 2002. Last year, Djokovic beat
Federer in a classic ve-set nal. At the time, it looked as if that
might be Federers last best chance to win an 18th major. Now it
looks like he might have another shot in 2015. Of course, all of
his rivals are going to make a title at the Big W their goal as well.

WAWRINKA

2014 Results

DJOKOVIC

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 NOVAK DJOKOVIC
2013 ANDY MURRAY

WAWRINKA

DJOKOVIC

2012 ROGER FEDERER


2011 NOVAK DJOKOVIC
LOPEZ

TSONGA
DJOKOVIC

2010 RAFAEL NADAL


2009 ROGER FEDERER

FEDERER

2008 RAFAEL NADAL


ROBREDO

CHARDY

2007 ROGER FEDERER


2006 ROGER FEDERER

CILIC

2005 ROGER FEDERER

FEDERER

DJOKOVIC

FEDERER

CILIC
DJOKOVIC

RAONIC

MURRAY

FEDERER

MURRAY

RAONIC

NISHIKORI

ANDERSON
DIMITROV

RAONIC
KYRGIOS

DIMITROV

KYRGIOS

DIMITROV

NADAL

MAYER

Flashback: 1975
Arthur Ashe knew he couldnt play his normal slashing power
game in the 1975 nal against Jimmy Connors, because Connors, the games premier counter-puncher and No. 1 player,
would throw the ball right back in his faceand right past him.
So Ashe went away from his instincts and put together
perhaps the most strategically savvy match in tennis history.
62 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

He dinked, he sliced, he changed paces, he added spin to his


serve and took speed o of it: In short, he did whatever he
could to rob Connors of the pace he craved and forced him to
generate it himself. The plan worked better than even Ashe
could have hoped, as he pulled o one of the sports biggest,
and most popular, upsets.

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2014 ATTENDANCE:
DRAW:

491,084

June 29 - July 12

SINGLES CHAMPIONS 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

$2,761,457
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128 players

LONDON, ENGLAND

LEDON
Once upon a time, Centre Court was the playground of
legendary women players: Martina Navratilovas run of
dominance was followed by Ste Grafs, which was
followed by Venus and Serena Williams. From 1978 to 2012,
those four women combined to win 26 of 34 Wimbledon titles.
There wasnt much room for Cinderella or the second tier at the
games most prestigious event.
Is all that about to change? The women have oered their
share of surprises at Wimbledon of late. In 2013, two Grand

Slam Cinderellas, Marion Bartoli and Sabine Lisicki, faced o


for the title. In 2014, Petra Kvitova, an erratic slugger who has
never reached the title match at the other three majors, beat
20-year-old Eugenie Bouchard for her second Wimbledon
championship. The womens Big 3Serena, Maria Sharapova
and Victoria Azarenkahave been notably absent from the nal
weekend recently. Its not a stretch to think that Kvitova, who is
a dierent, more stubbornly competitive player at Wimbledon
than she is anywhere else, will come in as the woman to beat.

SMITKOVA

2014 Results

CORNET

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 PETRA KVITOVA
2013 MARION BARTOLI

SAFAROVA

BOUCHARD

2012 SERENA WILLIAMS


2011 PETRA KVITOVA
SAFAROVA

BOUCHARD
BOUCHARD

2010 SERENA WILLIAMS


2009 SERENA WILLIAMS

SAFAROVA

2008 VENUS WILLIAMS


MAKAROVA

KERBER

2007 VENUS WILLIAMS


2006 AMELIE MAURESMO

KERBER

2005 VENUS WILLIAMS

MAKAROVA

BOUCHARD

RADWANSKA

SHARAPOVA
KVITOVA

KVITOVA

HALEP

KVITOVA

HALEP

KVITOVA

PENG

DIYAS
HALEP
EP

KVITOVA
WOZNIACKI

LISICKI
ZAHLAVOVA
STRYCOVA

LISICKI

ZAHLAVOVA
STRYCOVA

SHVEDOVA

AP

Flashback: 2005
The 2005 nal was a battle between two former champs, Venus
Williams and Lindsay Davenport. Power met power for three
long, tight, nerve-wracking sets. For much of that time, it
looked as if Davenport would earn her second titleshe won
the rst set, pushed the second to a tiebreaker and reached
match point in the third. But Venus smacked a winner to save

it, and willed herself to a Houdini-like escape, 46, 76 (4), 97.


