Easily snatching another title while decrying the calendar makes Murray the militant student insisting that the length of the school year is unconstitutional and he’s so totally writing a congressperson about it, but he won’t stage a sit in because he still needs a good GPA. Look for the talk of the oppressive calendar to dry up right around the time the top players start playing wallet friendly exhibitions during their off season.

Power Play: Yes or No?

In order to contend for slams, a weapon is mandatory. The lack of a weapon is the reason why Agnieska Radwanska has been relegated to being an enjoyable also-ran. For unknown reasons, the last several months have brought out her inner ball basher. Radwanska has shown off greatly increased power in winning her biggest title ever in Tokyo last week, exploding into contention for the YEC and for a Top 10 berth. Often compared to Martina Hingis, the stony faced Pole has lacked the killer instinct of the five time slam winner. Radwanska has historically been a good bet to reach the quarterfinals of the biggest tournaments and then lose easily. If she keeps up this level of play she may be a contender for slam trophies.

Another powerful player is Kaia Kanepi. The tall and solidly built Estonian has been out for parts of the year with a leg injury, but showed up at Tokyo looking incredibly fit. That surely contributed to her staying focused long enough to blast Wozniacki off the court in an impressive display. Look for her to match and surpass her career high rank of 16th next year.

Ever heard the advice “everything in moderation?” Wozniacki has also tried to add power to her counterpunching game. It has been surprising to see the famously fast Dane trade blows with her more powerful contemporaries. The media criticism has obviously affected her mentality. While more power can be a great thing, she seems to abandon her general strategy for entire sets at a time. Hopefully her mystery coach can convince her to keep the extra pop but regain her cunning.

Julia Goerges is another playing with extraordinary weapons. She was able to shine on the clay courts this year, with the surface allowing her the time to wind up her deadly but complicated forehand. The faster hard courts have exposed the weaknesses of her lengthy motion. She has had no choice but to take the ball off the back foot, and has allowed her momentum to stall.

Underachiever Update

While it’s admirable to see a player put in the sweat equity to achieve results above their natural talent level, it can also be fun to see flashy, temperamental talents hit dazzling shots while their mind wanders in and out of the match. Think of Donald Young, Marcos Baghdatis, Tamira Paszek, and every male French player in history.

Donald Young and an entire country of tennis fans have reason to celebrate. His massive talent is finally starting to overcome his massive ego. He reached his first ATP final and in doing so, the Top 50. His slight frame probably limits him to a career outside the Top 20, but if he can keep his head on straight several years in the top 30 or 40 is possible.

Tamira Paszek has already had a career and a half. The former phenom showed incredible promise early in her career, earning a spot in the Top 100 at the age of sixteen. Injuries and a total mental collapse have caused her ranking and results to yo-yo for years. I saw her play live at Indian Wells his year, and she genuinely could not get a ball in the court against Medina Garrigues. It appears that she has refound her compass and may be showing up in the later rounds of tournaments more frequently.

Marcos Baghdatis became the darling of the tennis world when he won his way into the final of the Australian Open in 2006. After a semifinal at Wimbledon and a brief stint in the Top 10, we have seen his form and fitness fluctuate for years. The jolly Cypriot always seemed to enjoy life more than tennis, and I always felt his talent belonged with the best while his dedication lagged with the worst. He lost a shocking amount of weight this summer and appears to have found his passion for the sport again. However, his results have yet to reflect that. Will he be a force to reckon with next year? Only time will tell.

Future Forecast

As each year winds down, we are left to wonder who might be calling it quits. Former #3 players Davydenko, Ljubicic, and Petrova have all lost their ability to hang with the best of the best. Ljubicic seems the most likely to retire, but all three may stick around for another year or two, causing only the occasional wave.

Venus Williams has been plagued with injuries her entire career, but a diagnosis of Sjogren’s Syndrome left many of her fans wondering if we’ve seen the last of her. She must yearn for one last hurrah, putting everything into Wimbledon and the Olympics, but time is obviously short.
Kim Clijsters has only played three tournaments since March. The Belgian famously unretired in 2009 and has won three Grand Slams in her second career. She must feel that she has accomplished amazing things. Her official stance is that she will play through the Olympics before retiring again and adding to her family. I wonder if she may pull out of the Australian come January with a severe case of “pregnant.”

Ironically, the person being asked about retirement the most is the least likely to actually do it. Andy Roddick has been in the top 10 for almost a decade, and now that he’s fallen to the hellish pits of #15 (horrors!), reporters line up to ask him if he’ll leave the sport. Still fit, committed, and only 29, Roddick could easily play for another three years. His serve will keep him dangerous at Wimbledon, but his refusal to attack with the forehand keeps him out of contention everywhere else.