2015 Final Rankings - Women

In a world where Serena Williams is head and shoulders above the competition, it’s not a question of which tennis player is going to finish first in the WTA rankings at the end of the year, it’s which player will be second.

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1. Serena Williams

This is the third year in a row that Serena is number one on the WTA rankings. She was off to a flying start at the beginning of the season and defeated Sharapova at the Australian Open. This was Sharapova’s 16^th consecutive defeat at the hands of the American, and she is surely having nightmares just at the thought of Serena.

Williams then went on to announce that she is going to stop the boycott towards the Indian Wells Masters tournament, which has been going on for 14 years before that.  She got to the semis there, but had to forfeit the match due to problems with her knee.

At the Miami Open she won her eighth title there, and managed to take her winning run to 21 consecutive matches without a loss. The Miami title was followed by the French Open one, and the French Open one was followed by the Wimbledon title. In doing so, Serena completed the ‘Serena Slam,’ meaning that she won all 4 majors in a row. That was the second time she had achieved to do that.

However, she didn’t succeed in winning the ‘Grand Slam’. At the US Open she reached the semi-final and had to face Roberta Vinci, who was a huge underdog before the match. During the match though, Vinci outplayed the American and recorded one of the biggest surprises in 2015.

2. Simona Halep

Halep had a great 2014, and this year she has kept the same level of performance. At the Australian Open she managed to reach the quarter-final round where she suffered a surprise defeat by the tenth-seeded Ekaterina Makarova.

At the Indian Wells Masters, Halep capitalized on Serena Williams’ injury and withdrawal in the semi-final, and progressed to the final where she defeated Jelena Jankovic 2-1 in the most important match of her career and her highest point of the season.

Her lowest point of the season however, was her first round elimination at Wimbledon at the hands of Jana Cepelova. She did manage to recover from that defeat though, and reached the semis at the US Open later in the season.

3. Garbine Muguruza

The Spanish, slash, Venezuelan tennis player should no longer be considered as a star in rising. She has already risen and is currently number 3 at the WTA rankings. She’s still only 22 and has the tennis world at her feet.

The undoubted highlight of this season for her was her participation in the Wimbledon final. There, she sent several high profile players home early. Kerber, Wozniacki, Bacsinszky and Radwańska were all dispatched with style by the talented youngster on her way to the final and the match-up with Serena Williams. She lost in straight sets, but her road to the final was enough for her to get in the Top 10 for the first time in her career.

4. Maria Sharapova

What is so remarkable about Sharapova’s season is that even though she missed four months of competitive matches, she still managed to finish 4^th at the end of the year. Basically, had she stayed fit until the end of the season she could have claimed 2^nd place in the WTA rankings.

At the start of the season she reached the final at the Australian Open, where she expectedly lost to Serena. Regardless of the loss though, the year ahead looked promising for the Russian. However, a poor run of form, and several injuries, resulted in a less than impressive year for Sharapova, who is now 5^th in the rankings, behind Agnieszka Radwanska.

5. Agnieszka Radwanska

The Pole didn’t start the season impressively and had to part ways with her coach Martina Navratilova. Radwanska’s first title of the season was at the 2015 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, and it was won in late September. If there was ever a strong finish to the season, this was it.

Before that, she managed to return to the Top 10 in the rankings by reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon. It was her third appearance in four years. Unfortunately for her though, she was eliminated by the talented Garbine Muguruza in three sets.

However, her biggest achievement of the season and her career in general, was when she defeated Petra Kvitova and won her first WTA Finals title in Singapore. Because of the strong finish to the season, and defying the odds Radwanska finished as number 5 at the rankings last year.

2015 Final Rankings - Men

When looking at last season’s performances of the top 5 on the ATP list there are some pretty clear conclusions to draw from it. This was definitely a year to remember for Nole and a year of misery and disappointment for Rafa. Murray’s season was a huge improvement compared to 2014, which he mostly spent recovering from injury. And the Swiss duo of Federer and Wawrinka played to the best of their capabilities, but didn’t warrant a top 2 position at the end of the year.

1. Novak Djokovic

This year there was a period of three months when Novak lost just once. The Serb had an absolutely brilliant season, which includes wins at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in which he only missed on the final played in Madrid and reached a record breaking 8 finals in the process.

