2015 - Change at the Top or Same Old Faces ?

Yes, it seems like only yesterday we were crowning Novak and Serena as respective Champions of 2014 Mens and Women's tennis, celebrating both the pair's sustained dominance of the game but bemoaning the lack of a fresh new presence to significantly challenge their place at the pinnacle of the great game.  Today it is the plight of the Men's game which is up for discussion.

Sure, Stanislas Wawrinka and Marin Cilic broke through for maiden major victories in 2014, but did insufficiently well in other tournaments to threaten the elite, and with Rafa Nadal injured for the second half of the year, only Roger Federer performed consistently enough to statistically appear capable of thwarting Djokovic's bid for number one.  Of course that Swiss effort had holes in it too, the largest his inability to win at the highest level, an annoyance dogging the great since 2012.

So in 2015 we need for the sake of continued interest in Men's Tennis the names of Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitrov, Milos Raonic, Marin Cilic, Stanislas Wawrinka and others to not just counter the top few once in awhile, but establish an equality.  We need to have created for us an environment where results are unpredictable in rounds earlier than the semi finals.  A sense of excitement about the matches that for instance Nadal and Federer play prior to meeting each other, because, for once there is a real expectation that they may not reach that far.

Andy Murray has to get over himself and his preoccupation with messing with his coaches, something which he appeared to have resolved when Ivan Lendl lifted the Scot to levels commensurate with his long promised potential, but resurfaced with an inexplicable parting of ways.  Murray is one player, when mentally focused, with the physical game to worry Djokovic as evidenced at Wimbledon in 2013 and at Flushing Meadows the year before.

Players like Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic are still young enough with talent to burn to make some headway and perhaps put Australia forward as a serious tennis nation, not just in terms of hosting a  Grand Slam event, but challenging for the big prizes on offer on the ATP Tour.

A fit Nadal and a driven Djokovic are favourites to lead the world again this year.  What may happen in lead up events before the Australian Open in a fortnight will be of interest, but we should not be too excited, alarmed or invest wads of cash, based on the various outcomes in Doha, Chennai, Brisbane, Auckland and Sydney.  It's is only early and many cobwebs are being cleared from since the last competitive shots were played.

For the Australian Open, it is hard to deny deep second week obligations for Djokovic, Nadal and Federer.  And more specific predictions will come closer to the tournament.  The bigger picture - the 2015 year end rankings - is straight from my 12 month crystal ball, and here is the current best guesstimate (one certain to cause me the maximum embarrassment down the track)

1. Novak Djokovic

2. Rafa Nadal

3. Kei Nishikori

4. Andy Murray

5. Roger Federer

6. Stanislas Wawrinka

7. Milos Raonic

8. Grigor Dimitrov

9. Tomas Berdych

10. Roberto Bautista Agut