The tennis season is…almost over (looking forward to the Davis Cup final). But it’s done enough to hand out year-end grades for the top eight players (
plus a man named Janko 
).
Head of the ClassNovak Djokovic stands alone. He faltered—and struggled with his health—after the U.S. Open, but there’s no denying the first three quarters of his season. Three major titles and one major semifinal. A 41-match winning streak to start the season. Six wins against no losses versus Rafael Nadal, all in finals. And, maybe most impressive, the gutsiest, craziest, most remarkable win of the year, a five-setter against Roger Federer in the U.S. Open semifinals, forever to be remembered by a go-for-broke, return-of-serve winner when down double match point—on Federer’s serve. A few losses in the late fall don’t taint if for me.
It’s one of the greatest seasons ever, no matter the W-L record. To do that in a year when both Nadal and Federer played well—not to mention Andy Murray—is phenomenal.
Skip a GradeRemember when Janko Tipsarevic gave Federer a scare at the 2008 Australian Open (
otherwise known as the mono year) 
? I thought that match would be the high point of Tipsarevic’s career. The best thing about Tipsarevic: Though he lacks size, he refuses to play a small man’s defensive game. Many tennis players make you want to watch more and more tennis. Tipsarevic makes you want to go out and play it, now that you can see how many great things are possible (of course, they’re not possible for most of us, but the brief delusion is well worth it).
Welcome Back…Have you heard the news? Roger Federer is back! Great to see Federer playing like Federer and winning a record sixth season-ending championship. But here are the facts: He has been good—very good—all year. He made the French Open final, and did so by beating a guy who hadn’t lost a match all year. He reached the Wimbledon quarterfinal and had a two-set lead before he got a little tight. He should have beaten the formerly undefeated guy again at the U.S. Open (two match points on his serve). In the fall, he didn’t lose a match—but the rest of the best were either exhausted or injured, or both.
He’s still great, but not as great as before—how could he be at 30? He’s still good enough to win a Grand Slam—but he’s going to need a little help, unlike before, when almost no one could stop him (unless it was Nadal on clay).
So what is new about Federer? If we’ve learned anything, it’s this: He’s the most resilient player in the game.
He stays healthy not just physically, but mentally. That U.S. Open loss could have crushed any player, even a great champion. Federer brushed it off and moved on. Reminds me of another guy who won Slams into his thirties, man by the name of Andre Agassi. Winning a Slam is difficult, but it’s also, at times, remarkably easy (for a champ): Play pretty well all the time, and you’ll probably catch a break or two at one Slam or another (see Schuettler, Rainer). That’s the Federer plan for the future. Next stop, Melbourne.
Lost His HomeworkTomas Berdych remains a strong contender for “most underachieving player.” (Note to readers: This is not an award one should hope to win.)
Department of Bad LuckAndy Murray looks great all fall, the British press are gleeful—and then a freaky injury and quiet end to the year. Poor Murray. Things never seem to break his way at the sport’s most important events. The popular question is, will he win a major in 2012? I wonder if he can afford to not win a major in 2012. Another year without and Murray will have to think that it just might not be his lot in life to win a Slam. For those who say he has enough talent to win one, I agree. But it might be the case that he doesn’t have enough to win multiple Slams, not with a forehand and serve that are less formidable than those of the men in front of him in the world rankings. Those are the two biggest shots in tennis. It’s tough to win a major when you can’t rely on them.
A’s and B’sYou know what Rafael Nadal—the man who, like many others, has complained about the length of the tennis season—needs? Why more tennis, of course. I’m serious. The Davis Cup could do Nadal a ton of good, especially if he wins one (or if necessary, two) matches and leads Spain to the title. Want proof? Look at Novak Djokovic. Nadal had a decent 2011, but he has been borderline depressed about his tennis at times. He finished the season on a sour note and made his fans panic when he said he felt “less passionate for the game.” (You think the debt crisis is big trouble for Spain? If Nadal retires, the country might implode.)
My take: Nadal will be fine next year, and win at least one major. One win over Djokovic and he’ll start to feel a lot better.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had a good year, too. But will he ever do anything great? He has the game for a major title. Not sure he has quite the conviction.
Mardy Fish had his finest season as a pro. Will his success continue? Find out below in buy, sell or hold…
Buy, sell or holdAndy Roddick: Buy. The American had his worst year since becoming a top player. He’ll turn 30 next year and he can’t seem to stay healthy. To this I say, no worries. If Fish can have a career year at 29 (he’ll be 30 next month), so can Roddick. His serve remains one of the best in the game and so does his competitive spirit. If he can play six to eight consecutive months without injuries, he’ll climb the rankings again.
Mardy Fish: Sell. Great season, very good player. He’ll remain very good, but I can’t see him defending all those points in 2012. Prove me wrong, Mardy. You deserve another 2011.
Milos Raonic: Buy. If Milos stays healthy for all of 2012, he’s the biggest threat to the Big Four.
Tom Perrotta is an editor-at-large at TENNIS.
