.: The Red Brick – Dubai College's Student Newspaper :.

As Manchester City lead the Barclays Premier League going into the final run-in, we can look forward to one of the most exciting title run-ins in recent history. Big-spending City will look to hold off the challenge from the red side of Manchester to win a title that will mean so much to their fans.

The battle for the fourth and final Champions League spot is heating up too. Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle all with a chance of making their way into Europe’s premium club competition.

At the bottom of the table, any of 5 teams can be making their way down into the Championship. Just 5 points separate all these clubs and it would extremely hard to predict who will be in the bottom 3 come May.

At this point of the season we can look back at what we’ve already seen in an already enthralling campaign. These ‘awards’ are purely based on the first half of the Premier League season (and may be ever so slightly biased towards Man. United)

Player of the Season: Robin Van Persie: With 22 goals to his name already, many feel the Arsenal skipper is single handedly carrying the team towards a Champions League spot.

Goal of the Season: Nani vs. Chelsea: Manchest United were looking vulnerable even though they were a goal to the good before Nani sent home a fantastic drive into Petr Cech’s top right corner. One of the best goals scored at the Stretford End in a long time.

Best Signing: Demba Ba 17 goals for Newcastle United already this season has shown just what good value for money Demba Ba was. Relatively unknown when he was signed, he has proved his worth to the Toon. How they missed him when he was at the African Cup of Nations.

Worst Miss: Fernando Torres vs. Man. United: Who else? After rounding David De Gea with a great stepover, Torres managed to somehow put the ball past the left hand upright. To make matters worse, he looked at the ground behind him as the source of the problem. There was no bobble, Fernando.

Worst Signing: Andy Carroll: As Fernando Torres has already won his own award, we’ll give this one to Carroll. 3 goals this season means that he has only scored 2 more than Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard. His lack of activity prompts Liverpool fans to obsess over the simplest of flick ons that anyone his height should latch onto. All this for a meager 35 million pounds.

Game of the Season: Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal: From a neutrals point of view, the football displayed by United that day was simply stunning. A penalty save from De Gea, two world class free kicks from Rooney and an absolute pearler from Ashley Young added to the excitement on a day that really proved United’s title credentials. Granted, United have not reached that form since, but the attacking football on show would have made Barcelona proud.

 This year’s boys Under 13 and Under 14 Unity Cup football competitions were held last weekend at the Rashid School for Boys. Both Dubai College squads emerged as Champions over the course of the weekend, both teams remaining unbeaten in their respective competitions.

The under 13 event comprised 7 teams: Dubai College, Dubai International Academy, the Sultan School Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah English Speaking School, the British School Bahrain, Jazeera Academy Qatar and ALL from Jordan. Dubai College won 5 of their 6 games and drew the sixth to win the tournament, scoring 18 goals and conceding 1.

The under 14 event comprised 8 teams: Dubai College, the British School Muscat, the Sultan School Muscat, Dubai American Academy, GEMS World Academy, IKNS Bahrain, Azza bin Qais School Oman and ALL from Jordan. Dubai College won 6 of their 7 games and drew the seventh, scoring 26 goals and conceding 4.

 Both Under 15 netball squads spent an exhausting day on Friday competing in the U15 BSME games here at Dubai College. Both A and B teams produced impressive displays in the group games facing international competition from around the Gulf and advanced to the semi-finals. Unfortunately, it was at this stage that they had to face each other in a very close game that saw the A team narrowly claim victory. However, the B team were not down hearted and picked themselves up to claim a solid victory over English College to take the third place slot. Taking breath, the A team then faced our local neighbours in Jess Arabian Ranches. After a nervous start in front of an enthusiastic crowd, the DC girls soon found their momentum and took the game “by the horns” culminating in a notable 12-4 victory. Every squad member made a valuable contribution to a fantastic day of netball and should be proud of the manner in which they represented the College.

 On Friday 27th January Mr Barrington and his wife Anthea put on their running shoes to take part in the 10K race as part of the Dubai Marathon. They were running in memory of Ed Hall, a member of staff at Jebel Ali Primary School who very sadly passed away suddenly last year. They ran alongside many other members of staff from Jebel Ali School, the community and some students. The run was sponsored and Mr Barrington is very grateful to the many staff at Dubai College who so generously sponsored his participation in the run. Running fever has gone to Mr Barrington’s head as he has now committed to running the full marathon next year as a way of celebrating his impending 30th birthday at the end of 2012…watch this space for news of running related injuries!

