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...2007 in Review continued

Behind tennis’ top tandem, Russian Nikolay Davydenko and American Andy Roddick achieved steady success – both reaching the quarterfinals or better at three of the four Slams – to maintain their Top 10 status and earn return trips to Shanghai. They also helped lead their countries into the Davis Cup final.

DEUCE Magazine Features
Roddick: The Road Ahead | Ferrer: The Warrior Within | Gonzalez: Once Bitten, Twice Try

Chilean Fernando Gonzalez also ranked inside the Top 10 every week of the calendar year, reaching his first career Grand Slam and ATP Masters Series finals before ending his two-year title drought in September at Beijing, while Spaniard David Ferrer returned to Top 10 status after a brief stint in 2006, capturing three titles and going undefeated en route to the Tennis Masters Cup final.

Meanwhile, a trio of young stars – Tomas Berdych, Richard Gasquet, Andy Murray – broke into the Top 10 for the first time in 2007, and were among the 20 players fighting for a Tennis Masters Cup berth going into the second to last week of the regular ATP season.

Two of the outside contenders – Juan Monaco and Ivo Karlovic – lifted their first ATP singles trophies this season as each impressively completed a hat trick of titles in 2007.
(DEUCE: Six Things About Being 6'10")

Monaco showcased his dominance on clay, beginning the year with his hometown title in Buenos Aires and following with victorious efforts in Austria at Pörtschach and Kitzbühel. Ace king Karlovic, who became the fourth different player to hit 1,000 aces in a season, established himself as an all court player with titles on clay at Houston, grass in Nottingham and indoor carpet in Stockholm.

Veterans Tommy Haas, Guillermo Canas and Carlos Moya also put themselves in the running for a Shanghai spot as all showed a return to the form that once carried them into the Top 10. (DEUCE: The Last Time... with Tommy Haas )

Despite an injury plagued season, Haas returned to tennis’ elite for the first time in nearly five years as he reached his third career Grand Slam semifinal in January and defended his Memphis title. Canas surged up 130 spots from his start-of-the-year ranking to finish in the Top 20, winning his first title since 2004 and posting wins over Federer at the back-to-back Masters Series events at Indian Wells and Miami. Moya clinched his 20th career title in Umag, marking the eighth straight year in which he had won an ATP title.

In doubles, Bob and Mike Bryan maintained their status as the world’s best duo for the third successive year as they put together a career-best season in 2007. They captured an ATP-high and personal-best 11 titles in 15 finals, including wins at the Australian Open and five ATP Masters Series events. They finished the season with 44 career ATP titles, placing themselves in a tie for fourth on the list of Open Era doubles title leaders.

Long-time doubles partners Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor also turned in a memorable doubles season. Following an early title drought that prompted them to commit to other partners following Wimbledon, the two won their first title of the year at Roland Garros – their first at the clay court Slam – setting up the possibility of completing the career Grand Slam the next month on grass and putting their split temporarily on hold. (DEUCE: Which Partner Knows Best)

While they could not complete the fairy tale run with an exit in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, they continued their partnership through the summer with both players reaching the 600-win plateau, and reunited in November in Shanghai, putting a fitting ending to their illustrious partnership with their first Tennis Masters Cup title.