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Old 02-29-2016, 04:07 PM   #275
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
2043 Final Top Ten Rankings

The page has now turned to a new year, which actually doesn't arrive until next week but all that is going on right now are futures and junior events that have no impact.

1. Anil Mehul(27, SRI) -- 12,540

After going 2-7 against Iglar in '42, Mehul shocked everyone including himself by winning four of six meetings this past year. It was just enough. He's spent five weeks now as #1, with more to come hopefully. It's good to be the king ...

2. Antonin Iglar(27, CZE) -- 12,410

Talk about your narrow margins. Just over 1% of total points earned by Mehul separates the two players. Unfortunately for Iglar, he won a 250, then won the Australian Open, and Mehul didn't do well in the early hardcourt Masters last year. In other words, most of his chances to pick up points and regain the top spot will come in April or later. It would take a fairly major turn of events to make it happen before then, such as Mehul failing to make the AO final. Both players are just starting to decline, but they have a lot yet to achieve.

Iglar is now in a big group of players with 2 WTF titles as mentioned tied for 5th all-time; tied for 4th in Slams with Haresign at 11; 5th in Masters with 18 after not picking up as many as expected last year; and 6th in weeks at #1 with 157, and of course he's not adding to that number right now. At this moment his career, despite the best year ever posted, non-Gorritepe category, would rank him 5th all-time. He has a good chance of reaching at least 4th and surpassing Oliver Haresign, but it was definitely a disappointing year for him. He's capable of going on another several-month unbeaten stretch and reasserting his dominance. But does he have the will and confidence to do so? This is one of the biggest questions in the new year.

3. Bjorn Benda(29, DEU) -- 9,570

The gradual decline continues, and it was not a young challenger but rather the new surprise #1 who shocked the tennis world by snatching away his kingdom on clay, though Benda had the last laugh in regaining his Roland Garros crown. When he plays well, he's still the world's best on the dirt.

4. Cestmir Marcek(29, CZE) -- 7,530

The dramatic WTC final was the crowning achievement to a remarkable season. Marcek reached the apex of his career at a time when most are, and when he should have been, falling off. There's still no question his skills are eroding, but through sheer willpower and competitive spirit he refused to cooperate with Father Time. There were signs the last few months that he was receding again, but also more fantastic moments. The question for Marcek is, can he keep this up somehow, or will he fade into the sunset this year?

5. Girish Girsh(24, SRI) -- 6,030

Steady progress for Girsh, who was a quarterfinalist or semifinalist in every major event save the WTF and Rome Masters -- but did not make a single final. If he's ever going to reach the top, he has to start slaying the occasional giant. No question he's the standard-bearer for Generation Flash, but how good that standard will be is still very much an open question.

6. Pierce Gaskell(27, USA) -- 5,630

Perenially overplayed and somewhat undearchieveing, I think we've seen the best of America's current #1. He's still much better than anyone below him though, so I don't see him falling much in '44.

7. Perry Mockler(27, USA) -- 3.900

Still the best of the 'third tier'(Mehul/Iglar/Benda then Marcek/Girsh/Gaskell are the first two), Mockler nearly won the WTC for the Americans but was 0-9 in big quarterfinals this year. That about says it all for him, both in being good enough to get there, and not good enough to get any farther.

8. Thiago Herrera(26, PER) -- 3,480

9. Radek Smitala(26, USA) -- 3,140

Smitala is the rare player who has a manager that knows not to overplay him, and he's a hardcourt fiend who is still on the rise, reaching the Top 10 for the first time late in the year. He's one to watch, and could also be a force on clay next season.

10. David Alvarez(30, ESP) -- 3,055

Waving goodbye. Federer, M. Herrera, Condon, or Kinczllers will soon take his place. It doesn't really matter which, they cycle through and around each other but nobody has managed to separate themselves.

Last edited by Brian Swartz : 02-29-2016 at 04:08 PM.
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