What does one do after such a enthralling, absorbing and captivating grand slam? One thing is for certain, the bar for sporting entertainment has been set incredibly high for 2012 – a massive year in sport. We’ve got Euro 2012, the Olympics and of course all the other slams in the tennis calendar. Going into this slam, there were a few niggles and doubts concerning the top dogs in the men’s game; how was Roger’s back going to hold up? How were Nadal’s knees? How would Djokovic respond to his incredible year? How would the Murray-Lendl partnership work out? There were many question marks surrounding the women’s game as well; whether Wozniacki would finally be able to win a slam, whether Serena could add to her burgeoning slam collection, whether Kim Clijsters, playing her final Aussie Open would go out in the best possible manner and whether the new kids in Kvitova and Azarenka would push on and fight for the top prize. All those questions were emphatically answered throughout the two-week slam of simply incredible tennis. History was made when Djokovic won the Australian Open final 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5 making him only the fifth man since the Open Era began in 1968 to win three straight Grand Slam finals, joining Nadal, Federer (who achieved this incredible feat twice), Pete Sampras and Rod Laver. Nadal also became the first man in the Open Era to lose three straight major finals; all to the same player. Whilst on the women’s side Victoria Azarenka clinched the number one ranking from Wozniacki with her crushing 6-3, 6-0 victory over Maria Sharapova in the final. How do you sum it all up? Well, here are my thoughts at the end of the greatest slam in recent memory.

- Step aside Fedal, there’s a new rivalry in town; Rafole
Ok, it isn’t exactly a new rivalry seeing as Djokovic and Nadal have now played 30 times and Federer and Nadal have contested 27 times but you know what I mean. Recently, the Rafole rivalry has been taken to incredible heights that no one thought would ever be matched after some of the classic matches we witnessed between Rafa and Roger. Who in their right minds ever thought we would spectate another ‘greatest of all time’ final after Wimbledon 2008? No one really, but that’s what has happened after this year’s Australian Open. Tennis viewers who watched the Australian Open final 2012 were witnessing history being made. It was simply incredible. Having commenced at 7:30 PM local time, a weary Nadal and Djokovic hugged at 1:37 AM on Monday morning at Rod Laver Arena before Djokovic turned around and in what seemed like a primal instinct, tore his shirt and let out a primaeval roar towards his players box. Djokovic had taken celebrations to a whole new level and photographers were racing around trying to grab the moment; a record-breaking moment. It was surreal to watch and in a sense was idoneous; both players had stripped everything from each other – mentally, physically and emotionally. On the other side of the coin, Nadal was sitting in his chair despondently and one couldn’t help but feel sorry for the Spaniard; he had the match in his grasp serving for a 5-2 lead in the fifth, up 30-15 when Djokovic had botched a volley that left Rafa with a wide open court and an easy passing shot. He hit it and the crowd roared with delight. One problem – it was out. Nadal challenged in vain and went on to be broken. It wasn’t just his serve that was broken, it was his will and the momentum that he had attained that saw him fight tooth and nail to battle back from being triple break point down at 4-4 in the 4th. In a match that swung more times in momentum than a pendulum does, Djokovic was almost there. Naturally, Nadal wasn’t defeated there. He kept fighting and he kept going for it; in the 4th set breaker, Djokovic led 5-3 and it looked like it was all over for Rafa. But it wasn’t – Novak sent his next three forehands wide, into the net and wide once more to give Rafa the 4th set. That image of Rafa celebrating after winning the 4th set will forever become one of the greatest images; never have I seen a player celebrate that passionately mid-match than when Nadal dropped to his knees and let out a huge “vamos!” But it wasn’t to be; it was Novak’s night and no one was going to stop him; not even one of the best athletes in the history of the game. Nadal had been in this position many times before; in a position where he had just taken part in an absolute epic of a clash yet this time he was on the losing side. Time and time again he stabbed Roger Federer in the heart with crushing defeats – Wimbledon 2008, Rome 2006, Australian Open 2009. Heck, Rafa has played more than his fair-share of ‘epics’ against other opponents. Who could forget Rome 2005, Wimbledon 2007 (one of his two losses at slams to Federer), Aussie Open Semis 2009, Madrid 2009, Olympic Semis 2008 and the Davis Cup final in 2011? This time it was Djokovic doing the stabbing. After all the effort Nadal put in; nearly six hours of it, it had ended with the same feeling he was experiencing in 2011, with crushing defeat to the world number one. As Djokovic said; “We made history.”

