Three American players who will surge up rankings in 2012 – Part Three: Mardy Fish
Unlike the other young Americans, whose future ride on hope and potential, 29-year-old Mardy Fish is already a venerable player in his profession.
Reining the eighth spot in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Rankings these days, Fish is currently the highest ranked American tennis player. The crafty right-hander has six championship titles under his belt,
one of which came during this season but his drought in the Grand Slam campaigns is still on. Fish holds a 40-20 winning ratio in the running ATP season and is a strong contender for qualifying to the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month.
Already a Top-10 player in the world, Fish has to swim even harder upstream to surpass those who rank ahead of him in the business. The America’s number one is has been in a decent form season and a lot more is expected from him
in the coming year.
Fish took off 2011 at Brisbane as the world number 16 but was dumped in the second round before entering the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, the Australian Open. He lost to Spain’s Tommy Robredo in the second round of
the Grand Slam Down Under to fall to number 17. Fish picked up some form in the tournaments to follow and was the semi-finalist in Memphis and Delray Beach but still couldn’t get a title shot.
Another second round exit in a Masters Series 1000 event in Indian Wells was followed by a brilliant run in the Miami Masters. Fish reached the semi-final round after defeating the world number six, David Ferrer, but was outplayed
by the in-form Serbian, Novak Djokovic. He further suffered early round exits in the ATP World Tour events in Madrid and Rome but broke into the Top-10 to take part in his French Open campaign. Fish was stunned once again by the 18th ranked Frenchman,
Gilles Simon in the third round of the Roland Garros.
The American then steeped on the grassy courts of Flushing Meadows to play the Wimbledon Championships and went on to defeat the world number seven, Tomas Berdych to reach the final eight. He was outdone by the then world number
one, Rafael Nadal of Spain, in four sets to finish his Grand Slam run as the world number eight.
Fish also lost his two singles rubbers in the Davis Cup World Group quarter-finals to led his side down. The American finally got his first title shot of the running season at Atlanta and he outplayed the world number 35, John
Isner, in the final to claim his first championship victory of the year. He had another chance in the following tournament at Los Angeles but he was stunned by the world number 84, Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in the final, losing in three sets, 7-5, 4-6, 4-6,
to squander away his title opportunity.
Fish’s sublime form continued in the tournaments to follow and he reached the final of Montreal Masters as well, again losing to Djokovic in three sets. He was the semi-finalist in the Cincinnati Masters but was dumped by the world
number four, Andy Murray, in straight sets. A lot was expected from the American in the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, the US Open, but he ended the hopes of his home crowd in the fourth round, losing to the 11th seed Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried
Tsonga, after an enthralling five-setter.
Fish also had a semi-final run in Tokyo, being defeated by Nadal once again in the round of four. His most recently played tournament was the Shanghai Masters, where he was ejected in the second round to fall out of the competition.
If Fish puts forth the dedication he has already demonstrated in spades (i.e., losing 30 pounds to increase speed, improving his forehand), the only person who can put a stamp on what is achievable in 2012 is Mardy himself.
Tags: