VANtage Point: Seriously, WTF?

Hey out there in DtL land! It’s Van, with the final VP of the year: I couldn’t let the ATP World Tour Finals go on without saying something about it. The field here could actually be more level than it has been in recent seasons, making for a potentially more exciting tournament. Anyway, if you don’t mind, I’m going to get right into things, first with…

 

A Look Back: This is usually where I reflect back upon the last tournament I previewed. Since that was the U.S. Open of 1884, it seems, why not do something a little more recent, like last year’s WTF? Roger Federer ran roughshod over the field then, only losing one set on the way to his fifth career year-end championship. Three of his victims were the players ranked above him: Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. It’s funny to think what a difference a year makes! But enough of the past, let’s get more into …

 

This Week’s Spotlight: The ATP World Tour Finals brings together the crème de la crème of men’s pro tennis, all together under one roof—specifically that of the O2 Arena in London. The players are divided into groups to go at it round-robin style. Group A includes Djokovic, Murray, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych. Group B is made up of Nadal, Federer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mardy Fish. Speaking of the players, though, here’s…

 

The Players to Watch: This is a very intriguing tournament, especially considering where the players are at this point in the year. Djokovic’s season has been unreal, but he has really struggled with injury lately. Can he find the form he’s had all year? Nadal has been out for a few weeks, but is he rested enough? Federer’s coming in to the event on a 12-match winning streak, but has he faced the best of the best? I’d say really keep an eye on those guys, plus two who I think are the most dangerous out there: Berdych and Tsonga, who’ve both been on a tear. They should have a good shot at …

 

The Final Four: Murray over Nadal and Federer over Berdych. Then it’s time for the main event …

 

And the Winner Is…: Murray over Federer, giving the Scotsman the biggest title of his career.

 

So long for 2011: Catch you more next season!

 

Van Sias writes the blog Tennis Talk, Anyone? Follow him on Twitter @ttanyone and Facebook here.

[Photo(s) credit: ATP]

Kvitova kinda likes winning

She's so close, but in my book (and this blog) she's World No. 1. Fuck what the WTA rankings say. Petra Kvitova's only a measly 115 points behind Caroline Wozniacki after ending the year with 6 titles including Wimbledon and the WTA Championships. She's riding Wozzi's ass the way Pocket Golf Boy wishes he could - hard. And, to top it all off, she led the Czech Republic to the FED CUP title with a 3-2 triumph over Russia this weekend. Props.

Obviously, the FED CUP win doesn't count towards the single rankings but it counts in other big ways besides a win for her country and the team. Look what winning Davis Cup last year did for Novak Djokovic this year. I'm not saying Kiva will go undefeated in the first part of next season and bag three majors, but it cemented her as THE lady baller of the WTA after a dismal post-Wimby stretch that ended indoors this fall. She has the all of the momentum going into 2012 after a spectacular end to 2011.

Is she flawless? Hardly. Kiva still has bouts of inconsistency, but where those moments used to do her in during big matches in key moments she's found a way to work through it and pull out the win. Hell, she's got the weapons to turn any match around in her favor. And let's face it: When she's on court with most lady ballers, save for the Sisters Sledge and, perhaps, Kim Clijsters, the match is in her hands.

And, at the end of the day, that's a nice place to be.

[Photo(s) credit: Kirill Kudryavtsev /AFP/Getty Images]

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Ana Ivanovic

I believe so. My new team can help me to get there.

- Ana Ivanovic on whether she can take up residence again in the WTA Penthouse after winning Bali for the second straight year

Top 20? Absolutely. Top 10? Sure. Top 5? Maybe. World No. 1? Ummmm...no. 

I get that these ballers need to say it (especially to themselves) or why else get up in the morning and pull up the laces, but I just don't see it with NaturAna. Nope.

But nice birdy-feathery-headdress-thingy. Or is that coral? Seriously, how is she not falling over wearing that? I don't see wires. Maybe the trophy is balancing her out. Or it's MAGIC. 

I'm so confused.

[Photo(s) credit: AFP PHOTO / SONNY TUMBELAK]

PHOTO OP: Istanbul eight (well, seven)

These photos crack me. I never have high expectations for the lady ballers' attempts at fashion because it's not their focus - that would be tennis. But I can't help but giggle when I see what they come up with. Well, most of them anyway.

How amazing does Petra Kvitova look here? 'Effortless' would be the word that comes to mind for her in the photo - and 'natural.' Maria Sharapova looks good (and she's got that pose down pat). The girl does love a camera lens. And, no, your eyes aren't buggin' out. That's not Victoria Azarenka or her mom in the middle with the black dress - it's WTA CEO Stacey Allaster. The Belarussian was busy winning Luxembourg this weekend.