But its what came afterward that people will remember
forever: Venus leaping. She couldnt stop jumping, as high as
she could, for joy. This was sports at its most euphoricand
most painful. Davenport, forced to sit and wait for the trophy
ceremony, had to watch all of Venus leaps from a few feet away.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 63

August 10 - 16

2014 PRIZE MONEY:

MONTREAL / TORONTO, CANADA

SURFACE

$5,286,240

WorldMags.net
Hard

CATEGORY:

DRAW:

56 players

Masters 1000 ( ATP ) Premier 5 (WTA )

Rogers Cup
In recent years, the Rogers Cup, which alternates
among the men and women between Montreal and
Toronto, has felt like the beginning of a second season.
The rst signicant event after Wimbledon, it kicks o the
North American hard-court swing and shifts the tennis worlds
attention toward the US Open. This year, though, with Wimbledon moving back a week, that shift may feel like it comes a little
bit sooner. The top players often get to Canada a little rusty
witness the surprise runs by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Agnieszka

Radwanska last year. In both cases, it was their only title of 2014.
Among the women, Radwanska was continuing a tradition of
success by Grand Slam also-ransDinara Sana and Caroline
Wozniacki have won up north, while Maria Sharapova hasnt.
The mens event, on the other hand, has been a jumping-o
point for future Slam winners; Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic
and Andy Murray all won Canada before their rst major. The
men are in Montreal in 2015, but the next man to launch himself
up north could be Toronto native Milos Raonic.

RAONIC

TSONGA

LOPEZ

TSONGA

TSONGA

MURRAY

LOPEZ

TSONGA
FERRER

ANDERSON
FEDERER
DIMITROV

FEDERER

( AT P )

PAST CHAMPIONS:
ATP

WTA

2014

J. TSONGA

A. RADWANSKA

2013

R. NADAL

S. WILLIAMS

2012

N. DJOKOVIC

P. KVITOVA

2011

N. DJOKOVIC

S. WILLIAMS

2010

A. MURRAY

C. WOZNIACKI

2009

A. MURRAY

E. DEMENTIEVA

2008

R. NADAL

D. SAFINA

2007

N. DJOKOVIC

J. HENIN

2006

R. FEDERER

A. IVANOVIC

2005

R. NADAL

K. CLIJSTERS

FEDERER

DIMITROV

2014 Results
AZARENKA

S. WILLIAMS

S. WILLIAMS

RADWANSKA

( W TA )

V. WILLIAMS

WOZNIACKI

RADWANSKA

RADWANSKA

SUAREZ
NAVARRO

VANDEWEGHE
RADWANSKA
MAKAROVA

V. WILLIAMS

MAKAROVA

V. WILLIAMS

Flashback: 2007
If future tennis historians want to pinpoint the moment that
the current Golden Age of mens tennis began, they might want
to consider the 2007 Rogers Cup. That was the week when
Djokovic joined the party by beating Andy Roddick, Rafael
Nadal and Roger Federer, the latter for the rst time, to win his
second Masters title. Before that tournament, the ATPs top
64 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

tier had been a two-man club, with room for just Roger and
Rafa. As Nadal said at the time, he had seen Djokovic coming up
fast in his rearview mirror for more than a year; this was when
he caught up to him. After his Montreal milestone, the Serb
would go on to reach his rst Grand Slam nal, at the US Open
a month later, and win the one after that, in Melbourne.

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2014 PRIZE MONEY:


SURFACE:

56 players

August 16 - 23

Masters 1000 ( ATP ) Premier 5 (WTA )

CINCINNATI, OH

$5,622,965

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Hard

DRAW:

CATEGORY:

Western & Southern Open


Founded in 1899, this Cincinnati stalwart is the longestrunning U.S. tournament to be held in one location. But
it has only really come into its own as an international
event in the last few years. Played in the out-of-the-way suburb
of Masona highway and Marriott, one less-than-impressed
European player remarkedit was once something of an
afterthought among the other Masters tournaments. But since
being bought by the USTA in 2008, it has steadily upgraded its
facilities and boosted its WTA event to a Premier 5. Now all of

the top women join all of the top men for the Grand Slam of the
Heartland, before they head o to play the countrys real Grand
Slam in New York City.
Like Rome, which also leads into a major, the cream tends to
rise to the top in anticipation. Roger Federer is a six-time
champion, Serena Williams took home the title in 2014, and
Victoria Azarenka beat Serena in a classic nal in 2013. More
important for U.S. tennis, though, Cincy has established itself
as a destination for fans, rather than just a US Open tune-up.

