Three Who Need a Big End to the Season on the ATP World Tour

Jack Sock: Sock started off the year better than he could have hoped, but since the clay season started his results have been worse than anyone could have predicted. He lost in the first round at the US Open, Cincinnati, and French Open, and second round in Montreal and Wimbledon. This was supposed be the year Sock took a big step forward, as he’s well-adjusted to life on tour and he seemed to be coming into his own. Instead, he’s taken a surprising step back, and is about to get passed by the younger generation of Americans if he doesn’t turn it around soon. It’s possible the rest of the tour has simply figured out how to play Sock and take full advantage of his backhand, which he has to go to great lengths to avoid being exposed. But despite all his struggles, the talent and athleticism remain. Sock is more than capable of posting some good results anytime he sets foot on a quick hard court, and he needs them about as much as anyone on tour.

Dominic Thiem: Thiem may have cemented himself as a fixture in the top ten, but it’s time he make some noise on surfaces other than clay. He’s got an explosive game that can translate well to all surfaces, but it’s well known that he likes the extra time clay gives him for his long strokes to develop. If he can have a few big results on the quicker surfaces common during the Asia and European swing this fall, his confidence should be high heading into next year. His loss to Del Potro in the US Open after having a two-set lead and match points was as devastating as it gets, and a strong fall season would help Thiem put it behind him. His fall didn’t start out well, losing to Guido Pella in the second round of a 250 in Chengdu, China. But if there’s one thing we know about Thiem it’s that he’ll enter more tournaments than anyone else on tour, meaning another opportunity is rarely more than a week away.

Grigor Dimitrov: Dimitrov is the master at disappointing when faced with big expectations, but stepping up just when you’re ready to give up on him for good. After his strong start to the year, including his run to the semifinals in Australia, it looked like Dimitrov was ready to play with the best of them in 2017. Then, just as we thought he’d realize his vast potential, Dimitrov hit a long stretch in the season where he could barely win a match. But before we could give up on him again, he goes and wins his first career Masters title in Cincinnati. In classic Dimitrov form, he followed that up by losing to Andrey Rublev in straight sets in the second round of the US Open. He's currently sixth in the race to London, and looks likely to make it (in large part to several others being injured or having shut it down for the year). If he can get back to his Australian Open and Cincinnati form this fall, Dimitrov can move past his US Open disappointment and become a threat to do some damage at the ATP World Tour finals.

As the Inaugural Laver Cup Approaches, The World is Catching Up to Europe Fast

It’s no secret that Europeans have dominated men’s tennis for well over a decade now. Nearly every big tournament since 2003 has been won by a member of the all European “Big Five”, which means few big titles have been left for the rest of the world. While the inaugural Laver Cup, a competition pitting Europe versus the rest of the world, may have been a massive mismatch had it started ten years ago, it appears that it will be a much more even matchup going forward than many may have thought.

When Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and Wawrinka fade out over the next few years, much of the emerging talent in men’s tennis looks to be coming from outside of Europe. The US and Canada alone have loads of young talent who should be able to compete with Europe’s best. Canada can offer new sensation Denis Shapovalov, who has shot up the rankings faster than anyone expected. The scary thing is he may not even be Canada’s best young prospect. Felix Auger-Aliassime, now 17, just won another Challenger title and is moving into the top 200 in the world. Auger-Aliassime is considered by many to be one of the best prospects to come around in years, and with Shapovalov will make sure Canadian men’s tennis builds on Raonic’s success for over a decade.

The U.S. has several good prospects of their own, as Frances Tiafoe, Jared Donaldson, Taylor Fritz, Ernesto Escobedo, Tommy Paul and others have been making solid progress. None have risen quite as quickly as Shapovalov this summer, but there’s still a lot to like amongst this group. And if he can stay healthy and motivated, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios could very well be the “world’s” best player for the next five years.

Even as the “Big Five” eventually stops being dominant, Europe should have plenty of new talent of their own. Alexander Zverev is already one of the best players in the world and should only keep getting better. Dominic Thiem is becoming a fixture in the top ten, and young Russians Karen Khachanov, Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev have all made good strides this year. Borna Coric is still just 20, and after beating Zverev at the US Open, may be ready to make a run at the top 20.

There’s too much young talent starting to emerge for anyone to know for sure who will dominate in the years to come, but it’s hard to imagine the “world” not putting up a better fight against Europe over the next decade. Fortunately for the Laver Cup, it may have come into existence at just the right time.

Is Kevin Anderson’s Apperance in the US Open Finals a Fluke or a Sign of Things to Come?

With Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka, Nishikori and Raonic all missing the US Open with injuries, and Nadal and Federer in the same half, it’s not surprising that there’s only one superstar playing in the US Open men’s final. Kevin Anderson managed to take advantage of an open draw and blast his way into the finals, but the real question is if we’re headed for an era of the Kevin Anderson’s of the world making more major finals, continued Big-Four/Five dominance, or the “next gen” finally stepping up where it counts.

Even if Djokovic, Murray and Wawrinka come back strong in 2018 and Federer continues to play at a high level, it’s looking more and more likely that they won’t maintain a stranglehold on grand slam finals spots going forward. Counting them out is rarely wise, and they may all win more majors. But with more early losses likely to happen as they enter or proceed through their thirties, more opportunities should arise for the rest of the tour.

The governing bodies of men’s tennis surely hope it’s the “next gen” who steps up and fills the void, but it seems just as likely we could be headed for a few years of less marketable middle-upper aged veterans like Kevin Anderson, Sam Querrey, Pablo Carreno-Busta, David Goffin and others going deep into the big events. This may not be good for tv ratings, but it’s something fans and the tour itself should prepare for before the next gen is truly ready to push everyone else out.

Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, Dominic Thiem and others have all made good progress in the last couple of years, but with only two grand slam semifinals between them in their careers (Thiem at the French) it might be too soon to pencil them into multiple grand slam finals in 2018. And while the “generation” below them may be every bit as good down the road (i.e. Shapavalov, Auger-Alliassime, Tiafoe, Rublev amongst other talented teenagers), don’t expect them to consistently go deep at majors for 3-4 more years.

Many tennis fans may not be happy, but there very well may be more “Kevin Andersons” popping up in grand slam finals over the next couple of years. While it will certainly take some getting used to, after being spoiled for so long with only legends fighting for grand slam titles, it might even start to feel a bit refreshing to have the occasional mere mortal to root for. 

