What can you say about possibly the greatest tennis player to ever swing a racket. Roger Federer truly has a perfect tennis game, combining the frightening power of the modern game with the effortless grace of generations gone by. Being simply the best player is not enough for him, he also likes to look the best as well. Rarely will you see Federer break into a sweat, and if you do, its probably bad news for his opponents.
The world no.1 had another fantastic year in 2007, but the joy of adding a further three Grand Slam titles was tainted by another painful loss to Rafael Nadal on the clay of Roland Garros, once again denying him the elusive Grand Slam on all surfaces. Has not enjoyed the best start to 2008, but if he can play even 80% of his best game, he will be adding many more titles to his trophy cabinet this year.
The marauder from Majorca has now been no.2 longer than any other player. It is not that Nadal is not worthy of being No.1, its just plain unlucky that he is playing tennis at the same time as Roger Federer. That being said, Nadal definetly is the top dog on the clay. He is firmly established as on the greatest clay court players of all time, going an astonishing 81 matches undefeated on the surface before losing to Federer.
Truly a remarkable player, his uncle taught him to play left handed, so that his backhand would be stronger. He is the definition of ‘nightmare oppenent’, he simply gets every ball back, and his ultra topspin forehand is probably the hardest to handle on the mens tour. Just 21 years old he has time on his side, and deserves to reach the top spot at some point
The player with the most complete game after Federer, Djokovic just gives off the feeling of a word number one in waiting. Bursting with confidence, he has become almost as famous for his impressions of Nadal and Sharapova as he has for his tennis.
However his confidence is well placed, the 20 year-old Serbian won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January, and is now beginning to show us what he can really do. Expect him to challenge the top two very soon.
Until recently, one of the most underrated players on the tour, the Russian does everything well and has now finally sorted out his serve. His groundstrokes are as good as anybody, including the top three, and now he can get some cheap points on his serve, he will be looking to challenge them. Davydenko plays a style reminiscent of the great Andre Agassi, standing well inside the service line and dictating play to the opposition.
It’s not a style many of the pure baseliners like to play against, and it has shown in his good results against Rafael Nadal. Using a new racket with a new string set-up has also helped according to the 26 year old, who says it has brought him more control and you only have to look at his much improved volleying to see that he is right.
Like Davydenko, David Ferrer is another top player who gets little recognition. Ferrer decided on tennis when his father showed him the building site where he worked, and told him that he had the talent to not end up there. From then on its been up and up for the diminuitive Spandiard, who has shown how you dont have to be a 6ft 3 beefcake to get to the top.
However what he lacks in height, Ferrer makes up for by leaping into the air before unleashing his powerful groundstrokes. Currently enjoying his best ever results, nobody ever beats Ferrer without a fight.
The charismatic American No.1 is never far from the headlines, whether its winning tournaments, or his latest female conquest. With a huge forehand and an even bigger serve, Roddick can normally power past most players outside the top 10, however he has struggled to beat the very best.
Until recently Federer had a 15-1 record against A-Rod, but this year looks to be the turn of the tide for Roddick. He has beaten the top three already this season, improved his backhand beyond measure, and now looks ready to add to his only Grand Slam success so far, the 2003 US Open.
The moody Argentine is not the most instantly likeable player on the tour, but you cannot dispute his undoubted talent. One of the strongest players from the baseline, he is perhaps the only player at the moment who goes into a match with Roger Federer expecting to win. Ever the diplomat, he simply puts it down to not respecting Roger as much as other players do!
A year ago there looked a danger we wouldnt see Nalbandian ever fulfill his talent, labouring around twenty five in the rankings. But he made an unbelievable recovery, winning back to back Master Series titles, and now looks settled again in the top ten, where he undoubtedly belongs.
One of the nicest players on the tour, Blake has had to overcome a lot to get where he is today. He was diagnosed with severe scoliosis and for five years as a teenager, he was forced to wear a full-length back brace for 18 hours a day. Blake came through this to make it to the top of tennis, but in 2004 he suffered a freak accident as he slipped into a net post, breaking his neck.
As if that wasnt enough, his father died from stomach cancer later that year, and Blake contracted shingles which paralysed half his face. Amazingly, the American has come back from all of that, and now looks stronger than ever before.
The tall Czech is one of the most powerful hitters in world tennis, but unfortunately has been let down by a sometimes fragile mentality. Berdych has it all; a powerful serve, devastating groundstrokes of both wings, and good touch around the net.
This is what makes it all the more frustrating for his fans that he cannot conquer the highest peaks of tennis. However he is only 22 years old, and it would be a travesty if he does not win a big title soon.
The tennis world has been waiting for Gasquet since he appeared on the cover of a French tennis magazine aged just nine. Famously described by Barry Cowan as ‘more naturally talented than Federer’, Gasquet’s backhand is unlike any other shot in tennis today.
Beautiful and devastating, it coils up low to the ground and then unleashes, and when in form, the Frenchman can be quite simply unstoppable. Expect great things from him in the coming years.
ATP Tennis Now 
Very insightful, who’d have though Nadal was just 21!