As if Andy Murray had been lacking some good news in 2016. The 29-year-old Scot was knighted in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year’s Honours list on Friday. The recognition was given to Murray for his services to tennis and charity.

The Brit had previously received an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) medal from HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in October 2013 after winning his first Wimbledon crown in July. This past year, though, surpassed anything Murray had previously done in his career.

The right-hander won a career-best nine tour-level titles, including three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, his second Wimbledon crown and his first Barclays ATP World Tour Finals title. Murray’s victory against Novak Djokovic in the season finale title match clinched the Brit’s first year-end No. 1 Emirates ATP Ranking.

Murray became the 17^th different man and the first Brit to end the season in the top spot. He also recently won his third BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Nick Kyrgios – Marseille [Kyrgios Spotlight]

Nick Kyrgios soared up the Emirates ATP Rankings in 2016, cracking the Top 15 for the first time in his career behind a trio of hard court titles. The Australian’s maiden title came in February in Marseille, with his flawless week including wins over Top 10 players Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych before defeating Marin Cilic 6-2, 7-6(3) in the final. Kyrgios did not drop serve all tournament, becoming the first first-time winner to do so in a tour-level event in the Open Era. He is also the first player under the age of 21 to beat Top 10 opponents in consecutive matches since Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 US Open (SF d. Nadal, F d. Federer).

“I played my first final last year and was looking for my first title,” said Kyrgios. “But I didn’t really expect to win this title this week after having a couple of weeks off. But from the first round I started playing really well and just gained confidence as I kept winning matches.” 

Kyrgios followed up his breakthrough week with another title in August in Atlanta, then prevailed again in October in Tokyo. The Aussie also recorded a semi-final finish at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Miami. He would go on to score more four victories over Top 10 players throughout the year, including Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic and Gael Monfils.

Diego Schwartzman – Istanbul [Schwartzman Spotlight]

The feisty Argentine showed off his fighting spirit throughout the week in Istanbul, upsetting top seed Bernard Tomic in the second round and saving a match point in his quarter-final against Damir Dzumhur. But Schwartzman saved his biggest effort for the championship match against Grigor Dimitrov. Rallying from down a set and a break, he broke the Bulgarian’s spirit by winning 11 of the last 12 games to score a 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-0 victory.

“Ever since I started playing, I imagined winning a tournament and having a week like the one I just had,” said Schwartzman. I’ve been working very hard and perhaps the first months of the season were not the best, but I kept working hard alongside my team and my family. It’s amazing and I will never forget this place.”

Schwartzman went on to reach another ATP World Tour final in October in Antwerp (l. Gasquet), in addition to a quarter-final finish in September in Chengdu. The Argentine also excelled on the ATP Challenger Tour, prevailing at $50,000 events in Barranquilla, Colombia and Montevideo, Uruguay. He currently sits at a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 52.

Steve Johnson – Nottingham [Johnson Spotlight]

The American baseliner arrived in Nottingham with a 8-15 record in 2016, but quickly erased any doubts about his form by producing stellar tennis throughout the week. Knocking off four seeded opponents, including top seed Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals, Johnson ultimately fought through a tight 7-6(5), 7-5 battle against Pablo Cuevas in the championship match to earn his first ATP World Tour title.

“It feels really good, I’m not going to lie,” said Johnson. “I had some ups and downs so far this year. To find my groove on the grass is fantastic. I had a good week at Queen’s Club and felt pretty comfortable on the grass. Once I got here and played my first couple of matches, I knew I was definitely a contender to win this.”

Johnson rode the momentum of his win in Nottingham by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, marking his best appearance at a Grand Slam. He advanced to the semi-finals in July in Washington, D.C., then upset World No. 10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the following month on the way to a quarter-final finish at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. Johnson was rewarded for his efforts with a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 21 in August.

A traditional coaching drill on practice courts all over the world is to play points with just one serve. It creates instant pressure as players develop their prowess hitting second serves, and also attacking them at will on the return. Coaches may as well name it the “Kei Nishikori Drill”.

Nishikori won more matches in 2016 than in any other year of his illustrious career, going 58-21 and finishing No. 5 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Dominating the second-serve landscape was his specialty.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the Japanese star uncovered just how much his game elevated when points started with second serves instead of first serves.