RAONIC

ROBREDO

RAONIC

FERRER

FERRER

FERRER

FOGNINI

FEDERER
MURRAY

WAWRINKA
FEDERER
BENNETEAU

FEDERER

( AT P )

PAST CHAMPIONS:
ATP

WTA

2014

R. FEDERER

S. WILLIAMS

2013

R. NADAL

V. AZARENKA

2012

R. FEDERER

L. NA

2011

A. MURRAY

M. SHARAPOVA

2010

R. FEDERER

K. CLIJSTERS

2009

R. FEDERER

J. JANKOVIC

2008

A. MURRAY

N. PETROVA

2007

R. FEDERER

A. CHAKVETADZE

2006

A. RODDICK

V. ZVONAREVA

2005

R. FEDERER

P. SCHNYDER

FEDERER

BENNETEAU

2014 Results
IVANOVIC

S. WILLIAMS

S. WILLIAMS

IVANOVIC

( W TA )

S. WILLIAMS

JANKOVIC

SVITOLINA

S. WILLIAMS
SHARAPOVA

RADWANSKA
IVANOVIC
WOZNIACKI

SHARAPOVA

HALEP

WOZNIACKI

AP

Flashback: 2013
In 2013, Victoria Azarenka won the battle in Cincinnati over
Serena Williams before losing the war to her in Flushing
Meadows. But the battle was the better match. Much of it
followed a familiar script: Player challenges Serena; Serena
comes back to win in the end. This one, though, came with a
last-second plot twist instead, as Azarenka broke Serena when

she served for the match at 54 in the third set and held on to
win a wild tiebreaker. It wasnt perfect, and at times it wasnt
pretty, but this was modern-day womens tennis at its most
competitive, powerful and athletic, and it helped establish the
WTA event in Cincinnati as the equal of the mens in terms of
import and prestige.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 65

Aug. 31 - Sept.13

COMBINED 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

$38,251,760
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SURFACE:

NEW YORK, NY

CATEGORY:

Grand Slam

US O
Bigger is always better in New York, and that certainly
holds true for its signature tennis tournament. The US
Open, the most gargantuan of the Grand Slams, is in the
midst of a building spree that has already altered the atmosphere
at Flushing Meadows. In 2014, a new set of bleachers opened
above the practice area on one side, and a jam-packed set of
side courts on the other. Gone, it seems, are the days when
fans wandered the grounds in search of a match; now were
brought together, cheek to cheek, on tennis islands at each

corner of the facility. In the process, the Open has done what
seemed impossible: made itself even rowdier.
Is it also about to get more unpredictable on the mens side?
Last years nal, between Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori, was the
rst since 2003 not to include at least one member of the Big 4.
Many thought the match signaled a changing of the ATP guard,
but weve heard that before, when Juan Martin del Potro broke
the Big 4 hex to win the title in 2009. Will 2015 be another
showing of The Empire Strikes Back in New York?

BERDYCH

2014 Results

DJOKOVIC

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 MARIN CILIC
2013 RAFAEL NADAL

BERDYCH

DJOKOVIC

2012 ANDY MURRAY


2011 NOVAK DJOKOVIC

KOHLSCHREIBER

THIEM
DJOKOVIC

2010 RAFAEL NADAL


2009 JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

CILIC

2008 ROGER FEDERER


CILIC

TSONGA

2007 ROGER FEDERER


2006 ROGER FEDERER

MURRAY

2005 ROGER FEDERER

CILIC

NISHIKORI

SIMON

MURRAY
CILIC

DIMITROV

WAWRINKA

CILIC

WAWRINKA

MONFILS

MONFILS

ROBREDO
NISHIKORI
RI

FFEDERER
BAUTISTA AGUT

NISHIKORI

FEDERER

NISHIKORI

FEDERER

RAONIC

Flashback: 1995
This is a tough year for Andre Agassi and anniversaries at the
Open. Twenty-ve years ago, in 1990, he was ambushed by his
19-year-old countryman Pete Sampras in straight sets. Five
years later, in the 1995 nal, he was beaten again by Sampras,
this time in four sets.
The second edition was closer, but it may have been more
66 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

painful for Agassi. That year he had taken over the No. 1 ranking, and that summer he had gone on a tear, winning 26 straight
matches and beating Sampras in the nal of two Masters
events. Yet it was all, in Agassis mind, for naught, as Pistol Pete
turned the tables in the match that counted at Flushing Meadows, reasserting his superiority in their rivalry for good.

