Anderson so close yet so far from the top
IT HAS been the year in which South African No 1 Kevin Anderson has transformed himself into one of the most difficult men for the top players to put away on the ATP Tour.
But as soon as he realised he could rub shoulders with the big dogs, achieving his first Wimbledon centre court appearance and reaching a career-high 16th ranking, the more apparent the deficit in class became.
He’s beaten Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka, who was the first to break the Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic grand slam duopoly, three times this season without reply.
But at Acapulco, Mexico, he caved when within a stroke of beating Grigor Dimitrov in the final and earning points that would have edged him closer to the coveted top eight.
He again pushed the Bulgarian to a thrilling three-setter in the Toronto Masters in August but wilted in the deciding tiebreak.
His new coach, Neville Godwin, who added a turbo charge to the station wagon, said Anderson was only three percent off the best players in the world — but such margins are huge in tennis.
“We wanted to create more opportunities to go deeper in tournaments, which we did,” Godwin said.
“I didn’t want to change much in his game but I wanted to add to his serve and his return and to encourage him to come forward a little more. Plus I wanted to instil confidence and belief that he can mingle with the top guys and beat them on a regular basis.
“The knock-on effect is that if he closes more matches he’ll get more [rankings] points and move closer to the top ten, and a higher ranking means better draws in tournaments.”
Anderson transformed from an anonymous, gauche figure to a stud with his Wimbledon fourth-round finish in June — his highest ever on the plush All England Club lawns.
His meeting with then defending champion Andy Murray, who ousted him in straight sets, got British tongues wagging.
But as the best eight players in the world — bar injured Nadal — meet in London for the ATP World Tour finals this week, Anderson, like the rest of us, will watch the world’s best on the TV in his living room.
To get an invite to this most exclusive club the 28-year-old player will have to improve his decision-making in vital moments, says former doubles pro Robbie Koenig.
“I’ve liked the way he has added the backhand slice to his game,” said Koenig.
“I think he is a lot more comfortable now on the big stage playing against the biggest players in the world. He expects to be there, whereas before he might have hoped to be there.
“It’s a very subtle but significant mind shift at the top of the sport.
“He’s got the firepower to make a push for the top 10, but it’s putting it together that will be crucial. His shot-selection in important moments has to improve. The decision-making of the top players in important moments is so good.
“His serve is one of the best, so is his forehand, but it’s the sum of the parts that is always more powerful than the individual pieces.”