Archives for December 2017

2017 top players: men’s 1-5

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No 1: Rafa Nadal
At the start of this year, when he began to play again, after three years when his body was breaking down, all of a sudden, he was fast in his legs and he began to be more aggressive, — finally. His backhand fell deeper, rather than landing too short, and was slightly harder and longer. On occasion, he decided that it was OK to crack it down the line. We all knew that Rafa has one of the best forehands ever, but it took him 15 years to change his backhand and make it stronger. So he won Roland Garros again — 10 times now — essentially dominated on clay. He won the US Open on hardcourts, serving huge, chipping here and there, coming to the net and putting it away, and rarely missing. When he starts to play very well, he goes into the zone, and now he doesn’t fall out of it. That’s why he’s the No. 1. However while Rafa had a great year, there are two negatives: Roger Federer beat him all four times, which is very unusual. In 2018, Rafa has to improve his backhand even more, because the Swiss is hitting his BH even harder now. Secondly, once again, towards the end in the fall, his body began to break down again. Many times. In 2018, he has to stop playing so many events or … another injury will take its toll? I hope not.

No 2: Roger Federer
It is pretty obvious that the Swiss is the best player ever, with 19 Grand Slams. But that is right now, because in another seven years, will his record be better than Nadal, or even Novak Djokovic, in 2025, when they are all retired? We just have to wait, because things can change extremely quickly. Remember Pete Sampras, who retired in 2002, with 14 majors. “No one can overtake him,” people thought. Ten years later, Federer and Nadal have passed him. Who would have thought it? Now we know. Federer played an amazing year. When he returned in January, he was healthy, and at the Australian Open, we watched his backhand tear through the court. Finally, he stepped in and got on top of the ball. Before, he would go back and against Nadal, Federer couldn’t go toe-to-toe with his one-handed backhand against Nadal’s lefty forehand. He could not, for many years. But Roger knew what he had to do and in the fifth set against Nadal in the Aussie Open, he rose up and he out-hit the Spaniard. Many people were pretty shocked. So was Nadal. Three more times, Federer beat Nadal again and again and again. In 2017, Roger was better head-to-head versus Nadal. However, Roger didn’t play on clay at all this season. Had he played against Nadal on clay, Rafa would have beaten Federer on the dirt so many times. I would imagine that Nadal would have beaten him repeatedly. Let’s not forget that Federer won Wimbledon again. Great as always. But at the US Open, he lost to Juan Martin del Potro. He was so-so at the ATP Finals, losing to David Goffin. Next year, he will turn 37 years old. He is a brilliant player, and he hasn’t slowed down. In 2018, he will another Grand Slam. When and where? Who knows, be he will be super exciting once again. 

No 3: Grigor Dimitrov
The Bulgarian had a terrific year. Even a couple years ago, he had no idea what he was doing. Very stylish, but he was so erratic. He has always mixing it up, but he didn’t know which way to go. So at times, he was very upset, and he would almost give up. But this year, he knew that he had to calm down, decide where to go, and when he had an opportunity, he would jump on it. He began to return substantially better. His one-handed backhand was struck down the line, pretty flat and hard, and he moved forward, quickly. He won Cincy and at the end, he won the ATP Finals — at last. Now can he won a major in 2018? Yes he will, if he remains super confident.  

No 4: Alexander Zverev
The young German is extremely impressive. He is very tall, he can smash his forehand, backhand and first serve and, once and a while, his return. He won Rome and Canada, and he shot up the rankings this year, even though in the fall, he became to be tired, mentally and physically. That happens with the young players: they start strong, and after 6-8 months, it is time to rest more often. It happens with everyone, but as you get older, then your legs, your arms and your brain gets more comfortable. So in 2018, without a doubt, Zverev will get better and be slightly smarter. Can he win a Grand Slam in 2018? Possible, but it will very tough to upset the Big 4 or 5, in the 3 out of 5, not in 2 out of 3 sets. He has to be super patient and add more variety.  

