TENNIS: 2001: A Tennis Odyssey!

By Tom Kosinski Sports Central Columnist

Happy new year, fellow tennis fans! Hope you had a great holiday season, and I hope you are well rested for the year to come!

2001 may become the most interesting year in recent tennis history. For the first time in over a decade, there is extreme depth in the men's game, while the women continue their rise in performance and popularity. The men's game will see the ascendance of the young, the retirement of the old, and the last hurrah for some of the all-time greats. The women's game will see the crowning of a new generation of stars and the eventual sunset of its long time marquee players. With that, here goes my best Carnac impression. Read carefully:

1. Anna Kournikova will win her first professional tournament. Kournikova's first win will come at the Australian Open. Yep, that's right, the Aussie Open just weeks away. Kournikova's stars will all be in alignment, and she will be more prepared than the rest of the tour and will weather the heat better than any of them. (Look for an even newer, sexier Addidas outfit for the season. Anna might even get her own fragrance, and yes, a $50 million endorsement deal.)

2. Martina Hingis will finish the year at number one again. There is nothing to show otherwise, and Martina will be better prepared and focused this year. Bet on it.

3. Serena Williams will win her second U.S. Open. Venus Williams will be shut out of the slams. It's little sister's turn.

4. Pete Sampras will lose in the third round of Wimbledon. Pete will announce his semi-retirement after the loss, citing his desire to lessen his schedule and focus more on his post-playing career. The real reason will be because he wants to spend more time with the new Mrs. Pete (who wouldn't?) and start a family. Actually, I'll be surprised if Pete doesn't announce his semi-retirement sooner.

5. Marat Safin will not win a slam. Safin will make the semi's in all four, the finals in one, but will be shut out of the slams. Afterward, Safin will hire a new coach to teach him to serve and volley.

6. Guga Kuerten will have another new hair style, and will win the French for the third time. I won't bet against him on the slow red dirt.

7. Daddy Dokic will be banned from the tour for good. Jelena will leave tennis in protest, then come to her senses and hire a real coach. Dokic will make it to the semi's at Wimbledon again, only to lose in straight sets.

8. The winners of the slams will be: Kafelnikov/Kournikova (Aussie), Kuerten/Hingis (French), Henmen/Dementieva (the Big W), and Serena/Agassi (U.S.)

9. Lindsay Davenport will not make it to one slam final, and will finish the year at number five. Look for it to be Hingis, Serena, Venus, Dementieva, Davenport, Kournikova, Seles, Pierce, and Clijsters.

10. Agassi will announce that 2002 will be his last year on the tour. Sampras will call it quits at the end of the year, with wild card appearances at Wimbledon and the U.S. in 2002. Aranxta will announce that she is leaving the tour in mid-summer, Conchita Martinez will probably hang it up, too, leaving the Spanish Fed Cup team in a tizzy. Todd Martin will make it to the finals of the U.S. Open, and finally call it a career. Martin will be named Davis Cup captain after Pat Mac loses in the first round.

Pretty interesting, aren't they? I'll make sure I archive them and see how good I did this time next year.

Now, on to my personal tennis resolutions. I thought about making resolutions for the pros, but that wouldn't be fair (and they would definitely be biased). So, here are my top five:

1. I resolve to be more tolerant of Richard, Serena, and Venus this year. I will not bash, lambaste, or overly criticize any Williams, especially on any message boards.

2. I resolve to get my 1977 Wilson World Class racquets restrung before the spring, and play at least twice a week. Maybe, I'll even resolve to buy a new Head Intelligence SI18 with all the money I make.

3. I will coach my high school team to a division championship, and a state tournament birth. I write tough, so this year I'll put my money where my "mouth" is.

4. I will buy the WTA-Glamour calendar and post it prominently in my office (Its an easy resolution, so I know I'll be able to keep at least one!)

5. And finally, I resolve to be the best tennis columnist on the planet, or at least on the Internet. (Sorry Bud, but I think I'll be the one in the funny pants doing Wimbledon post match interviews this year!)

Well, I think its time for some more Moet. Hope you enjoyed my predictions and resolutions. How about you visit the message boards and leave me yours! Until next time, "should auld acquaintance be forgot."

Article courtesy of Sports Central