Nadal Makes Big Statement With Monte Carlo Title

Based on Rafael Nadal's form over the last couple of years, most of the phrases used to describe him went something like "past his prime", "his best days are behind him" or "he'll never win a major tournament again."  But after his Monte Carlo title, it looks like Nadal will once again be a serious threat at Roland Garros.  Sure he didn't beat Djokovic along the way, but his wins over Thiem, Wawrinka, Murray and Monfils were extremely impressive. 

Djokovic is still likely to go into the French Open as the heavy favorite (though another early loss in the Madrid or Rome Masters may raise further questions).  But Nadal's game has always gone up and down depending on his confidence level, and a strong clay court season leading up to the French would have Nadal feeling better than he has in two years.  He may not be able to beat Djokovic head to head, but could certainly be the guy to capitalize if Djokovic somehow slips up along the way.

Perhaps more important than the fact Nadal won the tournament was the improved quality of his play.  Nadal's shots seemed to be jumping off the court more than they have in the last couple of years.  His depth of shot was also improved, as Nadal left fewer shots short in the court where opponents could take the offensive.  If Nadal can continue to keep his high bouncing shots deep in the court, it's hard not to see him having a very successful clay court season.

Tennis fans and analysts have a tendency to write off stars a bit too early, such as when a late-twenties Federer was considered almost done following a couple of losses to Guillermo Canas at Indian Wells and Miami.  No one expects Nadal to be as excellent in his thirties as Federer has been, but he may not go out as quietly as some thought he might.  For now, a confident Nadal on clay is a dangerous proposition for the rest of the tour, and the remainder of the clay-court season suddenly has a very different feel. 

Djokovic Once Again On Track For All-Time Great Season

It seemed hard to imagine that Djokovic could be more dominant in 2016 than he was in his remarkable 2015 season.  Last year Djokovic had one of the best seasons we've seen in the modern era, winning three out of four slams and a record six Masters titles.  This will still be hard for Djokovic to replicate, but he's on the right track after winning the Australian Open and the Indian Wells/Miami double to start the year.  He's so far ahead of the pack that it's conceivable he wins all four grand slams and six or seven Masters titles.

Djokovic's closest challengers over the last few years in terms of the rankings have been Murray and Federer, but both seem further away from Djokovic now than they have been in a while.  Murray is once again in an early season funk, and Federer has barely played due to injury and illness.  Moreover, Nadal is no longer a serious challenger to Djokovic, and Wawrinka's days of giving Djokovic a run for his money seem to be behind him.  Other talented youngish players such as David Goffin, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic are all having very good seasons, but simply aren't in Djokovic's league.

Unless something's wrong with him or he wears down later on in the year, it's simply hard to see anyone beating Djokovic at an important tournament.  No style of play phases him, as he's dispatching the big hitters and baseline grinders with similar ease.  (Yes Simon gave him fits for one match by not giving him pace and getting a lot of balls back in play, but if that was really the strategy to beat him with Murray would surely have a better head-to-head against the Serb).  While Djokovic could potentially be vulnerable against Dominic Thiem on clay, it will probably be at least another year before Thiem's truly ready to knock him out at a big tournament.

If Djokovic is able to win the French Open for the first time it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure of going for the 2016 Grand Slam.  It's possible that could make him tight as the year progresses (i.e. Serena at the US Open), or he may relax after having finally completed the career grand slam.  Regardless, at this rate he's so far ahead of the field it might not matter much either way.  Not only does Djokovic seem likely to avoid any seemingly inevitable decline after his epic 2015 season, but it looks like he might even improve upon one of the greatest seasons of all-time. 

Is There a New "Big Four" Brewing on the ATP Tour?

Within the last few years there has been an influx of young talent on the ATP Tour, but no one seemed truly ready to challenge the game's best.  The likes of Kyrgios, Kokkinakis, Zverev, Coric, Thiem, Tomic and others all posted some good results, but many tennis fans wanted more than they were giving.  It finally appears that fans who have been hoping to see some fresh faces at the top may be getting their wish before long.  Since the Australian Open several young players have made serious strides, and they appear closer to reaching the games elite.

20 year old Nick Kyrgios has made waves based on winning a 250 level title in Marseille (which included several quality wins), and following it up with a run to the Dubai semifinals before retiring against Wawrinka.  22 year old Dominic Thiem has been on a tear of late as well.  He won a 250 on clay while beating Nadal along the way, reached a semis the next week which included a win over Ferrer, and is currently in the finals of the 500 level tournament in Acapulco.  Thiem is clearly headed toward the top 10, and will enter the top 5 in the points race for the year after this week.

18 year old Alexander Zverev has been in good form as well, and has cracked the top 60 in the world.  Another 18 year old, American Taylor Fritz, has been rolling in 2016.  He fell to Sam Querrey in the quarters of Acapulco after coming through qualifying, and earlier made the finals of the 250 level tournament in Memphis.  Fritz's goal for the year was reportedly to crack the top 100, but has already done so just a couple months into the year.  His should now have his sights set on a spot in the top 40 by the end of 2016.

While there's a handful of other talented young players, Kyrgios, Thiem, Zverev and Fritz all seem to have grand slam champion level talent.  Someone will have to win slams after the "Big Four" move on in a few years, and these guys seem to be as likely of bets as anyone.  Kyrgios, Zverev and Fritz all have natural "point ending" power that lends itself to grand slam titles, and Thiem should be a dark horse threat at the French Open as early as this year. The slightly older Kyrgios and Thiem already seem to be on their way to passing the "second tier" top ten guys, i.e. Ferrer, Berdych, Gasquet, Nishikori, etc, and at this rate Zverev and Fritz may just be a couple of years behind.

Lots of things can change over the next few years, but if the last month is any indication this group of young stars isn't going to waste much time in making their moves.  It may be a bit early to start calling them the next Big Four, but their future and the future of the ATP Tour appears to be extremely bright.

Thoughts on the Return of Juan Martin Del Potro

Juan Martin Del Potro made his long awaited return to the ATP Tour this week in Delray Beach, where he ultimately fell to Sam Querrey in the semifinals.  The big question was not how he would do, but rather how would he look after having missed so much time due to surgeries on his left wrist.  The initial reaction is that he looked pretty good all things considered, but there are still plenty of questions about his future after seeing him struggle to hit two-handed backhands.