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2014 ATTENDANCE:
DRAW:

713,642

SINGLES CHAMPIONS 2014 PRIZE MONEY:

Aug. 31 - Sept.13

$3,000,000
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128 players

NEW YORK, NY

O PEN
The story of Serena Williams life is intertwined with
the Open. Its where she won her rst Grand Slam title
in 1999, at age 17, and her 18th major at age 33, last year.
Its where she was defaulted for screaming at a line judge in
2009, and where she had a less-than-friendly discussion with a
chair umpire for calling a hindrance on her two years later. Its
where she lost her rst major nal to her sister, Venus, three
days before 9/11, and where she turned the tables on her as she
ascended to No. 1 the following year. In 2014, the Open served

as a port in a storm for Serena: After losing early at the other


Slams, she was bound and determined to make up for it in
Queens. And she did, winning her third straight title with ease.
Can anyone bring a new story to the Open this year? Its going
to be tough. Victoria Azarenka gave Serena her best in two
nals, but her best wasnt quite good enough. Maria Sharapova
hasnt been to the nal since 2006. And last years nalist,
Caroline Wozniacki, never stood a chance against Serena. Well
see what the next chapter in Serenas Open saga brings in 2015.

BENCIC

2014 Results

S. WILLIAMS

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 SERENA WILLIAMS
2013 SERENA WILLIAMS

BENCIC

S. WILLIAMS

2012 SERENA WILLIAMS


2011 SAM STOSUR
JANKOVIC

KANEPI
S. WILLIAMS

2010 KIM CLIJSTERS


2009 KIM CLIJSTERS

PENG

2008 SERENA WILLIAMS


SAFAROVA

PENNETTA

2007 JUSTINE HENIN


2006 MARIA SHARAPOVA

PENNETTA

2005 KIM CLIJSTERS

PENG

S. WILLIAMS

PENG

DELLACQUA
S. WILLIAMS

SHARAPOVA

KRUNIC

WOZNIACKI

AZARENKA

WOZNIACKI

WOZNIACKI

AZARENKA
MAKAROVA
A

WOZNIACKI
ERRANI

MAKAROVA

ERRANI

MAKAROVA

LUCIC-BARONI

BOUCHARD

AP

Flashback: 1950
In 1950, tennis had its Jackie Robinson moment at Forest Hills.
The woman who broke the sports color barrier was Althea
Gibson, a New York native who became the rst AfricanAmerican, man or woman, to play in her countrys national
tournament. The 23-year-old won her rst match, then was one
game from victory over Wimbledon champion Louise Brough

when a violent storm stopped play, and lightning knocked one


of the concrete eagles at the top of the horseshoe stadium o
its perch. When lightning put that eagle down, Gibson said
after her loss, maybe it was a sign times were changing. She
was right: Seven years later, Gibson would become the rst
African-American to win Wimbledon and Forest Hills.

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Jan/Feb 2015 tennis.com 67

October 3 - 11

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SURFACE:

Hard

Premier Mandatory (WTA )

China Open
The Fifth Grand Slam is a popular concept among
tennis chattering classes. Its even more popular
among tournament publicists. At various times, Rome,
Miami and now Indian Wells have been given this cticious yet
prestigious label. Ion Tiriac has worked hard to make it happen
for his tournament in Madrid, so far without success. But if
there were ever a candidate for a real fth major, it would be
the China Open in Beijing. The tournament is already dualgender. It already oers major-level prize moneymore for

the women, in fact. Its already held in the fall, so it wouldnt


conict with any other Slams. And best of all for the future
of the game, its in Asia, which is where tennis and the rest of
the sports world continues to head.
And consider its champions: Novak Djokovic has played
the mens event ve times and won it ve times. The womens
list of winners has been no less impressiveVictoria Azarenka
in 2012, Serena Williams in 2013 and Maria Sharapova last year.
That sounds pretty major to us.

