Tennis’s top ten players, how can they improve? (Part 3)
The top ten players on the Association of Tennis Professionals, or the ATP, have a strenuous year to look forward to in 2011. Near the end of the current decade, all four Majors tournaments have been played out and the next competition to take place will
be the Masters, near the beginning of the New Year. The players will be fighting to maintain their points on the ATP ranking to keep from slipping to a lower position; this will require constant exercise, training and a gruelling practice regime. In this three
part feature, some things that the Top Ten of 2010 need to improve as soon as possible are discussed. In Part II, the World’s Number 7, 8 and 9 are looked at.
World Number 7, Tomas Berdych: Czech pro tennis player Tomas Berdych has had an exceptionally good summer this year in 2010. His performances at both the French Open and Wimbledon were outstanding, causing him to move on to the semi finals
of the French Open and the finals of the Wimbledon tournament. His aim for the rest of this year, and next year should be to back up that performance with more victories. Although his matches after the US Open left something to be desired – he was defeated
in both his singles matches at the semis of the Davis Cup – a bad performance in the last two months of this year would undo his so far excellent record of the year.
World Number 8, Fernando Verdasco: Another Spanish top ten player on the ATP circuit, 26 year old Fernando Verdasco has always struggled at the US Open and on grass, two of his weak spots. However, he surpassed himself at Flushing Meadows
this year, beating World Number 11 David Ferrer in an exemplary match to reach the quarter finals of the event in New York. He was upset by Rafa at this round. On his last ATP performance, Verdasco reached the the World Tour finals; he may do so again this
year. His game could use minute adjustments such as going for the serve, and picking a stance closer to the baseline. If the young player can remember to keep his head about him and in the game, he may yet surprise fans and critics with victory – he does have
the talent for it.
World Number 9, Mikhail Youzhny: Russian Mikhail Youzhny is another one of the older players on this list, at age 28. He has made it back to the Top Ten after a considerable fall out, making his success even sweeter. He is talented enough
to make it to the year end championships, and has improved his game considerably. These adjustments have resulted in greater success at bigger tournaments, subsequently increasing his chances at climbing up the ATP ranking ladder. His one weakness is his inclination
to commit large batches of unforced errors during his game.
The last part of this feature will discuss World Number 10, Andy Roddick, and two other surprise likely candidates for the Top Ten on ATP rankings in the near future.
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