2009 in Review: The Highlights Of The Tennis Season (Part 1)

As another tremendous season in the world of tennis comes to a close, let's take a look back at a year that was packed with drama and history. The ATP World Tour's recent  campaign urged fans to 'Feel It' and we certainly did. Shifts in power, rising talent, scandal, injury and records all combined to make the 2009 season one to remember.

January to March: 'Is this really happening?'

When the curtain came down on 2008, the world of tennis seemed at its most turbulent level in recent history. A new king sat upon the throne and his predecessor was a blurry figure in the shadows. Yet, Rafael Nadal had looked far from his best following what can only be described as one of the most monumental summers of all time. 

Having collected more trophies than his teeth could handle, Rafa was beyond weary in his semi-final loss to Andy Murray at the US Open and hadn't fared much better in the indoor stretch. He had decided that a longer rest was worth skipping the World Tour Finals for, leaving us wondering what he would produce in 2009.

Roger Federer, who had posted silly numbers for almost four years of dominance, was no longer Darth Fed who won matches before even hitting a ball. Following his 'slump' in 2008 (despite reaching another three Grand Slam Finals, adding number 13 to his tally and surviving a stretch of glandular fever) the vultures were out in vast numbers.

The level of doubt surrounding a man of such talent can only be described as premature. Nevertheless, how well Federer would rebound was a mystery to all, especially as he had ended 2008 suffering from a lower back problem.

The most hype heading Down Under seemed to be surrounding Andy Murray, following an impressive run in New York and a more solid physique, great expectations were laid on the Scot. World No. 3, Novak Djokovic, strode towards the challenge of defending his title in Melbourne with renewed belief after his victory in Shanghai, although the jury was still out on how well he would cope with the pressure.

Who else would rise from the pack to join the big four? Juan Martin del Potro was still rough around the edges while Tsonga had not quite shown the form that took him to the final in Australia in 2008. The uncertainty was higher than it had been in many years when 2009 got underway.

The build up to Melbourne had brought a couple of titles (albeit one was an exhibition) to Murray, at the expense of Federer and Nadal, who both looked a little under-cooked. Novak, equipped with a different brand of racquet, had struggled to adjust. Murray was definitely the man in form, but also the only one yet to taste Grand Slam glory. The favourite going into Melbourne was far from certain.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

The tournament was simply blockbuster. The top four sailed through to the fourth round without a scratch, but the 2008 US Open finalists began to feel the heat.

Federer scrambled his way out of a two set deficit and sluggish start against an inspired Thomas Berdych. Murray however could not overcome the raw brilliance of a supremely confident Fernando Verdasco, falling 2-6 6-1 1-6 6-3 6-4. The man of the moment had collapsed and next was the turn of the defending champion. Djokovic, after a marathon effort against Baghdatis, wilted in the sun on Rod Laver in his quarter final against Andy Roddick. He limped off the court to much criticism after trailing two sets to one, handing the American a place in his third semi-final in Melbourne. 

Meanwhile, Rafa had been in imperious form, not dropping a set on his way to the semi-finals. However, the man he met that day was playing with the sort of flare associated with his better known compatriot. Verdasco and Nadal went toe to toe in one of the best matches of the year for just over five hours. 'Nando' was slugging away with his forehand and forcing Rafa to run to every corner of the court. 

Yet, as he's so adept at doing, Rafa soaked up every winner and found his way through to his first hard court final. His opponent was Grand Slam Final fiend and rival, Roger Federer, who had looked inch perfect in his straight set wins over Del Potro (6-3 6-0 6-0) and Roddick.

The stage was set for another epic between the world's best, and they did not disappoint.

The first set was edgy, both players up a break at different moments, but the shot making was at its highest level. Federer jumping around backhands to unleash the forehand and Rafa hitting obscene passing shots (most notably at 2-4 30-30 with Federer playing a textbook serve and volley only for the Spaniard to flick it past him and get the break back). Nadal clinched the set with his usual grit, 7-5.

Federer though had different plans and began to find chance after chance on the Nadal serve before finding the key and securing the second set 6-3. The third was tightly contested, but it seemed to be the three time Australian Open champion who was gaining the upperhand. At 5-5, Federer found himself with two break point chances and missed a backhand pass by millimeters.

Nadal, although clearly tiring, found his way into the tie-break and somehow discovered a new lease of energy, most noticeably when he approached the net at 4-2 up and managed to cut off a scorcher of a backhand pass from Federer and produce a sublime drop volley. He snagged the third set 7-3 in the breaker. 

The Swiss maestro struck back with an early break in the fourth, before being pegged back and once more regaining the lead. His resilience paid off as he took the tussle into a deciding fifth set. Six months after what is hailed as the greatest match of all time on the hallowed turf in London, the titans were in another final set.

