Sezon 2011 - grudniowe dyskusje/podsumowania

[jaccol55]

A gdzie się podziało w tym wszystkim spotkanie Federera z Djoko na RG?

To są tylko mecze ATP World Tour. Na Szlemy pewnie przyjdzie jeszcze czas.

:

BEST GRAND SLAM/DAVIS CUP MATCHES OF THE YEAR - NOS. 3-5


Rafael Nadal was taken to five sets
for the first time at Roland Garros
as he battled past John Isner in the
first round.

ATPWorldTour.com reviews the best matches of the year from Grand Slam events and Davis Cup, beginning with Nos. 5-3.

5. Rafael Nadal d. John Isner, 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-4, Roland Garros 1st RD

John Isner went into the 2011 Roland Garros championships having won just three clay-court matches all season, but the big-serving American produced an inspired display to give defending champion Rafael Nadal an almighty first-round scare. The Spaniard was extended to five sets for the first time at Roland Garros, where he was chasing a record-equalling sixth title, before prevailing in just over four hours.

Nadal looked to be heading for a routine victory when he led by a set and 4-2, but Isner came charging back into contention. The 6’9’’ American levelled at 4-4 and captured the tie-break after racing to a 4-1 lead. Nearing another tie-break in the third set, Nadal ambushed Isner ripping two deep returns and racing to the net. At 5-6, 15/40, Isner dug himself out of trouble with four unreturned serves and then dominated the tie-break, maintaining an early three-point cushion to leave Nadal reeling.

Down two-sets-to-one at Roland Garros for just the second time (he lost to Robin Soderling in a four-set, fourth-round match in 2009), Nadal upped the ante. "What it came down to was the way he played in the fourth and fifth sets; I haven’t ever seen tennis like that," Isner later conceded. "That’s why he is No. 1 in the world and one of the greatest players ever."

The Spaniard broke Isner’s famed serve twice to force a deciding set, in which he struck early for a 2-1 lead. Isner kept battling, but Nadal maintained the service break and completed victory in just over four hours with a nervous hold to 30.

"[At the end of the third set] I thought I was close to being out," admitted Nadal. "I couldn’t find a way to break. I had 15/40 at 6-5 in the third set, but he was serving fantastic and they were tough moments for me. I only faced one break point in the while match, but I didn’t play well in the tie-breaks; I was too nervous in my opinion."

After overcoming the initial hurdle, Nadal did not drop another set en route to the final, where he defeated Roger Federer in four sets to triumph at Roland Garros once again.

4. David Nalbandian d. Lleyton Hewitt, 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(1), 9-7, Australian Open 1st RD



Two of the game’s veterans set aside the injury woes that have plagued them in recent years to produce one of the best five-set contests of the season in the first round of the Australian Open.

In a re-match of the 2002 Wimbledon final, David Nalbandian saved two match points to oust former World No. 1 and 2005 Melbourne runner-up Lleyton Hewitt in a dramatic four-hour and 48-minute contest that had the Rod Laver Arena gripped until the very end.

Home favourite Hewitt would ultimately rue his missed opportunities. He led Nalbandian 3-1, 0/40 in the fourth set and had two match points at 7-6 in the 93-minute decider. Argentine Nalbandian held on, though, and broke Hewitt's serve with a sliced passing shot in the following game before closing out the pair's sixth meeting at 1:07 a.m. local time in Melbourne.

"It was the kind of match that nobody can forget," said Nalbandian. "I think we played very intense tennis today. We both fought until the very end." Hewitt, who suffered a first-round exit at his home Grand Slam for the fifth time, said, "It's disappointing to come so close and fight for so long and not be able to quite get the win tonight."

3. Rafael Nadal d. Juan Martin del Potro, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(0), Davis Cup Final



Juan Martin del Potro left fans in no doubt what they can expect from him in the 2012 season after going toe-to-toe with King of Clay Rafael Nadal in a gripping, and ultimately decisive, fourth rubber in the Davis Cup final. It took all of Nadal’s champion qualities and clay-court nous to grind out the dramatic win and clinch a fifth Davis Cup title for Spain.

"We gave everything, it was a very emotional victory at the end of a tough year," Nadal said. "Winning in this way, we are very grateful to all the people of Spain. It was the best atmosphere I have experienced in my career."

Del Potro had worked his way back up to World No. 11 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings after falling as low as No. 485 following a serious wrist injury, and gave the Olympic Stadium in Seville a taste of his ferocious forehand as he battered six-time Roland Garros champion Nadal into submission in the first set. While 2009 US Open champion del Potro was to be commended for his inspired shotmaking, Nadal was left to rue missing seven of his eight break point chances.

Del Potro won his seventh straight game to break Nadal for a 1-0 lead in the second set, but it was then that Nadal responded. The Mallorcan began mixing up his service placement to keep del Potro guessing and gradually started making more inroads into the Argentine's service games. He was rewarded with a crucial service break in the 10th game to clinch the 57-minute set with a smash winner.

