The 2014 ATP Moods Awards

For me the biggest story of 2014 was Roger Federer's superb return to top form. Although he missed out on his biggest objective—namely winning another Grand Slam—the Swiss achieved a series of astonishing accolades, the most important being bringing Switzerland its first Davis Cup trophy. We can even say the season belonged to Switzerland with its top two players finishing inside the top 4. While Roger is an established presence at the top of the rankings, it was Stan who stole the spotlight with his maiden Grand Slam success in Australia. However, nothing compared to Marin Cilic's shocking triumph at the US Open.

2014 was a year when the young guns really rose to the occasion. Nishikori made the final at Flushing Meadows, Gulbis reached the semis at Roland Garros, while Raonic and Dimitrov achieved the same feat at Wimbledon. The foursome also broke into the top 10 for the first time, anticipating an imminent change of guards. 

While some got to shine bright, others weren't that fortunate. Juan Martin del Potro and veteran Tommy Haas where sidelined for most of the season, while Rafael Nadal struggled with serious injuries after his Roland Garros victory.

Exciting new Aussie prospect, Nick Kyrgios, made headlines at Wimbledon where he stunned Nadal to reach the quarterfinals. Hard-working Russian, Nikolay Davydenko, a former regular top 10er  hung up the racket after failing to regain top form.

All in all, it was an exhillarating 2014, which opens the door to a more sensational 2015. Tennis Moods looks back at all these incredible stories and rewards these amazing champions. Congrats to all the 2014 ATP Moods Awards winners!

The 'World's Greatest' Award (for the best player of the year)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Novak Djokovic

The 'He Found Love' Award (for the most improved player of the year)

Winner: Kei Nishikori

Runner-up: Milos Raonic

The 'Homecoming' Award (for the most spectacular comeback)

Winner: David Goffin

Runner-up: Andy Murray

The 'He Works Hard for the Money' Award (for the most hard-working player)

Winner: Andy Murray 

Runner-up: David Ferrer

The 'Here I Am' Award (for the newcomer of the year)

Winner: Grigor Dimitrov

Runner-up: Roberto Bautista Agut

The 'We Are Young' Award (for the most promising youngster on the tour)

Winner: Nick Kyrgios

Runner-up: Borna Coric

The 'Talk That Talk' Award (for the wittiest player on the tour)

Winner: Bob & Mike Bryan

Runner-up: Novak Djokovic

The 'Broken Hearted Boy' Award (for the most disappointing player of the year)

Winner: Juan Martin del Potro

Runner-up: Tommy Haas

The 'King of Hearts' Award (for the Tennis Moods' favourite)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

The 'I Will Always Love You' Award (for the player who retired this year and will be missed the most)

Winner: Nikolay Davidenko

Runner-up: Olivier Rochus

The 'When We Collide' Award (for the most spectacular doubles team)

Winner: Bob & Mike Bryan

Runner-up: Vasek Pospisil & Jack Sock

The 'Fashion of His Love' Award (for the best dressed player throughout the year)

Winner: Grigor Dimitrov

Runner-up: Roger Federer

The 'Imagine' Award (for the most emotional story of the year)

Winner: Stan Wawrinka winning Australian Open

Runner-up: Roger Federer losing the Wimbledon final

The 'I Dreamed a Dream' Award (for the accomplishment of a dream)

Winner: Marin Cilic winning US Open

Runner-up: Stan Wawrinka winning Australian Open

The 'Clash of Titans' Award (for the most exhilarating duel of the year)

Winner: Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic

Runner-up: Roger Federer & Stan Wawrinka

SEE ALSO: The 2011 ATP Moods Awards, The 2012 ATP Moods Awards, and The 2012 ATP Moods Awards

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The Queen Is Back, Long Live the Queen!

When she made a sudden return to the tour last summer, the world was kinda expecting Martina Hingis to pick up right where she left off when she quit several years ago. I too was among the optimists who envisioned her winning one Grand Slam and after. It wasn't quite a smooth transition though, and the former world No.1 failed to win back-to-back matches in the five tournaments she played alongside Slovak Daniela Hantuchova. Visible hurt by her misfortune, the Swiss Miss decided to skip the Asian swing, casting shadow on the future of her comeback.