It's hard to say at this point whether Del Potro was simply holding back on the two-hander because he's not mentally ready to let it go full speed, or if it's still bothering him in some capacity.  He sliced a good percentage of backhands, and when he used the two-hander he seemed afraid to truly accelerate through the stroke.  He also ran around as many backhands as possible, though with his forehand it's hard to blame him for that strategy.

If Del Potro continues to improve and gain confidence in his backhand he looks good enough to make a return to the top ten.  But while he can hide his current backhand against lower ranked players, the best of the best will expose that side.  Simply put, unless his backhand improves significantly it's hard to see him challenging the very best in the world for grand slam titles.  There's no reason to believe it won't keep getting better (unless for some reason he can't bend his wrist like he used to or has pain when he snaps through the shot), but at this point it's clearly not where it needs to be.

Del Potro's return to the tour comes at a great time, as men's tennis needs some "new" names who can potentially challenge Djokovic, Murray and Federer.  He's a fan favorite, plays an exciting game (at least when he's unloading on forehands), and has the talent to beat anyone when he's on.  Let's just hope his backhand returns to form, so that we can get the full Del Potro experience we've been missing for the last few years.

Reflections from Rotterdam, Memphis and Buenos Aires

It was an action packed week of tennis on the ATP Tour, with Martin Klizan, Kei Nishikori and Dominic Thiem all winning titles.  Here are some thoughts following the week that was.

Fritz is progressing faster than expected:  18 year old American Taylor Fritz has been a highly regarded prospect for some time now, but few expected him to adjust to life on the ATP Tour so quickly.  Fritz had already won a Challenger title (to go with his two from the end of last year) and qualified for the Australian Open in 2016, but this week's run to the finals in Memphis lifted Fritz to a whole new level.  He became the youngest American ATP finalist in decades, and is nearing a spot in the top 100.  Like Zverev, Kokkinakis and Coric, Fritz simply isn't wasting any time in his climb up the rankings.  At this rate, Fritz could be headed toward a spot in the top 50 by the end of 2016.  He's still got some things in his game to improve, notably movement and fitness, but Fritz is already the best prospect American men's tennis has had in over a decade. 

Thiem looks ready to make a run toward the top 10:  Thiem won multiple 250 level tournaments on clay last year, so it shouldn't be surprising that he captured another one early on in 2016.  But given that he had to beat Nadal to win his title in Buenos Aires, this one feels a little more meaningful.  Everyone understands Nadal isn't what he used to be, but beating him on clay still counts for something.  Getting that win over Nadal should do wonders for Thiem's confidence, and he may finally believe he can beat guys in the top ten at bigger tournaments.  The key for Thiem heading into 2016 was whether he could translate his success at 250s to 500s, Masters and Grand Slams.  Even though this was just a 250 and doesn't technically answer that question, it's another positive sign in Thiem's development.  At 22 years old Thiem is clearly one of the ATP Tour's brightest young stars, and a spot in the top ten doesn't seem very far away.

Fortunes can change quickly on the ATP Tour:  From the end of 2015 to the beginning of 2016  Martin Klizan lost 6 straight matches.  He began to turn things around at the beginning of February by making the semifinals of a 250 in Bulgaria, and then captured the biggest title of his career this week by winning the 500 level event in Rotterdam.  On his way to the title he fought off 5 match points against Roberto Bautista-Agut in the quarters, and then three against Nicolas Mahut in the semis.  The win should send Klizan from outside the top 40 to around 25 in the world.  Klizan is a talented lefty with a big forehand, and seems to have the ability to rise higher.  He hasn't fully put it all together at this point in his career, but at 26 still has plenty of time.  It will be interesting to see whether Klizan can build on his Rotterdam title, or if this was simply one of those weeks where everything happened to fall his way. 

Zverev looks like a future top 10 player- at worst:  18 year old Alexander Zverev got knocked out of Rotterdam by Gael Monfils in the quarters, but not before he took out third seeded Gilles Simon 7-6 in the third the round before that.  The week before he made the semis of a 250 level event, and the young German seems ready to rocket up the rankings in 2016.  He has a booming serve at 6'6'', and simply crushes the ball off both wings.  While some guys his height see their movement suffer, Zverev flies around the court and plays extremely effective defense as well.  He does need to get in better shape and improve his consistency, but Zverev seems well on his way to becoming a great player on the ATP Tour.  Whether that means winning grand slams or "merely" settling into a spot in the top 10 remains to be seen, but Zverev is looking more and more like a can't miss future star.

What to Expect at the Memphis Open

In the last several years many lower level ATP tournaments have left the United States, but the Memphis Open is holding strong.  This year's field is solid if not spectacular, and should definitely capture the interest of fans of American men's tennis.  Though Kei Nishikori is the top seed and three-time defending champion, about a third of the field is made up of American players. 

It's hard to see anyone seriously challenging Nishikori in the top half.  He'll open with the winner of Frances Tiafoe and Ryan Harrison, which based on recent form looks like it will be Tiafoe.  While Tiafoe has a very bright future, if he does advance to play Nishikori it likely won't be much more than a good learning experience.  Nishikori could then play 5th seeded American Denis Kudla in the quarters, before running into 4th seeded Sam Querrey or 6th seeded Sam Groth in the semis.  If Nishikori even drops a set on the way to the finals it will be a bit of a surprise.

The bottom half should be the more entertaining of the two halves.  Donald Young has gotten off to a slow start to begin the year, but the 3rd seed should be able to build some momentum by reaching the semis.  This is a key year in Young's career, as at age 26 he should be entering his prime.  If he can't capitalize on draws like this, it's hard to see him being much more than a borderline top 50 player the rest of the year.

The bottom section of the bottom half is packed with Americans, including Austin Krajicek, Steven Johnson and teenage prospects Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.  Paul should have a shot to take out 34 year old Benjamin Becker in his opening match, and would have a decent chance against Australian John Millman or Krajicek in the second round.  Fritz opens against a qualifier, and then would face Johnson in round two.  Fritz may be on his way to becoming America's top player, but at this point in their careers Johnson's experience should allow him to prevail.  Johnson has struggled to begin 2016, but it's still hard to see him not advancing out of this section.  In the semis, look for Johnson to get past Young in a tight three set match.  He owns a 2-1 career record against Young, and playing indoors should help Johnson dominate with his big serve and forehand.