- An eerie similarity is developing between the Djokovic-Nadal and the Federer-Nadal rivalry
If ever in doubt, these two rivalries have shown that tennis is all about match-ups. It may be well and good that you’ve got all the talent in the world and are capable of beating everyone on tour. If you come up against a player that your game does not match up to, then you’re not going to win. It’s as simple as that. Nadal uses his high, heavy, left-handed forehand to Federer’s one-handed backhand just as Djokovic uses his high, heavy, forehand to Nadal’s weaker backhand. They exploit the shots that give them the edge in the match-up and that’s why Nadal’s game that works so well against Federer doesn’t work in the slightest against Djokovic. Another thing to add is that Djokovic is the only player out there that is capable of exploiting Nadal’s biggest weakness; his serve. Djokovic owns the best return game in the sport and takes full advantage of Nadal’s serves. Even Nadal has acknowledged this by stating in his press conference: “Is something unbelievable how he returns, no? His return is probably one of the best in history.” Enough said.

- Djokovic is more than capable of having another incredible year in 2012
In my preview to the 2012 season, I voiced my doubts concerning whether Djokovic would be able to maintain the jaw-dropping standards of tennis in 2011 this year, especially given how he tailed off post US Open. How he has mightily put those doubts to bed. In this year’s open, we saw a different Djokovic to the one we saw in 2011; the return of the old Djokovic. The Djokovic that would labour around the court, the Djokovic that would throw his arms up in frustration if his shot didn’t go in, the Djokovic that would ferociously talk to himself and his camp. Except that this fortnight, the old Djokovic found the way to win. If this was 2009, he would have lost to Ferrer in the quarters in a gruelling match. Not this Djokovic – this Djokovic is able to get his frustrations out of the way by publicly displaying them and due to his incredible fitness and self-belief, he is able to win now. Djokovic has shown time and time again that he can be at his most dangerous when he looks most fatigued. How worrying that must be for his rivals. Most pundits are also now saying that Djokovic is in the best position to go on to complete the career slam by winning the French Open and with it complete the Djokovic slam (where he holds all four slams simultaneously). Pundits are also not shy in suggesting he might be the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the calendar slam and win all 4 majors in one year. Federer has come close on 3 occasions, and Rafa once so the magnitude of the achievement, should it be achieved, should not be lost! There is a long way to go in the season but it will be a fascinating storyline to watch develop throughout the season.

- We are truly blessed to be living in one of the greatest eras in tennis history
As tennis fans and viewers, we really are spoilt. It started off with the blossoming of Roger Federer, arguably the greatest of all time, when he graced and touched the tennis world’s heart with his sublime and panache shotmaking. Then it was followed up by the introduction of the greatest clay-courter of all time that would go on to become the greatest athlete and competitor that the tennis world has seen. The Fedal rivalry had so many classic matches that it was considered one of, if not the greatest rivalry in sport. Then came Djokovic, who in 12 months, has gone from being a one-slam wonder to a 5-time grand slam championship and a thorn in Nadal’s quest to catch Federer’s record 16 Grand Slams. Whilst Djokovic and Nadal are at the peaks of their tennis careers, Federer is now 30 and isn’t the untouchable, unbeatable king of tennis that he was. He’s still an incredible player who still reaches the final weekend of each and every slam and is breaking records every time he steps on court, but he has come to accept that he must now step aside to allow Nadal and Djokovic to battle it out. The passion that those three display is second to none. After the final, Rafa stated that;”When you are with passion for the game, when you are ready to compete, you are able to suffer and enjoy suffering, no?” It’s no hidden secret that Federer is as passionate and respective of the game as he ever was and if it ever was in doubt about the heart and courage that Novak Djokovic possesses, it was there for all to see this past fortnight.

