New Year's Resolutions for Tennis' Top Stars in 2016
Even top tennis players have something they wish to improve upon. With the New Year and new season just days away, many players are probably setting goals and making resolutions for 2016.
It's been a good year for tennis. The game's top players won year-end honors that transcend the sport. Novak Djokovic was voted European Sportsman of the Year. Serena Williams was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year and AP Female Athlete of the Year. Andy Murray won The BBC's Sports Personality of the Year.
So what, if anything, could these stars possibly hope to have more or less of in 2016? I have no idea. But that won't stop me from having some fun making up hypothetical resolutions for all of them.
Instead of the routine "get in better shape" and "save more money" goals, these resolutions will focus on tennis-related activities.
This means I won't include stuff like hire a better barber for Nick Kyrgios or suggest that Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams join Match.com.
These make-believe resolutions for the top players are based on shortcomings or missed opportunities observed during 2015.
Who knows? Some of the resolutions on this list might be real.
Agnieszka Radwanska: Increase Brawn to Match Brains
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Agnieszka Radwanska is known for crafty shot selection. Her movement and superb decision-making skills allow her to outmaneuver opponents.
However, when facing equally gifted players with a bit more muscle, Radwanska often is outplayed. She just doesn't have that kill shot in her repertoire. That's why her New Year's resolution is to beef up a bit.
Radwanska will never be as big as Sharapova, as muscular as Serena Williams or as ripped as Sam Stosur. But if she could just add a bit more brawn to go along with those brains, she might win that elusive Grand Slam title.
Rafael Nadal: Keep Calm and Remain Confident
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By most accounts, 2015 was a bad year for Rafael Nadal. He failed to reach the finals in any Grand Slam. He struggled with confidence and at times looked uncomfortable on the court.
But he ended the year on a high note with a return to the ATP World Tour's top five. His Uncle Toni Nadal told ESPN.com's Mark Hodgkinson that we can expect to see the Rafa who once dominated the tour.
If Nadal can maintain the cool demeanor he displayed during the IPTL tournament, then this New Year's resolution shouldn't be hard to keep.
Maria Sharapova: Cut Down Double-Faults
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Unlike Nadal, Sharapova rarely struggles with confidence. She has one gear: go. She takes the same high-stakes approach to her serve. When she misses a first serve, she refuses to dial back the second. This results in a rash of double-faults.
Sharapova had 232 double-faults in 2015. She won just 48.8 percent of her second-serve points. That's just gifting games away.
If Sharapova could produce a reliable second serve, she could close out matches quicker.
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Stan Wawrinka: Improve Consistency
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When Stan Wawrinka is on, he looks unstoppable. He destroyed Novak Djokovic in the French Open final. But then he slips into one of his inexplicable funks.
Over the last two years, Wawrinka has won more Slams than Andy Murray or Rafael Nadal. He finished the season ranked No. 4 for the second straight year.
Yet because of his lack of consistency, he's never lumped in with the Big Four.
Simona Halep: Fewer Fizzles and Stronger Finishes
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Simona Halep is ranked No. 2. However, she's yet to demonstrate that she has what it takes to be No. 1 or win a Grand Slam.
With so much focus on Serena Williams' loss to Roberta Vinci at the U.S. Open, people forget that Halep blew an opportunity to win her first Slam. Flavia Pennetta beat Halep 6-1, 6-3.
Halep also squandered opportunities against Williams in Miami and Cincinnati. That's why in 2016, Halep needs to find a way to stop fizzling out in big moments.
Roger Federer: Beat Rafa in a Slam
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Roger Federer already has the most Grand Slam wins in the history of men's tennis. What he lacks is a good head-to-head record against Nadal. The 11-23 record versus Nadal is the sour note in the Maestro's otherwise sweet career.
Federer can't right the ship in one year. But a win over Rafa in a Grand Slam would put a major dent in this lopsided rivalry.
Garbine Muguruza: Embrace Tennis Stardom
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Garbine Muguruza reached the Wimbledon finals and put on a much better show than Genie Bouchard did in 2014. Muguruza is ranked No. 3, higher than Bouchard ever reached.
However, Muguruza hasn't captured as much media attention. Some of that can be blamed on her laid-back reluctance to embrace her newfound celebrity. This year, Muguruza should work on sharing that brilliant smile and hilarious sense of humor with more of the public.
There are players achieving far less and getting way more attention.
Andy Murray: Clean Up Potty Mouth
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Andy Murray could fill a soundtrack with the amount of profanities he utters when on the court. But now that he's married and expecting his first child, Murray probably wants to simmer down his red-hot rhetoric.
In June, Murray told ESPN that he was working on it. "I like to think I am much better now than I was before ... It's just unfortunate in tennis, it gets picked up a lot. You go for your towel, the microphone is right there, and you forget where you are sometimes."
Serena Williams: Break Some Records Instead of Her Heart
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Serena Williams took the last part of 2015 off, in part due to what she called a broken heart. Well, nothing heals a broken heart like a new flame—as in Olympic flame and the chance to win a Golden Slam.
The Golden Slam, calendar-year Slam and record for most Slam wins are all on the table in 2016. If Williams achieves all of this, her heart will be beaming well into 2017.
Novak Djokovic: Win the Calendar-Year Slam
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Novak Djokovic was voted European Sportsman of the Year. He capped off the season by winning the ATP World Tour Finals.
Like Williams, Djokovic came close to winning a calendar-year Grand Slam. If he can pull that off this season, he would also match Nadal in total Slams won. He, too, could win a Golden Slam. Based on the way he dominated the tour in 2015, this resolution might become a reality.
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