By Chris Oddo | Wednesday February 1, 2017
It was one of the most improbable and captivating Australian Opens in history. Shocking and sublime, it had something for everyone. So, what did it all mean? Here are 20 takeaways from this year’s open…
1. Long idle ambles in the Alps can be good for a tennis career One thing that all four Australian Open finalists had in common this year? Yes, they were all 30, but that’s not what we’re talking about… think! They all barely played in the second half of last season. Serena was done after the U.S. Open. Roger was hiking and taking photos of mushrooms, Venus played a bit but not much and Rafa also tried to play but most of his winter was spent getting healthy.
Meanwhile Novak and Andy were beating each other’s brains out in London for the No.1 ranking. Maybe in the not too distant future Novak and Andy will be trying the same trick? Clearly the rest and the decompression can do wonders for a thirty something in Melbourne.
2. The WTA is only going to get more chaotic And that’s a beautiful thing. Who doesn’t love a little chaos? Mirjana Lucic-Baroni surely does. It’s not that there’s a dearth of talent at the top of the WTA, there is simply no dominant player (aside from THE dominant player), so we can all just expect the unexpected at the majors for a while. Yes, naturally, Serena is top of the pops and will remain so for the time being, but she simply cannot keep up this level of play for many more years. Or can she?
3. Dimitrov is a player to watch--officially Wow, standing O for Grigor Dimitrov, who was absolutely splendid in Melbourne and showed all of his talent and, dare we say, a new level of investment emotionally. There was something extra special in the way he carried himself. The way he churned out quality shot after quality shot and never wavered, and the way his self-belief (calm?) seemed to play a major role in his success. Will he be able to maintain it? We’ll be watching, that’s for sure.
4. Venus Williams can win Wimbledon If Venus can prolong this current hot streak of hers, does it all lead back to Wimbledon where—who knows?—she can build on what she achieved there last year? It doesn’t seem all that likely but one never knows.
5. This could be a very rough year for Angelique Kerber Then again, Kerber has a lot of experience in her pocket now. How will she take getting blitzed by CoCo Vandeweghe in Melbourne in the round of 16? Is she capable of pushing back at Serena and making a second run at No.1? It Will be interesting to see. We know she’s a fighter, but has her desire to prove herself been diminished by all that she proved in 2016?
6. Federer can still win, but will he still want to after winning major title No.18? The Fed is the GOAT, now it is true more than ever before (as much as something like that can actually be true), and what we’re wondering is: How will his success in Melbourne impact his season? Will he still go gangbusters chasing after another Wimbledon title with all his heart? And, if his results start to slip again, will the fact that he has won that long-coveted 18th major make it easier for him to say “No Mas?” All we can say is, appreciate the maestro while you can…
7. Rafa is in really good shape for the clay Rafa Nadal has come a long way in a short time, and his run to the final is the best possible sign. It is an indication that he may indeed reach peak Nadal on the clay this season. If he can be that menacing, that focused, that BOSSY on the quick-paced hard courts of Melbourne, how good can he be on his beloved red clay. The only possible hangup is that he trains too hard and ends up ailing again. How to keep momentum and stay healthy, that is the challenge that Nadal faces over the next four months. If he does do it—watch out terre battue.
8. And what of Novak Djokovic? Where art thou Novak Djokovic? Yes, the Serb still has a Nole Slam hangover, but maybe his shock loss to Denis Istomin has provided him with the time—and perspective—that he needs. Maybe he sat at home, enjoying himself, and realized: “People will forget about me unless I remind them that I am still great.” At some point this year, Novak is going to have to pull it all together and show us what he can do. He’ll be 30 in May, and while that is not a barrier in this era of ageless wonder, it will become more and more difficult to win majors each year from here on in.
9. And Andy? Well, Andy was due for a heartbreak. He got it. And as many like to say, it’s not about what happens to you, it’s about how you react to what happens to you. It will be interesting to see how Murray returns, just like it will be interesting to watch Djokovic.
10. Is Dominic Thiem ready for a next step? The Austrian came so far so fast last season, but something about the way he played in Australia says that he isn’t quite ready to be an elite force.
11. Pliskova next maiden Slam winner? The Czech is becoming a powerful force in women’s tennis, but the loss to Lucic-Baroni (take nothing away from magical Mirjana) is proof that she’s not quite ready to be the force we think and know she can be. It’s coming though, we can just feel it. Think of all the names we’ve tabbed as the next dominant player in women’s tennis of late. Azarenka, Kvitova, Muguruza—now we’re thinking Pliskova. Can she do it?
12. Fast courts in Melbourne a keeper? Did somebody say that the courts at Melbourne were being measured as faster than Wimbledon’s Center Court last week? Will that trend continue and if so, which players benefit the most? Who suffers the most? Note: Nadal fared quite well in such circumstances—what does that say about his game?
13. Biggest disappointment, women’s side And the winner is… Agnieszka Radwanska. Wait, the winner is… Simona Halep. Wait, the winner is… Daria Kasatkina. Should we continue?
14. Biggest disappointment, men’s side Strange as it seems, we’re tabbing Milos Raonic for that. The draw broke his way. This was his time to unleash that fury and crash the party and ruin everybody’s Roger and Rafa’s dreams. He couldn’t do it—not even close.
15. Best new face of the fortnight Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Oh, wait she’s not new? Well, we never saw her in an Australian semifinal before so we’re giving it to the 34-year-old.
16. Best old-school stylings The serve and volley of Mischa Zverev was a beautiful blast from the past. Wow, what a backhand volley he possesses.
17. Best post-match celebration Venus Williams epic, frantic twirl after she defeated CoCo Vandeweghe to reach the final takes the cake.
18. Best post-match speech Have to give it to Mirjana Lucic-Baroni because she told everybody to Eff off (or something like that).
19. Coolest glasses Tie, between Dennis Istomin and Hyeon Chung.
20. Best nap Rafael Nadal’s post-match snooze after he defeated Grigor Dimitrov in a five-hour epic. He needed to lay down after that one, and did so right at the baseline.