In the finals Nishikori should be able to get past Johnson in straight sets.  He owns a 3-0 career record against the American, and is a much more complete player.  Johnson will have to serve great and try to keep points short, but it's hard to see him pulling off the upset.  Nishikori should be able to expose Johnson's weak backhand, and take advantage of the open court when Johnson tries to cheat over to protect it.  Nishikori's focus for the year should be on improving his results in grand slams and Masters tournaments, but winning another 250 should get him in the right state of mind as he prepares to challenge for bigger titles.

More Aussie Open Lessons

Milos Raonic is officially back:  Raonic made his move into the top ten a couple of years ago, and appeared to be ready to rise even higher.  A foot injury in early 2015 ruined his momentum, and he never really got back on track the rest of the year.  He fell outside the top 10, and it looked like his career was suddenly heading in the wrong direction.  Now it appears his decline in 2015 was just a minor blip, and that he's serious about making a run toward the top 5.  Raonic was impressive on his way to the Australian Open semis, and who knows what would have happened if he didn't hurt his leg during his 5 set loss to Murray.  Raonic may not be the smoothest player around and has limited movement, but he's got serious weapons and seems committed to improving his all-around game.  If he can stay healthy, don't be surprised if Raonic finishes 2016 around 5 in the world.

Ferrer isn't ready to go down quietly:  Every year it seems like Ferrer is going to take a step back.  His game is largely based on his incredible endurance, speed and footwork, and that gets harder and harder to sustain as a player gets into his thirties.  Ferrer was struggling heading into Australia, with losses in tune ups to Sock and Marchenko.  However, he was impressive in taking down Americans Steve Johnson and John Isner, before putting up a good fight against Murray in the quarters.  Ferrer's ranking will probably fall off a bit in 2016, but it looks like he's going to continue to give it everything he's got in the coming year.

There's not much separating the winners from the losers: Angelique Kerber had the tournament of her life.  She beat pre-tournament favorites Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams, won her first grand slam title and rose to number 2 in the world.  Not a bad couple of weeks for the German.  But it could have been a completely different story for Kerber if a net cord or shank went against her when she was down match point to Misaki Doi of Japan in her first round match.  While the announcers did give this some attention during the finals, it really is remarkable.  She was one point away from being a first round loser, having to face continued questions about her record in majors, etc, and then she goes out and wins the whole tournament.  Regardless of where Kerber goes from here, she'll always have the label tennis pros want more than anything next to their name: grand slam champion.

American men weren't ready to take the next step:  American men were confident heading into Australia, but left without much to show for it.  Isner and Johnson were mowed down by Ferrer, and neither put up much of a fight.  Meanwhile, Sock lost to Lukas Rosol in the second round.  Sock was sick heading into the tournament, but has to make some changes if he truly wants to become a top singles player who can challenge for grand slam titles.  In hindsight, maybe Sock shouldn't have played a tournament the week before the Australian Open.  (He probably should have played Brisbane and gotten some real matches under his belt two weeks in advance as opposed to the Hopman Cup exhibition).  His decision to continue to play doubles in grand slams also has to be questioned, as for the second straight grand slam he lost a match in which fatigue and/or illness was an issue.  His future is still extremely bright, but he may have to make some hard decisions going forward if he wants to improve his results in the biggest events.

Some Aussie Open Lessons

Djokovic's separation from the field is only growing:  Heading into the Australian Open it was clear that Djokovic was the heavy favorite.  He won 3 of the 4 grand slams in 2015, captured every big tournament at the end of the year, and routed Nadal in a tune up event to start off 2016.  Looking back on the event, it's possible we underestimated just how far ahead of the field Djokovic is right now.  Federer and Murray were simply outclassed by the world number one, and it's hard to imagine either beating him in a grand slam any time soon.  Nadal no longer seems like a threat to Djokovic either, and it's unlikely Wawrinka will continue to be much of a threat as he gets older.  While there are talented young players on the way up, it's hard to find anyone from the 18-25 crop who will be able to challenge Djokovic during the remainder of his prime (i.e. the next 2-3 years).  It's true things can change quickly in tennis, particularly for superstars that are reaching the end of their twenties.  But after watching Djokovic's dominance in Australia, it's hard not to see him racking up a handful of grand slam titles over next couple of years.

Serena is the best in the world by a mile- except when she isn't:  No one denies that Serena is the best female tennis player in the world, and by a good margin too.  But her performance against Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open finals was simply puzzling.  It was the second straight grand slam she suffered a shocking defeat, but more surprising than the loss itself was how poorly she played.  It appeared nerves were a big factor, but Serena missed countless easy shots that a player of her caliber has no business missing.  To Kerber's credit she played a smart match and made Serena hit lots of extra shots, but if Serena was playing anywhere close to her best level she wins it in straights.  As Federer can attest winning grand slams doesn't get any easy when you're 34 years old, and it will be interesting to see how Serena responds at the majors the rest of the year.

Nadal has to stop letting his opponents enter the zone:  Nadal has to be wondering what it is about his game that is letting lesser players enter the zone against him.  For the second straight grand slam he was knocked out early by a talented player who caught fire during the match.  Just as Fognini's incredible shot making ended Nadal's run at the US Open, he fell victim to the talented Verdasco in Australia.  Not to take anything away from Fognini or Verdasco, but when enough players keep finding the zone against Nadal, it's looking more like it's Nadal who is doing something to allow this to happen.  His forehand has clearly let him down over the last year or two, and his lack of confidence appears to be leading him to leave more forehands short in the box where opponents can tee off.  Nadal may not be in full on crisis mode (he is still top 5 in the world after all), but it's looking like he may be stuck on 14 grand slam titles for the foreseeable future.

The "next generation" on the men's side is nowhere near ready:  As referenced above, there are lots of talented tennis players in the men's game in the under 25 age group.  That being said, they are still completely irrelevant when it comes to challenging for major titles.  The emerging teens of Coric, Chung and Zverev didn't make it past round one, though Chung and Zverev did draw Djokovic and Murray, respectively.  Dominic Thiem lost a winnable match to Goffin in the third round, Tomic fell to Murray in straights in the fourth round, and a perhaps still sick Sock had a disappointing loss to Rosol in round two.  Dimitrov seems to be improved from his awful 2015, but failed to challenge Federer at all in sets three and four when it looked like he was going to make it a match.  The always hyped Nick Kyrgios sounded confident heading in, but fell to Berdych in a relatively routine third round match.  Some of these younger players will likely turn into superstars down the road (perhaps when Djokovic, Federer and Murray stop being dominant in 2027), but it's clear they all have a long ways to go.

