Posted by Peter Bodo, TENNIS.com
Well, it's the time of year when many pundits post their "Players to Watch" lists. And the first tournaments of 2007 offered up winners who may be making opening statements in potential breakthrough years: Novak Djokovic of Serbia won in Adelaide, while two WTA players who fleetingly popped on the radar last year also won events: Serbia's Jelena Jankovic and Russia's Dinara Safina. Plus, Scotsman Andy Murray, now coached by Brad Gilbert, made the final at Doha before losing to that old-school Croatian, Ivan Ljubicic.
But here's an idea. Why don't we swim against the tide and name the Players Not to Watch -- that is, the warriors most likely to disappoint when you're most counting on them, most likely flit about near the flame of potential greatness, only to flutter back into the night with singed wings, most likely to fold up like a cheap jack knife when it comes to crunch time. Here are five in that category.
Gael Monfils: This Frenchman of West Indian extraction has been hailed as a potential Michael Jordan of tennis because of his build (he's a lean, sinewy 6-foot-3) and striking athletic ability, and he fueled expectations when he came within a few matches of completing a junior Grand Slam in 2004. He has all the tools, power and speed-wise, but he's inconsistent and perhaps not (yet) mentally or emotionally strong enough to be a regular Grand Slam contender.
Nadia Petrova: This tall, thoughtful Russian with smooth strokes and an appealing personality put up a huge win over Justine Henin-Hardenne (Berlin, mid-May) to cap what appeared to be a breakthrough winter and spring of 2006. But when everyone jumped on the bandwagon, she unhitched the team and rode back into her pressure-free comfort zone, where good daily results are celebrated, not expected. She didn't win three matches in a row again until October and conspicuously failed to contend at majors.
Nikolay Davydenko: Dubbed "Kolya the Obscure," Nicky enjoys a lot of respect on the tour, from peers and coaches who know their business. But his singular inability to take his game -- or emotions -- to the next level in the late stages of major events, where doing so is mandatory for anyone not named Federer, is striking.
Anastasia Myskina: She was the least likely of the recent wave of Russian chicas to win a Grand Slam title, but she was the first to do so (Roland Garros, 2004). Since then, she of the striking, icy blue eyes and solid baseline game has gone on a tame, soporific roller-coaster ride between the valleys and slight inclines of the game, never coming anywhere near the peaks again.
David Nalbandian: Everyone loves this guy's talent; he's one of the most gifted racket handlers on the tour, as he demonstrated with a massive win over Roger Federer in the ATP Tour year-end championships in 2005. But instead of building on that confirming moment, this former Wimbledon runner-up crumpled against Federer at the next Roland Garros (although it was in the semifinals) and was so concerned with Argentina's World Cup soccer effort during Wimbledon that he pretty much mailed in a desultory, third-round loss. Can you say, "Too Much, Too Soon = Not Enough?"
Perhaps one of these gifted but curiously flawed players will save his or her reputation in 2007. But I wouldn't bet on it, which is the whole point.
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