- Was the Australian Open final the greatest match of all time?
For me, no it wasn’t. I still rank the Wimbledon 2008 final and to a certain extent the Nadal-Verdasco match as greater just in terms of sheer quality of shotmaking. I also feel it was played and sustained at a higher level of play longer because, let’s be honest, this final was relatively poor in the first set quality wise and one of the reasons why it took such a long time is simply because of the time Rafa and Novak take between points; what with either the excessive ball bouncing, or picking at the shorts that both men must perform before each serve. Having said that, this match was special simply because of the incredible drama and sheer effort and guts that were left on court by both players. Both displayed incredible heart and comeback abilities and the momentum swings alone was great for the neutral so I would probably rank this match as the 2nd greatest of all time (in this era) just below the Federer-Nadal epic at Wimbledon 2008.

- A great tournament for ...
Novak Djokovic – he showed why he’s the top dog and with his ‘super-human’ efforts won over a lot of fans during his last three matches. He’s now proving that he’s a worthy world number one and that 2011 wasn’t a one-off fluke.
Victoria Azarenka – her demolition of Sharapova was brilliant in its shotmaking and ultimately in capping off a rapid rise in domination on the women’s game by the Belarusian. A worthy winner and worthy new world number one.
Rafael Nadal – although he lost, Rafa still performed incredibly well this tournament especially in his victory over Roger Federer where he displayed why he still has one of the greatest defensive games of all time. When Roger Federer hit a forehand deep into the corner of the court on BP in the 4th set in an attempt to keep the match alive, Nadal got to the ball and delivered the most jaw-dropping lob that landed bang on the baseline which Federer then proceeded to send his overhead wide, perhaps in sheer disbelief at the shot that Nadal had just pulled off. That point typified the Nadal-Federer match up and was a microcosm to the incredible defence Nadal had on the day. He also hit some out-of-this-world passing shots throughout the match. He played an incredible final and can take heart that he pushed Djokovic all the way.
Andy Murray – poor Andy Murray. Why was he born in an era where he is competing against three of the greatest players of all time? The same could be said for a lot of players, namely Andy Roddick but that’s another discussion for another day. Ultimately, Murray failed in his umpteenth quest to win that elusive grand slam title. I still feel that until he ditches the counter-punching, defensive game and adopt an all-out attacking game, that he won’t win a grand slam but he provided glimpses in Australia that he may have finally found the missing piece in the puzzle; Ivan Lendl. His on-court demeanour and attitude has massively changed and, like Nadal, he can take a lot of heart from his performance against Djokovic, especially that incredible momentum switch in the final set from 2-5, to 5-5 before, like Nadal, he ultimately failed.
Roger Federer – he was looking in great shape, riding a 24-match winning streak when he reached the semis. He had destroyed Tomic and Del Potro along the way and was looking untouchable. But, just like it has been for the past 2 years at the slams for Federer, he couldn’t get over the final couple of hurdles. I still maintain that his self-belief, passion and game is there for him to win at least one more major and the fact that he is still there or there-abouts at the end of the tournament speaks dividends for Roger. He has advanced to the QFs or better for a record 31 and counting times. I believe his persistence will pay off and that he will be richly awarded for his patience. Another encouraging thing is that he doesn’t suddenly believe he doesn’t have the right to win the slams anymore because of his age. He still believes he should be delivering like he was when he was at the peak of his game.
Maria Sharapova – one cannot help but admire her passion and commitment for the game. She is still determined to recapture former glories and return to slam-winning ways and she came close this time, losing to a younger and harder hitting opponent. This is a massive year for Sharapova to prove that she really is back and I believe she will win a slam this year.
Petra Kvitova - had a good tournament, survived a few scares and ultimately lost to Sharapova who outhit her and outplayed her. She was everyone’s favourite for the title but she still has a long, long journey in front of her. You’re looking at multiple grand slams for this incredible player.
Kim Clijsters - she could have rolled over after rolling her ankle to Li Na in the 4th round but she didn’t. She fought valiantly and saved 4 MPs before going on to win. She had a successful tournament and lost in the semis to Azarenka who simply sustained the standard of her play longer than Aussie Kim could. If this was her final Aussie Open then it was a fond farewell to Kim Clijsters.
Lleyton Hewitt – despite all the foot and hip surgeries and his lowly ranking, Hewitt wound back the clocks and showed why he was the world number one and a two-time grand slam champ. His never-say-die attitude always wins him new admirers and this fortnight, he won himself many more in his brave efforts against the likes of Raonic and Djokovic.
Kei Nishikori – did superbly well to reach the quarter finals of the slam and battled valiantly but was ultimately outclassed by Andy Murray. A big year for the Japanese player this season.
Bernard Tomic – performed as well as he did at Wimbledon last year in reaching the quarterfinals and upsetting a lot of marquee names along the way. This tournament he not only showed his classy style of play but also displayed a gritty never-say-die attitude that he may have adopted from Australia’s other hero, Lleyton in his comeback victories over Verdasco and Dolgopolov.
Leander Paes – partnered Radek Stepanek and captured the Australian Open doubles trophy and with that completed the doubles grand slam (winning all 4 majors). For the 38 year old Indian, this could be his final hurrah and is a fitting end to a glittering doubles career.

