2010 ATP World Tour - Understanding The Tour

As the dust settles on what was a truly historic 2009 season, the 2010 ATP World Tour is already promising another thrilling year of world-class tennis.

Taking place across six continents, 32 countries and 62 tournaments, the 2010 ATP World Tour sees Roger Federer entering a new decade as only the second player in history – after Ivan Lendl in 1989 – to successfully reclaim the title of ATP World Tour Champion. Federer has finished No. 1 in five of the past six years. Rafael Nadal, the No. 1 in 2008, however, will be ready to revive one of sport’s most captivating rivalries as the Spaniard battles to regain the top ranking following an injury-plagued season.

In 2009, Federer not only completed a career Grand Slam by winning at Roland Garros for the first time, but the Swiss superstar also succeeded in surpassing Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slam victories after clinching his 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July.

While Federer continued to make history, it's clear that the depth of talent in men's tennis has never been stronger. Last season, no fewer than 19 of the world's Top 20 players in the South African Airways ATP Rankings captured at least one ATP World Tour title. In addition there was an all-time record 90 matches between Top 10 players. With the level of competition at its fiercest in recent memory, the players at the top of the game continue to cement their positions as global sporting stars.

The 2009 season also saw the likes of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic further prove their credentials as the most serious threats to the established dominance of Federer and Nadal. And despite a relative lack of experience, it was Juan Martin del Potro who proved to be last season's big revelation. The heavy-hitting Argentine announced his arrival at the top of the game by capturing his first Grand Slam title at the US Open. Del Potro's impressive achievements now leave him poised to break into the Top 4 in 2010.

Elsewhere, a handful of familiar faces will also be looking to make big impressions in the 2010 season. Nikolay Davydenko, who triumphed impressively at the inaugural Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, looks set to fulfill his potential at the Grand Slam level. Big-serving American Andy Roddick remains a constant threat after reaching his third Wimbledon final last year. Swede Robin Soderling and Spaniard Fernando Verdasco finished in the Top 10 for the first time while Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put together his second straight Top 10 campaign. Other young players looking to challenge for major titles include another Frenchman Gael Monfils and Croat Marin Cilic.

In doubles, the 2010 season will see Bob and Mike Bryan once again battle for supremacy against arch rivals Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic.

For the past two years, the battle for the year-end World No.1 doubles ranking has gone down to the wire in the final of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. After falling at the last hurdle in 2008, the Bryan twins triumphed last season as they came from behind to capture the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and clinch the year-end No.1 title, all by a mere 90 ranking points.

This season, the Bryan brothers will also have one eye on the Open Era doubles team title record. The Californian duo enters 2010 with 56 career doubles titles together, just five titles short of the record 61 held by Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde.

The 2010 season will also bear witness to the ongoing development of the new ATP World Tour tournament structure. 2009 saw widespread stadia and infrastructure development taking place in leading cities including Madrid, Valencia, Beijing and Shanghai. As we keep working together with our tournaments to provide the most spectacular sporting stages, players and spectators alike will continue to benefit from further enhancements to tournament infrastructure across all tournament catergories.

Finally, after welcoming more than 250,000 fans across eight days to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals 2009, The O2 in London has already established itself as one of the most iconic and impressive venues on the ATP World Tour. Come November 2010, The O2 will once again host our season-ending championships, as the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals returns to London for what will undoubtedly be another enthralling climax to the men's professional tennis season.

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