Um, I think I'll stop here. It's the end of the year, the last hurrah, the "Final Countdown...da-na-ne-na, da-na-nun-dun-dun" so let the others dress up as awkwardly as they want. Out of all the competitors fighting for the 8 coveted spots at the WTA Championships all year long, these girls made it to Istanbul (and not that other year-end thing going on - what is the point of it anyway?) and deserve to put on their highest heels, weirdest dresses, cakey makeup and celebrate their asses off. So let 'em.

P.S. Why does Sam Stosur look like she's photo bombing this shit? Ok, now I'll stop.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

PHOTO OP: Caught in mid air

This photo of a glammy Svetlana Kuznetsova (you can pull yourself up off the floor...it's really her) was shot by Chris Kolk here in New York according to @froggysveta who tweeted it. Yeah, it's pretty cool.

There's another one of Sveta after the jump. I don't like nearly as much which is kinda why it's there. Click the header y'all.

PHOTO OP: Stonefaced Murray

"Ummm...thanks?"

The art of the non-reaction. Good idea, Muzz.

So let's just say, hypothetically speaking, Andy Murray continues this tremendous run-of-form, wins either Shanghai or Paris, the season-ending Masters Cup in London and his first Slam in Oz. I think we'll look back at his demolition of Rafael Nadal in the last two sets of the Tokyo final as the big turning point. To be more specific, we can pinpoint the three consecutive bombs he threw down to save break points in the second set after earning the break over Rafa as the moment Muzz's balls finally dropped.

From that point on, he never looked back. He also never looked like the Muzz we've come to know. The one who, when things get tight, he gets defensive and even a bit edgy. This Muzz took it to the Spaniard and looked like he meant it. Not hypothetically, of course, but FOR REALS.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

PHOTO OP: Zvonareva drops trou (and then some)

Following Serena Williams's + Esther Vergeer's naked footsteps, most of Vera Zvonareva is appearing in the latest installment of ESPN the Magazine "The Body Issue". I'm a little surprised to see her flashing her half moon since, to me, she's the intellectual one of the bunch. But there's more than meets the eye (especially here) with Bepa. Just look at her game. How else do you explain reaching two major finals and the second spot in the world rankings with a game, while solid, isn't brutally powerful, sexy or flashy?

Well, I guess a girl needs to get it out somehow. Cheek-y.

[Photo(s) credit: ESPN magazine]

FASHION FIX: Nike puts Nadal in bold berry

I haven't really liked much of what Nike has given Rafael Nadal this season. It's not that any of it was full-on fug or anything. The duds just didn't make an impression. This week in Tokyo, the Spaniard broke out the Men's Winter Rafa Ace Masters Crew ($65) in bold berry that features a funky graphic on the bottom front and back. While it's still pretty basic I'm LOVING this color - it's deep, rich and looks really good against his skin tone. Plus, it feels fresh next to all the red that's been littering the ATP World Tour - major points.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Li Na

I have just lost all confidence. On the court, I don't know what I can do. It was tough even winning one point. 

- Li Na after losing in the first round of Beijing to Monica Niculescu 6-4, 6-0

 I wonder what it must be like to be riding the ultimate high of winning your first major and making history for your country and then hitting the skids and taking a nosedive all in a span of months. The shock of winning a Slam just evolves into another kind of shock, one that has to do with having no control over your game. How could that winning game just suddenly disappear?

Because it's an individual sport a baller's success is always teetering on the edge. A career-making win can free up someone so much their game hits extraordinary heights while for others it can have the opposite effect. As we've seen, the former is probably more the exception while the latter is more the rule. Pressure comes in many forms as do ballers' personalities, and when the two collide it can be inspiring to watch or down right awkward.

A hit to the confidence can snowball, build up speed and knock them back down especially for a new major winner. Every experience becomes a new one because you're now a Grand Slam champion. There's a reason why it takes most multiple Slam winners a while, sometimes years, to snatch that second title. Talk about a blessing and a curse, though it's a curse most ballers wouldn't mind having.

[Photo(s) credit: Feng Li/Getty Images]

Winning a title feels pretty good to Tipsarevic

He really does have his big boy panties on now.

Janko Tipsarevic finally found out what it was like to be the last one doing whatever he's doing in that pic after winning his very first ATP World Tour title. After a slow start he defeated Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 7-5 in the final of the Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur.

Here's what Tipsy said after the win:

"It feels great. I think I deserved it. I’m so happy that it came in a good place, at a tournament that is really, really nice, and against a good player. Marcos Baghdatis has played in 11 finals and was a former Top 10 player, a Grand Slam finalist. So I feel happy that I won against a great player in a final that I hope kept the fans on the edge of their seats until the very end. I could not be happier."

So about this winning titles is "overrated" thing, Tipsy. Good to see you haven't changed your mind or anything.