KERBER

2014 Results

S. WILLIAMS

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 MARIA SHARAPOVA
2013 SERENA WILLIAMS

KUZNETSOVA

S. WILLIAMS

2012 VICTORIA AZARENKA


2011 AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA
KUZNETSOVA

SAFAROVA
STOSUR

2010 CAROLINE WOZNIACKI


2009 SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA

SHARAPOVA

SUAREZ
NAVARRO

CORNET

2008 JELENA JANKOVIC


2007 AGNES SZAVAY
2006 SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA

STOSUR

2005 MARIA KIRILENKO

SHARAPOVA

KVITOVA

SHARAPOVA

STOSUR
SHARAPOVA

LISICKI

KVITOVA

SHARAPOVA

KVITOVA

IVANOVIC

IVANOVIC

V. WILLIAMS
KVITOVA

IVANOVIC
PETKOVIC

MAKAROVA

HALEP

VINCI

HALEP

VINCI

Any fan who misses Li Na, or wonders what she brought to the
sport, might want to nd a clip of her 2013 quarternal loss to
Petra Kvitova in Beijing. The match was great, a three-set
roller-coaster between two of the games premier power
hitters. But the Chinese fans, oohing and aahing with each
swing, were even better. I cant control the spectators,
68 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

Li said when asked about the crowd after the match. I was
expecting that they will support Li Na today, Kvitova said.
Thats normal. Wasnt a big surprise. But I heard some fans
on my side, too, so it was so nice.
More than any sponsor deals in Asia, harnessing that enthusiasm really would be something new and exciting for tennis.

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AP

Flashback: 2013

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CATEGORY:

SURFACE:

Hard

Masters 1000 (ATP )

Shanghai Rolex Masters


The ATPs biggest initiative in the last decade has been
its push into China. The tour held its year-end championships there from 2005 to 2008, and it has worked to
help create a male star from the country to accompany Li Na.
Progress has obviously been slow on that front, and tennis
popularity among the general Chinese population hasnt caught
refans there still come out to see the stars as much as they
do the game. But the ATPs one tangible sign of success is this
tournament. The Shanghai Masters has become a popular stop

for the players, who have voted it the most welcoming event on
tour. And when they do arrive, the fans bring a highly vocal and
infectious avor to their rooting that feels new to the sport.
What doesnt feel new are the players who win in Shanghai.
Like most important ATP events, the Big 4 have dominated
here. The conventional wisdom used to be that the top pros
wouldnt travel to Asia to play one fall event, but Shanghai has
proven that idea false. In the process, it has expanded the global
reach of the tour, and livened up the formerly fallow fall season.

BERDYCH

2014 Results

DJOKOVIC

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 ROGER FEDERER
2013 NOVAK DJOKOVIC

BERDYCH

DJOKOVIC

2012 NOVAK DJOKOVIC


2011 ANDY MURRAY
KARLOVIC

KUKUSHKIN
DJOKOVIC

2010 ANDY MURRAY


2009 NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO

SIMON
JAZIRI

MURRAY

FERRER

SIMON

FEDERER

SIMON

FERRER
FEDERER

MONACO

FEDERER

SIMON

FEDERER

YOUZHNY

YOUZHNY

BAUTISTA AGUT
FEDERER

LOPEZ
ISNER

BENNETEAU

LOPEZ

BENNETEAU

LOPEZ

SOCK

There are many reasons to look forward to the return of Juan


Martin del Potro to the tour in 2015. Foremost among them is
his rivalry with Novak Djokovic. Granted, there are closer
head-to-head records between players; Djokovic leads this one
11-3. But mixing the Serbs steadiness with the Argentines
theatrical pyrotechnics often leads to something special.
70 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

They proved that in their classic, ve-set 2013 Wimbledon


seminal, and they proved it again later that year in the Shanghai nal. Both times, del Potro blistered the ball to the corners;
both times, he won the crowd over with his low-key showmanship; both times, he looked to be on the verge of pulling o the
upset. Both times, Djokovic steeled himself to win in the end.