No 5: Dominic Thiem
The 24-year-old from Belguim had a good, but not a spectacular year. Yes, he has won a number of solid matches. Overall, he is up and down. Of course he is still pretty young, and he has to think about which way he is going. He can move quickly side to side, he can smoke his forehand and, to a certain degree, his one-hand backhand. He is OK at the net, and he rarely gets hurt. But can he win major in 2018? Possibly, it he continues to improve, which I think he will. However, can he upset Nada/Federer/Djokovic/Murray/Wawrinka at a Grand Slam in the finals? For me, not yet.  

 

2017 top players: women’s 1-5


TennisReporters.net
will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 1: Simona Halep
It is amazing that the Romanian ended the year as No. 1. She has yet to win a major, but still, she was remarkably consistent in 2017. The very steady Simona only won one tournament, in Madrid. Beyond that, she reached a number of finals — and she lost in Rome, Roland Garros, Cincy and Beijing. She has had some terrific wins, and mediocre losses. She is quite strong, can runs forever and keeps her chin up. Simona has come close to winning a Grand Slam. Without a doubt, in 2018, she will get another opportunity in a final. The only way to actually raise the trophy is not to back off —  at all.   

No 2: Garbiñe Muguruza
The Spaniard played so much better this season, at least when she began in May, and then, she was ready to be rock on. She won Wimbledon, smashing her forehand and backhand, moving forward very quickly and nailing her serve. Also, she prevailed in Cincinnati, smoking Kristina Pliskova and Halep. However, she began to fade, and she did not win another tournament. That’s why she is No. 2, not No. 1, and she should stay there for more than just a few weeks. The Spaniard won the WTA Player of the Year award. She is getting better all the time, and she will win another Slam in 2018 In order to do so, she needs to locked it and stay there. 

No 3: Caroline Wozniacki
Props to the Dane. In 2016, she was fading, badly. But in 2017, she returned and she was ready to push herself without moving backwards all the time. She ended the year winning the WTA Final, knocking down Halep, Pliskova and Venus Williams, along with Tokyo. Still the year was filled with near misses when she lost six finals. The great thing about Caro is she never gives up, truly. Yes, on court, when she gets upset because she can’t find the lines, and she was afraid to try to put together a winner. In the fall, she had to, one way or another. And she did. Can the veteran win a Grand Slam in 2018? I have no idea, because years ago, I thought she would. But now, she has improved her forehand a little bit. This is the last time: Caro can win either the Aussie Open or the US Open. Pick-em.
 
No. 4: Karolina Pliskova
The Czech can look so, so good, and there are other times that she checks out mentally. She is tall, has a massive first serve, can move into the net and put it away. But, each week, she is often up in the air. She has won a number of huge matches, but she has yet to win a major. She has come close, but right at the end, her eyes started to glaze. She is faster running now than she used to be, and she is pretty quick when she is rushing towards the net. With her volley, she is the best player at the net, with the exception of Serena. But can Karolina finally win a major? I would say yes, in 2018, but she has to focus for two straight weeks.  

No. 5: Venus Williams
Venus just keeps going and going. She is 37 years old. While she’s a little bit slower now, she still has a great backhand, a massive first serve, and occasionally, commanding at the net. Also, her forehand has gotten a little bit better, and shows more power. It has only taken Venus 20 years on the WTA tour to figure out how to drive her forehand deep. That has been a long time, but the reality is, she always wants to improve, which is excellent. In 2018, she will win a few more titles, but to grab a Slam again? That is very difficult. She has won seven majors, but the last time was in 2008, at Wimbledon, and that was a long time ago. You have to give her another shot in 2018, at Wimbledon again. So let’s see that she can change her tactics in the final.

2017 top players: men’s 6-10

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 6: Marin Cilic
The Serbian was extremely consistent this year, even though here and there, he gets frustrated and over-hits. Still, when he is running, the big man has become a little faster moving left and right. Obviously, he is a gigantic hitter, but he has to be more patient. He did reach the final at Wimbledon, which was progress, but Roger Federer smoked him. In the last tournament, at the ATP Finals, he lost three matches and he appeared to be pretty tired. Can he win another Slam at the 2018? Possible, if he is adds to his game.