The third set was all about Nadal. The left-hander broke del Potro for a 2-0 lead with two straight forehand winners down the line and pushed on to secure a 5-1 advantage with a moment of brilliance: Del Potro attacked the net off a deep forehand stroke, but Nadal hit a running forehand winner down the line to get the crowd on its feet and leave the Argentine bench shell-shocked.

After securing the third set in 43 minutes, Nadal came up against more resistance from del Potro in the fourth set. The Argentine fought back from an early break deficit and surged into a 5-3 lead with aggressive tactics and clinical play at the net. He could not close out the set, though, despite coming within two points, and the momentum swung again as Nadal reeled off three straight games to serve for the match.

The drama was not yet over. Del Potro struck a powerful forehand winner to deny Nadal victory in the 12th game and force a decisive tie-break. It was to be the Argentine’s last push, though. Nadal improved to a 20-1 record in singles rubbers for Spain with a flawless finish, ending with his 26th forehand winner.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... -To-5.aspx

Bidnie, jedynie spotkanie Nalba z Hewittem łapie się w mojej ocenie.

[DUN I LOVE]

Djoko - Fed na RG, USO i finał Nadala z Djoko w Nowym Jorku. Te 3 mecze powinny być na 100%, ale już wiadomo, że tak się nie stanie. Zapewne potyczka Serba ze Szwajcarem z FM nie znajdzie uznania, bo ten mecz trafił już na listę najbardziej spektakularnych powrotów 2011.

[jaccol55]

BEST GRAND SLAM/DAVIS CUP MATCHES OF THE YEAR - TOP 2


Roger Federer ended Novak Djokovic's
41-match winning streak in 2011 with
victory in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

ATPWorldTour.com reviews the two best matches of the year from Grand Slam events and Davis Cup.

2. Roger Federer d. Novak Djokovic, 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5), Roland Garros SF

The Roland Garros semi-final clash between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic is a match that stands out not only for its intense high quality and late-finishing drama, but also as the day when Djokovic was finally beaten, ending his 41-match winning streak in 2011.

Federer went into the contest having lost his past three meetings with Djokovic and brought his best tennis to the table as he looked to reach the Roland Garros final for the fifth time. The standard of tennis was exceptional in the 70-minute opener, featuring 32 winners. After saving two set points at 4-5, Federer regained his composure to clinch the first set in the tie-break and quickly assumed a two-set lead after racing to a 4-1 advantage in the second set.

Djokovic took advantage of a dip in Federer’s form at the beginning of the third set and took control of the baseline rallies to garner an early service break, which he maintained to start an improbable fightback. With daylight fading, Djokovic was also battling Federer’s 174-0 record in Grand Slam matches when having won the first two sets, but looked set to push the match to a fifth set when he broke the Swiss in the ninth game of the fourth set. Federer immediately struck back, though, and saved two break points in the following game as the set went to a tie-break.

Djokovic cancelled out Federer's early advantage in the tie-break. But from 3-3, Federer won three straight points and closed out his 219th win at a major championship with his 18th ace of the match at 9:37 p.m. local time. "I really wanted to make it as physical as possible, which I was able to make happen," said Federer, who hit 48 winners in total. "I was really happy with the way I played. I thought it was a great match from both sides."

Djokovic conceded, "He played really good in the important moments. I congratulate him for a great performance. He really played well. We were, I think, part of a very good match, and it feels bad losing."

1. Novak Djokovic d. Roger Federer, 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5, US Open SF



History repeated itself in the US Open semi-finals as Novak Djokovic saved two match points to stun Roger Federer in an epic five-set clash for the second year in a row. If possible, the 2011 contest was made even more dramatic with Djokovic rallying from a two-set deficit for the second time in his career to prevail in three hours and 51 minutes.

Five-time US Open champion Federer had appeared in command when he assumed a two-set lead, but Djokovic raised his level significantly to claw his way back into contention. The Serb won 93 per cent of points on first serve and committed just seven unforced errors in the following two sets as he forced a decider in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Federer, a 16-time Grand Slam champion, regained control in the fifth set. He broke Djokovic’s serve in the eighth game and set up two match points at 40/15 on serve, with the Arthur Ashe crowd roaring its approval. An inspired Djokovic saved the first with a scintillating forehand return winner, and raised his arms to the crowd to receive their adulation. The shot served as a catalyst for his fightback and the Belgrade native converted his second break point chance as Federer double faulted. After levelling at 5-5, Djokovic broke the Swiss’ serve to 15 with another forehand winner before coolly sealing his 63rd win in 65 matches to leave Federer shell-shocked again.

"It was a very similar situation to last year," acknowledged Djokovic. "I had to take my chances. I was very close to being on my way back home. He was serving. He was 40/15 up. I managed to hit that amazing forehand return which got me back. I got a little bit of energy from the crowd, and I fought back. I needed to stay positive, and I definitely didn't want the French Open to happen again. It was an incredible last two games."