- A bad tournament for ...
Tomas Berdych – for more reasons than one, Berdych brought the ugly side of the game to the fore, with his now infamous refusal to shake Almagro’s hand after their 4th round match due to Almagro accidentally hitting Berdych in the arm. He also had a sitter of a volley that would have allowed him to take a two sets to love lead against Nadal but choked it away by sending it into the tramlines and going on to lose the match.
Juan Martin Del Potro – he had a good tournament up until the match against Federer where he was blown off court. Whilst the master class that Federer provided enthralled viewers, we were left ultimately disappointed with the effort Del Potro made. The sooner the Del Potro that blazed Nadal off court and beat Federer at the 2009 US Open returns, the better it is for the game.
Jo Wilfried Tsonga – once again, he was talked up as potentially disrupting the big-four’s stranglehold on the game and once again he fails to deliver at the slams. A very disappointing performance by him, losing in the last 16 to Nishikori.
Gael Monfils – despite playing well and reaching the final of the opening tournament of the year at Doha, he continues to flop at the slams and provide enough evidence that he is a talent that is being needlessly wasted.
Marcos Baghdatis – didn’t play too well but took part in probably the best moment of the Aussie Open. Angered by his performance in the 2nd round against Wawrinka, he, now infamously, destroyed his racquet, reducing it to smithereens. Not satisfied, he went on to mangle three more racquets – one racquet he didn’t even both to remove from the plastic covering.
Fernando Verdasco – long gone is the Verdasco of 2009 that took part in one of the greatest matches ever at the Australian Open vs Nadal in the semis. In place is a Verdasco whose confidence is shot to pieces and cannot string a set of results at the slams anymore. Lost to Tomic in the first round having led two sets to love.
Samantha Stosur – once again, the pressure of the Australian Open got to the crowd favourite as she couldn’t escape from the stranglehold of the media’s focus on her at her home slam. Lost in the 1st round in a thoroughly disappointing performance.
Serena Williams – proved that she isn’t invincible anymore. It’s a lot to take in given the incredible fighting spirit she has displayed over the years. Perhaps it’s due to her increased absence from the tour, her age and her consistent injuries that have hampered her over the years. Delivered a woeful performance in her QF loss to Ekaterina Makarova.
Caroline Wozniacki – once again, she went into a grand slam attempting to defend her number one ranking both on and off court and once again she ended her campaign in defeat when she was out classed and out hit by the far-superior attacking Clijsters. Like Murray, until she disregards her counter-punching, defensive game, she won’t win a grand slam.
Women’s finals – Once again, the Australian Open women’s singles final has resulted in being a total anti-climax. Another blowout to add to the blowouts dished out in previous years (apart from 2010 & 2011). In complete contrast to the ATP.

What a way to start the tennis season and if the rest of the season shapes up to be similar to the match-quality and drama delivered at the first grand slam event then we are all in for a treat. For now, hats off to Novak Djokovic – the undisputed world number one and the man who ended the greatest slam in recent memory in the greatest possible fashion!

