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Old 03-01-2017, 01:00 AM   #581
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
Final 2050 Rankings

2051 has arrived; here are the rankings for the top players to start the new season.

1. Prakash Mooljee(SRI, 26) -- 14,260

Despite a disappointing finish to the year, it was a third straight outstanding season for Mooljee. His final record of 87-6 represents three more wins and the same amount of losses as his past two campaigns. That's a rather amazing overall consistency. 4 Masters, 3 Slams, an Olympic gold medal, and the driving force behind returning Sri Lanka to the top of the World Team Cup. With no titles to claim over the last four-plus months though, there are serious questions about whether he can stay on the top. For now though, he's up to a national-record 120 weeks at #1, 8th-best all-time, and still has a huge lead.

2. Tomas Niklas(CZE, 26) -- 9,265

Niklas had the best year of his career as well, for several months consistently meeting the #1 in the finals of just about every important event. He too faded late in the year. A 77-19 mark is easily his most victories. Masters wins in Cincinatti and Monte Carlo along with a pair of Slam finals helped Tomas pull away from the pack and establish himself as the unquestioned top challenger to the throne.

3. Johnny Browne(USA, 25) -- 6,270

Browne's record was actually a hair worse than a year ago, but he still reached his career-best ranking as well. That's mostly due to his spectacular, dramatic maiden Slam title at the US Open. For of all of the talent the Americans have, it was the first time since Mick Elder a dozen years ago that an US player won in Flushing Meadows.

4. Mateo Kaspar(FRA, 22) -- 6,065

France has a new hero after the decline of Bourdet & Poilblan. And Mateo is already better than either. He wasn't spectacular most of the year, failing to reach the second week of any Slam, but finished in grand style by taking all comers in Paris and the World Tour Finals to narrowly claim the fourth spot. It was 13 years ago(Elder again) the last time an unseeded player won the WTF. Since then it had been the #1 or #2 every single time, usually the top seed. An impressive showing, and one that has him aiming higher in the new year.

5. Gillo Fangio(ITA, 23) -- 6,050

Just behind Kaspar is another talented, fast-rising young gun. Fangio won in Shanghai and reached his first Slam final at the USO, where he should have won. He was also runner-up to Kaspar at the tour finals. Had about the same success as a year ago, but with better opportunities given his higher seeding.

6. Girish Girsh(SRI, 31) -- 5,045

I've already talked about Girsh's year, in which he has tumbled from the ranks of the top challengers. It's time for the next generation to take over.

7. Khasan Zakirov(UZB, 27) -- 4,980

Zakirov slipped a bit from being a 4th/5th guy the last couple of years, though it wasn't so much a decline in his game as others just getting better. He is just now embarking on the downside of his career though, and with the number of young talented players I don't see him doing more than hanging on as a solid Top-10 performer.

8. Juan de los Santos(ESP, 25) -- 4,595

Santos showed more versatility than expected; he's a noted force on clay, but actually was knocked out early in Rome and Madrid. A SF showing in Cincinatti and a QF at the USO earned him a debut at the tour finals. The Spanish #1 is primed for what could be a career-best season, currently playing his best tennis, and could well move up further this season.

9. Luc Janin(CAN, 23) -- 4,230

Another disappointing season for Janin, who has turned into something of a cautionary tale. There's still time for him to be a top contender, but he's got to start winning the big matches. Aside from the runner-up late in the year in Paris, his only real good moment was taking the Rome Masters.

10. Tiosav Srbulovic(USA, 25) -- 3,835

Consistently solid in the Masters but departing early at the Slams, Srbulovic just hasn't been quite good enough to take the next step.

There's a pretty decent gap right now with nobody looking like a serious threat to crack the Top 10 soon. #11 Kire Zopp(FIN) and #13 Jake Jolland(USA) are still improving though and could get there this year.
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