Just two months earlier at Wimbledon, Federer had surrendered a two-set lead in a Grand Slam match for the first time when he was beaten by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals. "It's awkward having to explain this loss because I feel like I should be doing the other press conference," said the Basel native. "But it's what it is. He came back; he played well. I didn't play so well at the very end. Sure, it's disappointing, but I have only myself to blame. I set it all up perfect, but I couldn't finish it."

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... -2011.aspx

[Robertinho]

Było do przewidzenia, szkoda, że to kolejny wielki mecz w którym Fed zszedł z kortu jako przegrany.

[DUN I LOVE]

A gdzie niezapomniany finał USO?

[Joao]

A gdzie finał RG ?

[DUN I LOVE]

A gdzie finał RG ?

Może jeszcze finał Wimbla?

Jestem zaskoczony, że zabrakło finału USO, a jest tu taki mecz jak Nadal - Isner. Widziałem jakiś czas temu z odtworzenia i szału nie było. Niby 5 setów, ale z dramaturgią też bym nie przesadzał.

[Joao]

A tak mówiąc szczerze finał USO mnie jakoś nie zachwycił, już bardziej podobał mi się finał z 2010.

[DUN I LOVE]

A tak mówiąc szczerze finał USO mnie jakoś nie zachwycił, już bardziej podobał mi się finał z 2010.

Niektóre wymiany były niesamowite, ale samą ocenę meczu mam podobną. Po prostu sugeruję się powszechnymi opiniami sympatyków tenisa, a te są bardzo przychylne tamtemu pojedynkowi.

[jonathan]

Naprawdę dziwię się, że w zestawieniu nie znalazł się finał US Open. Zapamiętałem go jako genialne widowisko, gdzie dwaj tenisiści zostawili chyba najwięcej zdrowia w historii tenisa. Widzieliśmy grę na pełnej szybkości i najwyższym poziomie intensywności - kilka punktów bez chwili zastanowienia zaliczyłbym do wymian wszech czasów. Wielu narzeka na brak piątego seta, ale ja porównam ten pojedynek do walki bokserskiej o mistrzostwo świata. Obaj nie szczędzili sobie morderczych ciosów, a w dziewiątej rundzie jeden z nich padł na deski. To więc tak jakby biadolić, że ta konfrontacja byłaby piękna wyłącznie wtedy, gdyby zawodnicy jakimś cudem dotrwali do maksymalnego dystansu i któryś wygrałby na punkty. Granie pięciosetówki w Nowym Jorku było po prostu fizyczną niemożliwością. W czwartym Djoković serwował około 160 km/h, a Nadal poruszał się już na prostych nogach. Jeśli Hiszpan nie jest w stanie normalnie biegać, to łatwo wywnioskować, ile to spotkanie go kosztowało i do jakiego wysiłku został zmuszony - według mnie do największego w całej swojej karierze. To była wyniszczająca wojna o dominację i ostatnia tegoroczna szansa Rafy, aby odwrócić tendencję i pokonać Novaka, kiedy ten znajduje się jeszcze w pełni formy. Obaj grali wspaniale, jednak w decydujących momentach Serba nie dało się skruszyć. To epicki mecz (wystarczy popatrzeć na napięcie na trybunach), moim zdaniem mocno niedoceniany.

[jaccol55]

TOP ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YEAR - NOS. 6-10

ATPWorldTour.com reviews the Top 10 achievements of the 2011 season, beginning with Nos. 6-10.

10. Raonic & Nishikori’s High Ranks


Canadian Milos Raonic rose to a
career-high No. 24 in 2011.

Youngsters Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori, each past winners of the Newcomer Of The Year award, can claim bragging rights as the best men’s players to emerge from their respective home countries of Canada and Japan after setting new bars in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.

The 20-year-old Raonic attained a No. 25 ranking in his breakthrough season on the ATP World Tour, surpassing Greg Rusedski’s record of No. 41 established in 1994. Raonic, who had made just five main draw appearances prior to this season, cracked the Top 100 barrier after qualifying and reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open. Over a two-week span in February, he claimed the San Jose title without the loss of a set and finished runner-up to Andy Roddick in a tense Memphis final, afterwards climbing to No. 37.

“It’s something really special and amazing,” said Raonic. “It’s not by any means something to be too happy with because I want to keep improving that. It’s not where my goal lies. I want to keep improving, I want to keep progressing and developing and I think I can do a lot more.”

Nishikori, 21, needed a bit more time to overtake Shuzo Matsuoka’s career-high ranking of No. 46, set in July 1992. After winning the Delray Beach title as a teenager in 2008, “Project 45” was temporarily derailed with Nishikori hampered by a right elbow injury. He climbed more than 300 spots to re-enter the Top 100 at the conclusion of the 2010 season, and broke into the Top 50 by April, matching Matsuoka’s ranking on 2 May. The record fell five months later, with Nishikori jumping 17 spots to No. 30 by reaching his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final in Shanghai.