How do you follow up such a stunning season? That is going to be Novak Djokovic’s toughest question to answer heading into 2012. Tennis fans have a lot to look forward to next year as we see whether Djokovic can back up his sublime year with another wonderful year. Something to note is that this is an incredibly hard task to achieve – apart from Federer who had four back-to-back years of utter dominance, Nadal has failed to reproduce his greatest ever season of 2010 in 2011 so don’t underestimate the task at hand for Djokovic. There are also a lot of question marks hanging over Nadal’s head, given the relatively poor year he had in 2011, and the somewhat shocking remarks about him losing passion for the game. Every season we start the year asking whether this is the year that Andy Murray will break his duck and win his first grand slam title and this season is no different. Throw in a resurgent Roger Federer, on a 17-match unbeaten streak and you have got a potential classic of a season unfolding next year. Let’s not forget that this is an Olympics year, so we’ve got the added bonus of Olympics (at Wimbledon) three weeks following the culmination of the Wimbledon championships. Can Federer win that elusive gold singles medal that he has so desperately wanted to achieve? This season is going to be huge for every single player in the top four, each for different reasons. Can Djokovic maintain the number one ranking? Can Federer overtake Nadal and Djokovic and become number one for at least one more week, thus breaking Pete Sampras’ record of most-weeks at number one? Can Federer win a slam title and add to his burgeoning collection of 70 titles? Will there be any players to emerge and put the ‘proverbial cat amongst the pigeons’ with the big four. All that and much, much more is to be answered in the next 11 months. All you can do is fasten up, sit back and enjoy. Here are a few thoughts going into the 2012 season;

- Is Roger Federer playing better than ever?
This was a question raised on the BBC radio, after Federer won the tour finals, and it is sure to set up a stirring debate. Can anyone say that Roger Federer is a worse player these days? Yes, you may look at the stats and say he isn’t as dominant as he was years ago. But as Federer himself pointed out; “it’s only logical to improve as a player.” So, is he actually better? Firstly, you could say that it’s easy to suggest that Federer is on the decline given the fact that he’s losing more matches and he’s down to a lowly (!) ranking of number three. The thing you have to take into account is because he has set his standards so high, after the incredible season he had from 2004-2007 and given the fact that he’s now playing in an era with the likes of Djokovic, Nadal and Murray, it is no surprise that he’s losing more matches. In 2010, Nadal raised the bar and this year, Djokovic raised the bar even higher, just like Federer did from 04-07. From that basis, you can’t expect him to dominate like he did a few years ago. Another thing to take into account, is lower ranked players now have the belief that they can beat him – his aura isn’t as strong as it used to be and players aren’t defeated in the locker room just before the match starts. He now faces greater belief, a harder ball, tougher matches and more losses – does that make him a weaker player? Some might say yes, others no – again this is up for debate. Another thing to consider is his game – the serve is just as good, if not better than it used to be, his forehand and net-play is just as good, granted he does miss more volleys nowadays. Take his backhand though, and that has invariably improved. As he mentioned himself; “everyone played into my backhand so it was always going to get better.” People state that he is not as fast as he used to be, but is that really the case? Federer’s court-speed and defending are two of the most under-rated aspects of his game. The one thing that can be said about Federer is that his mental fortitude has decreased. Over the past two years, we have seen him squander match points and great positions in matches which he has never done so before, so yes it can be said that he is mentally weaker. It’s interesting to note that Federer did admit that he struggled mentally over those squandered match points. After his title in London, Federer said; “I think it’s a mental thing, yes. Not only – sometimes, it’s also the player playing better than you. It’s fine to respect that, but I feel that when it happens that often, I do have to question myself that maybe I did something wrong. I think I’m mentally good right now. That was also one of the reasons why I did take some time off, to actually think it through, get into the right mental mindset. There is a lot of time that goes by out on the tour, during a match, you’re just trying to stay positive, but you can’t always be positive out there. It’s too difficult. That’s where maybe the doubts were just a bit too strong during certain important moments.”
He also added that his two match points against Djokovic really hurt; “it was one that hurt. It was one that makes you wonder, ‘how in the world can I end up losing this match?’ but Novak had such great momentum going this season, you just felt like it was his season. But to bounce back and not lose a match from that moment on I think shows, again, how tough I am, the right decisions I can take."

Federer stole the words out of my mouth – I was just going to point out how that US Open loss could have crushed any player, even a great champion. Federer bushed it off, regrouped and moved on.

- Will Roger Federer add to his Grand Slam collection?
Given the form Federer ended 2011 with, winning three titles and destroying anyone that attempted to stop the Fed-express; this is a serious question to ask, especially as the Australian Open is just over a month away. After watching Federer prove that reports of his professional death were greatly exaggerated, Brad Gilbert stated; “After that devastating loss at the Open, he hits the refresh button. One thing I noticed [was that], he has a twinkle in his eye. I think he likes it when people think things have passed him by. I think there’s another chapter left in the novel. [After losing that 2nd set in the final in London to Tsonga], 99 percent of the guys lose that match in the third. Winning that match shows me something. You’re going to see some more oomph out of Roger in 2012. I think he’s going to have a big year next year. A slam? Yeah, I thought he’d have to do something different to win one this year. Change a racquet or something drastic. But he just kept doing what he does. I mean, the guy never sweats.’"