Winners and Losers from the Australian Open Men's Draw

With the 2016 Australian Open ready to begin, here's a look at some winners and losers from the men's draw.

Winners:

Andy Murray:  Murray knew he'd land on the opposite side of Djokovic as the number two seed, but he was fortunate to see 4th seeded Wawrinka land on his half as opposed to 3rd seeded Federer.  Moreover, he's slated to play 8th seeded Ferrer in the quarters, who just got destroyed by Sock and shouldn't be much of a threat to Murray.  In the early rounds Murray doesn't look to have much to fear either.  He opens with 18 year old Alexander Zverev who is a superstar in the making, but isn't ready to beat Murray in a major at this point in his career.  After that the path looks to be relatively tame.  If Murray fails to make the semis with this draw it would be a big surprise, and he'd be confident heading into a semifinal match against Wawrinka or Nadal.  Winning a third career major in Australia is clearly Murray's goal, and the draw gave him as good of an opportunity to do so as he could have hoped for.

Rafael Nadal:  Nadal has to be thrilled with his Australian Open draw.  Both Djokovic and Federer are in the other half, and his potential quarterfinal opponent is Stan Wawrinka who he historically dominates (and beat in straights at the end of 2015).  While Murray is clearly in good form and would be a tough semifinal opponent, Nadal knows he can still beat him as he took Murray out at the 2015 year ending championships.  Nadal often plays himself into form as a tournament goes on, and he should have the opportunity to do so here.  He's not getting that much attention as a serious contender based on the beat down Djokovic gave him to open up the year in Doha, but with his friendly draw Nadal could end up being a major factor in Australia.

Losers:

Roger Federer:  As the third seed Federer was clearly hoping to land in the opposite half of Novak Djokovic, but he had no such luck.  Assuming he makes it to the semis he'll likely have to find a way to beat the world number one, but his draw to that point is tougher than the one he usually faces.  Federer could face the always tricky Alexandr Dolgopolov in round two, and a Grigor Dimitrov who seems closer to his 2014 form than his 2015 form in round 3.  He could then face the talented Dominic Thiem or David Goffin in the Round of 16.  In the quarters he could find himself facing the big hitting Berdych, Kyrgios or Cilic.  Federer would clearly be favored against any of these opponents individually, but having to role through such a tough draw just to make the semis could take a lot out of the 34 year old.  He's still a serious threat, but Federer's Australian Open draw did him no favors.

Kei Nishikori:  Nishikori failed to build on his success in grand slams in 2015 after reaching the 2014 US Open finals, and it looks like he'll have to wait a little bit longer to do so in 2016.  While his path to the quarterfinals is pretty manageable, he's slated to run into Djokovic in the quarters.  Based on current form Nishikori would struggle to even get a set (which says more about Djokovic than Nishikori).  It's possible Nishikori is ready to make a run at the top 5 in 2016, but it doesn't look like Australia will be much help in that regards. 

The "next generation":  The draw didn't do any favors to much of the promising next generation.  Alexander Zverev could have done damage with the right draw, but has to open against Murray.  Borna Coric would have to meet fellow countryman Marin Cilic in round two, and 19 year old Korean Hyeon Chung who is just outside the top 50 drew Djokovic in round one.  18 year old American qualifier Taylor Fritz has been on a tear to open up the new year, but drew Jack Sock in round one.  Assuming Sock is recovered from the flu in time, this seems to be asking a bit too much from Fritz at this point in his career.  Moreover, the big hitting Thanasi Kokkinakis wasn't even able to play Australia with an injury.  There's a lot to look forward to with this young generation, but it's unlikely we'll see a teenager make a deep run in Australia given their brutal draws.

What We Learned From Week 1 on the ATP Tour in 2016

There may be hope for a "youth" movement in 2016:  The one thing that's been missing from men's tennis in recent years is a young superstar who is good enough to challenge the Big Four.  While that's still a long ways away from happening, there were signs in the first week of the season that younger players (or at least guys younger than 27) are ready to make some moves.  19 year old Borna Coric reached the finals of Chennai where he fell to Stan Wawrinka, and in the process showed he may be poised for a true breakout season in 2016.  Milos Raonic topped Federer to win the Brisbane title, which is impressive even if Federer wasn't feeling 100%.  Also in Brisbane were the talented Grigor Dimitrov, Dominic Thiem and Bernard Tomic, who all had solid tournaments and look to be improved in the new season.  Moreover, 18 year old American Taylor Fritz continued his strong play in Challengers by rolling to the title in Happy Valley.  Given our lowered expectations at what constitutes a youth movement based on the recent past, tennis fans may be in for a pleasant surprise in 2016. 

Djokovic did not forget how to play tennis during the off-season:  If the rest of the tour was hoping that Djokovic lost a step during the off-season, they must be sorely disappointed after seeing what he did to Rafael Nadal in Doha.  The 14-time grand slam champion managed a grand total of 3 games against the World Number 1 in the Doha finals, and in doing so Djokovic sent a clear message to the rest of the tour that he plans on being just as dominant as ever in 2016.  It may be nearly impossible for Djokovic to top his epic 2015 season, but he's already off to a better start given that he lost to Karlovic in Doha to start off the previous season.  Djokovic has now won the last 6 tournaments he's played, and looks poised to have another dominant season in 2016.

The over 30 crowd may begin slowing down:  It wasn't a great week for the over 30 crowd on the ATP tour, and this could be a sign some of the tour's veterans may be in for a rough 2016.  33 and 34 year old Spaniards David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez both suffered surprising first round losses in Doha.  32 year old Gilles Muller got knocked out by a qualifier in Chennai, and 31 year old Gilles Simon fell to Dimitrov for the first time in his career in Brisbane.  And then there was that loss by Federer to Raonic, though Federer did look to be in good form during his run to the finals.  Maybe the over 30 contingent just came out a bit flat to start the season and will get it together soon, but their early struggles could be a sign of more problems to come in 2016.

Don't sleep on Wawrinka in 2016:  Wawrinka didn't drop a set in capturing the Chennai title, and looks to be a threat heading into Australia.  He's won a slam in each of the last 2 seasons, and could do so again in 2016 if a draw falls right.  He didn't get much attention heading into the season, which is justifiable given most people were focusing on Djokovic's dominance, Murray's momentum following his Davis Cup title and Federer's continued great form.  But if Stan stays focused and motivated (which he looked to be to start off the season), we shouldn't be surprised if the Swiss number 2 steals another big title or two in the new season. 

