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There’s no higher time than this temporary interval when most tennis superstars are taking it simple to crown one of the best of 2022.
There’s a WTA and ATP prime 3 in three classes, since selecting an undisputed winner could be an agonizing problem. There are too many excellent candidates and performances to choose only one.
Some prime 3s will shock you, and others will sq. with yours and people established by all method of tennis writers. The spotlight reels simply by no means get previous.
2022 within the WTA
High 3 gamers
1- Iga Swiatek
The epitome of consensus. And for good cause.
In March, the World No.1 rating was bestowed on Iga Swiatek on the heels of Ash Barty’s sudden retirement.
It was a present Iga couldn’t decline after which categorically refused to share at any level through the hellish season to which she subjected her fellow gamers and the WTA’s stats division.
Between February 22 and June 5, she racked up 35 wins and took residence 6 straight titles for a complete of 8 winner’s trophies and a surprising 65–9 file in a fully unbelievable season. To not point out the 19 units she received 6-0 in a considerably humiliating file for her colleagues.
Fierce, forthright, fearless.
2- Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula
Two gamers for 2 good causes.
Trying again on all Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula completed this previous season is an enchanting train. They sit at No.6 (Pegula) and No.7 (Gauff) in singles and No.3 (Pegula) and No.4 (Gauff) in doubles. It’s been ceaselessly since two gamers have risen that top in each rankings, on the identical time, in the identical yr.
And it’s been 13 years (2009) since a pair has managed to qualify for the WTA Finals in each occasions.
3- Caroline Garcia
Caroline Garcia went full throttle within the second half of 2022.
Transferring up 70 spots within the rankings in a season is phenomenal, however touchdown within the High 10 makes the feat positively astounding. And when the ultimate vacation spot seems to be the High 5, the triumph is astounding.
When the beginning pistol went off on June 19, she made a rapid climb from No.74 all the way in which to No.4.
Within the six-month interval, Garcia received 36 matches and misplaced solely 9. She claimed the crowns in Unhealthy Homburg and Warsaw, fought her manner into the semis of the US Open and reigned supreme on the WTA Finals.
And all on the age of 28, after a few powerful seasons.
Solely two distinctive gamers stored her from attaining the very prime.
High 3 rookies
1- Linda Fruhvirtova
This yr, the elder of the prodigious pair of sisters took a large leap of 201 rankings spots from No.279 to No.78.
Much more spectacular is her transfer up 253 spots in simply seven months, between February 20 and September 18, from No.327 to No.74.
On the age of 17!
Linda constructed herself a 29–17 file. Extra importantly, she competed in two WTA 250 finals with a win in Chennai. She additionally posted back-to-back victories over veterans Kovinic, Mertens and Azarenka in Miami.
2- Quiwen Zheng
In 2022, on the age of 19 (she’s since turned 20), Qinwen Zheng shot up 99 locations within the rankings, from No.126 to No.27, by reaching three finals and taking residence two titles (W60 in Orlando and WTA 125 in Valencia).
She performed a complete of 56 matches, together with qualifiers, for a 38–18 file and outmaneuvered the likes of Sloane Stephens (twice), Simona Halep, Alizé Cornet, Ons Jabeur, Bianca Andreescu, Jelena Ostapenko, Paula Badosa and Garbine Muguruza.
If Linda Fruhvirtova hadn’t had such a spectacular yr, Qinwen Zheng could be the no.1 newcomer.
3- Jule Niemeier
Although some will say she’s just a little late within the sport on the age of 23, Jule Niemeier is nonetheless a promising participant. In 2022, she moved up 66 spots from No.133 to No.67 in 60 matches (39–21).
Her season’s highlights characteristic a stunning efficiency within the quarters of Wimbledon, the place she took out then World No.3 Anett Kontaveit.
High 3 comeback youngsters
1- Tatjana Maria
After giving delivery to her second youngster, Tatjana Maria made her manner again to tennis with dedication.
In February, she strung collectively a 13-match profitable streak at three tournaments. She received in Rome, within the US (W60) and in Bogota, Colombia (WTA 250), however her biggest achievement of 2022 was her shocking semi at Wimbledon.
In eight months, from February to October, she climbed 242 rating spots, from No.311 to No.69.
2- Daria Saville
After sitting out 2021 due to an Achilles harm, Daria Saville moved up 557 spots, from No.627 to No.50, between February and September.
She performed within the quarters of the WTA 1000 in Miami and the ultimate of the WTA 250 in Granby, the place she fell to then No.10 Daria Kasatkina.
3- Donna Vekic
In 2022, 26-year-old Donna Vekic advanced from No.112 to No.47, however her most spectacular feat got here in her final 10 matches (7–3).
And on the WTA 500 in San Diego, she surprised everybody when she steamrolled over No.7 Maria Sakkari, No.22 Karolina Pliskova, No.5 Aryna Sabalenka and No.19 Danielle Collins earlier than shedding a three-set remaining to the queen herself, Iga Swiatek.