This was complemented by a third win in his fourth final appearance at Wimbledon, and a win at the Australian Open. That win at the Australian Open was so comprehensive and dominant (he didn’t lose a set in the first five rounds) that many fans of Djokovic compared it to a dream-come-true performance.

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The only negative, in an otherwise stellar season for Djokovic, was the loss in the Roland Garros final, when Stan Wawrinka prevented him from finishing off one of the greatest ever runs in a tournament, and completing a career Grand Slam. In Paris Nole didn’t drop a set in the first five rounds, beat Murray in a match that lasted for two days, and beat Nadal on his favourite surface at his favourite tournament, but still couldn’t prevail when faced with ‘Stan the Man’.

2. Andy Murray

Murray entered the 2015 season by failing to win in 36 events on clay, but all that changed with his victory in Munich over home favourite Philipp Kohlschreiber. He also entered the year with the embarrassing stat of not being in the top 4 of the rankings for a full year.

That changed when the UK native managed to get to the Australia Open Final, only to be defeated by Novak Djokovic in four sets. He also got to the semi-finals at Roland Garros, but again lost to Djokovic, this time in five sets.

This was also the year in which he joined the elite company of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the only players to get to at least the semi-final round in all nine of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments.

3. Roger Federer

Numbers 3 and 4 are reserved for the Swiss duo of Federer and Wawrinka. Federer managed to win in the first edition of the Istanbul Open, and the Turkish city became the 19^th place where a tournament was won by the Swiss maestro.

He also reached his forty-first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final on Rome’s clay, and by winning in Halle, he took his tally at his favourite grass court to eight titles. By doing this he became the fifth tennis player to win eight titles at a single tournament.

4. Stanislas Wawrinka

Wawrinka will probably remember this season as the year in which he managed to defeat Nadal, Federer and Djokovic on clay. This was also the second season in a row in which he reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. But when he got there he lost to Gasquet. He went one step further in the US Open where he was defeated in straight sets by Roger Federer.

However, the tournament by which Wawrinka will definitely remember this season is the French Open. On the clay courts of Paris he defeated Federer in straight sets, in what was his first win over his compatriot in a major tournament. He then outplayed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semis, earning himself a place in the final against the top seeded Djokovic. He won in four sets, and in doing so he defeated the most in-form player this season.

5. Rafael Nadal

2015 was a season to forget for Rafa. It was a year in which his confidence was shattered. He tried, but couldn’t get past his so called ‘mental injury’ and prompted many to start speculating that the best was behind the Spaniard and that his injuries have dealt the final blow.

He did recover however, and started looking like his former self. In the second part of the season by playing noticeably better he managed to take his tally of wins to 61, which when combined with the 21 losses he suffered this season, is not such a bad wins-to-games ratio.

 But we are talking of a serial winner here, and that win ratio of 75%, was his worst since 2004, and was achieved by playing part in as many matches that he could. He won most of those matches, but got eliminated when the going got tough and when he had to reach the latter rounds.

Rafa will certainly hope that 2016 will be much better for him. It surely cannot get any worse than this. Or can it? We’ll all have to wait and see whether his doubters were right, and whether his career is on a downward spiral already.

The Top 3 Favourites to Win the Us Open and the Dark Horses

The Top 3 Favourites to Win the Us Open and the Dark Horses The fourth and the last Grand Slam event of the year is just round the corner, and exciting matches are bound to happen. According to TonyBet bookie some favourites are very clear, but as last year’s US Open has shown, a dark-horse win can always happen. Here’s the top 3 leading players in our opinion – both at men’s and women’s courts – and the extra potential dark horses to watch out for.

Men’s Favourites:

1. Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is firmly at the top of the ATP rankings. The world‘s no. 1 has already triumphed in two Grand Slam events this years – the Australian Open and Wimbledon – and went through to the finals in French Open. Even with these results, he lost to Roger Federer in Cincinnati and before that, to Andy Murray in Montreal Masters, both times playing in the finals. This shows he can be beaten – but he may also be saving up his best form for the US Open.

