UPDATE - ATP Tennis - Six players to look out for in 2011

Earlier this year, I listed six players that I thought would have a good 2011 season.  They were (in order of current ranking), Novak Djokovic 1, Andy Murray 3, Tomas Berdych 6,  Juan Martin Del Potro 10, Alexandr Dolgopolov 16, and Milos Raonic 30.  Now, I will update their progress.

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic, now world number one, started off the year ranked number three, once again in the shadow of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.  Going into the Australian Open, all the talk was focused on Nadal, and whether or not he could complete the 'Rafa Slam'.  Hopes of that happening were ended when Rafa was beaten in the quarterfinals by fellow Spaniard, David Ferrer.  At tournament end, Nole was the last man standing, defeating Federer in the semifinals, and earning his second career major by defeating Andy Murray decisively in the final.  Little did anyone know what would happen over the course of the season.  Having gotten his health and his head in check, Nole went on a winning spree.  Up to this point in the season, he has suffered only three loses - Federer in semifinals of Roland Garros, Andy Murray in finals of Cincinnati (retiring in the 2nd set w/a shoulder injury), and to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals of of the Paris Masters (walk over).  His record vs top ten players is 20-3.  He has beaten Nadal is six finals - two majors & four masters (2 of the 4 masters on clay); Federer in two semifinals - Australian Open & US Open, and one final - Dubai.  He beat Rafa and Roger in the same tournament on three occasions this year.  He has become the first player since 2004 not named Federer or Nadal to hold the number one position in the rankings or to have won at Wimbledon.  He has won ten titles this year, including three majors & four masters series tournaments.
-Rankings jump - 2 positions.

Andy Murray

Andy Murray began the 2011 season ranked as number five, and his year looked very promising when he made the finals of the Australian Open.  He played a blistering six matches, looking like he would take the title, but then in the final, Novak Djokovic gave him a lesson in big boy tennis.  He went on a miserable slump after that losing matches to players well below his ranking & ability, two of them (Donald Young 143 & Alex Bogomolov Jr 118) were outside of the top 100.  Luckily, during this time frame in 2010 he had the same slump after losing to Federer in Australian Open, so he didn't have a lot of points to lose.  By April, he got his bearings back, and put together three semifinal runs on clay, beginning at the Monte Carlo through Roland Garros.  Going into the grass season, he won a warm up tournament at the Queen's Club, and posted a respectable semifinal run at Wimbledon, losing to Nadal.  Midsummer, he added a masters series title at Cincinnati to his trophy case, and made it to the semifinals of the US Open losing to eventual runner up, Rafael Nadal.  Since the US Open, he was on a 17 match win streak until losing to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters.  With a strong second half of 2011, Murray was able to overtake Roger Federer for the number three ranking position.
-Rankings jump - 2 positions.

Tomas Berdych

Not much to say about Tomas Berdych.  He started off the year ranked number six, and that's where he sits now.  He slipped as far down as number ten in the rankings, but has been able to climb back up.  He has won one title this year in Beijing this past October, defeating Marin Cilic in the final.  Berdych took out world number one, Novak Djokovic, in the quarter finals of the Paris Masters, and he has booked a spot in the ATP World tour finals. Even if he wins the tour finals, he won't have enough points to move up any positions, but he does run the risk of falling if does not do better that Jo Wilfried Tsonga, who is only five rankings points behind him.
-Rankings jump - 0 positions.

Juan Martin Del Potro

One of my favorite players is Juan Martin Del Potro .  In 2009 he found his game, and won his first major at the US Open, beating Roger Federer in the final.  After missing most of 2010 because of a wrist injury and surgery, he is starting to find his way again.   He was able to win two titles this year (Delray Beach and Estoril).  He started off 2011 ranked 485, but has since clawed his way back into the top 10, currently ranked ten in the world.  Because of his unusually low ranking, he met a lot of the top players in the early rounds of the majors & bigger tournaments that he played.  It's only a matter of time before he once again finds himself in the winner's circle at a major.
-Rankings jump - 475 positions.

Alexandr Dolgopolov

Alexandr Dolgopolov made some noise at this year's Australian Open by beating Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Robin Soderling before losing to Andy Murray in the quarterfinals.  He has a hard hitting, no fear style of play that should serve him well in the years to come.  Dolgo picked up his first career ATP singles title mid summer at the Croatian Open (clay).  Since beginning year ranked 48th in the world, he has moved into the top 20 with a current rank of 16.
-Rankings jump - 32 positions.

Milos Raonic

Lastly, there is Milos Raonic.  Milos turned some heads as well at the Australian Open by making it to the round of 16, losing to David Ferrer.  Like Dolgo, Milos won his first career ATP singles title mid summer in San Jose (hardcourt).  He also made another final this summer in Memphis, losing to Andy Roddick in three tight sets.  Starting off the year ranked number 53, he is now 30th in the world, but in early May was ranked as high as 25.  He will definitely be a contender for a major at some point doing his career.  
-Rankings jump - 23 positions.