“Shuzo Matsuoka has been a great mentor and teacher for me,” said Nishikori. “It is an honour to be able to break his record and become the number one tennis player in Japan.”

A few weeks later, Nishikori upset World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in Basel to reach the final (l. to Federer) and move up to a career-high No. 24 ranking.

9. Del Potro’s Comeback



Following a phenomenal 2009 season that saw Juan Martin del Potro capture the US Open title and finish at a year-end No. 5 ranking, the Argentine’s ranking had plummeted to a low of No. 485 this past February after a right wrist injury limited him to just six matches in 2010.

Del Potro survived a dramatic comeback match in January at Sydney, surviving match point before overcoming Feliciano Lopez in a third set tie-break, and then began his rapid ascent in the South African Airways ATP Rankings with a 23-4 run over the next few months. Back-to-back semi-finals at San Jose and Memphis and the title win in Delray Beach (d. Tipsarevic) pushed him back into the Top 100 by the end of February.

“I'm very calm with my level,” del Potro said of his progress at the time. “I know that it's a long road to be in the top again, but I'm working. I have the game, if I'm healthy. I need time to improve again, to work hard. Maybe in couple of months, maybe next year, I will be ready for play against all of the players.”

He proved he had what it took to compete with the top players over his next few tournaments. He moved just outside the Top 50 with his semi-final showing in Indian Wells (l. to Nadal), and defeated World No. 5 Robin Soderling twice en route to the fourth round in Miami and clay-court title in Estoril (d. Verdasco). By July, following a fourth-round showing at Wimbledon, del Potro was back in the Top 20.

But his climb didn’t stop there. In his final two tournaments of the regular season, del Potro reached the title match in Vienna and semi-finals in Valencia to finish the season with a No. 11 ranking. His peers recognised his efforts, naming him the Comeback Player of the Year in the 2011 ATP World Tour Awards.

8. Murray’s Asian Swing Hat Trick



Andy Murray reigned supreme in Asia, completing a title sweep of the tournaments in Bangkok, Tokyo and Shanghai over a three-week span to overtake Roger Federer at No. 3 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.

Bangkok had been the site of Murray’s breakthrough in 2005, when he reached his first ATP World Tour final as an 18 year old and finished runner-up to Roger Federer, and he returned for the first time in five years to claim the ATP World Tour 250 title with a commanding performance against Donald Young in the final.

He continued his hot run of form the following week at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Tokyo, first claiming the singles title with a blistering display in the final two sets to defeat defending champion Rafael Nadal, and then teaming up with brother Jamie Murray to win the doubles crown.

Murray completed the trifecta, successfully defending his Shangai Rolex Masters title with victory over David Ferrer in the final. “I was really happy with the way I stayed focused,” said Murray, reflecting on the Asian swing. “It's hard to explain. It's almost you'd think the more matches you win, the less pressure you feel. I was hitting the ball well, but there's still a little bit of tension because you want to try and keep the run going.”

His streak ran up to 17 matches before he fell to Tomas Berdych in the Paris quarter-finals.

7. 800 Wins For Nestor & Federer



No active player had 800 match wins to his name coming into the 2011 ATP World Tour season, but by the end of the year, two had reached the milestone: Daniel Nestor and Roger Federer.

Nestor had celebrated an achievement in the opening week of the season, eclipsing Todd Woodbridge’s record 782 match wins by reaching the Brisbane semi-finals with partner Max Mirnyi. Five months later, he became the first player to win 800 doubles matches with his opening round victory at Roland Garros. He and Mirnyi would go on to win the title at the clay-court Slam.

“It’s a great feeling. I’ve obviously had a lot of help over the years, playing with great partners, like Knowles, Zimonjic and Mirnyi now, and before that with Lareau, so I owe a lot to them,” said the 39-year-old Canadian, who won his first doubles match in 1993. “When you play a long time and you’ve been successful in your sport, it’s a great feeling, because you put in hard work and it pays off.”

Nestor attained another milestone to conclude the season, playing in a record 1148th doubles match and winning his fourth Barclays ATP World Tour Finals title in five years.

Federer, meanwhile, became the seventh player in the Open Era to record 800 singles match wins en route to his 18th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Masters, the final tournament of the regular season.

“It’s nice. It’s a lot of matches, a lot of tennis [that] I’ve played - I know that. But I know there are many other players that have played more tennis than I have,” he said. “It's just another win, but it's a special one nevertheless, because 800 is definitely a big number.”

6. Federer’s Record Sixth Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Titles



Roger Federer continued to showcase his remarkable stamina as he concluded yet another season by hoisting the trophy at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The Swiss had tied Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras’ shared mark of five titles at the circuit finale in 2010, after defeating rival Rafael Nadal in the final, and moved into sole possession of the record with victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga this year.

