10 Predictions for 2014

Let's see how many of our predictions for next season come true?  I will start:

1.  Roger Federer to win 1 or more slams.
2.  Rafael Nadal won't defend the French Open.
3.  Rafael Nadal to win 0 slams.
4. Someone other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray or Del Potro to win a slam.
5. Del Potro to win another slam.
6. Djokovic to end year as WN1.
7. Djokovic to win 2 slams
8. Murray to win 0 slams.
9. Raonic to win a Masters event
10. Dimitrov to win a Masters event.




I'll keep this up to date as well through the year to see where we all stand.

FK - I like your OPs. They are a bit biased but so am I.  

I got very similar predictions last year...and not many came true in 2013.....I'll have to dig that up. But I feel you will many of yours come true this year....bar maybe fed winning another slam....unfortunately.

I posted that in March last year:

- I beleive that within 18 months (up to USO 14) 2 or 3 players of the new generation (under 24 now) will be in top 10 and will start challenging for slams. (reaching slam finals if not win it).
- By end of 2014 we will have one of them in top 4 minimum.
- I also believe that Murray will never reach the number one spot now.
- Neither will Nadal again and even say will not win a slam again (challenge to Blueclay). I am quite sure about Nadal not reaching number one again less about not winning a a slam but it woudl certainly surprise me.

3 still possible....dead wrong on the last one....but again this come back surprised many of us, including Nadal himself though I doubt about that..he knows things we are not too sure about.

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I'm in shock, you can't just drop bombshells like that Tenez  

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I am have tastes and my tastes are of course subjective...but what I observe and describe is objective.

If I say Nadal has the power to hit winners at will with his FH. I mean it. When I say the reason he does not is because he has not got the talent to do so, I mean it too. Give Federer Nadal's arm and then he can win all slams till 2025 and the good thing is Fed won't need to use much of his legs or back either with such a powerful arm.

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I am have tastes and my tastes are of course subjective...but what I observe and describe is objective.

Can you not see how the first part may influence the second part?
I mean this applies to me too, I won't deny it.

It's true this does appear to be a wish-list kinda, but I really do think a lot of these will come true this year. Last year I had Nadal down for Aussie Open and finalist at Wimbledon, and that didn't happen...  so I wasn;t totally biased.  I still wouldn't be surprised if Nadal won French and Fed won nowt, though of course...

Come on people, I want 10 predictions out of you!

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I am have tastes and my tastes are of course subjective...but what I observe and describe is objective.

Can you not see how the first part may influence the second part?
I mean this applies to me too, I won't deny it.

Actually not. What I observe is neutral. I can see a chocolate cake and a strawberry cake but prefer one over the other.

I never underestimate or over estimate Nadal, Federer or any player's strengths and weaknesses. This is what has allowed me to observe the game pretty accurately. If Nadal were a genius, I would be supporting him too and praising his genius. I could praise his fitness but (my taste and sadly empirical knowledge) won't rush me to it....yet I have never denied he is extremely fit, have I?

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I am have tastes and my tastes are of course subjective...but what I observe and describe is objective.

If I say Nadal has the power to hit winners at will with his FH. I mean it. When I say the reason he does not is because he has not got the talent to do so, I mean it too. Give Federer Nadal's arm and then he can win all slams till 2025 and the good thing is Fed won't need to use much of his legs or back either with such a powerful arm.

Nadal explains his lack of talent to take the ball early on his forehand quite well in his post-final match O2 interview:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4V-mkfN4FGg

You see, this is the thing that really pisses me off.  How he can go from this fake humble nonsense to what he really thinks (and bad excuses).  He's basically saying that Novak won because of his serve, and that's nonsense.  Even if it were true, SERVING IS A PART OF TENNIS, NADAL.

Anyway, I am still waiting for your top 10 predictions, people.  I sense you are running scared.  

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I am have tastes and my tastes are of course subjective...but what I observe and describe is objective.

Can you not see how the first part may influence the second part?
I mean this applies to me too, I won't deny it.

Actually not. What I observe is neutral. I can see a chocolate cake and a strawberry cake but prefer one over the other.

No it's not as simple as that.
You could think the strawberry cake actually has rat poison diffused into it... which you have 'observed' but in reality you may only observe that because you don't like the taste of strawberry.

FedererKing wrote:Let's see how many of our predictions for next season come true?  I will start:



1.  Roger Federer to win 1 or more slams.
2.  Rafael Nadal won't defend the French Open.
3.  Rafael Nadal to win 0 slams.
4. Someone other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray or Del Potro to win a slam.
5. Del Potro to win another slam.
6. Djokovic to end year as WN1.
7. Djokovic to win 2 slams
8. Murray to win 0 slams.
9. Raonic to win a Masters event
10. Dimitrov to win a Masters event.


I'll keep this up to date as well through the year to see where we all stand.

I am really curious about Murray's comeback, that will be quite intersting and many are going to compare him with Nadal. But, these should be aware that Nadal is chemical product, which has nothing common with everybody else. I am not so optimistic about how fast he can get into top form. His game and move  are  too obstinate and his chances to succeed on clay are really poor. 

