Burning Questions for Tennis' Top Stars in 2016
A new tennis season is almost here, one that promises to be more action-packed than usual with the Olympics up for grabs. But 2016 has a number of other intriguing storylines to follow.
On the men's side, Novak Djokovic is the king. His scintillating 2015 pushed his legacy into another tier, and the world No. 1 is at the height of his powers. Can anyone challenge him?
A few players will try, notably Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka. Each of them faces his own set of questions heading into a new year. How they respond and if they can actually challenge Djokovic is anyone's guess.
There's less uncertainty in the women's game as Serena Williams continues to dominate. But new contenders (Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep) and old foes (Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova) will be eager to deny Williams and bag some major hardware.
Here's a deeper look at the burning questions facing the biggest names in tennis.
Petra Kvitova: Will She Return to Form?
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For a player who finished the year sixth in the world, 2015 was hardly up to standards for Petra Kvitova.
She closed in fine fashion by making the championship match at the WTA Finals and helping the Czech Republic win its second straight Fed Cup, but those results won't make Kvitova forget about her Grand Slam disappointment.
A trendy pick to win a major this past season, Kvitova struggled dearly at those events. Early defeats at the Australian Open and French Open were surprising enough, yet when she vanquished her Wimbledon crown in the third round, eyes were raised.
At one point in the spring, Kvitova stopped playing altogether, citing physical and mental exhaustion. Something was clearly off her with her game, even after taking that brief sabbatical.
Not until August did her results pick up, but even then she still found herself on the wrong end of some humbling losses.
Because of her unimpressive 2015 campaign, expectations will be tempered for her as the 2016 season begins. Perhaps with less pressure on her shoulders, Kvitova can relax and start playing to her old level again.
Rafael Nadal: Has He Overcome His Struggles?
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A nightmare season. Blunt, but the most accurate way to describe Rafael Nadal's 2015.
Dealing with the lingering effects of numerous injuries, Nadal never really found his footing this year. He stumbled out of the gate, and the losses kept piling up—even on clay. Struggling with his confidence and forehand, the Spaniard kept falling in the rankings, reaching a low of 10th at one point.
Nadal ultimately finished the year with a 61-20 record and titles at three small events, hardly up to the standard he holds for himself. His troubling results against Top 10 players (7-11) were more worrisome. Not only did Novak Djokovic beat him in the French Open quarterfinals, he won every set the two played in their four matches this year.
Nadal's hard work on the practice courts began to pay off in the fall as he went deep in Shanghai, Basel, Paris and the World Tour finals. Yet he still couldn't muster much of a challenge against Djokovic in particular.
Those events should give him hope. They certainly represent progress after all the shocking early-round losses he encountered earlier in the year. But to build off that momentum, Nadal will need to regain his swagger when playing the best in the world.
Maria Sharapova: Is She Healthy Again?
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Injuries derailed Maria Sharapova in 2015.
The Russian star began the year with a bang, reaching the finals at the Australian Open. But her straight-sets loss to Serena Williams there proved a bad omen.
After crashing out early in Indian Wells and Miami, she eventually gave up her French Open crown, falling to Lucie Safarova in the fourth round. That was bad enough. So, too, was yet another lopsided defeat at the hands of Williams, this time in the Wimbledon semifinals.
Sharapova wouldn't play again for three months following that match. The cause? A nagging injury to her right leg. Forced to pull out of the U.S. Open, Sharapova finally returned in September at the Wuhan Open.
Spoiler alert: An injury led her to retire from her first match there. Talk about bad luck.
Somehow, she still qualified for the WTA Finals despite missing all that time. And Sharapova actually made the semifinals before wrapping up her season by representing Russia at the Fed Cup.
Fortunately for Sharapova, she never dropped that far in the rankings despite her prolonged absence, slipping to No. 4. Getting back to No. 2 and winning more important titles won't be feasible, though, if she can't stay healthy.
We'll soon find out if the offseason helped her body recharge.
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Stan Wawrinka: How Will He Find More Consistency?
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The highlight of Stan Wawrinka’s 2015 season is one he’ll never forget.
Utilizing a remarkable display of aggression and power, the Stanimal ferociously attacked against heavy favorite Novak Djokovic in the French Open final. A match that was supposed to be a coronation for the Serbian turned into a massive upset courtesy of Wawrinka’s brilliant effort.
After clinching the second major of his career, Wawrinka admitted he suffered through an emotional hangover. Avoiding that same type of hiccup is something that will be key for him in 2016.
When he’s in a rhythm, Wawrinka can make any player look out of sorts. Just look at his perfect 7-0 record in finals the past two years. The trouble is reaching that level consistently.
While Wawrinka made at least the quarterfinals at all four majors this year, he didn't fare so well at the Masters Series events. Compiling a 13-9 overall record at those tournaments, the Swiss found early exits in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Rome and Montreal.
Those losses didn't seem to have much carry-over effect to the Grand Slams, but Wawrinka can't count on being that fortunate again. Performing better at Masters Series events could queue key him up for continued success at the majors this year and help him fend off other players in the rankings.
Garbine Muguruza: Is She Ready to Win a Major?
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Entering 2016, the woman most poised to challenge Serena Williams may be rising star Garbine Muguruza.