Roger, himself, said that he’s hungrier than ever to be back competing for slams and adding to his Grand Slam collection. After enjoyed what he declared to be “the strongest finish I’ve ever had in my career,” he was already looking forward to what should be a gripping 2012 season. He added; “Sure, to win Grand Slams would be nice. I’ve missed out on a few occasions now this year, and maybe some last year. So I feel like it might be around the corner. Maybe not. The other players obviously have a role to play in this. I love this game more than anybody, so I’m not all of a sudden going to wake up and say I don’t like it any more. It’s a lot of sacrifice, a lot of effort I have to put in every day. But I do enjoy that because what I get in return is moments like I got [in London], with my team, with my family. It’s priceless really. So for this reason, I’m excited for next year.”

On 2012, he added; “Novak was the player of the year, which goes without saying. A guy who can win 40 matches in a row from the start of the season completely deserves it till the very end of it. I thought Andy Murray played a very good season this year. I think he’s going to be very tough to beat next year. And Rafa with his class, he’s always going to be a threat to the throne, to win all the big tournaments. I think the prospects are good. We also saw numbers five to eight are extremely close as well. Behind that, anything is possible, too. I think right now we have great quality within the top 10, even within the top 20, 25 actually. I’m looking forward to a tough season next year.”

As are we all, Roger!

- How will Novak Djokovic back up his sublime season of 2011?
This time last year, Djokovic was on the brink of a phenomenal achievement that served as a catalyst for his incredible 2011. He was about to lead Serbia to the Davis cup title and with the tournament victory, that meant so much to him and his country, he got an emotional boost that Djokovic took into this year. It should not be overlooked that his 41-match unbeaten started off with two singles wins in the Davis Cup. Nor should it be overlooked that Djokovic will not have any sort of emotional boost to start the 2012 season where he will being his quest to defend, everything he left in his wake in 2011!

Djokovic’s collapse (6-4 record post US Open) suggests that he won’t start 2012 in the same fashion as he did 2011. Even if he starts the year in perfect health, he’s got a lot to defend and given the fact that the fear factor may no longer be on his side, Roger, Rafa and Andy will be thinking that they may have weathered the Djokovic storm which in turn allows them to plot their comebacks. Having said that, Djokovic can take great comfort from the fact that it’s awfully hard to stop a player on a roll. Following his remarkable 1974, Connors started the following year on another tear (he was 43-3 going into Wimbledon). Following one of Lendl’s greatest ever years; he was 26-0 before he lost his first match in 1986. Federer also started 2007 with 12 straight wins which allowed him to pocket his third Australian Open. So for all the pressure that Djokovic faces to defend everything he won last season, past statistics suggests that he may pick up where he left off. However, how will Djokovic start 2012 given his dramatic tailing off in 2011? It’s not like he closed 2011 out as powerfully as the aforementioned players did. That is why it is going to be incredibly fascinating to see whether a replenished and well-rested Djokovic can put his late-season 2011 troubles behind him and start 2012 with a bang.

- Why it is good to be in Federer’s shoes and not Djokovic’s
How much less does Federer’s slam-less season of 2011 mean now that he has ended the year with the prestigious World Tour finals title for a record-breaking sixth time? Just ask Novak Djokovic. His three slams suddenly seem like years ago and since winning his fourth grand slam, Djokovic has been beset by injuries, burnout and a loss of motivation and desire.

