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arlier this year. Djokovic's mom is said to have announced, ".... the King is Dead! Long Live the King!"Yes, there is a new king in the world of tennis after almost five years of Swiss dominance. However, the man atop the rankings isn't the cocky Serb, but rather the unassuming and ridiculously down-to-earth Rafael Nadal. Since winning his maiden Grand Slam title down under, Djokovic has losing records against not only Federer and Nadal, but also Murray and Tsonga.
At the end of the year, you are left wondering whether the Serb is really even top three material. While he is too talented to end up as a one-slam wonder, he will not win more than three (at the most) more Grand Slam titles.
Prediction: One or two more Australians and maybe a French if he does not have to face Nadal. Given that there aren't enough clay court "specialists" any longer, Novak certainly has a chance at winning one in Paris.
Andy Murray: The Scot has just been great during the second half of the year. As an ardent tennis fan, I love to watch beautiful shot-making and smart decision-making. It is absolutely delightful to watch the wide array of shots and intelligent play this young star brings to court, especially in an era when even grass court tennis is played from the baseline.
Not that Murray is a serve-and-volleyer, but just the simple fact that he knows how to volley is refreshing in itself. If Murray manages to keep his head together and stay injury-free, I for one would not be surprised to see the Scot at No. 1 or No. 2 by the end of next year. His talent tells me he has six to eight Grand Slam titles, with the French eluding him as well.
If he can remain fit and let his head stay on his broadening shoulders, there is no reason he shouldn't have his fair share in the coming years. A mouth-watering rivalry between Nadal and Murray, with a sprinkling of Federer and possibly Tsonga, would just be wonderful for Tennis.
The Wildcards
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: Potential—tons of it! Probably the most complete young player on tour currently. Power, finesse, athleticism—you name it, the kid has it all. Question is, will he remain healthy enough?
This is the one guy where making a prediction is just so hard. If he lives up to half of his potential, he could end up winning about five slams. On the other end, he may end up to be someone like Richard Krajicek—a ton of injuries to offset some serious talent. As much as I like this flamboyant Frenchman, I believe he is going to disappoint.
He will win a Slam or two, but that will be it. I'll go on a limb here and say he wins one each at Flushing Meadows and in Australia.
Juan Martin Del Potro: I have seen very little of this lanky Argentine, so I may be completely off-base here, but his height may just end up being too much of a problem to overcome and will restrict his movement though I have to admit he is the quickest 6'6 player I have ever seen.
However, as of now, it's hard to imagine him go through a fortnight of best-of-five set matches against the best in the world. Prediction: A good career with a couple of dozen circuit titles but no Grand Slam titles.
Richard Gasquet: This one has to drive a tennis fan crazy! Absolutely the best backhand in tennis today, probably the best talent in the world, but yet nothing better than just a couple of semifinal appearances in the last couple of years. One hopes it's just a crisis of confidence that will disappear with that first victory, which could very well come at Wimbledon next year.
With a little bit of work, mostly in the head, Gasquet could end up having the best career of all of the young people listed above, with probably the exception of Nadal (only because Nadal already has five Slams to his credit). However, as it stands right now, it's hard to foresee anything more than one or two titles, probably both at Wimbledon, for this talented but not hungry-enough Frenchman.
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