The 30 year old had come into his 10th straight circuit finale appearance as the in-form player, winning back-to-back indoor titles in Basel and Paris to conclude the regular season, and stretched his unbeaten streak to 17 straight matches, including a rout of Nadal in round robin action. Facing Tsonga for a third straight Sunday, he suffered a lapse in concentration as he served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, but overcame the tenacious Frenchman in the third set.

“It feels very special, indeed,” said Federer, who also tied Ivan Lendl’s record 39 match wins at the tournament. “I've been trying to sort of block it out for the entire tournament, the entire time I’ve been here in London. I just tried to recuperate from Basel and Paris and hopefully get through the round robin stages. So now it’s finally sort of reality that I've been able to win six [Barclays ATP] World Tour Finals. It's an amazing feeling. I know it's one of my greatest accomplishments.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... To-10.aspx

[jaccol55]

TOP ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YEAR - NOS. 3-5

ATPWorldTour.com continues its countdown of the Top 10 achievements of the 2011 season, with Nos. 3-5.

5. Bryans’ Record Weeks At No. 1


The Bryans won their 11th Grand Slam
title at Wimbledon.

Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan continued to add to their legacy in 2011, as they clinched the year-end No. 1 team ranking for a record seventh time in nine seasons. They claimed eight tour-level titles to take their team total to an Open Era record 75, and also equalled Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde’s record haul of 11 Grand Slam team titles by winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Individually, the 33-year-old twins each surpassed John McEnroe’s long-standing record of 270 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Rankings on 12 December.

“John McEnroe is a legend,” said Bob. “He’s definitely one of the best doubles players in history. We respect and admire what he’s brought to the sport. To be grouped in the same category and mentioned in the same breath as McEnroe is an honour in itself.” Mike added: "It shows we were consistent throughout our whole career and we didn’t want to relinquish the top spot.”

4. Nadal’s Monte-Carlo Streak & Record-Tying Roland Garros Triumph



Rafael Nadal’s 2011 clay campaign began and ended on high notes. The Spaniard, who claimed all three clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and Roland Garros titles the previous season, extended his reign at the Monte-Carlo Country Club to a record seventh straight year and captured a record-equalling sixth Roland Garros title.

Nadal had set the record for consecutive titles at a single tournament in 2010 when he won Monte-Carlo, and remarked after he broke the record again this year: “[To] win seven times in a row anywhere is almost impossible, I think. But to win Monte Carlo, all the best players in the world are here, you always have tough matches, [it’s] impossible to imagine for me. So I am very lucky, I think.”

With his triumph at Roland Garros, the 25-year-old Spaniard defeated Roger Federer to join Bjorn Borg as the second player in history to win six titles at the clay-court Slam. “For me it's something very special to equal the six titles of Bjorn,” said Nadal. “But for me, the most important thing is to win Roland Garros. It's really an honour to have this record with him. I am going to keep working to be here next year and to try to play well another time.”

3. Djokovic’s Record Five Masters 1000 Titles



Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had set a new record for the number of ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles won in a single season when they each claimed four during the 2005 season, a feat accomplished by Federer again the following year. In 2011, Novak Djokovic went one better, winning five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles - in five straight appearances.

Four of those titles came at the expense of a No. 1-ranked Nadal. Djokovic rallied from a set down to defeat the Spaniard in the Indian Wells final, and again two weeks later in Miami, edging Nadal in a third set tie-break. After sitting out Monte-Carlo, he then ended the Spaniard’s 38-match unbeaten run on clay in the Madrid final and followed with another straight-sets win in the Rome title match seven days later, becoming the first player to win ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles back-to-back twice in a season.

Djokovic wrote his name into the history books after defeating American Mardy Fish at the Rogers Cup in Montreal. “History making, of course it’s special,” he said. “Of course, it’s an honour and privilege to be part of the history of the sport that I love and that I play.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... -To-5.aspx

[jaccol55]

TOP ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YEAR - NOS. 1-2

ATPWorldTour.com reveals the Top 2 achievements of the 2011 season.

2. Djokovic’s Three Grand Slam Crowns


Novak Djokovic is the fifth player to
win three majors in one season.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had accounted for 21 of the past 23 Grand Slam titles coming into the 2011 season; in fact, Nadal was aiming to win his fourth straight major in Melbourne. Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, had captured his lone Grand Slam title three years earlier at the Australian Open. Only one player, Marat Safin, had endured a longer wait between his first and second Grand Slam titles, going 14 tournaments in between his pair.

In 2011, Djokovic escaped the company of the 24 men in the ‘One-Slam Wonder’ club and joined the elite ranks of Rod Laver (1969), Mats Wilander (1974), Roger Federer (2004, 2006, 2007) and Rafael Nadal (2010) as winners of three Grand Slam titles in a season.