1.  Roger Federer to win 1 or more slams -  just Wimbledon could offer him a fair chance, but no
2.  Rafael Nadal won't defend the French Open - agree
3.  Rafael Nadal to win 0 slams - could happen he will win one  by an accident
4. Someone other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray or Del Potro to win a slam - no
5. Del Potro to win another slam - improbable, but he surely can
6. Djokovic to end year as WN1 - hopefully yes
7. Djokovic to win 2 slams - hopefully yes
8. Murray to win 0 slams - a big question about his shape, so that yes, no win
9. Raonic to win a Masters event. - could happen, but no
10. Dimitrov to win a Masters event. - no

What are your predictions. :P

well So I will keep the first 3 which are still valid
 - I beleive that within 18 months (up to USO 14) 2 or 3 players of the new generation (under 24 now) will be in top 10 and will start challenging for slams. (reaching slam finals if not win it).
- By end of 2014 we will have one of them in top 4 minimum.
- I also believe that Murray will never reach the number one spot now.

And add a few others.
- Nadal to lose his number 1 ranking during clay season,  before FO.
- Nadal to be the first player to hold 2 slams of every GS (winning the AO).
- Federer to adopt a larger frame next season
- Murray to come back strong nearly as quick as nadal.
- Murray will not defend his Wimby
- DElpo to finally win a Masters (on clay) and another slam...somewhere (the FO?).

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I am have tastes and my tastes are of course subjective...but what I observe and describe is objective.

Can you not see how the first part may influence the second part?
I mean this applies to me too, I won't deny it.

Actually not. What I observe is neutral. I can see a chocolate cake and a strawberry cake but prefer one over the other.

No it's not as simple as that.
You could think the strawberry cake actually has rat poison diffused into it... which you have 'observed' but in reality you may only observe that because you don't like the taste of strawberry.

I tell you that strawberry cake really has poison diffused into it!...but because you love strawberry cakes you don't want to see it, Julia. Wasn't it you, Julia,  who did not want to see that 220 athletes blood bags list?

FedererKing wrote:What are your predictions. :P

Now I see that I did something as checking your own predictions. So mine are here:
1) Nole is going to take YE  #1 
2) Vasek Pospisil getting into TOP20
4) Delpo getting to #3 within 2014
5) Stan W. getting to  TOP 5, which I would appreciate a lot
3) Another Nadal's heavy injury after being crashed by Nole

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

Tenez wrote:They are a bit biased but so am I.  

What? I thought you were objective??  

I am have tastes and my tastes are of course subjective...but what I observe and describe is objective.

Can you not see how the first part may influence the second part?
I mean this applies to me too, I won't deny it.

Actually not. What I observe is neutral. I can see a chocolate cake and a strawberry cake but prefer one over the other.

No it's not as simple as that.
You could think the strawberry cake actually has rat poison diffused into it... which you have 'observed' but in reality you may only observe that because you don't like the taste of strawberry.

I tell you that strawberry cake really has poison diffused into it!...but because you love strawberry cakes you don't want to see it, Julia. Wasn't it you, Julia,  who did not want to see that 220 athletes blood bags list?

Or maybe you just don't like the taste of strawberry?

I shall think of a prediction list but for now here is my wish list:
1) Feds to beat nadal in a slam and then win that slam, I CAN DREAM!
2) Goffin, gulbis, berankis, dimitrov, paire, jj, dolgo and youngsters to come flying through into the top 20 and beyond!
3) A vast array of different conditions on courts brought in, including a variety of ball sizes, court speed and bounce - basically a truer test of consistency across all surfaces.
4) Nadal, djoko, ferrer and murray to be beaten by attacking players consistently in slams early on.
5) Serve and volley players to come back and have success!
6) More and more shbh players to come into the top 50 and above
7) Dan Evans to hit the top 50.
8) Ferrer to drop out of the top 10
9) Another shbh to win a slam
10) No slams with the top 4 reaching the semi's.

Tenez wrote:
And add a few others.
- Nadal to lose his number 1 ranking during clay season,  before FO.
- Nadal to be the first player to hold 2 slams of every GS (winning the AO).

How on earth do you expect this to happen simultaneously?
I think Nadal could very well lose his ranking, but not if he wins AO (anyway Nole is favourite for AO).

well So I will keep the first 3 which are still valid
- I beleive that within 18 months (up to USO 14) 2 or 3 players of the new generation (under 24 now) will be in top 10 and will start challenging for slams. (reaching slam finals if not win it).

Pretty sure you said that for USO 2013? (not uso 2014)

I dug out my prediction from that thread we had back in March this year (it really, really feels like it was so much longer ago)

noleisthebest wrote:I thought this was Indian Wells prediction game

But since it's not, I'm going to enter into a pitch black room and "see" the following:

Nadal won't win any more slams
Nole will win over 10 by  the end of his career.
Murray will squeeze one more slam by the end of his career again due to a favourable set of circumstances.
Fed will win 2 more slams.