The Spaniard, 22, completed her third full season in 2015 and seemed to gain confidence as the year progressed. Muguruza hit a number of important milestones, including her first Grand Slam final appearance (Wimbledon), first WTA Premier Mandatory title (Beijing) and first trip to the WTA Finals. As a result, she rose to a career-best ranking of third in the world.
A rangy and powerful baseline hitter, the tall Muguruza has a game that translates well to any surface. And she's not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the best.
She burst onto the scene after upsetting Williams at the 2014 French Open, and the two squared off again for this year's Wimbledon championship. Williams ultimately closed her out, but not without Muguruza making her work for it.
Those two budding rivals will likely meet several more times this upcoming season. As Muguruza continues to improve and mature, she has the potential to steal some of Williams' thunder and take home a major title.
Roger Federer: How Will He Adapt to a New Coach?
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Another year, another coach for Roger Federer.
His two-season partnership with idol Stefan Edberg came to a finish this month, a pairing that proved incredibly fruitful for Federer. While working with Edberg, Federer reached three Grand Slam finals and won 11 titles. More importantly, he kept himself relevant despite hitting his mid-30s.
Federer was unable to take home an 18th career major with Edberg, so his primary objective remains unchanged. Now, he’ll turn to a new voice for inspiration: Ivan Ljubicic.
A friend and former rival of Federer’s, Ljubicic knows his new pupil’s game well. He’s also quite familiar with Novak Djokovic, the man whom Federer hasn’t been able to overcome in the big matches.
Compared to other players, Federer performs way better than most against the world No. 1. But losses to Djokovic in this year’s U.S. Open final and the last two Wimbledon finals weigh heavily on him. So close, yet no cigar.
What Ljubicic will bring to the camp is wisdom and another voice of reason. Perhaps his calming presence can help Federer get over the top against Djokovic and end his Grand Slam slump.
With his 35th birthday approaching, Federer is running out of time to do so.
Simona Halep: Will She Be Aggressive Enough When It Counts?
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Instead of taking a step forward in 2015, Simona Halep took one backwards
Projected to challenge for her first career major title, Halep didn't come close to accomplishing that feat. After capturing Indian Wells (her third title of the season) in March, Halep wouldn't win another tournament all year. Her late-spring slump saw her bow out in the second round at the French Open and the first round at Wimbledon. Those are extremely disappointing results for a player with such high expectations.
Halep put together a strong summer, reaching the finals in Toronto and Cincinnati and advancing to the semifinals at the U.S. Open. But her game seemed stagnant. Against more powerful baseline players, she never mounted much of a sustained threat.
Consistency with her shots isn't the problem. She's a nimble athlete and great defender. Yet until Halep becomes more comfortable playing aggressively, she'll likely encounter a similar fate as Caroline Wozniacki: remaining Slam-less.
Andy Murray: Can He Build on His Davis Cup Victory?
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After guiding Great Britain to its first Davis Cup title in 79 years, Andy Murray is riding high.
Will that seismic victory pay off for him in 2016?
Murray is hoping to receive the same type of surge that both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer received the season after winning the Davis Cup. Each of those players reached multiple Grand Slam finals the following year (with Djokovic winning three in 2011), a goal Murray should already have in place.
Getting to the championship match at majors has been a problem lately for Murray. In the two-and-a-half years since his triumph at Wimbledon in 2013, the Scot has advanced to just one Grand Slam final (2015 Australian Open), which he lost in ignominious fashion.
Ending that drought will require him to find solutions against his top rivals. Djokovic, in particular, has Murray’s number, winning 10 of their past 11 meetings. But Murray’s biggest win of 2015 came against Djokovic in the Montreal final. So he knows he can beat the world No. 1 on the right day.
Rediscovering that formula is something Murray desperately needs in order to keep pace with Djokovic.
Serena Williams: How Much Longer Will She Remain at the Top?
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Despite turning 34 in September, Serena Williams showed few signs of slowing down in 2015. If anything, she looked better than ever while putting together a season for the ages.
But not even Williams can fend off the effects of time forever. At some point, the torch will be passed to a new generation of players.
Will 2016 be that year?
Not with so much unfinished business left to complete. Williams is only three Grand Slam titles away from tying Margaret Court's record of 24. Realistically, she could break that record sometime in 2017. After very nearly winning the calendar Grand Slam this year, it's not unrealistic to expect her to win multiple majors again in 2016.
Expect a driven and hungry Williams to remain at the peak of her powers for a little while longer. History is in her sights.
Novak Djokovic: Will He Finally Conquer the French Open?
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Novak Djokovic’s record-breaking 2015 season is nearly impossible to top. But that doesn’t mean the world No. 1 is content to rest on his laurels.
Replicating his feats from this year won’t be the main objective. Instead, there’s one thing he’s yet to do that still gnaws at him: winning the French Open.
He’ll likely claim a bounty of tournaments (including another major or two) and further awe us with his brilliance. Until he wins that first title at Roland Garros, however, his resume will remain incomplete.
Now that he’s finally solved his Rafael Nadal riddle in Paris, Djokovic won’t be lacking in confidence should they meet again. He’ll just need to remain focused in order to avoid a similar letdown to the one he experienced this spring.
If he can hoist the trophy in Paris and complete a career Grand Slam, Djokovic’s legacy will receive an immeasurable boost.
All statistics are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com and WTATennis.com unless otherwise noted.
Joe Kennard is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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