He began his campaign in impressive form, dropping one set en route to the Australian Open title, including straight-sets wins over Andy Murray in the final and Federer in the semi-finals. He celebrated “the best day of my life” at the All England Club, winning the Wimbledon title with victory over defending champion Nadal and ascending to No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings. He clinched the US Open title in dramatic fashion, saving two match points against Federer in the semi-finals and prevailing against Nadal in an exceptional final.

“I always have a huge desire to win every Grand Slam that I’m playing in. I played equally well for each Grand Slam throughout the year,” Djokovic said after the US Open, reflecting on the possibility of winning all four majors. “It’s a task that I don’t want to say that’s not possible. It’s possible. Everything is possible.”

1. Djokovic’s 41-0 Start



The tennis world may have thought they’d seen it all in an era defined by the record-shattering dominance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, only to witness Novak Djokovic emerge as an invincible force to start 2011. Through the first five-plus months of the season, the Serbian proved to be unbeatable, building a 41-0 start unparalleled since John McEnroe’s effort back in 1984.

Though Djokovic finished one match win shy of the American’s record, defeated by Roger Federer in the Roland Garros quarter-finals on 3 June, McEnroe held his accomplishment in the highest regard. “Given that there’s more competition, more athleticism and deeper fields now, I’d say his record is even more impressive than mine,” he said.

Consider these incredible statistics from Djokovic’s streak: His seven titles included the Australian Open and four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. In all four of those Masters 1000 tournaments, he defeated a No. 1-ranked Nadal in the final. He had 11 wins over Top 10 opponents, including three against Federer and one against Andy Murray.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... -2011.aspx

[jaccol55]

RIVALRIES 2011 - DJOKOVIC VS. NADAL


Novak Djokovic recorded the first of
his six wins over Rafael Nadal in 2011
in the Indian Wells final.

This week ATPWorldTour.com reviews how the key rivalries played out in 2011, beginning today with Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal.

It was a rivalry that Rafael Nadal had previously commanded, but which Novak Djokovic turned on its head during the 2011 season. The top two players on the ATP World Tour contested six finals throughout the year, with Djokovic not only winning all six, but also claiming Nadal’s No. 1 crown in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.

"This guy is doing unbelievable things, so I just want to congratulate Novak," said Nadal after defeat in the US Open final. "What he did this year is probably impossible to repeat. I tried my best in every moment. This year I've lost a lot of finals against him. I have to accept I won a lot in the past and the only thing I can do is to try my best every day to keep improving."

The pair contested two electrifying matches in the finals of the BNP Paribas Open and the Sony Ericsson Open. After prevailing in three sets at Indian Wells, the as-yet-unbeaten-in-2011 Djokovic followed up two weeks later with victory in Miami, in what we deemed to be the second best ATP World Tour match of the season.

Many expected that Nadal would avenge those defeats come the clay-court season, with the Spaniard having won all nine of their previous meetings on clay. But the King of Clay was left reeling as Djokovic played what he declared to be "the best match of my life on clay against the World No. 1" to notch his 34th consecutive win of the season in the final of Mutua Madrid Open, in doing so snapping Nadal’s 37-match unbeaten run on the dirt. One week later the Serb was victorious again, once more defeating Nadal in straight sets in a clay-court final at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.



The pair met again in the Wimbledon championship match, where defending champion Nadal was bidding to win back-to-back Roland Garros and Wimbledon trophies for the third time. The left hander was once again thwarted by the unstoppable Djokovic, who dethroned the Spaniard with a 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 victory and subsequently usurped Nadal at No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.

"It has been the most special day of my life," declared Djokovic. "I always dreamed of winning this tournament. When you are playing the best player in the world, who has won two of the past three Wimbledons, I had to be on top of my game and I think I played my best grass-court match ever."

Djokovic and Nadal met for the final time in 2011 in a repeat of the 2010 US Open match. A year earlier, Nadal had completed the career Grand Slam with a four-set victory over Djokovic, but the tables were turned at Flushing Meadows as the Serb avenged that defeat with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1 win. The 24-year-old Djokovic became the sixth man in the Open Era to win three major titles in the same season.

Djokovic vs. Nadal: 2011 Meetings

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... kovic.aspx

[jaccol55]

Ciąg dalszy nieprzewidywalności w rywalizacji Top-4...

RIVALRIES 2011 - NADAL VS. MURRAY


Rafael Nadal defeated Andy Murray in all three of their
Grand Slam semi-final clashes this season, beginning with
victory at Roland Garros.

ATPWorldTour.com reviews how the key rivalries played out in 2011. Today we feature Rafael Nadal vs. Andy Murray.

Although the results suggested Rafael Nadal continued his dominance over Andy Murray in their 2011 meetings, Murray did not make it easy for the Spaniard and there were signs towards the end of the year that the Scot may be more of a threat to Nadal in the upcoming 2012 season.