Nothing much was heard on this matter until a few weeks ago when Hingis entered Indian Wells with her new trainee, German Sabine Lisicki. The duo once again faced a difficult draw and subsequently were beaten first round by three-time Grand Slam finalists, Aussies Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua. It was all about to change big time in Miami, where the two caught fire.

Again, the draw was harsh. In their opener, Hingis and Liscki faced 6th-seeded Czechs, Lucie Hradecka and Lucie Safarova. Compared to previous encounters, the magic kicked in this time. They won the battle pretty easily to record their first victory together 6-1,6-4. After a quick dismal of Romanian Sorana Cirstea and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the dream team showed tremendous fighting spirit, surviving seven match points to eventually battle past unseeded duo Medina-Garriguez/Shvedova. This triumph marked the turned point for Hingis. Relieved to have finally won one of these thrillers, the Swiss Miss was able to fully display the stunning tennis that won her the world. Fired up by Lisicki's gusty shot-making, Martina put together a majestic display to lift the 38th doubles career title. It wasn't easy though, but they made it happen. After stopping red-hot Cara Black and Sania Mirza in the semis, the duo came from behind to defeat reigning Roland Garros champions, Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, 4-6,6-4,10-5 to claim the title.

Needless to say it's great to have Martina back on the court. I just hope that this triumph gives her confidence to continue and, why not, maybe even consider a singles return. Asked about her plans, she gave an encouraging answer: "Well, I think two weeks ago if you asked me that question, it would probably be a completely different answer from today! Last week, I was like, 'I'm not sure if I want to put myself out there like this and lose first, second round.' But now, after this victory, definitely things have changed. I would be very happy to continue to play some more doubles."

It's also nice to see such a beautiful relationship developing between Hingis and Lisicki. Hopefully, Hingis, who is also training the German, can help Sabine fulfill her huge potential by improving her mental strength and on-court focus. This duo really seems a match made in heaven and I look forward to seeing more from these two lovely ladies in the near future. A first Grand Slam would be a nice objective for this duo! Let's do some magic, Hingis!

The Swiss Miss is back! My all-time darling rekindled her magic in Miami claiming her 38th doubles title alongside German Sabine Lisicki. Hingis came out of retirement last summer, but failed to win back-to-back matches until this week.

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The 2013 ATP Moods Awards

2013 has been a great year for tennis. It was highlighted by Nadal's magnificent comeback to the top of the rankings, Djokovic's flawless end to the season, the rejuvenation of tennis hopefuls Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet, as well as the coming of age of young guns Bernard Tomic and Grigor Dimitrov. For me though, the biggest story of them all was Andy Murray winning Wimbledon to end the 77-year wait for the hungry home nation. In one of the most bizarre tournaments ever, the crowd carried Andy to the title, helping him fulfill his prophecy. 

2013 also marked a big disappointed as we've witnessed Roger Federer drift further away from the top. His series of surprising losses made headlines throughout the year, raising questions about his future. However, the Swiss has been adamant in declaring he will continue playing for many more years, proving determined to change fortunes in 2014. The world needs the almighty Federer back!

Exhilarating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga produced another disappointment as he let an enormous chance slip by. Facing hard-working David Ferrer for a place in the Roland Garros final, Jo played a terrible match to gift away the victory. The loss also marked the end of his season as he injured his knee at Wimbledon and was sidelined till October. Hope he comes back stronger next season!

On the bright side, Tommy Haas confirmed his good form, making an emphatic return to the top 10. At 35, the German is as dangerous as ever as he continues to break new grounds and push his opponents to their limits. Spaniard Tommy Robredo also put together a sensational comeback season, reaching the quarterfinals at both the French and the US Open. Although he is not fully recovered, Gael Monfils is showing steady progress in making his way back to where he was a few seasons ago. 

The young guns have also showed their great potential. Milos Raonic cracked the top 10, while outspoken Pole Jerzy Janowicz reached his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon.

Bob and Mike Bryan clearly dominated the doubles tour, winning most of the big tournaments. A near miss at Flushing Meadows prevented them from completing a calendar Grand Slam, but they did hold all four majors plus the Olympic gold at the same time (a.k.a. the Golden Bryan Slam) strengthening their credentials as the best doubles team in history.

Tennis Moods looks back at a rich 2013, recognizing the stand-out players of the year. Congrats to all the 2013 ATP Moods Awards winners!