Of the current crop, Tomic will be the most successful, titles wise.
Somebody totally new will come out next year be the "real deal"

ITF will never catch anybody doping.

And now, predictions for 2014:

Nole will win AO and RG and end the year as No 1
Nadal will not win a slam
Nole will surpass his 2011 winning streak (he is on 22 atm)
Benoit Paire will make at least QF in RG
JJ will move into top 10
Stan will finally take a set off Nadal
Delpo will win a Masters 1000 tournament
Murray will not win any tournaments
Federer will return to top 4 and play Nole in the USO final
We'll have a new Wimbledon Champion.

Lets's seeee


Nole will win AO and RG and end the year as No 1 < Possibly
Nadal will not win a slam < I'm with you brother.
Nole will surpass his 2011 winning streak (he is on 22 atm) < no
Benoit Paire will make at least QF in RG < possibly
JJ will move into top 10 < agreed
Stan will finally take a set off Nadal < agreed
Delpo will win a Masters 1000 tournament < possibly
Murray will not win any tournaments < he'll win something
Federer will return to top 4 and play Nole in the USO final < Possibly to former, unlikely to latter
We'll have a new Wimbledon Champion. < possibly.

As a side note I think Federer will retire in 2015 or 16.

to the OP:

1.  Roger Federer to win 1 or more slams.
hmm, nope. No chance. But i can get exited by the idea alone;)

2.  Rafael Nadal won't defend the French Open.
i think he'll take one more FO

3.  Rafael Nadal to win 0 slams.
see above

4. Someone other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray or Del Potro to win a slam.
Nope, the 'other' can only be Delpo

5. Del Potro to win another slam.
Yes, i hope. Wimbledon would be great

6. Djokovic to end year as WN1.
Surely

7. Djokovic to win 2 slams
Likely, hopefully he'll be able to dethrone Nadal at the FO but it will be very hard. Djoko will be no. 1 at that point so Rafa can fully focus on RG, and he will.

8. Murray to win 0 slams.
Yes. I was perhaps the only one on this board with some faith in Murray, and he proved me right. But a back surgery..ouch! I reckon his career peak is past him

9. Raonic to win a Masters event
naah, he hasn't been close. How many players have won something big after a hip surgery?

10. Dimitrov to win a Masters event. 
Wawrinka should do it before him. Stan is one of the most entertaining players, and I like his no nonsense attitude.

Predictions time. Hmmmmmmm

Murray to retain Wimbledon and break the duck of not retaining a title.

Nadal to win the AO and FO

Djokovic to win the US Open

Pospisil to break the top 20

Federer not to make the semi's of any Slam

Del Potro to win a HC Masters

Djokovic and Nadal to meet in at least 5 finals

Janowicz to break the top 10

Dan Evans to make top 100

Kyle Edumund to make top 200

never write the Fed off!

Believe me when I say it pained me to write that up. I think he will find 2014 a little bit of struggle. I hope he proves me wrong.

Can I ask one thing please, but don't laugh!  
I've been on forums for years and seen it so many times, got the context of what it means straight away, but still don't know what it actually is, so what does "OP" stand for?

Original Poster NITB

Thanks LK!
I actually thought OP meant the text of the thread and could not work out for the life of me how to "explain it", I got stuck after the "O" which I thought could only be "over" as in "above" all other posts, but it was the "P" I had no idea for

It is a bit strange. You often see things like "to answer the OP's question" or "back to the OP" is usually a reference to address the OP as it were. I think it's context is used more widely now.

My crack at it - at the top the stuff I feel most comfortable about; towards the bottom some wilder guesses:

 1. Janowicz outside top 10 at YE
 2. Djokovic YE #1
 3. Federer finishing the year higher than this year
 4. 4 slams shared by three different players
 5. Pospisil outside top 20 at YE
 6. Rafa does not win RG
 7. Ferrer out of top 8 at YE
 8. Nole fails to make SF in at least one of the slams
 9. Someone younger than Del Potro to win Masters 1000 or above
10. Dimitrov in top 10 sometime during the year

I also think 8 will happen...

And so we see where those that predicted something stand after the first Slam.

FedererKing:

10 predictions, 1 correct, 9 in the balance.

Someone other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray or Del Potro to win a slam.

Tenez:

8 predictions, 1 correct, 2 wrong, 5 in the balance.

Federer to adopt a larger frame next season

Paulcz

5 predictions, 1 correct, 4 in the balance.

Stan W. getting to  TOP 5, which I would appreciate a lot

luvsports!

10 predictions, 1 correct, 1 wrong, 8 in the balance.

Another shbh to win a slam

noleisthebest

10 predictions, 1 correct, 2 wrong, 7 in the balance.

Stan will finally take a set off Nadal

legendkillar


10 predictions, 0 correct, 2 wrong, 8 in the balance.

summerblues


10 predictions, 1 correct, 0 wrong, 9 in the balance.

Nole fails to make SF in at least one of the slams

deleted.