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Flashback: 2013

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November 2 -8

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Indoor Hard

Masters 1000 (ATP )

BNP Paribas Masters


Held on the other side of Paris from Roland Garros
in the neighborhood of Bercy, this fall xture is the
spiritual and stylistic antithesis of the citys Grand
Slam. Its played on indoor hard courts instead of outdoor clay
and, unlike the staid and serious French Open, the BNP Paribas
Mastersalso known as the Paris Open and Paris Indoors
isnt above using a full-throttle light-and-music show to get fans
pumped up for each match. The crowd isnt there to see and be
seen; its there to see tennis, especially French tennis.

And the French players usually dont disappoint. Jo-Wilfried


Tsonga has won the title, Gael Monls has reached the nal
and even the recently retired Michael Llodra was a two-time
seminalist. For a few years, the tournament was played
immediately before the ATP World Tour Finals in London,
which meant the top players didnt always prioritize Paris. Now
theres a week in between the events, and soon there will be a
renovated facility in Bercy. Both should restore this tournaments
late-season luster and make it worthy of the City of Light.

BERDYCH

2014 Results

DJOKOVIC

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014 NOVAK DJOKOVIC
2013 NOVAK DJOKOVIC

BERDYCH

DJOKOVIC

2012 DAVID FERRER


2011 ROGER FEDERER
LOPEZ

MONFILS
DJOKOVIC

2010 ROBIN SODERLING


2009 NOVAK DJOKOVIC

BERDYCH

2008 JO-WILFRIED TSONGA


ANDERSON

DIMITROV

2007 DAVID NALBANDIAN


2006 NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO

MURRAY

2005 TOMAS BERDYCH

ANDERSON

DJOKOVIC

WAWRINKA

MURRAY
DJOKOVIC

RAONIC

FERRER

RAONIC

FERRER

RAONIC

BAUTISTA AGUT

VERDASCO
NISHIKORI

RAONIC
POUILLE

TSONGA

FEDERER

NISHIKORI

FEDERER

NISHIKORI

In 1989, Boris Becker was on top of the sport, and John McEnroe
was in the twilight of his career, but the American nearly
matched the German over three superb sets in the semis. As
you might expect, the personality clash between the two was
almost as entertaining as the match itself. Becker had a habit of
coughing on court, which McEnroe suspected wasnt entirely a
72 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

physical problem. McEnroe decided he would cough whenever


Becker did. Curiously, McEnroe said, he always coughed on
break points. Agitated, Becker told McEnroe, Stop [bleeping]
around, John, I caught a cold. McEnroe answered that Becker
must have had that cold since 1985. He who coughs most
coughs best, it seems: Becker won 76 (2), 36, 63.

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Flashback: 1989

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Season-Ending Event

CATEGORY:

BNP Paribas WTA Finals


No positive development on the WTA tour in recent
years has been as heartening, or surprising, as the
success of its season-ending championships in Istanbul
and now Singapore. For years, as it moved from New York to
Los Angeles to Madrid to Doha, the event struggled to draw
fans. Not anymore. Last October in Singapore, fans lled every
seat and stayed until the bitter end of every session. Three
decades after its advent, the games biggest womens-only
showcase is thriving again.

What isnt a surprise is that Serena Williams has been


thriving right along with it. In the past, she had tended to
pull the plug on her season after the majors, but the last three
years she has gone the distance. Each time, she has closed in
style, by taking the years most likely contender to her throne
and kicking her back o the mountaintop. In 2012, it was Maria
Sharapova; in 2013, it was Li Na; in 2014, it was Simona Halep.
Serena has treated the WTA Finals like a major, and thats how
the tournament feels again.

PAST CHAMPIONS:

