Let's talk about 2017...

[vjmtz]

Mugray may stay slamless in 2017 and he most likely won't finish that year at #1.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Agreed, I think it will be extremely difficult for Andy to defend all of the points that he has gathered in 2016. However, just like Novak he will be a huge favorite in every tournament he is able to play.

 

[the AntiPusher]

It will be very interesting to see how Andy handles being the HUNTED. 2017 may be the most competitive year on the ATP tour since 2008-2013 period before Novak took the game over by himself.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Yes, if Federer and Nadal come back in a big way (in terms of form that is), we can have another year of competition among the big 4. This would be one of the last years to feature something like that.

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[the AntiPusher]

Yes, if Federer and Nadal come back in a big way (in terms of form that is), we can have another year of competition among the big 4. This would be one of the last years to feature something like that.

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I would like to see Rafa win the championship at AO especially since he has had such a horrendous history at AO as for as getting injured. The 2014 lost to Stan in the finals crippled Rafa and he hasn't been the same since although he won RG later that year. A win at AO at the beginning of the year will totally rejuvenate his career. I don't think Rafa is as motivated to win RG because he has won it 10 times. Roger is looking to add another gs title to his legacy but it will take a perfect storm just as it may take for Rafa to win

 

[the AntiPusher]

Yes, if Federer and Nadal come back in a big way (in terms of form that is), we can have another year of competition among the big 4. This would be one of the last years to feature something like that.

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It's good that you mentioned Roger and Rafa. They need each other to take out Murray and Djokovic although I think Rafa can only make Novak work hard for about a two solid sets on clay( Rafa has no answer for Novak on hard courts over the past 3 years). Roger can beat everyone but he can't beat all 3 or really two of them to win a grand slam title. I truly feel if Roger wasnt injured vs Milos, he would have had a good chance to defeat Andy on grass.

 

[Front242]

Nadal has won 9 French Opens, not 10.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Nadal has won 9 French Opens, not 10.

Thanks Front.. I thought this would interest you.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/19/tennis/rafael-nadal-academy-mallorca-tennis/

 

[Front242]

^ Most interesting thing is he kinda looked like Michael Jackson here. Whoa :s

 

[lacatch]

Agreed, I think it will be extremely difficult for Andy to defend all of the points that he has gathered in 2016. However, just like Novak he will be a huge favorite in every tournament he is able to play.

I think it's WAY too early to say that Andy will be a huge favorite in every tournament he enters in 2017. Half a year as the top player on the men's tour hardly makes him invincible. Novak may very well retool and fight for #1, and as you and others have said, Roger and Rafa may have something to say if all the stars align. Plus there's always Stan and maybe a surprise run by a young gun. I agree that 2017 will be the most competitive year we've seen on the men's tour in years. Let's hope so

 

[the AntiPusher]

^ Most interesting thing is he kinda looked like Michael Jackson here. Whoa :s

Rafa does look like the Thriller..good catch Front

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

I am already depressed due to the off-season. I can't wait.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Federer and Serena are out of IPTL driven by the lack of cash on IPTL's part. Financial problems. So, I need to wait till January to see Roger. Alas!

 

[Fiero425]

Federer and Serena are out of IPTL driven by the lack of cash on IPTL's part. Financial problems. So, I need to wait till January to see Roger. Alas!

I'm not shocked! Every time I surfed by, there were tons of empty seats! No one should have been surprised since we all know Serena and Roger weren't going to give them a discount! :nono :angel: :dodgy:

 

[the AntiPusher]

Federer and Serena are out of IPTL driven by the lack of cash on IPTL's part. Financial problems. So, I need to wait till January to see Roger. Alas!