The 'World's Greatest' Award (for the best player of the year)

Winner: Rafael Nadal

Runner-up: Andy Murray

The 'He Found Love' Award (for the most improved player of the year)

Winner: Stanislas Wawrinka

Runner-up: Richard Gasquet

The 'Homecoming' Award (for the most spectacular comeback)

Winner: Tommy Robredo

Runner-up: Gael Monfils

The 'He Works Hard for the Money' Award (for the most hard-working player)

Winner: David Ferrer

Runner-up: Rafael Nadal

The 'Here I Am' Award (for the newcomer of the year)

Winner: Jerzy Janowicz

Runner-up: Vasek Pospisil

The 'We Are Young' Award (for the most promising youngster on the tour)

Winner: Grigor Dimitrov

Runner-up: Bernard Tomic

The 'Talk That Talk' Award (for the wittiest player on the tour)

Winner: Novak Djokovic

Runner-up: Mike & Bob Bryan

The 'Broken Hearted Boy' Award (for the most disappointing player of the year)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Brian Baker

The 'King of Hearts' Award (for the Tennis Moods' favourite)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Tommy Haas

The 'I Will Always Love You' Award (for the player who retired this year and will be missed the most)

Winner: David Nalbandian

Runner-up: James Blake

The 'When We Collide' Award (for the most spectacular doubles team)

Winner: Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan

Runner-up: Michael Llodra & Nicholas Mahut

The 'Fashion of His Love' Award (for the best dressed player throughout the year)

Winner: Roger Federer

Runner-up: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

The 'Imagine' Award (for the most emotional story of the year)

Winner: Andy Murray winning Wimbledon

Runner-up: Rafael Nadal winning US Open

The 'I Dreamed a Dream' Award (for the accomplishment of a dream)

Winner: Andy Murray winning Wimbledon

Runner-up: David Ferrer reaching the French Open final

The 'Hero' Award (for the braveheart performance of the year)

Winner: Juan Martin del Potro at Wimbledon

Runner-up: Stanislas Wawrinka at the Australian Open

The 'Clash of Titans' Award (for the most exhilarating duel of the year)

Winner: Novak Djokovic & Rafael Nadal

Runner-up: Roger Federer & Juan Martin del Potro

SEE ALSO: The 2011 ATP Moods Awards and The 2012 ATP Moods Awards

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Federer Not Done Yet

Just when we were announcing the end of his era, Roger Federer is showing he has plenty of sparks left in him, coming from behind to overcome Juan Martin del Potro in a winner-takes-it-all match at the ATP Championships in London. The victory secured his spot in the last four, where he'll go head-to-head with nemesis and world No.1, Rafael Nadal.

Following a disastrous season that saw his slip to No.8 in the world rankings, the Swiss caught fire just in time for the prestigious Season-Ending Championships, showing his rivals he is not done yet, that he is ready, both mentally and physically to give it one more fight. While his poor form, the back issues, and the mental tribulations have prevented him from playing his best for most of the season, Roger seems to have put all that behind him as he is laying the foundations for what he hopes will be a stellar comeback season next year. 

Although he was yet to qualify for the final tournament of 2013, Federer took a long break after his shocking loss to Tommy Robredo at the US Open, skipping the Asian swing. In this time span he parted ways with long-time coach Paul Annacone, opting to go solo for the time being. The risky strategy paid off and he came back energized and more focused. Well rested and clear-headed he got to play some great, consistent tennis in the last three tournaments he entered. It all started in his hometown, in Basel, where he made it all the way to the final, dispatching young guns Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Canadian Vasek Pospisil along the way. Even though he lost a nail-biting contest against del Potro, the result helped boost his confidence. Next week in Paris, he gained revenge on the Argentinean, overcoming him to reach the semis. He even had Novak Djokovic on the ropes for a set and a half, but unfortunately was unable to close out what would have been a magnificent triumph.

Having qualified for London the week before, Roger took full advantage of the opportunity. Although he lost another thriller against Djokovic, he beat both Richard Gasquet and del Potro to secure his place in the last four. The win against del Potro excited me the most because of fight back he was able to produce. Having gone 1-5 down in the opener, he responded in still holding two chances to level at 5. The Argentinean won the set eventually, but the momentum shifted in Federer’s favour. Although he was down a break in both sets, the confident Swiss managed to recover the deficit every time, serving out a superb 4-6,7-6,7-5 victory. The most important highlight of this match was Roger’s mental strength. The way he found his way out of the rabbit hole was reminiscent of the old day, of the days when the invincible Federer used to rule the world. Another positive was the fact that he took his chances, sealing the deal on his first match point by serving an ace. This is something that he failed to do this season, so again great progress here. He desperately needs to play smart on the big points if he wants to advance further in the tournament.

