Tennis Players Entering 2015 with a Revamped Image
The 2015 tennis season is underway and a few top players begin this year with a better image than they started with in 2014.
These players, all ranked in the Top 20, have revamped their reputation. Heading into the new season, they hope to build upon the momentum they generated last year.
Unlike players like Marin Cilic, who had one breakout tournament, these players have transformed their brand.
Caroline Wozniacki, who once reigned at No. 1, found herself fading into irrelevancy. She seemed on course for that long list of former No. 1 players who never won a Grand Slam.
She has still yet to win one. However, Wozniacki no longer looks like she never will.
Like Wozniacki, the other players on this list changed the way people view their career. These players enter 2015 retooled and ready.
Kei Nishikori: Barrier Breaker to Grand Slam Contender
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Going into 2014, Kei Nishikori targeted a few milestones.
He became the first Japanese man to make the U.S. Open semifinals in 96 years. Nishikori began 2014 ranked No. 17, but he eventually became the first Asian man to crack the Top Five. He also became the first Asian man to make it to the ATP World Tour Finals and to reach a Grand Slam final.
Most impressive about Nishikori's rise is his record against top players. He is 2-3 against Roger Federer, 2-3 against Novak Djokovic, 0-7 against Rafael Nadal and 1-3 against Andy Murray. That's a losing record. However, he's done better against the best than other young players.
In comparison, Grigor Dimitrov is 0-2 against Federer, 1-5 against Djokovic, 2-4 against Murray and 0-5 against Nadal.
Nishikori is no longer just an Asian barrier breaker. He's a true Grand Slam contender.
Caroline Wozniacki: Counted out to Comeback Kid
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News of Wozniacki's breakup with golfer Rory McIlroy was still making headlines when she lost in the first round of the French Open. It was like a double-dose of despair for Wozniacki.
Instead of hiding in shame, Wozniacki emerged in a series of public outings with her friend Serena Williams. They were photographed posing on the beach and at the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
It was the beginning of a comeback.
Wozniacki had a solid summer. She won a title in Istanbul, reached the quarterfinals at the Rogers Cup and the semifinals in Cincinnati. She ended the latter two tournaments with three-set losses to Williams.
She stunned Sharapova in the fourth round at the U.S. Open. Although she lost in the final to Williams, Wozniacki won accolades for her performance in the tournament.
Soon after the U.S. Open, she finished the New York City marathon in 3:26:33.
She also made it back to the WTA Championships. Her three-set thriller against Williams became an instant classic and was of one of the best matches of the year.
Gael Monfils: Showman to Show-Stopper
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Gael Monfils will probably never give up dazzling crowds with spectacular winners. He seems to relish being the ATP's ultimate showman.
However, during the later part of 2014, Monfils became a show-stopper. Besides his usual trick shots and super slides, Monfils demonstrated he could get serious.
He defeated rising star Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round of the U.S. Open and then nearly pulled off the upset against Federer in the quarterfinals. Federer, who had been playing well, survived a match point to come back. Monfils, who faltered in that match, faced Federer again during the Davis Cup final.
During the Davis Cup match, Monfils played magnificent tennis and beat Federer in straight sets. It was the only win for the French.
Monfils reached a career-high ranking of No. 7 in 2011. After a serious knee injury, he dropped all the way down to No. 119 in 2013. He began 2014 ranked No. 36.
Now ranked No. 18, Monfils enters 2015 with a victory in a Davis Cup final match to build upon. He'll always be "La Monf," the showman. But he's proven, even when showing off, he can show up for the win.
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Simona Halep: Minor Leaguer to Big-Time Player
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Simona Halep built her career by winning smaller tournaments and racking up points in 2013. Even after cracking the Top 10 she was seen as a paper tiger.
She dispelled that image in 2014. She reached the French Open final, where she lost to Sharapova in three sets, and the semifinals at Wimbledon. She also reached the finals in Madrid, where she again lost to Sharapova. She shocked Serena Williams at the WTA Championships, 6-0, 6-2—one of the worst losses in Williams' career.
Despite her smaller frame, Halep demonstrated that she can hang with the big girls.
Grigor Dimitrov: Copycat to Real McCoy
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Grigor Dimitrov finally grew out of the "Baby Fed" nickname.
Given to him because of his eerily similar game to Federer, the label can be tucked away with all the doubts about Dimitrov's game.
Dimitrov proved he's more than a copycat. His win over defending champion Murray at Wimbledon, silenced the crowd and his critics.
With another year of experience under his belt, Dimitrov enters this season as his own man.
Petra Kvitova: Underachiever to Two-Time Slam Champion
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Ever since Petra Kvitova upset Sharapova to win Wimbledon in 2011, expectations have been high for the lanky Czech.
However, Kvitova struggled. Her play was erratic, and her fitness questionable.
This year, she delivered a near flawless performance during the Wimbledon final. Kvitova destroyed media darling Eugenie Bouchard, 6-3, 6-0, pummeling forehand after wicked forehand.
Now ranked No. 4, Kvitova has a second Wimbledon title. That's one more than Sharapova. That also puts her in elite company. Only five other active singles players—Serena and Venus Williams, Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Svetlana Kuznetsova—have more than one Slam title.
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