This time, there was no fine line. No fading light. Federer lost his way as his forehand, the shot that had won him 13 Grand Slams, deserted him. Nadal was as solid and ruthless as the bull he's so often compared to and before you could name Roger's 13 Grand Slams, the Spaniard had triumphed 6-2.

This was a match that Federer had in his hands and should have won. Instead he was left broken on a court that had been so treacherous to him over the years.

What followed was in many fans' minds a dark moment. As the once unflappable Fed strolled up to the microphone his bottom lip began to quiver. Fear became reality when words eluded the great one and all that rose past the lump in his throat was, 'God this is killing me'. 

The thought that filled my mind was 'Is this really happening?' Yet, one of the most touching moments of the year evolved when Nadal stepped across to his rival and swung an arm around his shoulder as the tears streamed down Federer's cheeks. Tennis had provided some of the greatest athleticism and rawest emotion seen in the world of sport.

The Australian Open had yet again set a precedent for the rest of the year. Rafa put a big line under his No. 1 ranking while Federer was left to rue another loss to the king of not only clay, but also grass and now even hard courts. Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic were left in the dust of the titanic top two, grappling for a way to break their dominance.    

BMP PARIPAS OPEN, INDIAN WELLS

While there are many tournaments in between the Australian Open and the first Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, the review will focus on the major events during the calendar. The BNP Parisbas Open offered fresh chance for all the players to show their cards.

Nadal and Federer found their way to the semi-finals. Their opponents were Andy Roddick and Murray respectively. Rafa never looked troubled by the American as he booked his place in the final with a straight sets win. Federer on the other hand faced another tussle with the man who seemed to have the perfect playbook against him.

Murray played a very solid match, but Federer looked far from confident in another deciding set as his major winning forehand let him down time and time again. The vultures swooped out again, ready to pronounce this the end of the five time Wimbledon champion's career at the top.

The final of the tournament was extremely disappointing as desert winds swept away the promised quality of a Murray-Nadal encounter. Nevertheless, Rafa's spin found its way through the squalls to claim another trophy for his teeth to sink into.

Best match of the tournament:Nadal  bt Nalbandian 3-6 7-6(5) 6-0 (saved five match pts . )

SONY ERICSSON OPEN, MIAMI

When the Sony Ericsson Open began one week later, Rafa was the red-hot favourite and Federer was out to prove a point. Murray still looked for a big title and Djokovic sought a win over one of the world's top five. This time round, it was Nadal who fell at the quarter-final stage to the promising Juan Martin del Potro, who progressed to a semi-final against Murray. Federer meanwhile came through a close tussle with Roddick (who he had lost to for the first time at the same stage in 2008) to setup a meeting with Djokovic in the last four.

It was Federer who found his groove early on, taking the first set 6-3 in his casual style. But, Djokovic rallied with persistently deep groundstrokes and high forehands into the Swiss' weaker wing. He drew level after grabbing the second set 6-2. Yet again, the former World No. 1 found himself in a deciding set, and once more the wheels came off. The uncertainty surrounding Federer's forehand was similar to that of a club level player who has no idea where the ball might end up.

His emotions and his racquet snapped like a twig, debris strewn across the court after he missed a mid-court forehand halfway up the net. He succumbed in the final set 6-3, despite a small fight-back.

The media had a field day and videos of Federer, usually the cool cat, obliterating his racquet spread like wildfire. Roger subsequently offered up perhaps the most surprising quote of 2009: 'Thank God we're going onto the clay.' For a man who had racked up seven of his 13 majors on the concrete and had been thoroughly embarrassed by Nadal on Philippe Chatrier the year before, this was a shock and a half. His worshipers summoned all the faith they had to believe that he could find salvation on the terre battue.

In the other semi-final, Murray and Del Potro collided. These two most definitely have some needle between them, especially after the Argentine muttered words about Murray's mother during a match in Rome. Murray was outraged that mother Judy was dragged into the heat of battle and gained revenge in three sets to book his place in a second final in as many weeks.

Djokovic had once been a step ahead of Murray as they progressed in the world of tennis, but it was the Dunblane native who held all the chips when they met in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open. He won 6-2 7-5 to claim his first Masters 1000 title of the year after out-maneuvering his way past the Serbian.

Best match of the tournament: Del Potro bt . Nadal 6-4 3-6 7-6 (3)

Thus, the hardcourt swing came to an end and the players began to prepare their grind and slide for the red clay of Europe. An in-form Nadal was the favourite by a country mile going into all of the events he had entered, while the world waited to see if Federer could find his feet and his forehand in the one kingdom he had yet to lord over. Great things were expected of Murray in the hope that he could adapt his hard court mastery into clay court artistry. 

Novak Djokovic had found the sort of form that could challenge the best and looked to entrench himself back in the elite circle. However, there was no doubt that the world was in for another two month long highlights reel from the clay court conqueror and bull of Spain, Rafa Nadal.