Tennis is a mesmerizing sport. After the introduction of Open Era, different Opens have shown different trends. While Wimbledon and French Open have seen a one-man presence for a few years on trot, the US Open and the Australian Open have not been completely dominated by a single champion at any point in time. Yes, Mr Federer has shown some grit while registering constant victories but truly, it has offered an exception every third year.
A simple illustration would be enough to boot home the point, (Ah! No pun intended here). At different times, Rod Laver, Borg, Sampras and Federer have loomed over the England club with their tall shadows, almost to the extent that no other winner has been conceivable in our imagination.
It’s again a beautiful time for all tennis lovers today, the Australian Open is just about to begin and Flanders Park is all decorated with the scent of stalwarts. This year, Australian Open poses a very open look. It’s difficult to predict the winner as such. Men’s tennis for the last year or so is being increasingly recognized as a three-person sport; it has largely been a Federer-Nadal-Djokovic affair. The last guy hasn’t won many titles but its observed that he wouldn’t have lost any had the two walls called Federer and Nadal not been there. Gone are the days, when you couldn’t look beyond Federer and Ladbrokes offered houses on a penny (forgive the exaggeration) for other players.
Apart from the triumvirate, few others have been emerging from the shadows rather well. Andy Murray and Roddick have been playing some great tennis of late. Their game is being marked by lesser unforced errors; something that has killed them all before they could reach their summit. A connoisseur of the sport would admit that Federer himself has been making a lot of unforced errors of late and that has brought a steep decline in the showman’s mastery. However, we can forgive the man a homicide for thrilling us the way he has in general and hitting that impossible backhander in the fourth set of Wimbledon last year in particular.
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Let’s quickly analyze then, how the show is expected to unfold and who may emerge the champion.
Roger Federer- His class is redoubtable. We are frightened because we have seen sudden demise of many formidable names in tennis. In fact, another Swiss giant Martina Hingis is a prime example; having said that, Federer is certainly cut out in different clay. He has already won 3 Australian Open though his US and Wimbledon count is 5 each.
General theory a year earlier was that the man plays against himself, looking to better his earlier self and the opposition is just a toy that he uses for the purpose. Of late though, the opposition on the other side of court has become men and formidable men. Federer’s vice like grip is looking to ease a little. Federer’s win-loss record in 2008 has not been that impressive. It all started with the psychological deficit versus Nadal but now he has been shown wanting even against the other biggies of the game.
As for his strength; delicacy, refinement, great range of forehand as well as backhand, unimaginable control, and his understanding of the turf are his greatest assets. For the weakness, there are many if you tie both his hands.
Rafael Nadal- The proverbial “David slaughters Goliath” and the addition- David then himself turns to Goliath could not have been truer. After gutting Federer, back to back in French Open and Wimbledon, Nadal has emerged into something of a quick legend. Not the coffee table and the beer bar type but one who is there to stay.
History registered the presence of this man on that fateful night at Wimbledon (it turned into night as the match lasted very long). His march on the tall stands was like the march of time itself; brute force, negligible unforced errors, capacity to come back from dead shots, and a guile-filled drop-shot is the strength of this maverick player. Also, you can’t come to net against him as a shot will zip past you from either side. And yes, do not consider him dead at any point, even when he is on the ground when you have hit the shot. He still has to improve his little.
Novak Djovokic- the Serbian has been playing some remarkable tennis in the last couple of years. His serves have been fantastic and the way he has understood the turf is just as excellent. Djokovic has a problem with his temperament but he is young. At 21, he still has few hysterical years before mellowing down. In fact, the anger takes away from his game as he begins to make even more errors when he is down and angry.
This results in losing quite many matches where he has been a set or two up. Another player who has good control on the forehand as well as backhand; moreover, he is a complete player. Yes, like Nadal and unlike Federer he likes to stay at the baseline.
Djokovic was the finalist in 2005 and that’s his best performance in the Australian Open so far. His record is 38-9 for the last year and he shall be a force to reckon with if he doesn’t tire down due to too much tennis.
Andy Murray- another young gun who should strut his stuff; Murray has been the on-off variety. But of late, he has registered his presence well and its up to the best ranked British player in the world to redeem the early potential that we have all seen in him. He has been the latest nemesis against Federer and with the way he has improved his over all game, the 21 year old has more than a passing chance to land the prize.
His torque, slice, movement, backhand, serves; each thing has improved and he does not even have the temperament issue anymore. For the statistically bent, his record of 8 wins in last 10 days is simply a revelation.
Andy Roddick- once upon a time and not a time distant in past, Andy Roddick along with Hewitt and tall Russian Marat Safin made a formidable trio. Between them, they landed many slams till their combined weight was punctured by a by-stander called Roger Federer. Roddick is perhaps the strongest server of the game and also has a sturdy forehand. Well, his backhands can be good but then they are also the cause of many unforced errors from his side. Roddick and Blake are considered among the only two players who can beat Federer.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga- well! For the starter, this sturdy fellow from France lost in the finals in the last year’s Australian Open. Having gone past Nadal, he conceded to Djokovic in finals last year. Presently, he is coming out of injury but has form on his side. He opens his campaign against Juan Monaco, an Argentinean rookie.
Three others, Fernando Gonzalez, Martin Del Petro and Lleyton Hewitt have a chance just as well. And yes, Hewitt sees this as his last shot at the pie so better look out for him.
2009 Australian Open Thrillers
In what promises to be a thrilling match, Roger Federer set up a third-round clash against his long time foe Marat Safin. This is the first time that the two Former World Number-1 will be playing each other so early in a Grand Slam.
2009 Australian Open HeartBreakes
In what can be described as the first heartbreak of the Grand Slam, Lu Yen-Hsun from Taiwan played some brilliant tennis to oust 10th seed David Nalbandian.
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