S. WILLIAMS
HALEP

BOUCHARD

IVANOVIC

W
W

WHITE
GROUP

SHARAPOVA

L
W

KVITOVA

RADWANSKA

WOZNIACKI

SHARAPOVA

KVITOVA

RADWANSKA

WOZNIACKI

IVANOVIC

BOUCHARD

HALEP

RED
GROUP

S. WILLIAMS

2014 Results

S. WILLIAMS

2014

SERENA WILLIAMS

2013

SERENA WILLIAMS

2012

SERENA WILLIAMS

2011

PETRA KVITOVA

2010

KIM CLIJSTERS

2009

SERENA WILLIAMS

2008

VENUS WILLIAMS

2007

JUSTINE HENIN

2006

JUSTINE HENIN

2005

AMELIE MAURESMO

RADWANSKA

HALEP

S. WILLIAMS

S. WILLIAMS
WOZNIACKI

HALEP

The question is asked on a seemingly annual basis: Can the


women play best-three-out-of-ve sets? It has somehow
slipped many of our minds, but they did just that for 15 years
in the nal of the WTAs season-ending championship.
Some of those matches were forgettable. Others were wildly
up-and-down; in the 1996 nal, Ste Graf won the third set
74 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

over Martina Hingis 60, lost the fourth set 46, and came back
to win the fth 60 again. Of those 14 matches, only three went
the distance; the best of them was Monica Seles 64, 57, 36,
64, 62 win over Gabriela Sabatini at Madison Square Garden
in 1990. If Monica and Gabby could go ve 25 years ago, cant
the legends of today do the same?

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CATEGORY:

SURFACE:

Indoor Hard

Season-Ending Event

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals


London will be calling the eight best men in the world
again in 2015; this will be the sixth straight year that
the ATP winds up its 11-month tour at the O2 Arena.
Thats the longest that the event, which traditionally has moved
from city to city, has been in one place since it was at Madison
Square Garden from 1977 to 89. Its easy to understand why:
With its theatrical presentation, week of sellout crowds, consistent title sponsorship and a time zone thats convenient for
European TV audiences, London has been the best home the

ATPs year-ender has had since its bad-boy glory days in NYC.
This round-robin tournament is designed to decide who
nishes the season No. 1. Some years it does that, other years
the race is over weeks or even months earlier. Either way,
though, the World Tour Finals is a reward for players and fans
alike: We get to see the best of the best go head-to-head. Moreover, it often has a carry-over eect into the following season.
In 2013, Stan Wawrinka qualied for the rst time and reached
the semis; two months later he won the Australian Open.

PAST CHAMPIONS:

DJOKOVIC
WAWRINKA

W
W

BERDYCH

CILIC

FEDERER

NISHIKORI

GROUP B

FEDERER
L

MURRAY

RAONIC

FERRER

CILIC

BERDYCH

WAWRINKA

GROUP A

DJOKOVIC

2014 Results

MURRAY

RAONIC

DJOKOVIC

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

2013

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

2012

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

2011

ROGER FEDERER

2010

ROGER FEDERER

2009

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO

2008

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

2007

ROGER FEDERER

2006

ROGER FEDERER

2005

DAVID NALBANDIAN

NISHIKORI

2014

FERRER

FEDERER

FEDERER

DJOKOVIC

DJOKOVIC

NISHIKORI

WAWRINKA

What is the Most Underrated Match of All Time? A case could be


made for Boris Beckers ve-set win over Ivan Lendl in the 1988
Masters nal. These were the two best players of the day, giving
a packed Madison Square Garden in New York a dose of all-court
tennis the way it hasnt been played before or since. Through the
1980s, bigger racquets had allowed for more baseline play, but
76 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

they hadnt yet destroyed the net-rushing game. Lendl served for
the match in the fth set, but decided to change racquets before
that game; he always switched frames with the ball change, and
he wasnt a man to deviate from a plan. Becker promptly broke
him. At match point, the two engaged in the longest rally of the
match, before Becker won it with a net-cord winner.