No. 7: David Goffin
This Belgian still hasn’t won a big title yet. The veteran has become more aggressive, his first serve has become stronger, and, of course, his speed is a weapon. Yes, he couldn’t like to talk at the Grand Slams, thinking that pressure will be in his head, but he has calmed down and he doesn’t give up immediately. He did stun Federer in the semis at the ATP Finals, playing nearly perfectly. The same with at the Davis Cup final at his home. He won both matches, but they lost 3-2 against France. Not easy for Goffin. Can he win a ATP 1000 and/or a Grand Slam? Yes, he will win an ATP 1000 — somewhere —  but to win a Slam? I just can’t see it.

No. 8: Jack Sock
Who would have though that the American was about to play extremely well, match after match? There was a long stretch of six months when he couldn’t get into it, losing early, week after week. But in November, he began to turn it around. Suddenly, he won the ATP 1000 in Paris. Somehow, he made it to the ATP Finals — a shocker, as he said — and in London, he beat Goffin and Alexandr Zverev, before he lost in the final against Grigor Dimitrov. Look, he is not very young, and he isn’t very old. Right in the middle. I would think that in 2018, he will continue to lift it  — like his returning — and in the summer, he will be ranked No. 5. Pretty good, huh?

No. 9: Stan Wawrinka
After Wimbledon, the three-time Grand Slam champion was done. His body had collapsed and he was unable to play the rest of the year. But before that, he was pretty darn good, losing a classic match at the Aussie against Federer in a very fun five sets. At Roland Garros, he took down Andy Murray in the semis, but in the final, Rafa Nadal over powered him. Without a doubt, over the past three years in the Slams, he has been so exciting, displaying so many different strokes. Assuming he is healthy, he will win a Slam in 2018. Wow.

No. 10: Pablo Carrera Busta
The Spaniard has improved a good amount this season, reaching the US Open semis, the quarters at Roland Garros and the final at Rio. Plus, he won Estoril. Pretty good. Over the past decade, he has been very steady, but he decided that when he got an opportunity, he would go for it, both with his forehand and backhand. Sometimes that worked, but he still wants to be very steady, which often slows down his progress. In order to win a major, he has to rush at the net, improve his second serve and, when he is feeling good, go for his shots. Can he win a Grand Slam? I doubt it, but he can reach the final.

2017 top players: women’s 6-10

 


TennisReporters.net
will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 6: Elina Svitolina
Let’s talk about how strong she is! This year, for the first time, the 23-year-old took a very long deep breath and went for it. In Toronto in August, she upset Venus Williams, Garbiñe Muguruza, Simona Halep and Caro Wozniacki, all players who have risen to No. 1. She also won Rome and three other titles. Then we all knew that she is an excellent player. Even though she practices all the time, however, she can get frustrated and despondent. She can get nervous at the Grand Slams. But, in 2018, I think she will to continue to mature and without a doubt, be right there deep in the majors.

No. 7: Jelena Ostapenko
The youngest player in the top 10, she is so incredibly powerful and never backs off. She hits as hard as she can, from both her  forehand and her backhand. She is so aggressive, amazing aggressive. That is why she won Roland Garros, never getting nervous and totally locking it in. However, she can over-hit it and isn’t patient enough. She has a ton of winners, and also, some bad errors, too. I would think though, she will get better each year. For sure, if she’s healthy, she will win another Grand Slam in 2018.

No. 8 Carolina Garcia
The Frenchwoman was up and down most of the year. In the fall, she rose up, beating just about everyone. She won Wuhan and Beijing, beating Angie Kerber, Svitolina, Petra Kvitova and Halep. In the WTA Finals, she upended Wozniacki before going down against the veteran Venus Williams. It has taken Garcia more than a few years to get very good, but finally, this strong and fast player moved forward and she decided it was just fine to hit at the lines. And she did. Though unpredictable, she can stay in the top 10, or even go further in 2018.

No. 9: Johanna Konta
The Brit looked fantastic in the first half of the year, winning Sydney and Miami, and then she reached the semis at Wimbledon, beating Garcia and Halep. Then, she began to check out, losing against the great Venus in the Wimbledon semis. After that, she had nothing left. She was tired and she wasn’t thinking anymore. The big upside is that she cracked the top 10 and she beat a number of very good players. The bad thing is that she can lose focus on the court. She will to continue to fight and fight some more. One way or another, she will go deep in 2018. And win a Grand Slam for the first time? Hmmm 

No. 10: CoCo Vandeweghe
The huge-hitting American finally came into her own, as she showed patience, got into great shape, and reduced her anger. Ten years ago, five years ago, even three years ago, she was ready to fade. But now, she is more mature and smarter. She has said that she can win a Grand Slam and become No. 1. OK, let’s see if she can pull it off in 2018. She is close now. 