Nishikori won 72 per cent of his first-serve points in 2016, only 43^rd best on the ATP World Tour. But when it came to second-serve points, Nishikori skyrocketed all the way to seventh best by winning 55.3 per cent of the points that started with his second serve.

The same dynamic unfolded on the returning side as well. The ATP Stats LEADERBOARDS, powered by the Infosys Information Platform, showed Nishikori was 17^th best when returning first serves by winning 30.6 per cent of those points. But he leapt all the way to fifth best on the ATP World Tour by winning 54.3 per cent of his second-serve return points.

Kei Nishikori 2016 Season

When serving and facing break point, Nishikori won about 70 per cent of his first-serve points and an extremely high 58.1 per cent (93/160) of his second-serve points. As a comparison on second serves, Nishikori’s metrics were superior to World No. 1 Andy Murray, who saved 55.4 per cent (93/168), and World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who saved 56.4 per cent (71/126).

When returning serve on break points, Nishikori dominated, winning 58.1 per cent of break points against second serves, which was once again a leading metric compared to his peers in the Top 10.

The one area Nishikori can tidy up in the coming season is not double faulting on break points. In 2016 he double faulted 16 times on break points – up from only seven times in 2015.

The battleground surrounding second serves, both serving and returning, weighs heavier to the outcome of a match and a career than you may think. It would be a wise decision for players at all levels of the game in 2017 to work a little more of the “Kei Nishikori Drill” into their regimen.

Stan Wawrinka is aiming to reach the top of the Emirates ATP Rankings in 2017 and fittingly kicked off his season by reaching peak heights on the Gold Coast. 

The World No. 4, competing in the Brisbane International 2017 presented by Suncorp, traveled in style via helicopter to the top of the iconic Q1 Resort Building at Surfers Paradise, located 270 metres above sea level. Wawrinka showed off his racquet skills from the Skypoint Climb, Australia’s highest external building climb, while taking in breathtaking views of the world-famous Gold Coast.

“I’m really happy to be here in Brisbane. I’ve heard so many good things about this tournament from the other players on the tour that I had to come and see it for myself. It’s always exciting to come to new places and play new tournaments,” said Wawrinka. “I really enjoyed my morning on the Gold Coast. The views were amazing and we had a lot of fun, so it was a great way to start the day.”

Wawrinka returned to normal altitude after his visit and had a two-hour practice session with coach Magnus Norman on Queensland Tennis Centre’s Pat Rafter Arena. This marks the first time since 2008 that Wawrinka has played an ATP World Tour event in Australia leading into the Australian Open, having spent the past eight years competing at the Aircel Chennai Open in India.

Having started his season with a title in Chennai for the past three years, the Swiss star will look to continue that winning trend in Brisbane.

No need for tennis sneakers: The Blue Sky Foundation has been honoured this year for bringing “Boots on the Court” to military members across the United States.  

The organisation is this year’s recipient of an award from the Jim McManus Memorial Fund for its Boots on the Court initiative. The program was created by former World No. 8 Dick Stockton, now President and Executive Director of the Blue Sky Foundation, and his wife, Liz. The goal is to use tennis as a way of thanking American troops — servicemen, servicewomen, veterans and their families — for their continued service by offering free tennis clinics at different military installations around the country. The clinics are open to active personnel, Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and their spouses or children.  Every participant must be a “military ID cardholder” or the spouse or child of such a cardholder.

Since their initial event in July 2013 at Fort Bragg (N.C.), Boots on the Court has held 19 other events across the U.S. that include youth (ages 4-8), junior (ages 9-15) and adult clinics. This past year, they visited Fort Benning (Ga.), Camp Lejeune (N.C.), Andrews Air Force Base (Md.), and West Point (N.Y.).

“The response we have gotten has been amazing. We are averaging about 100 participants per event, ranging in age from three to 87. The biggest group is always the kids from four to 10 years old; probably 65 per cent of the total number of participants are in this particular age bracket,” said Stockton. “We have truly been honoured to be able to bring these clinics to the folks in our military. I can honestly say that this has been the most incredible experience in my life.”

The Jim McManus Memorial Fund is an initiative aimed to provide assistance to an individual or program which demonstrates passion and dedication for the sport of tennis, its heritage, sportsmanship and camaraderie.

Click here to learn more about Boots on the Court and the Blue Sky Foundation.