A win over Nadal might seem impossible, but with the right tactic and a great deal of self-belief, Federer can deny the Spaniard’s perfect ending to 2013. If the Swiss gets a sublime day at work, we might be in for a surprise, else Nadal will probably crush him. So set caution to the wind Roger, don’t blink, don’t doubt it, just play your best and beat Rafa! #letswinthis Federer!

Either way, it’s good to see Roger in this more competitive mode. Following the good results he’s had this past month, he set himself nicely for what could be a magnificent 2014.

Federer seems to have recaptured his winning momentum at the ATP Championships in London where he beat Richard Gasquet and Juan Martin del Potro to secure his place in the semifinals. He goes on to face nemesis Rafael Nadal next.

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Heroic del Potro Shows Big Heart

It takes true grit, fierce determination, and above all, an immense love for the sport to be able to do what Juan Martin del Potro did at this year's Wimbledon. The Argentinean sustained a nasty knee injury in his opening rounds, and while others were quick to throw in the towel, he decided to suck in the pain and carry on. It was a hard decision to take, especially considering his rich history of injuries and medical problems, but del Potro was determined to fight till the very end.

Just when he thought things cannot get worse, the inevitable happened and he re-injured his right knee in the very first game of his quarterfinal clash with recent French Open finalist, David Ferrer. Once again, he had to make an important call. And once again he decided to continue. His bravery paid off as he overcame the Spaniard in straight sets to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal since winning the US Open in 2009.

The semifinal encounter with world No.1, Novak Djokovic, proved a too difficult test to pass. Although the ailing Argentinean gave it his all, the Serbian was just too strong physically. Juan saved two math points in the fourth set to force a decider, but Djokovic still prevailed. In his press conference, del Potro talked about how the crowd has pushed him to don't give up and continue fighting: "When I was down in moments of the match, I saw the crowd. They were clapping [for] me and that helped me a lot for sure,” he said. “They don't care if I'm No. 8 or my opponent is No. 1. They really enjoyed the match. They like tennis. They [made] me a fighter all the time. It was incredible. 

“I think they saw my big effort. It's not easy jump to the Centre Court at Wimbledon and play against the No. 1 in the world in my first semi-final here. [There’s a lot of] pressure on me. But I think they liked to watch us fighting with the best players. And when the match is going really close, the crowd is always 50/50. Or it depends. But I did a big, big effort… Of course I'm sad now, but in couple of days, I will see how big the match was.”
Last season, a fit del Potro shocked Novak to win the bronze medal at the London Olympic Games, but this time, the 2011 Wimbledon champion knew his lesson. He was prepared to stay in the rally, turning defense into attack, thus making his opponent run until his body eventually collapsed. It happened at 4-3 in the decider when Novak made the vital break, then went on to serve out an epic 7-6,4-6,7-6,6-7,6-3 victory. Del Potro's extraterrestrial performance won hearts, but as he said “I am glad to win hearts but I wanted to win the match.” His huge effort deserved another outcome, but hopefully he will come back stronger than ever at the next majors. This was a truly impressive performance by the Argentinean. This is how to play a match on one foot, but with a big heart. Azarenka, hope you got to see this!

del Potro re-injured his knee in the very first game of this quarterfinal clash with David Ferrer.

The Giant Argentinean sucked in the tremendous pain and pulled off a stunning 6-2,6-4,7-6 victory over recent French Open finalist to reach his first Wimbledon semifinal.

At the end of his epic 5-hour clash in which he gave it his all, del Potro had to accept defeat. Visibly bothered by his injured knee, Juan managed to push world No.1, Novak Djokovic, to the very end, but his effort was not enough to stop the Serb from reaching his second Wimbledon final. Djokovic won 7-5,4-6,7-6,6-7,6-3 and will play Andy Murray for the title.