There’s no question that Djokovic won more than Federer in 2011. A lot more – Djokovic had won more titles by April than Federer had done all season. And of course there was the Serb’s 41-match winning streak and his record-breaking five Master’s Series titles amongst many other astonishing stats. However, there’s one small detail that the stats won’t show. It’s Federer, not Djokovic who will look back on the 2011 season with a greater sense of satisfaction. This is because Federer ended the season top, looking down at those that couldn’t stop him from winning the final three titles of the year. What Djokovic achieved in 2011 is nothing short of mind-numbing. Everything adds up to him having one of the greatest seasons of all time. But since his final act at the US Open, now way back in mid-September, Djokovic’s dominance has diminished which has allowed Federer’s no-nonsense retribution take place. His recent revival has raised a new sense of hope and belief. If Federer can play like this, then why can’t he win more Grand Slam titles? If he can display the mental fortitude that he displayed in London, why can’t he regularly gate-crash Djokovic and Nadal’s party? Federer is in an ideal position to carry his late-season surge into the Australian Open, where it would surprise no one if Federer is as much a favourite as his rivals. Conversely, Djokovic has so much to defend and with the manner that Djokovic struggled in towards the end of 2011, he has got a lot of questions hanging over his head. It must madden Djokovic that despite what he has achieved in the year; Federer is the man with the momentum and form going into 2012.

- Will Rafael Nadal get back to his brilliant best?
There is a weird sense of déjà vu going into 2012. As mentioned above, Novak went into 2011 with a renewed sense of belief and hope after winning the Davis Cup title for Serbia. Can Rafa do the same? He has just led Spain to Davis Cup victory, culminating in a stunning match against Juan Martin del Potro. Nadal had a decent 2011, but by his own standards, he had a poor season. He has almost seemed depressed about his tennis at times and finished the season on an unpleasant note when he made his fans panic after stating that he felt “less passionate for the game.”

A frank Nadal had this to say after being beaten by Tsonga at the World Tour Finals; “I probably had a bit less passion for the game because I was more tired than usual. This was a tough year but I’ll do all [I can] to be perfect for the start of 2012. We can find excuses, we can find problems, but it’s not the moment to say that – it’s the moment to keep fighting. I will do it. It’s the moment to analysis what I did good, what I did bad, and know what I have to work on for the next month. The end of the year wasn’t easy for me; that’s hard to accept. But it gives me more of a goal for the beginning of 2012. I dream about arriving in 2012 with very good conditions. I have to work hard – working hard every day, morning, afternoon – if I’m going to have my chance to be competitive to win the big tournaments. My goal is there. My motivation, I hope the same.”

What Nadal has to do, is to take a leaf out of Federer’s book; regroup, hit the refresh button and come back fighting and as fit as ever. For what it’s worth, I think Nadal will be fine next year. He will be in the thick of things come the final weekend of all four slams and he has an excellent chance to win another major (most likely, the French Open.)

- Will some of the lower-ranked players break the duopoly that the big four have on the game?
This question is mainly aimed at Juan Martin del Potro and the likes of Tsonga and Berdych. No one can forget the run that Del Potro had to the 2009 US Open title, crushing Nadal in the semis and then masterminding a victory over Federer in five, breathtaking sets in the final. But, since then, he has been beset by injuries which have seen his ranking plummet into the 400’s. Having said that, Del Po had a great 2011 and is now ranked just outside the top 10. Look for Del Potro to have another great year, using that absolutely monstrous forehand to propel him to titles and potentially go deep in the grand slam tournaments. Also look for Tsonga to back up his stellar 2011 with another great year full of shocks and surprises. Whilst he has the game to win a Grand Slam, it is questionable whether he has the right mental mindset to go all the way, but should it all click together, then we could be seeing a new Grand Slam champion in 2012!

- What will the rankings look like come the end of the season?
I know it seems mad to suggest this, but Roger Federer is an underrated sportsman. His innate brilliance, more often than not, seems to count against him, as though he must win every match of every tournament. The skeptics suggest that Federer still has to win against the odds and use every last drop of resilience and bravery showing a never-say-die attitude along with his domineering style and grace before he can be considered a true legend of the game. He may now be 30, but Federer is attempting yet another assault on the summit of the men’s game, something which cannot be a comforting sight for the top two or for Murray who must have thought that he had done a lot to overcome Federer in the rankings. It seems impossible to shake off Federer, he just will not let go of his attachment and love for the game. He will not stop attempting to defy the odds and carry on winning. Isn’t that what the ultimate definition of greatness is? It’s a well-known fact that Federer is now 30 and getting used to being the underdog and the dark horse. Ironically, that may eventually define Federer’s elevation to a higher, different type of greatness.

Those are just some of my thoughts going into the New Year – there are many more and I, like everyone else, am shaking in excitement at the prospect of what next year can offer!

Bring it on!