2022 within the ATP
High 3 gamers
1- Novak Djokovic
The person wants no introduction.
Even at 35 years previous and even after lacking one third of the season, Novak Djokovic stays essentially the most feared participant within the ATP. When issues bought rolling for him in mid-April, he was unstoppable: 39–4 (41–6 for your complete season, to be precise).
Owing to his personal convictions and the worldwide pandemic, he missed two Slam alternatives and was disadvantaged of the factors he would have earned for the third, at Wimbledon. Which means he misplaced greater than 8,000 factors in simply 4 months, from July to November.
And but, he discovered a technique to shut out the yr as No.5, solely 2,000 factors behind the chief. One Twitter account discovered a reasonably apt technique to sum up his run.
He’s actually come a great distance since his very first coaching session again in 1991.
2- Rafael Nadal
He’s the person many sports activities writers will say is the participant of the yr, and rightly so.
Like Djokovic, Rafael Nadal needed to overcome his fair proportion of adversity. Regardless of a nagging left foot harm and an belly tear, his file is spectacular, particularly once you look firstly of the season.
Rafa got here roaring out of the gate with 3 straight titles, 20 straight wins and a 35–3 file between January 1 and July 10. He additionally additional crowded his trophy case with two extra Slam crowns collected in Melbourne and Paris.
Within the race for Slam titles, he sprinted previous Djokovic with 22.
However how lengthy will his physique maintain up? Regardless, his spirit stays admirably distinctive.
3- Carlos Alcaraz
As Rafael Nadal’s worthy successor and a proficient all-around participant, Carlos Alcaraz was a severe contender for participant of the yr. Till September, that’s, when his lackluster fall run prompted him to float down from No.1 to No.3 and an harm stored him out of the ATP Finals.
Nonetheless, in 2022, he dominated the ATP with 5 titles. His most up-to-date on the US Open got here with a bonus: the World No.1 rating.
Contemplating the warfare in Ukraine and its penalties for Russian and Belarusian gamers and Novak’s pandemic impediments, some will all the time put an asterisk subsequent to Alcaraz’s identify. In 2023, all eyes might be on him to show them flawed.
The 19-year-old has what it takes to be a long-standing member of the world elite. When you’ll be able to win rallies and amass factors the way in which he does, the long run may be very brilliant.
High 3 rookies
1- Holger Rune
In professional tennis, prodigies don’t pop up yearly, however 2022 nonetheless managed to supply two such wunderkinds.
There was Carlos Alcaraz, in fact, and there was 19-year-old Holger Rune. The Dane made loads of eyes glaze over, particularly within the latter half of the season when he spent two weeks within the High 10. He went gangbusters within the fall: 4 back-to-back finals and two titles so as to add to the 2 he received firstly of the yr.
In 2022, he rose from No.103 to No.11. Phenomenal.
2- Jack Draper
Towering 20-year-old sensation Jack Draper additionally made headlines in 2022. He moved up a spectacular 223 spots within the rankings from No.265 to No.42.
Canadian followers will recall the flawless displaying that disadvantaged Félix Auger-Aliassime of a ticket to the second spherical of the US Open (6-4, 6-4, 6-4)—the identical therapy Draper reserved for Tsitsipas within the second spherical of the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Montréal.
3- Ben Shelton
With out ever leaving the US and regardless of beginning the season on June 4, 20-year-old Ben Shelton managed to climb 477 spots within the rankings.
The NCAA males’s singles champion left his Florida Gators to show professional in August, which explains the late begin.
In 49 primarily Challenger matches, he compiled an attention-grabbing 38–11 file that carried him from No.573 to No.97 within the ATP rankings. He wrapped up 2022 with three consecutive titles: Charlottesville, Knoxville and Champaign.
High 3 comeback youngsters
1- Borna Coric
After being stricken by a shoulder harm for 2 years, Borna Coric was cleared to compete in Might. He made a spectacular comeback, rocketing from No.279 to No.26 (253 spots) between Might 22 and September 11 and grabbing the Cincinnati Masters trophy within the course of.
2- Dominic Thiem
After nursing a severe wrist harm, Dominic Thiem misplaced his first seven matches of the season however slowly discovered his footing and moved up from No.352 to No.100 in three and half months, between June 12 and October 30. He fought in three ATP 250 semis: Gstaad, Gijon and Antwerp.
3- Stan Wawrinka
He might not have made a miraculous comeback like Borna Coric, however the veteran continued to dwell out his tennis dream. Stan began 2022 as No.361 and ended it as No.148, up 213 spots, regardless of enjoying solely 25 matches together with qualifying occasions.
He bought so far as the semis on the ATP 250 in Moselle and the quarters on the ATP 500 in Basel.
Electronic mail: privard@tenniscanada.com
Twitter: @paul6rivard
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