Bundesliga 2003 |
Consensus: Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal were the clear choices, as the talented teens rocketed to prominence in 2003.
Chris G.:
Men: We have seen the future and its name is Rafael Nadal. Apparently nobody told the flashy southpaw that a 17-year-old kid isn't supposed to beat the likes of Carlos Moya, Albert Costa, and Younes El Aynaoui in his rookie season. The sky's the limit for this Spanish supernova if he can stay healthy and focused.
Women: Maria Sharapova arrived on a wave of hype that was even louder and more pronounced than her signature grunt...then quickly showed skeptics what all the noise was about. After playing one of the most impressive sets of tennis I saw all year against Kim Clijsters in Carson, Sharapova finished her season on an absolute tear, winning her first two singles titles and snaring a pair of doubles crowns for good measure
Peter v.M.:
Men: We saw some extremely impressive showings by Nadal, beating experienced and highly ranked players sometimes even on their own surfaces, Albert Costa and Carlos Moya, both on clay, specifically. (Moya's surface really is not clay, even though that is what he won his single Slam title on.)
Women: Sharapova seems to have some real game. Hopefully she can find a way to make her screams not quite as ear-splitting as they were at Wimbledon, as this would surely make watching her more enjoyable.
Ed T.:
Men: This was to have been the year of Richard Gasquet. Instead, another 17-year-old was the talk of the tour. Young Nadal showed talent, a killer competitive spirit, and an aggressive game that looks adaptable to all surfaces. The sky is the limit for this kid, who rose from 235th to 47th in the world in 2003.
Women: There was no shortage of hype surrounding the loudly-shrieking Russian teen when she burst on the scene this spring. But if you turn on the mute button you can appreciate that Sharapova is a talented player with a good feel for the game, who makes difficult shots look easy. Having claimed her first WTA titles in Tokyo and Quebec City, she is already ranked 32nd and appears destined for much, much better.
Ken K.:
This wasn't the rookie year for either Coria or Petrova, but it certainly was their first really big year. Both seem to have the game to go even further next year.
Jason J.:
Men: Nadal had a breakthrough year, beating his compatriots Costa and Moya as well as reaching the third round at Wimbledon. He is the torchbearer for a new generation of the Spanish Armada.
Women: After plateauing earlier in the year, Sharapova found her game on the grass courts, and since then has not looked back. Women's tennis has seen its fair share of phenoms fall by the wayside, but hopefully Maria will continue to improve her game and the size of her titles.
Return to VamosRafael.com Articles.