Storylines to Watch on the ATP Tour in 2016

As we get ready to begin the 2016 ATP season, below is a look at some of the biggest storylines to follow during the upcoming year.

Can Djokovic win the career, or even 2016 calendar grand slam?  The obvious storyline heading into the year is whether Djokovic can finally win the French Open and complete the career grand slam.  Nadal is no longer invincible on clay, as Djokovic proved in destroying him on the way to the 2015 finals at Roland Garros.  Unfortunately for the Serb, he seemed to run out of steam by the finals and played a pretty tentative match against an in-the-zone Stan Wawrinka.  Djokovic looks like he'll be the favorite heading in, though based on recent form a tougher Nadal is likely to await than what we saw in 2015.  Murray is much improved on clay and could be a threat as well, and Djokovic will be hoping to find Murray and Nadal on the other half of the draw.  Assuming he's able to reach the finals once again, we can expect Djokovic to learn from his mistake in 2015 and come out with a more aggressive gameplan.  

The less likely but still interesting storyline is whether Djokovic can make a run at the 2016 grand slam.  He only came one match away last year, but it's hard to predict that anyone (no matter how dominant) will pull off this feat.  First, he has to stay healthy, which he's been pretty good at doing throughout his career.  Then, he's got to hope an opponent doesn't catch fire for a prolonged period of time, i.e. Wawrinka at the French.  Djokovic's world class defense generally makes him immune from getting blown off the court in a best of 5 match, but this doesn't mean it's impossible on any given day.  And while Djokovic has owned his fellow members of the Big Four at majors in recent years, if you run into Federer, Murray and Nadal enough at the latter stages of grand slams one slip-up is hard to avoid.  It may be unlikely, but it's still fun to imagine as one of the biggest stories of the 2016 season.

Will anyone new break into the ATP Elite?  We're probably still a couple of years away from the next generation truly joining the elite of the ATP Tour, but it's still a major storyline heading into the season.  Dominic Thiem, Jack Sock and Nick Kyrgios are all in their young twenties and have tons of talent, but whether they can challenge for spots in the top 10 remains to be seen.  Following behind them is the younger Coric, Zverev, Kokkinakis, Chung, Rublev and the deep group of American teens, who are all accomplished but may still need a few more years of seasoning.  If anyone from either of these groups can somehow start to challenge the ATP's best, it will be a breath of fresh air and a major storyline of the ATP season.

Does Federer have one more grand slam title (or Olympic gold) left in him?  It's been amazing how well Federer has played since he entered his thirties, and he's made several grand slam finals in the last couple of years.  But he's been unable to overcome the Djokovic riddle when it matters most, and it's hard to see him knocking off the world number one in a slam final now that he's nearing age 35.  Moreover, Murray and Nadal both look like they'll enter 2016 in good form, which should only make Federer's work more difficult as he attempts to win one more major title.  Federer will clearly be targeting Wimbledon, the US Open and the Olympics (which is the only major singles title he hasn't yet won) in 2016.  He likely won't enter any of these events as the favorite, but if the draw opens up it won't be shocking if he ends up holding one of these three titles.  Whether or not he pulls it off, Federer's attempt to win one more huge event will be a major story to watch in 2016.

Will anyone from the "lost generation" challenge the Big Four?  The "generation" of guys currently in their mid-twenties, i.e. Nishikori, Raonic, Dimitrov, Cilic and Del Potro arrived with plenty of hype.  But due to some bad luck in terms of injuries and timing (being right behind one of the greatest groups of players of all time), they're in danger of failing to capitalize on their primes before being passed by in favor of the talented younger generation.  It's not too late for them, but they should all be feeling a sense of urgency.  Del Potro is clearly the furthest away, as he's barely played in the last couple of years with wrist injuries.  The rest all seem capable of having big 2016 seasons, but for this group a "big" season feels like a spot in the top 8.  However, if any of them can win a major (or in Cilic's case a second major), it will be a huge achievement for this group and could perhaps signal a slight changing of the guard.     

Some Predictions for the 2016 ATP Season (Part 2)

Grigor Dimitrov will be closer to his 2014 form:  In 2014 Dimitrov looked like the next big thing in men's tennis  He had his much awaited breakthrough year, spending time in the top 10 in the world and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon.  For a guy who improved every year since turning pro, the natural progression seemed to be that Dimitrov would start competing for grand slam titles in 2015.  Instead, for the first time in his career Dimitrov had a serious regression, and finished in the low-twenties in the rankings.  He was a non-factor at most big tournaments, and his backhand remained a weakness.  Some thought experimenting with a new racquet was the problem, others thought his focus was away from tennis, or that he wasn't ready to deal with the bigger spotlight 2014 brought.  But whatever the cause, 2014 was clearly a wasted year for the Bulgarian.  Most of the issues Dimitrov dealt with last season should be behind him, and he should be extremely motivated to prove 2015 was a fluke.  He's still remarkably talented, and can play with less pressure and attention in 2016.  Expect Dimitrov to finish the year a lot closer to 10 in the world than 30.

Jack Sock will end the year as the top ranked American:  John Isner has been carrying the torch for American men's tennis over the last several years, and generally maintains a ranking between 11-20 in the world.  While Isner had a strong 2015 (finishing at 11), 2016 may be the year Isner relinquishes his spot as the top ranked American.  Don't expect for Isner to have a big drop in the rankings, but it looks like Jack Sock is ready to take the next step.  Sock ended 2015 on a tear, and has fixed many of the deficiencies in his game that held him back early on.  Sock looks like he belongs on court with the top ATP players, and his game should be ready to compete with the world's best.  If he can stay healthy for the whole year (which has been a problem in the past), Sock should be able to finish just outside the top 10 in the world rankings.

Marin Cilic will be back:  2015 was a tough year for the 2014 US Open Champion, as late 2014 wrist problems hampered his preparations for the year.  Cilic never really got on track, though he still managed to reach the semis of the US Open and quarters of Wimbledon.  Now that he's had a full off-season to rest and train, Cilic should be ready to return to form in 2016.  He won't have the Big Four's consistency week in and week out, but a healthy Cilic could easily steal a Masters title or make a couple of deep runs in grand slams.  After a year in which he finished at 13 in the rankings, a final ranking in the 6-8 range is a reasonable expectation for the upcoming season.