2. Roger Federer

While Roger Federer haven‘t had as impressive a year as Djokovic, he still did well in the previous Grand Slam events, climbing up from third round in Australian Open, to the quarter-finals in the French Open, to the final in Wimbledon. The Swiss legend has been named 2nd seed and whilst he lost again to Djokovic in Wimbledon finals, Federer then beat him in Cincinnati, along with a win against Murray in the semis. He seems to be in a brilliant form and definitely has good chances at winning.

3. Andy Murray

The world‘s no. 3 has won the US Open in 2012, but hasn‘t gone further than the quarter-final ever since. Murray started the 2015‘s Grand Slam going to the finals in the Australian Open, followed by making it to the semi-finals in both the French Open and Wimbledon. He has managed to beat one of his main contenders, Djokovic, in Montreal Masters, but afterwards lost to Federer in the semi-final in Cincinnati. Still, he is able to win the championship if he‘s in a good form.

The Dark Horse: Grigor Dimitrov

For a good chunk of promising players it would be quite a jump to dominate the US Open, however, Grigor Dimitrov looks like the one who just might be able to do it. Although it‘s admittedly unlikely that the world‘s 17th would become the champion, his recent loss against Murray actually revealed that he’s in a good enough form and what’s lacking is mostly in his mental game. Dimitrov has competed in all Grand Slam events, going to 4th round in Australian Open, 1st in French Open and 3rd in Wimbledon.

Women’s Favourites:

1. Serena Williams

The phrase “Serena Williams is the only Serena William’s real contender” is quickly becoming a big cliché in the tennis world. The world’s no. 1 is in absolutely amazing form, having already won three of the major titles this year and is going for a calendar year Grand Slam. Besides, she’s already won US Open 6 times, and she’s a three-time defending champion. By now, it’s going to be far more surprising if Williams doesn’t win rather than if she does.

2. Victoria Azarenka

The Belarusian is a former no. 1 and current 20th seed. She has made it to the US Open finals twice, and to the quarter finals last year. Victoria Azarenka‘s 2015 season is looking very solid so far, and even though Williams looks unbeatable, Azarenka is the one tennis player that could challenge the no.1 - if she‘s in a good form. Even with her left thigh injury that had her retire from Cincinnati, Azarenka should be able to play some world-class tennis.

3. Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova hasn’t won a Grand Slam title this year yet, but she made it to the finals in Australian Open, semi-finals in Wimbledon and the fourth round in French Open. She was ranked as the 3rd seed, and should be well rested to play in the US Open, as she hasn’t had any matches since Wimbledon. Sharapova had a good year, and she will be a tough challenge for any opponent in the upcoming tournament.

The Dark Horse: Belinda Bencic

The world‘s no. 12 is only 18 years old – and yet she managed to beat S. Williams in Toronto on 16th of August. Overcoming the world’s no. 1 on an extremely good year – even though it wasn’t in a Grand Slam event – shows that Belinda Bencic definitely has the potential to be the next big name in tennis. However, in Cincinnati she had to retire with a right wrist injury. If that doesn’t prevent her from being is a good shape, Bencic should be able to shake up the tennis world in the upcoming US Open. The first round of the US Open 2015 starts on Monday, 31st of August, and the championship will conclude on September 13th. Marin Cilic is the defending champion in the men’s singles, whilst Serena Williams is the three-time defending champion in the women’s singles. Together, the participating tennis players will share more than 40 million US dollars in prize money.

Images via US Open official website

24/7 Top Stars' Non-Stop Competition

What’s so impressive about the big names in the game isn’t just what they can do - again and again - in tournament play. What they do the rest of the time is, if anything, even more inspiring. It’s so easy to take for granted the incredible athleticism, stamina and sheer competitive drive that the likes of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray demonstrate every time they set foot on the court.

But the truth is what we see on court is just the tip of the iceberg. What we see is the product and the outcome of dedicated regimes of diet, exercise, skills-based training and so much more. What we take easily for granted is the way those guys are competing 24/7. Everything they eat, everything the drink and just about every other aspect of their lives, 365 days a year, is a competition to be the best to top the rankings and to be the bookmakers’ favourite.

Imagine turning your breakfast into a competition every day to make it just that little bit more effective than the other guy’s. No wonder they are so emotional when they win. Those guys really do put just about everything on the line.