 

2017 top players: men’s 11-15

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 11: Juan Martin Del Potro
The Argentine actually thinks that he can win his second major soon. He did it at the the 2010 US Open, and before he began to get hurt all the time — heavy surgeries— it looked like he would win many Grand Slams. He almost retired, twice, but he kept battlingon. Now, he could actually play the entire year.  It is amazing that three years ago, he could only chip his one-handed backhand. This season, his favorte two-hander is back. Not all the time, but some of the time. As long as he progresses, then yes, he can win a Grand Slam again. However, he could improve his return.   

No. 12: Novak Djokovic
The Serbian was dominated for a solid three years. Then, in 2017, he started to slip. Not immediately, but you could tell  that something inside his body was painful. So, in the summer, he had to stop for the rest of the year. It happens to almost all of them at some point. When he was winning Slam after Slam, he was almost impossible to beat. His backhand and forehand were so strong and very deep, his serves was huge and it was so hard for the opponents to find out where to go.  Plus, he was efficient at the net. But now in 2018, who knows? Will he play as well as he could when he’s 100 percent? Will he become aggressive again? Confident? Happy? We will find in the first six months in 2018. It will be fascinating.

No. 13: Sam Querrey
Who would have thought that the American would finally rise up? His backhand was going deep, he returned more consistently, and he was actually focused. Just like with Kevin Anderson, he just isn’t very fast, which drags down any player’s game. But, he can chip-and-charge on occasion, and he can be steady at times. He is very calm, a happy-go-lucky. Can he reach the final at a Slam, or win an ATP 1000? Possible, but tough.    

No. 14: Kevin Anderson
The South African had a very good year, reaching the US Open final, for the first time ever. Yes, over the past decade, he has been pretty solid, but not spectacular. Now, though, he is more patient, and he has improved his attack at the net, too. He might be too tall, though; so it is hard to get down on the ground. However, he is now more efficient, so maybe he will crack the top 10, again. But top 5? I cannot see it.

No. 15: Jo-Wilfred Tsonga
The thoughtful Frenchman always changes tactics. Over the years, he has come close to win a Grand Slam , but he has fallen short. This is because he is frequently injured, and he also panics when he goes deep in the majors. Yes, he has a great first serve, a gigantic forehand, and he returns fairly well, but he isn’t incredable fast. Plus, his backhand is so-so. Still. You have to give him another shot to grab a Grand Slam. Maybe at the Aussie Open, or Roland Garros.

2017 top players: women’s 11-15

 

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 11: Kristina Mladenovic
As the Frenchwoman said, she was great from January through June, and then, she totally collapsed. She says that the pressure came on and she couldn’t shake it. She couldn’t think anymore, and she became very frustrated. In the first five months, she was unbelievably good, on hard courts and on clay. She is super strong, plays with a lot of variety, either way back on the baseline and putting away at the net. If Kiki gets her head on straight, she could actually reach the Grand Slam final. If not, she can disappear once again.

No. 12: Svetlana Kuznetsova
The Russian has been playing for eons, having won the US Open in 2004 when she was very young, confident and she believed in herself. That was 13 years ago and now, she plays tournament after tournament, playing fantastic, and the next week, she gets mentally down and then she plays flat. That is Sveta, who loves to talk —which is a very good thing — but she got hurt towards the end of the year and now, she cannot go to Australia in 2018. Hopefully, she will returns in February, and she will be fresh. And maybe next year, she will win her third Grand Slam [she also won Roland Garros, on clay, in 2010] and then, she will be thrilled and continuing on forever. There is no doubt that she will become a coach someday.

No. 13: Sloane Stephens
A couple years after she started on the WTA Tour in 2010, the American looked like she would win a major pretty soon. She was so fast, so steady, and pretty smart overall. But then when she was close to winning the Slams, at the Aussie and Wimbledon, she backed off. Then she fell down mentally. Hello, 2016! She underwent surgery and could not play for nine months. When she returned, and for the first time, she went for it. She had an amazing summer, and eventually, she won the US Open. After that, she was exhausted and failed to win a match in Asia, and even at the Fed Cup final. In 2018, she can certainly win another Grand Slam. She is that good. 

