Click here to see Gauloises’s 2010 Tennis Wish List.
Jewell’s review of Gauloises’s 2010 Tennis Wish List
Well, Gauloises, JMDP stayed alive, at least . . . but it doesn’t feel like a triumph, somehow. All the top eight at the end of the year managed to play the World Tour Finals, but with injuries to JMDP, Davydenko, Tsonga and Gonzo, among others during 2010, can’t really say it was healthier. Looking on the bright side—Nole & Murray both made a Slam final and at least a SF in 2010. That’s better than 2009, right? (They’re getting closer!) Vika came close to a Slam SF in Australia, but I’ve hardly seen her since. Moving on pretty quickly from Cilic to Gonzo—I do remember a pretty good match against Andy Roddick in Australia. That’s it. As for the triumphant return of a healthy David Nalbandian, well, that would’ve been nice. Where in factis Licky? Ancic played 14 actual matches somewhere. (Score!) The WTA finals at the AO and FO were both fun in different ways.
Gauloises’s verdict on her 2010 tennis wish fulfilment
This is why bluffing the universe doesn’t work. I deliberately aimed my Delpo-related expectations low because at the time, it seemed like the worst possibility was that he’d have a slump and be derided all year as a one-Slam wonder and all-round disappointment. In an attempt to preempt the inevitable disappointment, I was a smartass, and the universe smacked me down. Well played, universe. Well played.
It's a common theme in many of these wishes. A healthier ATP? Please. Sabine Lisicki in the top 10? She’s barely played all year. Gonzo being his bad self? Hardly, and the dearth of epic, entertaining matches this year is not a coincidence.
Andy or Nole to win a Slam? As if. They played one good Slam each this year. Don’t let Jewell’s guilt-induced Pollyanna impression fool you: closer, in the context of this wish, means nothing.
Good things: I still believe in Vika’s winning credentials despite her turbulent year. Cilic did learn to string wins together, and he did crack the top 10—for all of one month in February. Nalbandian managed to stay more or less healthy, took a big title in Washington and put in some Davis Cup heroics, which is (compared to 2009) a reasonable year for him. And while Wimbledon and the USO featured dull finals on the women’s side, the AO and RG finals were excellent.
Meanwhile, Mario Ancic has a girlfriend called Petals. Seriously.
Gauloises's 2011 Tennis Wish List
- Breakthroughs. I want them, especially in the ATP. The WTA is never going to lack for character or interest, but the ATP is facing losing the Hewitt-Nalbandian-Gonzalez-Roddick-Ferrero generation over the next couple of years, and then where will we be? If you want a picture of the future, picture an ageless Fedal stamping on a faceless everybody else, forever. I don’t care who the breakthroughs come from—Dimitrov, Kontinen, Haase, Velotti, Kuznetsov, Krajinovic, de Bakker, even Berankis. New blood, please.
- First-Time Slam Winners. On either tour. There are so many people that I would love to see nab themselves a major title. It’s too late for Dementieva. Don’t let it be too late for them too. (David, Jelena, Andy Murray, I‘m talking to you.)
- Delpo. Trying to play the universe didn’t work so I’m going to come out and say it; I want Delpo back. I want him healthy, and I want him in the top 20 by the end of 2011. Just 242 places to go. Your time starts now, Delpo.