Indeed, Murray impressed onlookers in their first clash of the year as he pushed the King of Clay to three sets in the semi-finals of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. The Scot’s controlled aggression meant for a gripping first two sets, before Nadal pulled away to secure the 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 win in two minutes shy of three hours.

"Obviously it's good to know you're able to play at a similar level to what he does on the clay," said Murray. "To win against him, you need to be able to do that for three and a half hours, four hours. He's the best player in the world for a reason."

Nadal again triumphed when the pair clashed a few weeks later in the Roland Garros semi-finals, this time with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win. The scoreline appeared comprehensive, but the Spaniard had saved 15 of 18 break points in the gruelling three-hour, 24-minute match. It was the first of three Grand Slam semi-finals the duo would contest in 2011, with more heartache to follow for Murray.

Four weeks later the pair came face-to-face again in the Wimbledon semi-finals. A year earlier Nadal had ruthlessly ended Murray’s dreams of glory at his home Grand Slam, but the Scot gave himself the chance to avenge that loss as he clinched the first set. The momentum abruptly swung early in the second set, though, when Murray missed a short forehand that he should have hit for a winner at 1-2, 15/30. "It was a big point," Murray said afterwards. "I went for it today, and I started to make a few mistakes after that." From there, Nadal ran out the 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 winner.

"Tennis right at the top of the game is exceptional," conceded Murray. "So not only to get level with those guys, but to push past them, you need to work harder than them."

Nadal again held Murray’s number when they met two months later in the US Open semi-finals, holding off a late fightback from the Dunblane native to secure a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win and reach his third major final of the season. "For sure it's an emotional day for me, winning one of the best players in the world and reaching another final at the US Open," said the Spaniard.



Murray dominated the ATP World Tour Asian swing in the autumn, and the confidence he gained with a succession of impressive results saw him snap a five-match losing streak against Nadal when they contested the final of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships. After losing the first set, the inspired Murray surrendered just two more games as he claimed a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory.

"For sure in the third set it was some of the best tennis I’ve played against him," said Murray. "I was very consistent, didn’t make too many mistakes and kept a cool head in the important moments." Nadal, who had been allowed just four points in the decider, agreed. "He played unbelievable, he didn’t make any mistakes in the third set," said the left-hander.

Nadal vs. Murray: 2011 Meetings

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... urray.aspx

[Wujek Toni]

Sezon ATP w liczbach - rekordy i statystyki

Zakończony już sezon rozgrywek w cyklu ATP dostarczył wielu niezwykłych emocji, spektakularnych triumfów i upadków. Pobite i wyśrubowane do granic zostały także rozmaite rekordy i statystyki.Podsumowanie należy zacząć od niesamowitej passy Novaka Đokovicia. Serb wygrał od początku roku 41 kolejnych meczów (całą serię rozpoczął w grudniu 2010 roku od dwóch wygranych w Pucharze Davisa), co plasuje go na drugim miejscu w dziejach. Ustępuje jedynie Johnowi McEnroe, który legendarny rok 1984 rozpoczął od 42 zwycięstw.

Serb osiągnął także sukcesy w ATP World Tour Masters 1000 i jako pierwszy wygrał pięć takich turniejów w jednym sezonie. Dotychczasowy rekord czterech zwycięstw należał do Rogera Federera i Rafaela Nadala.

Znakomita końcówka sezonu umożliwiła także zapisanie się po raz kolejny w annałach tenisa Rogerowi Federerowi. Wygrywając turniej ATP World Tour Masters 1000 w Paryżu-Bercy, Szwajcar odnotował 47. triumf na kortach twardych, wyprzedzając w tej klasyfikacji Andre Agassiego (46 tytułów). Co więcej, stał się pierwszym zawodnikiem, który osiągnął co najmniej finał we wszystkich turniejach tej prestiżowego serii (wcześniej Masters Series).

Tydzień po triumfie w Paryżu Federer poprawił jeszcze wynik, zwyciężając w kończących sezon Finałach ATP World Tour. Tenisista z Bazylei jako pierwszy triumfował w Masters sześciokrotnie, a w sumie wygrał w nich 39 pojedynków, wyrównując rekord Ivana Lendla.

Kolejne rekordy i statystyki śrubował na kortach ziemnych Rafael Nadal. W kwietniu po raz siódmy z rzędu triumfował w turnieju w Monte Carlo, stając się jedynym zawodnikiem w Erze Otwartej, który zanotował taką serię zwycięstw. Tydzień później po raz szósty był najlepszy na kortach w Barcelonie, a zasadniczy sezon na kortach ceglanych zakończył szóstym triumfem w wielkoszlemowym Roland Garros, wyrównując wynik Björna Borga.

