As 2017 Morphs Into ’18, Tennis Keeps Serving Aces

Although the “big leagues” of tennis – the men’s ATP and the women’s WTA – have wrapped up their 2017 season, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) continues to provide tennis excitement to fans around the world. The ITF is a kind of stepping-stone to the ATP/WTA and it offers entry-level tournaments throughout the year via which talented players can eventually reach the big time. The ITF men’s tour is comprised of more than 600 tournaments in over 70 countries, while the women can participate in roughly 500 tournies in more than 60 nations.

The ITF Brings Excitement to December

For fans who love tennis all year ‘round – and for whom life is more than just the Grand Slams – December is chock full of ITF tournaments including competitions that will take place in exotic locales such as Jakarta, Indonesia; Mendoza, Argentina; Sao Carlos, Brazil; and Santo Domingo Este in the Dominican Republic. These tournament feature up-and-coming players who, although unknown to even the most diehard tennis fans now, could very well be the superstars of tomorrow. ITF games are also fun for online wagering and you can check out the latest tennis odds here at William Hill’s great sports betting site.

ATP and WTA Rankings Announced

Ahead of the 2018 ATP and WTA season, the rankings have been announced, and while the two “old men” of tennis – Spain’s Rafa Nadal and Switzerland’s Roger Federer – have clinched the first and second spots, respectively, many younger players are starting to make their move. With Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic out of the Top Ten for the first time in years, the power is shifting, which will inevitably change the dynamics of the game dramatically. Filling out the Top Ten are Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria, #3); Alexander Zverev (Germany, #4); Dominic Thiem (Austria, #5); Marin Cilic (Croatia, #6); David Goffin (Belgium, #7); Jack Sock (United States, #8); Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland, #9); and Pablo Carreno Busta (Spain, #10).

Over on the women’s side, with Serena Williams still expected to be sidelined after giving birth in September, real domination is still up for grabs, as 2017 saw uneven play from even the most talented players. The Top Ten going into 2018 are Romania’s Simona Halep (#1); Spain’s Garbine Muguruza (#2); Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki (#3); the Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova (#4); Venus Williams of the United States (#5); Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina (#6); Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko (#7); France’s Caroline Garcia (#8); Great Britain’s Johanna Konta (#9); and Coco Vandeweghe of the U.S. (#10).

Get Ready for 2018

The 2017 seasons was loaded with upsets, injuries, and thrilling come-from-behind victories that kept tennis fans riveted. Roger Federer continues to look strong despite his age, although both he and Nadal faded toward the end of the year. On both the men’s and women’s sides, the field is wide open for new leaders. Grigor Dimitrov’s big win in the ATP Finals was an omen for the suspense and thrills we can expect in 2018. The Australian Open (15-28 January, 2018), always a crowd pleaser, will be a fabulous way to open the season.