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A-Rod Turns Off All of the Lights

Since shocking the world with his announced that this would be his last tournament before stepping into retirement, Andy Roddick experienced a pretty emotional run at Flushing Meadows. Although he won comfortably his first round tie with compatriot Rhyne Williams, many were fearing for him during her second round clash with young gun, Bernard Tomic. However, Roddick produced a vintage performance to dispose of the Australian 6-3,6-4,6-0, proving he is not done just yet. He carried the good form going forward and even though he showed some nerves against Fabio Fognini, he was still too strong for the Italian, claiming a hard-fought 7-5,7-6,4-6,6-4 victory.

Cheered on by an entire nation, A-Rod went on to tackle former champion, giant Juan Martin del Potro in the last 16. Although he won two titles this season, at Eastbourne and Atlanta, the American looked pretty much like a spent force during the past 12 months or so. He just doesn't have enough fuel in his tank to challenge the big guys and this showed during his battle with del Potro. Although he won the first set in a tiebreak, Juan Martin came back strongly and, after levelling the dispute, he run away with the victory.

The loss marks the end of Andy's career, a sensational career that is, the American being one of the leading figures in men's tennis for more than a decade now. "For the first time in my career I'm not sure what to say," Roddick told his supporters during the on-court interview. "Since I was a kid, I've been coming to this tournament and I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are and watch this game and see the champions that have come and gone. "And I've loved every minute of it."

With Kim Clijsters' departure and Andy's sudden retirement, this year's US Open saw the exit of two of tennis' brightest stars. It will be extremely difficult to fill the void they leave behind.

In the place he loved the most, surrounded by friends and family, an emotional Roddick took time to thank the Arthur Ashe crowd for all the support they have given him throughout his career. His retirement leaves a huge void that will be very difficult to fill.

Disputing his last match, Andy Roddick was beaten 6-7,7-6,6-2,6-4 by Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro in the last 16 of the US Open. 

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The 2012 HARD Fashion Scoop

After a thrilling London Olympics, the tennis world got back on track quickly, resuming the North American hardcourt season, which will culminate with the US Open at the end of August. This time of the year marks the transition period between Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows, so, fashion wise, players are switching from the tradition all-white London attire to more vivid, colourful pieces. Roger Federer and Maria Kirilenko stuck to white though, but there were others who opted for powerful, bold colours such as neon yellow or strawberry pink.

In the battle of the titans, both Nike and Adidas upped their game. While the first proposed an interesting colour palette, mixing blue, black and white with some neon touches, Adidas displayed a colour splash of pinks and blues to create some trademark cool, hip garments.

Roger Federer - RF Group NIKE

Federer was once again at his imperialist best in a classy white-navy ensemble. I love the discrete touches on the sides of his shorts, as well as on the sleeves. Although this is not the epitome of creativity, the Swiss showcased once again a clean, well-thought look.

Maria Kirilenko - AdiPure

I was a huge fan of this outfit since I first saw it at Wimbledon. It is stunning. I love the dark green stripes and the fabric of the skirt. For me this is one of the standouts of 2012 and I was happy to see Maria continue to wear it after Wimbledon.

Serena Williams - NIKE

Juan Martin del Potro - NIKE

Although I am not a big neon fan myself, Nike proved it pays close attention to current trends by introducing some neon yellow tops to its fall collection. Serena Williams and Juan Martin del Potro were quick to pick up the opportunity, though in the American's case I feel she somehow took the easy way out. While the outfit is extremely current, I was a bit let down by its dullness.

Venus Williams - EleVen

While I prefer the black&white version of her 2012 EleVen collection, Venus Williams continues to spice up the tour with her out of the ordinary, spectacular clothing. Aiming at making a strong statement, the American opted for a bold strawberry pink which to perfectly complement her dark skin tone.

Sorana Cirstea - AdiZero

Ana Ivanovic - AdiZero

Angelique Kerber - AdiZero

Jo-Wilfired Tsonga - AdiZero

Lucie Safarova - NIKE

Petra Kvitova - NIKE

Contrary to what happened last year when Nike was crushed by archrival Adidas, this time around things were a bit more balanced with both manufacturers producing interesting summer garments. While Adidas had a canvas feel with the colour splash displayed on the sides, Nike showcased some more structural pieces with blue and black lines being the motif. The only downside was again Kvitova's belly which continues to be revealed without any restrictions.

Samantha Stosur - Asics

The smaller manufacturers try hard to come up with interesting designs but they seldom succeed. It's the case of Asics, Sam Stosur's new sponsor, who followed on the geometric trend, but failed to deliver due to the ill-picked colour combination and the cheap overall feel.

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