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Flashback: 1988

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PAGE 46

SHOE
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PAGE 50

TENNIS.COM



Bonus PARENTING Section

Featuring: JUDY MURRAY

LINDSAY DAVENPORT / TRACY AUSTIN / ALLEN FOX

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2015 Tennis Calendar


AT P

WorldMags.net

CITY

JAN 5

BRISBANE
CHENNAI
DOHA
AUCKLAND
SYDNEY
MELBOURNE: AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MONTPELLIER
QUITO
ZAGREB
ROTTERDAM
MEMPHIS
SAO PAULO
RIO DE JANIERO
DELRAY BEACH
MARSEILLE
ACAPULCO
DUBAI
BUENOS AIRES
DAVIS CUP FIRST ROUND
INDIAN WELLS (MASTERS 1000)
MIAMI (MASTERS 1000)
CASABLANCA
HOUSTON
MONTE-CARLO (MASTERS 1000)
BARCELONA
BUCHAREST
ISTANBUL
MUNICH
MADRID (MASTERS 1000)
ROME (MASTERS 1000)
GENEVA
NICE
PARIS: ROLAND GARROS
S-HERTOGENBOSCH
STUTTGART
HALLE
LONDON
NOTTINGHAM
LONDON: WIMBLEDON
DAVIS CUP QUARTERFINALS
NEWPORT
BASTAD
BOGOTA
UMAG
HAMBURG
ATLANTA
GSTAAD
WASHINGTON D.C.
KITZBUHEL
MONTREAL (MASTERS 1000)
CINCINNATI (MASTERS 1000)
WINSTON-SALEM
NEW YORK: US OPEN
DAVIS CUP SEMIFINALS
METZ
KUALA LUMPUR
SHENZHEN
BEIJING
TOKYO
SHANGHAI (MASTERS 1000)
MOSCOW
STOCKHOLM
VIENNA
BASEL
VALENCIA
PARIS (MASTERS 1000)
LONDON (SEASON-ENDING EVENT)
DAVIS CUP FINAL

JAN 19
FEB 2

FEB 9

FEB 16

FEB 23

MAR 2
MAR 9
MAR 23
APR 6
APR 13
APR 20
APR 27
MAY 4
MAY 11
MAY 18
MAY 25
JUN 8
JUN 15
JUN 22
JUN 29
JUL 13
JUL 20

JUL 27

AUG 3
AUG 10
AUG 17
AUG 24
AUG 31
SEP 14
SEP 21
SEP 28
OCT 5
OCT 12
OCT 19

OCT 26
NOV 2
NOV 16
NOV 23

80 tennis.com Jan/Feb 2015

CLAY

GRASS
INDOOR

W TA

WEEK STARTING

JAN 12

HARD

Surface key:

SURFACE

WEEK STARTING

JAN 5

JAN 12
JAN 19
FEB 2
FEB 9
FEB 16
FEB 23
MAR 2
MAR 9
MAR 23
APR 6
APR 13
APR 20
APR 27
M AY 4
M AY 1 1
M AY 1 8
MAY 25
JUN 8
JUN 15
JUN 22
JUN 29
JUL 13
JUL 20
JUL 27
AUG 3
AUG 10
A U G 17
AUG 24
AUG 31
SEP 14
SEP 21

SEP 28
OCT 5
OCT 12

OCT 19
OCT 26
NOV 2
NOV 9

CITY

SURFACE

BRISBANE
SHENZHEN
AUCKLAND
SYDNEY
HOBART
MELBOURNE: AUSTRALIAN OPEN
FED CUP FIRST ROUND
ANTWERP
P AT TAYA C I T Y
DUBAI (PREMIER 5)
RIO DE JANEIRO
DOHA
ACAPULCO
MONTERREY
KUALA LUMPUR
I N D I A N W E L L S ( P R E M I E R M A N D AT O R Y )
M I A M I ( P R E M I E R M A N D AT O R Y )
CHARLESTON
K AT O W I C E
B O G O TA
FED CUP SEMIFINALS
STUTTGART
MARRAKECH
M A D R I D ( P R E M I E R M A N D AT O R Y )
ROME (PREMIER 5)
STRASBOURG
PARIS: ROLAND GARROS
NOTTINGHAM
SHERTOGENBOSCH
BIRMINGHAM
EASTBOURNE
LONDON: WIMBLEDON
B A S TA D
BUCHAREST
BAD GASTEIN
I S TA N B U L
BAKU
FLORIANOPOLIS
S TA N F O R D
WA S H I N G TO N D.C .
TORONTO (PREMIER 5)
C I N C I N N AT I ( P R E M I E R 5 )
NEW HAVEN
NEW YORK: US OPEN
OSAKA
QUEBEC CITY
TOKYO
GUANGZHOU
SEOUL
WUHAN (PREMIER 5)
TA S H K E N T
B E I J I N G ( P R E M I E R M A N D AT O R Y )
HONG KONG
LINZ
TIANJIN
MOSCOW
LUXEMBOURG
SINGAPORE (SEASON-ENDING EVENT)
ZHUHAI
FED CUP FINAL

* C A L E N D A R U P D AT E D A S O F D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4

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