Ernests Gulbis will return to the top 25:  There's no denying that 2015 was a disaster of a season for Gulbis.  He finished 2014 in the top 15 in the world, and at one point dropped outside of the top 100 in 2015.  There were times where it looked like he couldn't beat a club pro, and his bizarre forehand form (which appeared to help in 2014) began to look like a cheap gimmick.  While there's not much evidence to suggest Gulbis will return to form in 2016 (except a couple of decent results toward the end of the season), Gulbis generally does the opposite of what everyone expects.  If we have high expectations going in for Gulbis he generally disappoints, and when we write him off he tends to become relevant.  Now that no one is taking Gulbis seriously, things seem to be lining up exactly how Gulbis likes them. 

Some Predictions for the 2016 ATP Season (part 1)

Andy Murray will win his third grand slam title:  Murray has accomplished nearly everything a tennis pro could ask for (grand slam champion, Olympic gold medal, Davis Cup title), but the knock on him is that as good as he's been he "only" has two grand slam titles.  Look for Murray to capture his third major in 2016, though he may need a slip up by Djokovic along the way to make it happen.  Murray has worked his way up to number two in the world, and will benefit from avoiding Djokovic until the finals at every big event.  While Murray will be a threat at every major he plays, Wimbledon stands out as his best bet to get it done.  Australia should also present a good opportunity if he can ride the momentum from leading Great Britain to the 2015 Davis Cup title.

Dominic Thiem will reach the next level:  Thiem has been on everyone's radar for a while now even though he's just 22.  He finished 2015 at number 20 in the world, and won multiple 250 level tournaments.  However, he wasn't much of a factor at the bigger events.  This isn't particularly unusual for a younger player, but Thiem should be ready to step up his results at Masters and grand slams in 2016.  With a powerful game that resembles Stan Wawrinka's, Thiem has the point ending power and versatility that seems necessary to challenge for slams in today's game.  With all the physical tools he needs, Thiem's mental toughness and focus will determine how far he goes in 2016.  Expect Thiem to be more comfortable on tour and in the bigger events after his experiences over the last couple years, and a spot in the top 10 seems ascertainable for the talented Austrian.

Alexander Zverev will become the game's top young player:  The 18 year old ended 2015 just outside the top 80 in the world, but he was a bit overshadowed by fellow teen Borna Coric who finished nearly 40 spots ahead of him in the rankings.  Don't be fooled by the current rankings discrepancy, as Zverev seems better suited to reach the game's top level.  While it's hard to see Coric not becoming a perennial top 10-15 player, his lack of a weapon and average forehand are potentially worrisome.  Zverev has no such weaknesses, and has world class power.  Further, he moves well for his height, and his ground strokes should only become heavier as he bulks up.  While there's several talented young players on the ATP Tour, Zverev seems like the best bet to win a grand slam title.  He may already be known by serious tennis fans, but it won't be long until he's more of a household name. 

Young American men will surge up the rankings:  2015 was a promising year for the young Americans, notably Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Jared Donaldson and Tommy Paul.  Others such as Noah Rubin, Ernesto Escobedo, Stefan Kozlov and a few others also showed some positive signs.  Now that this group has some exposure to what life is like on the pro tour, many of them should be ready to take the next step.  That will mean different things to each of them based on their varying talent levels, but Fritz, Tiafoe, Paul and Donaldson should all have their sights set on a spot in the top 100.  After a full off-season to train following a year in which many of them just turned pro, expect big things from this talented group in 2016.   

It's Time to Make Davis Cup More of a Team Competition

Every year the Davis Cup title (at least theoretically) goes to the top country in men's tennis.  But for what's supposedly a "team" event, very little emphasis is placed on the whole "team" part.  This year's champion is Great Britain, who has one superstar in Andy Murray and only one other singles player in the top 100.  It's kind of hard to take the tournament seriously when a country like Great Britain can be deemed the best in the world, when they're essentially a one-man show. 

Great Britain to no fault of it's own merely took advantage of the Davis Cup format, which basically requires no depth of talent for the participating countries.  Given that one stud singles player (i.e. any member of the "Big Four") can win 2 out of the necessary 3 points in any given tie, very little else is needed to advance.  This may be great for the countries with superstars up top, but it's hard to say this is the best way to determine which country reigns supreme in men's tennis in any given year.

The whole ATP season is designed to recognize the top individual players in the world, so it simply doesn't make sense that the premier team event in men's tennis is so "individual" based.  To truly determine which is the best country, it would make more sense if each country has to use three or four singles players, as opposed to just two.  (Perhaps keep the current format but only let singles players play once, so that a country has to us it's 4 best singles players).  

The country that would have likely benefited the most from a more "team" friendly format over the last decade would have been France.  Most tennis analysts would acknowledge France has been one of the strongest countries in men's tennis over the last decade with the likes of Tsonga, Monfils, Gasquet, Simon and a host of others, but they don't even have one Davis Cup title with this crop.  Despite all their talent and depth, their lack of a sure fire number one option has kept them from winning a title.  But does anyone really consider Great Britain "better" than France when it comes to men's tennis?  It becomes fair to ask whether the problem was France and its inability to get the job done at the biggest moments, or whether France just found themselves stuck in a format that isn't really designed to reward the best "team".    

Some might argue Davis Cup struggles with garnering ratings and support enough as it is, and throwing out the fourth best player from Canada against the fourth best player from Belgium isn't going to help in that regard.  This may be true, but there has to be a way to make the competition more about recognizing the best country, and not just the country with the best player in any given year.  As many others have suggested, making Davis Cup an every other year event may be the solution toward boosting ratings and overall interest, and if fans are more excited about the event in itself they may not care as much about seeing some lower ranked players.  One way or the other, if the event is truly supposed to recognize the country with the best team, the format should be such that actually having a good "team" is a prerequisite to wining.  

Who Exceeded Expectations on the ATP Tour in 2015?

The following is a look at a few players on the ATP Tour who exceeded their expectations heading into the 2015 season:

Novak Djokovic:  Djokovic had ridiculously high expectations heading into the year, and he more than exceeded them.  Any questions about why he seemed to let some grand slam titles slip away were put to rest, and he continued to rocket his way up through the record books.  Winning 3 grand slams and 6 Masters titles is nearly impossible to achieve, and in doing so he destroyed any notion that the "Big Four" as we have come to know it still exists.  Djokovic came within one match of winning the 2015 Grand Slam, and would anyone really be surprised if he pulls it off in 2016?    

