Wonderful World of Tennis / Sean Calvert / 10 December 2010 /

Andy Murray's efforts at the Australian Open and Ivan Ljubicic's shock win at a Masters event after his thirtieth birthday were some of Sean Calvert's highlights from the first six months on the ATP Tour.

I managed to finish off 2010 by predicting all of the individual matches in the Davis Cup Final correctly and getting the correct score right too and at the end of another fascinating year on the ATP World Tour, here are my key moments from the first six months.

Dodgy wrists

The top ten has a different look about it at the end of 2010, with both of last year's ATP World Tour Finalists dropping out due to injured wrists. Juan Martin Del Potro played just three events in 2010 due to his injured wrist and bravely battled to the last 16 of the Australian Open in January before having eight months off. An aborted comeback in September came too soon and the former US Open champion is now ranked 257 in the world. I wish him well for his comeback in Sydney next month. Nikolay Davydenko has endured a similar problem with his wrist and had three months off the tour before coming back unsuccessfully. He is now ranked as low as 22 in the rankings from which point it will be tough for the soon to be 30-year-old.

Murray Mania

The question I get asked most often by far when discussing tennis is 'will Murray win a Slam?' and my answer is usually: 'perhaps, but not while Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are fit'. Things were slightly different in Melbourne this year though. The Brits were starting to believe in the lad from Dunblane. Murray reached the last four of the Australian Open without dropping a set and then beat my longshot Marin Cilic in four to become the first British male to reach two Slam finals in over 70 years. Friends and colleagues were all telling me that Murray would take the title. I wasn't convinced and neither was Federer, who thumped the Scot in straights to signal the start of a slump in form that ultimately led to a split with coach Miles Maclagan.

War of attrition

This year's Wimbledon final has almost been forgotten because of the earlier record breaking clash between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner. The longest tennis match in history by a mile - 665 minutes, 216 aces, and 70-68 to Isner in the deciding set. Totally ridiculous of course and it should bring about a change in the archaic 'two clear games in the final set' rule, but I'd be amazed if the All England Club dragged themselves into the present day to implement it. Mahut went on to lose his doubles match later the same day, while a shattered Isner was beaten in straights in his singles the following day.

An emotional triumph

Perhaps my favourite moment of the year, (although not from a betting perspective, as the man was [600] and I didn't back him) was Ivan Ljubicic's amazing win at Indian Wells. Two days after his 31st birthday the Croat became the first player over the age of 30 to win an ATP Masters 1000 event since Andre Agassi in Cincinnati in 2004. And he didn't do it via the back door either. Ljubicic defeated Djokovic, Nadal and Roddick for the most unlikely win of the year and the popular former world number three was delighted as you would expect. Great credit to him for coming back from a series of injuries to reach the top again after several years in the doldrums.

Berdych surprises

We've all had some fun at Tomas Berdych's expense over the years, most of it self inflicted by the Czech. His capacity to disappoint and surrender was almost legendary and then he goes and reaches the final in Miami, the last four at Roland Garros and the final at Wimbledon, beating Djokovic and Federer (for the loss of just one set) along the way. Was this a dark horse for the US Open I thought? Nope. Post-Wimbledon, the Berdman went 9-14 win/loss until the end of the season. Normal service was resumed once more. He admitted to feeling the weight of expectation after SW19 and his bottle went again. Oh well, at least he starts 2011 at a career high of six in the rankings. Let's see how he goes in the New Year.

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