No. 14: Julia Goerges
What a great year by the German, who did very little against the big guns before this year. In 2017, she raised her head and rarely backed off. Another veteran, she realized that if she can actually push forward, be aggressive, and be patient, then she would have a legitimate chance to go deep. And she did. Can she crack the top 10 for the first time? Sure she can. She wants it badly.

No. 15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
The “other” Russian is another veteran, who plays great at times, and then she gets down on herself and she checks out. However, in 2017, she finally became more consistent, which is why now, at four different Grand Slams, she has reached the quarters. In 2018, perhaps she will reach the semis for the first time? Hmmm

 

2017 top players: men’s 16-20

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 16: Andy Murray
The Brit was on fire during the second half of 2016. He was winning everything, he was confident, and he never tired. But in 2017, his body began to betray him. Murray played way too much, and finally, he had to come home. He stopped playing for the rest of the year. Obviously, he loves tennis, watching it, paying attention to it, talking and learning. But it 2018, Andy has to stop going from tournament to tournament. This time, he has to rest and be concise. And then if he does, he can win another Grand Slam, probably a few.

No. 17: John Isner
The American had a so-so year, winning a couple small titles. At the Slams, he was mentally out of it. He really improved his backhand, and he has gotten better when he is at the net. But still, it is so hard for him to break serve, while obviously, he wins his own huge serve very frequently. Tiebreaker coming — again. However, if Isner wants to reach the semis at a Slam, he has to change something, or the 32-year-old will never be able to win a Slam. That would be sad. 

No. 18: Lucas Pouille
This was a good year by the 23-year-old Frenchmen. After all, the so-called youngsters are good, but they have yet to win a Slam yet. In order to do so, they have to push themselves hard. Pouille recently won Vienna over Jo Tsonga and Stuttgart over Feliciano Lopez. Pretty good. However, he played too much and lost in the early rounds too many, many times. He needs to be more patient and efficient. He can reach the top 10 next year, if he continues to grow. 

No. 19: Tomas Berdych
The Czech has been very consistent over the past 10 years. He is tall, strong, and he crushes his forehand and his backhand. But the reason why he hasn’t won a major yet is because he is a little slow when he is running and he can get pretty nervous at the end of the match. He did manage to reach the final at Wimbledon, and he has beaten a number of the top competitors — once in a while. But, in 2018, he has re-tool his game or he will drop even further.

No. 20: Roberto Bautista Agut
The Spanish veteran has finally woke up, smelled the roses, and now, he isn’t just playing on the clay courts. He is moving forward, and when he has an opportunity, he can crack the ball on the lines. Still, he is consistent, but the lack of a big weapon has kept him from winning a big event. Can he win a Slam or the ATP Masters 1000? I doubt it.

2017 top players: women’s 16-20

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 16: Anastasija Sevastova
I was pretty surprised that the Latvian finally broke into the top 20. After all, she is 27 years old. Four years ago, she quit because she was depressed and her body was very sore all the time. But she returned and at the US Open, she hung in there, stunned Maria Sharapova, and she nearly upended Sloane Stephens. Could she crack the top 10 for the first time? Sure, why not; she loves tennis once again.

No. 17: Ashleigh Barty
The Aussie has improved so much this season. In 2016, she just returned after taking off almost two years, quitting because she was emotionally exhausted and tired of tennis. But she wanted to come back. Now, not only is Ash so strong, but she added consistency to her strokes and she is no longer being shaky. Without a doubt, she can reach  the top 10, and possibly, go very deep at the Grand Slams.

No. 18: Elena Vesnina
The Russian has been around for a long time, and she also loves playing the doubles and, with Ekaterina Makarova is one of the best. In singles, she finally understood that she needs to be aggressive to win. Obviously, she is fast, and at the net, she can bend down and she softly puts it just over the baseline. She rarely gives up winners. Can she win a major? I would be very surprised.   