Nadal jest jedynym tenisistą w Erze Open (od 1968), który wygrał trzy turnieje co najmniej sześciokrotnie. Hiszpan legitymuje się także niesamowitą skutecznością na kortach ceglanych, wynoszącą prawie 93 procent (231 wygranych przy 18 porażkach). Drugi w tej klasyfikacji Borg wygrał na kortach ziemnych nieco ponad 86 procent spotkań.

W rozgrywkach deblistów triumfy święcili bracia Bob i Mike Bryanowie, którzy wygrywając w Australian Open wyrównali rekord 11 zwycięstw w turniejach wielkoszlemowych, należący do australijskiej pary Todd Woodbridge/Mark Woodforde. Bliźniacy pobili także wiekowy wynik tygodni spędzonych na fotelu lidera: ich pozycja jest niezagrożona aż do stycznia, co oznacza, że będą przewodzić w rozgrywkach łącznie przez co najmniej 271 tygodni, bijąc zarazem rekord Johna McEnroe (270 tygodni).

Drugim rekordzistą został Daniel Nestor. Wygrywając Masters, w duecie z Maksem Mirnym, odniósł 1148. zwycięstwo w zawodowej karierze, wyprzedzając w tej klasyfikacji Cyrila Suka, który zanotował 1147 zwycięstw. W tym sezonie Kanadyjczyk został też samodzielnym liderem pod względem wygranych spotkań deblowych, których ma na koncie 830.

http://www.sportowefakty.pl/tenis/2011/ ... tatystyki/

[DUN I LOVE]

Simon Reed rozdał wyróżnienia za 2011.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/sim ... 22532.html

[robpal]

Simon Reed rozdał wyróżnienia za 2011.

Kiedy oficjalna gala w Monte Carlo?

[DUN I LOVE]

Pewnie rozdanie nastąpi podczas AO, czego fragmentarycznie uświadczymy na antenie ES.

[jaccol55]

RIVALRIES 2011 - NADAL VS. FEDERER


Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in three of four
meetings this season, including a semi-final clash in Miami.

ATPWorldTour.com reviews how the key rivalries played out in 2011. Today we feature Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer.

It is one of the most storied rivalries in tennis history, as fans around the world follow intently when Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer battle it out on court. Nadal continued to extend his advantage in his FedEx ATP Head 2 Head series with Federer, winning three of four meetings against his Swiss opponent during the 2011 season to move ahead 17-9. But Federer had the final say at the end of the year, sending a message that he will be a fierce competitor in 2012.

Their first clash was a highly anticipated semi-final encounter at the Sony Ericsson Open, where the two were meeting for the first time in six years on North American soil. However, the Star-Spangled blockbuster did not quite live up to its billing, as Nadal compiled an all-around performance to dismiss Federer 6-3, 6-2, advancing to his third Miami final.

“In general, I think I played a very, very good match, very solid and serious,” said Nadal. "I was playing very good from the baseline, without mistakes with my forehand, playing aggressive, so it wasn't an easy situation [for him] when [he was] back all the time in the score.”

Nadal was victorious again when the two squared off in the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open, rallying from a set down to win 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 and claim his 37th straight win on clay.

“I thought Rafa played well and me too at times so it was a good match," Federer said. "It was it a good first set and even the second set at 6-1 doesn’t tell the truth and the third as well. I felt it was very close. Maybe the result doesn’t show as much but I thought I was right here.”



The dynamic duo met for the third time, four weeks later, in the Roland Garros final - though their match-up was somewhat unexpected. Riding a wave of strong form, Federer knocked out then Novak Djokovic - who, at the time, was undefeated in 41 matches in 2011 - in the semi-finals. The 16-time major champion showed his hunger to lift another Grand Slam trophy, opening with a 5-2 lead in the first set and holding a set point against the "King Of Clay". But Nadal clawed his way back, winning five games in a row to deny Federer the set. While the 2009 champion had his opportunities throughout the match, Nadal closed him out 7-5, 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-1 in three hours and 40 minutes to win his record-tying sixth crown at the event.

“For me it's something very special to equal the six titles of Bjorn Borg, for sure,” said Nadal. “But the most important thing is to win Roland Garros. It's really an honour to have this record with him. I am going to keep working to be here next year and to try to play well another time.”

Nadal and Federer did not face off again until the end of the season at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Playing his best tennis of the year, Federer sent shockwaves across the O2 Arena, dominating the round-robin meeting with a convincing 6-3, 6-0 victory over the second-ranked Nadal in 60 minutes of play. Federer cracked 28 winners to Nadal’s four, and notched his first win against the Mallorcan since defeating him in the 2010 London final.

“It was a great match for me basically from start to finish,” stated Federer. “I was able to do what I was hoping to do: dominate from the baseline, play close to the baseline, serve well, take his time away… For me it was an exciting match to play.”

The 30 year old went on to win his record-breaking sixth year-end championship, finishing 2011 with a 17-match win streak and World No. 3 ranking.

Nadal vs. Federer: 2011 Meetings

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis ... derer.aspx