Benoit Paire:  Benoit Paire ended 2014 ranked around 100 in the world, and at one point early in 2015 nearly fell down to 150.  A once promising career seemed to be slipping away, in part based on injuries and a questionable mental game.  However, Paire managed to show some serious resolve and grinded his way all the up to 19 in the world at the season's end.  He showed more mental toughness along the way than most of us thought he had in him, notably fighting off match points to knock out Nishikori at the US Open, and winning 4 consecutive 3 set matches against tough competition to reach the finals of the 500 level Japan Open.  Paire put himself in a great position to take off in 2016, and will definitely be someone to watch going forward.

Hyeon Chung:  19 year old Hyeon Chung increased his ranking by over 100 spots in 2015, and finds himself just outside of the top 50 in the world.  He's part of a talented group of young teenagers getting ready to make their move on the ATP Tour, and will look to continue his rise in 2016.  Most of Chung's ranking points came in Challengers, and he didn't do much at the ATP level.  This isn't unusual or overly concerning for a teenager trying to break through, but Chung will need to fare better against ATP level competition in 2016 or he risks taking a step back.  Regardless of where he goes from here (and the bet is he'll adjust and be ready to make another jump next year), he took a major step forward this season.

Bernard Tomic:  Tomic started the year outside of the top 50 in the rankings, and quietly ends the year with a spot in the world's top 20.  Just when it seemed like the off-court drama surrounding Tomic would derail his career, he seems to have righted the ship in 2015.  While he's long been projected as a future star and it may seem strange to say a 23 year old Tomic "exceeded expectations" with a mere top 20 finish, it just shows how far he had fallen.  Tomic likely benefited from reduced attention given the emergence of other young Australian stars- notably Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, and should just be entering his prime in the next few years.  

Some Thoughts Following the ATP World Tour Finals

Djokovic continues to win when it matters:  Roger Federer may have beaten Djokovic three times during the 2015 season, but Djokovic dominated this rivalry when it mattered most.  Just as he did at the US Open and Wimbledon, Djokovic was able to top Federer in the finals here despite a loss to Federer in the round-robin stage.  Djokovic completed one of the finest seasons in recent memory (if not tennis history), and at the moment lacks a serious rival.  Maybe Nadal or Murray will make adjustments and become better equipped to deal with the world number one in 2016, but if not look for Djokovic to be almost as dominant in 2016.  If Djokovic doesn't win at least 2 majors next year it will be a pretty big surprise, and Djokovic probably thinks he has a somewhat realistic shot at wining all four. 

A disappointing showing for Murray:  Based on Murray's previous comments it's clear his end of the year priority was winning the Davis Cup title rather than the ATP World Tour Finals.  He was afraid he'd be worn down from the event, and wouldn't have enough time to practice on clay before the Davis Cup finals.  After Murray's lackluster performance in the group stage he didn't even make the semifinals, so at least he'll have plenty of time to get ready on the clay.  Murray simply got blitzed by Nadal and fell to Wawrinka in a match that decided who would reach the semis.  (He did have a win over Ferrer, who went 0-3 at the event).  Murray was consistent throughout the year and will end 2015 as the number two player in the world, but once again he got knocked out of an important tournament earlier than many expected.

Nadal continued his good form:  Nadal had been heating up heading into the ATP World Tour Finals, and should be mostly encouraged by his performance.  He swept his matches in the group stage, before falling to Djokovic in the semis.  Nadal may not believe he can compete with Djokovic at the moment, but he's got to think he can return to number two in the world in 2016.  He just beat Murray and Wawrinka indoors, Federer will be another year older, and there's not many other obvious challengers.  There were plenty of down moments during the year for Nadal, but a strong World Tour Finals should boost his confidence heading into 2016.

Ferrer's days playing this event may be over:  Ferrer is one of the best competitors in tennis, but he was clearly overmatched by the superior competition at this event.  He's been a staple in the top 8 for the last several years, but is vulnerable to sliding back next year.  He'll turn 34 during 2016, and his physical game won't get any easier to play as he gets older.  It won't be for lack of effort, but don't be surprised if Marin Cilic or Milos Raonic steals Ferrer's spot at the ATP World Tour Finals in 2016.

ATP World Tour Finals Field Far Too Predictable

The ATP World Tour Finals is supposed to provide an exciting and conclusive end to the ATP season, but once again excitement for the event seems to be greatly lacking.  Even the players contest matches looking like they'd rather be somewhere else, i.e. Wawrinka against Nadal and Nishikori against Djokovic.  While there aren't many easy solutions, it's becoming clear that some new blood is badly needed to add intrigue to the event.  Seeing the same players compete year after year has become far too predictable, and the event takes on the exact same feel as year's past.

The average age of this year's contestants is extremely high, as Nishikori is by far the youngest player at 25.  Everyone else is at least 28, and you have to go all the way down to 14 in the world to find anyone younger than 25.  While there's a lot of young talent on the way up, the current group of teens and young twenty-somethings is still at least a few years away from challenging for spots in this prestigious event.  

It's certainly not a problem on its own that there are several veteran superstars in the top 8 in the rankings.  The "Big Four's" dominance over the last decade has clearly been good for tennis, and they're some of the most marketable athletes in the world.  But seeing the same matchups over and over again simply takes a lot of the luster away.  While it used to be must see TV whenever there was a matchup amongst members of the "Big Four", it just hasn't had that same feel in recent years. 

What tennis could use is at least one or two legitimate young challengers to the "Big Four's" dominance.  Imagine how much more exciting it would be if there was some 20 year old who was pumped about being there and could actually stand toe-to-toe with the best players in the world.  This could be Kyrgios, Coric, Zverev or whomever else in a couple years, but for tennis' sake it's a shame there isn't someone like that ready to compete at this event now.    

Maybe in 5 years when the "Big Four's" reign is officially over we'll be longing for the days when there were four global superstars to headline the event.  It's hard to imagine the tour won't suffer at least a temporary decline in popularity when they're no long around.  But that doesn't mean we can't wish there was a little more variety at the top of the men's game.  Sports are often at their best when there's a newcomer trying to challenge a veteran who's attempting to hang on to power for a little bit longer (i.e. the Federer/Nadal dynamic from several years ago).  If men's tennis is lucky, it's a dynamic we'll soon get to experience again before several "more of the same" World Tour Finals pass us by.