No. 19: Madison Keys
This American had some excellent matches, but overall, she gets bruised, frequently. Yes, she has a huge first serve, and she can crush her forehand and her backhand. Downsides are: she isn’t incredibly fast, she doesn’t love the net, and she can get very angry emotionally when she isn’t playing well. Look, she has reached the Grand Slam semis and clearly, she is still young and very talented. However, in 2018, she has to stay healthy and be soothing — on court, that is.

No. 20: Magdalena Rybarikova
The Slovakian is 29 years old. Over time, she found out that she has to be more patient. She is a big hitter, especially with her forehand. She did reach the semis at Wimbledon, which is fantastic, but after that, she slid. In 2018, maybe she should stop playing almost every week? I would say, yes.

2017 top players: men’s 21-25

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 21: Nick Kyrgios
When the Aussie is into it, he is about as good as he gets. Nick has a tremendous first serve, huge forehand, good slice on the backhand and is pretty good when he is at the net. The big downsides are he doesn’t want to play hard all the time and he gets hurt frequently. Then, he disappears. Look, it’s all about him. Nick is very young, but he needs decide if he really wants to be a tennis player.

No. 22: Kei Nishikori
I have no idea what Nishikori is going to do in 2018. Just like Raonic, I really though that the now 27-year-old Kei would get better and better and eventually will win a major. Or even win an ATP 1000. But, he gets hurt constantly. Sure, he is a fantastic player when he is into it, but every time deep in a tournaments, we start thinking, “Is he going to retire tonight, because his body is about to collapse?” I hope not, but he has to figure out how he can adjust his frame to the hard rigors of pro tennis.

No. 23: Albert Ramos-Vinolas
The 29-year-old Spaniard had a fine year. Sure, it has taken a long time to figure out the hard courts, but still, now he is willing to move forward and he can mix it up whenever he can. He needs to push himself even more, with his backhand, especially.   

No. 24: Milos Raonic
A few years ago, I was pretty sure that he was about to win Grand Slam. He came close, reaching the final at Wimbledon, bu,t as he says, he gets hurt all the time. I mean, almost every second. That’s why in 2018, he has to stay healthy for the entire year. On court, when he’s 100 percent, he has become so much better, especially with his backhand and at the net. If he keep focused and not overthink, the 26-years-old Raonic can actually win a major for the first time. Imagine that.

No. 25: Gilles Muller
The 34-year-old had a very good year. It has taken, what, 15 years before he realized that, in order to win a tournament, he had to stick with a strategy and not panic. In 2017 he won his first ATP title – ever – in Sydney. He is very tall, he loves to come into the net and while he isn’t that fast running, he focuses. Maybe he can reach the semi at a major in 2018. He would be thrilled.

2017 top players: women’s 21-25

TennisReporters.net will review 2017’s top 30 women and men, our annual feature.

No. 21: Angie Kerber
This was not a good year for the German. In 2016, she grabbed two Grand Slams. This season, she won absolutely nothing. Still, she is a fantastic player. Next season she has to shake it off. When she is running around on court with her great speed, she cannot overthink. She has to lock in and stay there.

No. 22: Serena Williams
Strange to see that ranking for the best woman in tennis history. The now-famous mom won the Aussie Open but didn’t play much in 2017. The 36-year-old is extremely happy where she is right now, practicing while on her honeymoon. The question is: Will Serena actually return and play again? I would think so that she will, but it will take her months to get into shape. And then …another major?

No. 23: Barbora Strycova
The Czech Strycova has a lot of variety, and when she is into it and she plays well, then dance and mix it up all over the place. However, she plays all the time, and during certain weeks, she loses her drive. But in 2018, she will push into the top 10, at least for a week or so.   
 
No. 24: Daria Kasatkina
The Russian is coming up pretty quickly, and she is only 20 years old. Cracking the top 25 is very good, considering that few of the youngsters can beat the great, older competitors. Daria already, beating two Slammers, Venus Williams and Angie Kerber. She has won on hard courts and on clay; you know she is confident, anytime, anywhere. In 2018, if she stays healthy, she can actually win a major soon.    

No. 25: Daria Gavrilova
The Aussie Gavrilova had a very good year. Yes, she hasn’t won a major yet, nor has she won a gigantic title, but she tries hard every time she walks on court. This season her goal must be to crack the lines, rather than pushing the ball and merely being steady. She could go deep at the 2018 Australian Open. The fans love her.