The tennis season for 2013 is over. Nadal finished the year ranked no.1, with Djokovic a close second. The amazing fact was that for the first time in the history of ATP rankings, both the top two players finished with more than 12000 ATP points. This clearly showed the domination both Nadal and Djokovic had over the rest of the field. Players and fans alike are now eagerly waiting for the Australian Open 2014.
There is history on the line too in the Aussie Open 2014. If Nadal wins it, he would become only the second player after Rod Laver to complete two career Grand Slams. While if Djokovic wins, he would become the first man in Open era to win 4 Australian Open titles in a row, as well as the first man to win 5 Australian Open titles in the Open era.
What would make things interesting in the 2014 Australian Open is the return to action of Andy Murray. While people seem to have forgotten him due to the Nadal-Djokovic effect, it was Murray who had reached 4 consecutive Grand Slam finals from Wimbledon 2012 to Wimbledon 2013, before injury slowed him down. Him being back in the mix would surely make things even more exciting.
Murray is one player who is capable of beating both Nadal and Djokovic on the big stage. He already has wins over Djokovic in the US Open 2012 final and the Wimbledon 2013 final. And his return will make a big change in the competition levels seen at the top, as it would be a three-way battle at the top, instead of a direct fight between Nadal and Djokovic. The draw would also be interesting to see whose half Murray falls in, Nadal or Djokovic. You can bet both would be thrilled to see him in the opposite half.
Another player to watch out would be Juan Martin Del Potro, the only player outside of the “Big Four” to have won a Grand Slam in the last 7-8 years. He displayed great form in the 2013 season and had big victories over both Djokovic and Nadal. If he can improve further and be back to his best, then he can challenge and beat anybody.
What this means for the Australian Open 2014 is that for the first time in a while, there would be 4 top players, playing at their peaks, contending for the title. This would make things very interesting at the Aussie Open as fans can expect many blockbuster matches. Apart from these four, Wawrinka, Federer, Berdych, and Tsonga can prove dangerous on their day and cause an upset or two. The current men’s field is amongst the strongest in history.
For the Australian Open 2014, it is great news as this implies many great matches and tough contests that would catch the imagination of the entire tennis loving public. The fact the players would be fresh after a good break would also mean more energy in the matches, which would lead to more athleticism and a better tennis display. The presence of the new “Big 4” in Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and Del Potro and the numerous dangerous wild horses would make the Australian Open a blockbuster success. We are all eagerly waiting for the action to start!
