The season is over and our articles are also ending in review mode with the best, the worst and the inconsequential that this strange calendar has left us. A course that we will never forget, for multiple reasons, and I’m not just talking about the famous virus. A 2020 unlike any other, although there were some ingredients that were not lacking on the table. As for example, disappointments, players who did not reach their full potential, who were unlucky on the key days, who closed the curtain without being protagonists. Today we propose five names that were halfway to meeting their goals in the men’s wardrobe.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS
It may seem savage to say that the season of a man who ends up being No. 6 in the world rankings has not been good, although everything will depend on the expectations that each player arouses at the beginning of the season. In the case of Tsitsipas, after finishing 2019 by lifting the title of teacher, the expectations were quite high. With a balance of 27-14 this course, the Greek saved his bad start to the year with a title in Marseille and a final in Dubai, a positive trend that COVID-19 was responsible for blocking. After the break, it is true that we saw him reach the semifinals in Cincinnati, although his losses against Coric (US Open) and Sinner (Rome) made more noise. The final in Hamburg and the semi-finals at Roland Garros put him on top again, but it was just a mirage. The Athenian said goodbye to 2020 with a disaster in Vienna, another in Bercy and another in London.
DAVID GOFFIN
In the case of the Belgian we have fewer doubts about how disappointing his season has been, just look at his balance of games won and games lost (12-11). The most curious thing is that he started in a big way, knocking Rafa Nadal down in the ATP Cup, until the Grand Slams came and the whole truth was uncovered. Just when we thought he had the arts to consolidate himself in the top 10, Rublev (Australia), Shapovalov (US Open) and Sinner (Roland Garros) took it upon themselves to show that the youngest now have better weapons to be in that place. The one from Rocourt could not add a single victory in his last four tournaments of the year, leaving him as No. 15 in the rankings and practically forcing him to a change of coach.
KAREN KHACHANOV
Nor has it been the best year for a Khachanov who, despite still immersed in the privileged positions of the classification, his profile is increasingly associated with a Tsonga or a Berdych than that of a great benchmark champion. And I say this with all due respect to Jo and Tomas, who came in their careers to play Grand Slam finals, something that Karen still has a long way off. His best result in 2020 was a quarter-final in Dubai, where he was overwhelmed by Novak Djokovic, the same result that he would achieve in Saint Petersburg (Raonic) and Antwerp (Evans). In Paris he slipped into the second week of competition but again the Serbian indicated the exit door. The feeling is that within the Russian magic trident, both Medvedev and Rublev are already several steps ahead of Khachanov.
TAYLOR FRITZ
Little is said about one of the most promising American players on the professional circuit, and with good reason. That final in Memphis at just 17 years old is part of the memory of all those who still hope to see Taylor shining on the big stages. With a balance of 15-16 in this calendar, Fritz could only deploy his best version in Acapulco, where he ran into a plethora of Rafa Nadal in the final. Since then, he has not added more than two victories in any of the weeks in which he competed. His latest losses to Harris, Norrie, Sonego, Travaglia or Bedene underscore that the American’s level is still light years away from that of a solid player with options to reach the top 10. Despite everything, it still remains in the top30.
MARIN CILIC
We have already talked in recent weeks how complicated 2020 has been for Marin Cilic, but today it is time to place him again on this list of players who have been a disappointment due to their lack of results and regularity. In the case of the Croatian, it has been regular but in a negative sense, since for the first time in his career he has closed a season without reaching the quarterfinals in any of the tournaments he played. He only met at the Australian Open, stepping on the fourth round and losing there to Raonic. His farewell in Sofia losing in the first round to # 400 in the world was the definitive proof that at 32 years old, it is possible that we are before the last bullets of the champion of Medjugorje.
Apart from these five players, other names like Matteo Berrettini, Frances Tiafoe O Nick kyrgios, although all three suffered more serious problems than lack of victories. Who of all these names do you think has been the great disappointment of this 2020 season? We read you!
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