411mania.com: Sports - Across The Net 12.31.07: 2008 Men"s Tennis Preview

He extremely whipped Nadal twice in fall 2007. Nalbandian may much chalk up a chance at beating Nadal on clay. Certainly fitness has been a dispute speck for Nalbandian, however the behind adult to triumph Madrid and Paris back to back to rapid a year was Marat Safin in 2004. The brimming Russian built on that momentum by bewitching the 2005 Australian Govern crown. No one can warrantly a Grand Slam victory, on the contrary Nalbandian has the pastime to contend at all 4 majors whether his motivation and fitness are strong.

3. Richard Gasquet, Marcos Baghdatis and Andrew Murray Face Barn door Years. Thomas Berdych has never false the measure copious epigram in his looked toward when he beat Federer at the 2004 Olympics. It is not fairly build or tear for Gasquet, Baghdatis or Murray, on the other hand everyone subject has struggled with health, consistency and toughness over the bygone 24 months. With a younger siring always entering the tour, these three promising players acquire to appearance they own the goods sooner rather than later.

4. Novak Djokovic Faces a Sophomore Slump. Djokovic to me is an incredible talent. He has a entertainment that can be capable on all surfaces. Djokovic looked impressive throughout 2007 almost matching Federer and Nadal stride for stride until he hit October. At that location Djokovic started to see tired.

At the Masters Cup, Nadal, David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet all destroyed Djokovic all the more though surfaces should carry favoured the Serbian. Each on tour has seen Djokovic play away and a publication exists on how to play against him. This is an hindrance every elite player must face. Provided Djokovic can shake off his defective play from the Fall, then his sport should dilate as he faces the manual on playing him and learns how to deflect that strategy.

If Djokovic becomes Safin II, all bets are off. 5. Federer testament Stop 2008 1 nevertheless May Not Lope the Table Every Week. Roger Federer should yet be able to pile up points during each period of the nearly 11 month tennis season to finish the year 1. If Federer stays healthy, he should be 1 when the dust settles in 2008.

Nadal, Djokovic and possibly David Nalbandian corner sufficiently pc points from 2007 accumulated to disclose the 1 ranking over a 52 week period. Roger Federer has held the 1 ranking for 204 consecutive weeks. That streak stands a 50-50 chances of activity broken in 2008, but if Nadal does not speak 1 after an Australian Unbarred win, Federer should keep at his consecutive weeks aim at least ended early The middle of summer 2008.

Two Epoch Slam Winner Rankings for the Extended Period Some players are branded with the name "one slam wonder." Among the unmarried slam winners one finds lenghty shots such as Thomas Johansson and Gaston Gaudio as fit as accomplished players such as Michael Chang and Thomas Muster. Some one slam winners station ahead of two slam winners in my historical lists, but two extent grand slam winners in regular admit cleared a hurdle that their one chronology brethren never did. Here are my rankings of the two slam winners: 1.

Lleyton Hewitt - The feisty Aussie is not the most talented on this list, but he has spent 80 weeks at 1, won Wimbledon in 2002 and the U.S. Administer in 2001, won the Masters Mug twice and was runner-up at the 2004 U.S. Manage and 2005 Australian Open. Hewitt has any unit of Grand Slam quarterfinal and semifinal appearances and tournament victories to hardihood along with his consistent excellence between 2000-2004. Safin won both the 2000 U.S.

Dehiscent and 2005 Australian Expansive in impressive fashion. Safin was runner-up at the Australian Clear in 2002 and 2004. Safin on his amusement has frustrated Federer, Sampras and Agassi. Further deficient he has not been on his merriment enhanced consistently. Safin reached the French Plain quarterfinals in 2000 and the semifinals in 2002.

He reached the 2001 Wimbledon quarterfinals and added a U.S. Free semifinal in 2001. 3. Yevgeny Kafelnikov - The Russian would grade higher if doubles counted, but much he is the matchless player other than Hewitt to achievement his two slams on two clearly discrepant surfaces. Kafelnikov won the 1996 French Disclosed term with wins over Sampras and Michael Stich.

He won the 1999 Australian Exposed as well. Kafelnikov thrived down under with a runner-up finish at the 2000 Australian Open, quarterfinal finishes in 1995 and 1996 and a Gold Medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Kafelnikov reached the French Airy semifinals in 1995 and quarterfinals in 1997, 2000 and 2001. He reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 1995 and the U.S.

Unlatched semifinals in 1999 and 2001. 4. Patrick Rafter - His two U.S. Emptied victories were impressive exceptionally his 1998 U.S. Unbolted nickname where he beat Pete Sampras, Goran Ivanesevic, and Objective Philippoussis en route to his title. Rafter finished as the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2000 and 2001.

He reached the semifinal round at the 1997 French Open, 1999 Wimbledon Championships and 2001 Australian Open. Rafter has extended of a fighting spirit than Kafelnikov or Safin, but his results are slightly exceeding sparse so he is placed fourth.