I'm not shocked! Every time I surfed by, there were tons of empty seats! No one should have been surprised since we all know Serena and Roger weren't going to give them a discount! :nono :angel: :dodgy:

Yeah, it was more people on the tennis courts sitting instead of in the stands..whomever organized that crap needs to go meet with the Donald :nono

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

What is up with Grigor Dimitrov? Why did he have a terrible year. It was he who had been perceived as the possible next great 3 or 4 years ago. He hasn't moved along that path. Alas! He is such a good looking player as far as his shot form is concerned. He is a 'good-looking' player. An elegant player like him would generate such beauty. His movement is not as good. Something's missing. I will live it to you guys. Guys, what's wrong with him? And, how many of you consider that he might still have a chance to achieve great things in the future?

 

[Kieran]

What is up with Grigor Dimitrov? Why did he have a terrible year. It was he who had been perceived as the possible next great 3 or 4 years ago. He hasn't moved along that path. Alas! He is such a good looking player as far as his shot form is concerned. He is a 'good-looking' player. An elegant player like him would generate such beauty. His movement is not as good. Something's missing. I will live it to you guys. Guys, what's wrong with him? And, how many of you consider that he might still have a chance to achieve great things in the future?

Indiscipline. Lack of tennis intellect. Lack of moral fibre. Lacking also in the trouser department.

I can't see Grigor rising to become anything now. Sure, he might have a flukey one-off run to a MS final someplace, before collapsing back into lousy mediocrity, but really, the lad's a lightweight, and won't add up to much more than he already adds up to.

Which is Zero...

 

[the AntiPusher]

What is up with Grigor Dimitrov? Why did he have a terrible year. It was he who had been perceived as the possible next great 3 or 4 years ago. He hasn't moved along that path. Alas! He is such a good looking player as far as his shot form is concerned. He is a 'good-looking' player. An elegant player like him would generate such beauty. His movement is not as good. Something's missing. I will live it to you guys. Guys, what's wrong with him? And, how many of you consider that he might still have a chance to achieve great things in the future?

Indiscipline. Lack of tennis intellect. Lack of moral fibre. Lacking also in the trouser department.

I can't see Grigor rising to become anything now. Sure, he might have a flukey one-off run to a MS final someplace, before collapsing back into lousy mediocrity, but really, the lad's a lightweight, and won't add up to much more than he already adds up to.

Which is Zero...

Grigor has had more success off the court with the WTA players and pop music singers..my grandfather told me when I was a young man Grigor's age, "Son, you can't serve two masters"

 

[El Dude]

I think Kieran got it right. He's basically a top 20ish player who has the talent to be top 10. He seemed to be breaking through in 2014, but then collapsed in 2015 and only really stabilized as a top 20ish player in 2016. I think the bottom line is that he's got game, but not the killer instinct, and presumably not the drive.

That said, there's always the Stanimal career path. It is possible--if unlikely--that at some point in the next few years Grigor gets tired of being a disappointment and puts focus in and has a nice two or three year run. He's not a young player anymore (he's 25, 26 in May) but he's not exactly old yet. Stan didn't make his big jump until 2013, when he was 28. Again, I'm not predicting that Grigor will do a Stan impression, but that he could do something vaguely similar.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I think Kieran got it right. He's basically a top 20ish player who has the talent to be top 10. He seemed to be breaking through in 2014, but then collapsed in 2015 and only really stabilized as a top 20ish player in 2016. I think the bottom line is that he's got game, but not the killer instinct, and presumably not the drive.

That said, there's always the Stanimal career path. It is possible--if unlikely--that at some point in the next few years Grigor gets tired of being a disappointment and puts focus in and has a nice two or three year run. He's not a young player anymore (he's 25, 26 in May) but he's not exactly old yet. Stan didn't make his big jump until 2013, when he was 28. Again, I'm not predicting that Grigor will do a Stan impression, but that he could do something vaguely similar.

Stan always had the weapons to win a grand slam but with the guidance of Magus Norman he was a late bloomer in actually putting all the pieces and holding them together for a grand slam two week period. Grigor doesn't have the type of weapons to really consistently bother the top pros.