The curtains are gradually coming down on the 2016 Tennis season as only a few of the top tier tournaments are remaining. This year was a very eventful year as it witnessed a number of great and historical moments including Novak Djokovic finishing a career Slam and Serena Williams equalling Steffi Graf's record for the longest run at the top of the WTA rankings before breaking Roger Federer's record for the most number of weeks at World No.1.
This year also had a new World No.1 in Women's tennis in Angelique Kerber. A number of players emerged, rose and fell throughout the season. However, there were also a number of players who made amazing and unexpected comebacks this season.
Here's a list of five players who've had brilliant comebacks this season.
#5 Elena Vesnina
The 30-year old Russian has made quite a name for herself in the doubles circuit where she has won three Grand Slams (two in Women's doubles and one in Mixed Doubles) and has made at least the semifinals of all four majors.
However, she wasn't able to have the same kind of performances in singles tournaments as her best performance in Grand Slams prior to 2016 was fourth round appearances at the Australian Open in 2006 and 2013.
Vesnina had a poor start to the year where she lost in the first round of the Brisbane International and the first qualifying round of the Australian Open. As a result, she was ranked as low as 122nd in the world.
Her first signs of resurgence in the singles arena were shown at the Qatar Open where she stunned then World No.2 Simona Halep and reached the quarter-finals where her run was halted by eventual winner Carla Suarez Navarro. She soon reached her first singles final of the year at the Volvo Car Open where she also was the first qualifier to reach the final where she lost to Sloane Stephens.
However, Vesnina's best singles moment of her career came at the Wimbledon where she reached the semi-finals before being blown away by eventual champion Serena Williams in what was the quickest semi-final in Wimbledon history, lasting only 48 minutes. As a result, her rankings rose to a career-best 19th.
Prior to the US Open, Vesnina made it to the quarter-finals of the Connecticut Open where she was soundly beaten by eventual runner-up Elina Svitolina. She reached the third round of the US Open, where she was beaten by 11th seed Carla Suarez Navarro.
Currently, Vesnina is ranked 19th in the world in singles and given the fact that at one point of the year, Vesnina was ranked outside the top 100, there's no denying that the Russian has made a remarkable resurgence in the singles circuit.
#4 Gael Monfils
Frenchman Gael Monfils is possibly one of the most unpredictable players tennis has ever seen. Known for his off-the-record tactics and amusing shots, Monfils has always entertained the fans in one way or another.
Monfils had a good start to the year, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian where he lost to Milos Raonic. He later made it to the final of the Rotterdam which was followed by two quarter-final appearances at ATP Masters 1000 tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami before reaching the final at the Monte-Carlo Masters where he was beaten by Rafael Nadal.
Owing to a viral infection, Monfils withdrew from the French Open and later lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Jeremy Chardy. Monfils began his US Open Series very well by winning the Citi Open, thus ending a title drought that lasted two years.
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He followed this with a semi-finals appearance at the Rogers Cup where he upset Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals. He was defeated by eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. He continued his consistent performances by reaching the quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics where he was beaten by eventual bronze medalist Kei Nishikori.
Monfils entered the US Open seeded 10th and reached his first Grand Slam semi-final since the 2008 French Open. Like the 2008 French Open, he once again lost to the eventual runner-up; this time Novak Djokovic in four sets.
As a result of his performances at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Monfils rose up to No.8. Overall, Monfils has risen up 15 places in the rankings throughout the year. Truly, a remarkable comeback.
#3 Svetlana Kuznetsova
The two-time Grand Slam champion had been struggling with her form and fitness since 2010 and in 2012, Kuznetsova dropped out of the top 50. She slowly began to show signs of resurgence through a couple of decent performances in 2013, 2014 and 2015 which brought her back into the top 30.
She did not have the best of starts to her year as she was beaten in the second round of the ASB Classic by two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist Tamira Paszek. However, she followed this with a victory at the Apia International in Sydney after stunning top-seeded Simona Halep in the semis before triumphing over Puerto Rican Monica Puig in the final.
After a disappointing second round outing at the Australian Open, Kuznetsova then flopped in her next three tournaments that followed; exiting in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships before being ousted in the second round of the Qatar Total Open and the BNP Paribas Masters. Kuznetsova then bounced back with a brilliant showing at the Miami Open where she reached the final before losing to Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.
Following this, Kuznetsova reached the quarter-finals of the Italian Open where she was beaten by Serena Williams. Kuznetsova reached the fourth round of the French Open which marked the first time she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam since the 2014 French Open.
She later reached the fourth round of the Wimbledon too which helped her reach the Top 10 for the first time in six years. She then reached the quarter-finals of both the Rogers Cup and Cincinnati Masters before being knocked out in the second round of the US Open by eventual semi-finalist Caroline Wozniacki.
As of now, Kuznetsova is ranked 10th in the world and provided she produces a string of good performances in the remainder of the year then she may even be ranked higher by the end of the year.
#2 Caroline Wozniacki
The Dane became World No.1 in 2010 and held the position for a total of 67 weeks. She had a phase of decline in 2012 and 2013 but snapped out of it soon and made her second Grand Slam final at the 2014 US Open which helped her return back to the Top 10 and later to the Top 5.
However, in 2015, she had a string of disappointing results which propelled her to fall out of the Top 10. Wozniacki had a decent start to her year by reaching the semi-finals of the ASB Classic before putting on a career-worst performance at the Australian Open where she bit the dust in the opening round to Yulia Putintseva.
Injuries led to her withdrawal from Roland Garros and as a result, her rankings dropped from 22 to 34. After a disappointing start to the grass court season, Wozniacki was beaten in the first round of Wimbledon by Svetlana Kuznetsova and as a result, she fell out of the top 50 for the first time since 2008.
After disappointing showings at the Citi Open and the Rio Olympics, Wozniacki then played at the US Open. After surviving a scare in the first round against Taylor Townsend, Wozniacki avenged her Wimbledon defeat by beating Kuznetsova in straight sets.
She continued her good form and produced another upset of the competition by beating eighth-seeded Madison Keys in the fourth round to reach the quarter-finals where she beat Latvian Anastasija Sevastova to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final in nearly two years.
She lost to eventual champion Angelique Kerber but the semi-final finish was enough to put her back in the top 30 at 28th. With a stellar and clock turning performance at the US Open, we can surely expect a lot from Wozniacki in the forthcoming tournaments.
#1 Juan Martin Del Potro
Delpo is gradually becoming tennis' comeback king after making a second successful comeback from a wrist injury. Earlier in 2010, Delpo had problems with his wrist and was out for several months before making a brilliant comeback in 2011.
However, in 2014, the Argentine had another wrist injury which kept him out of the game for nearly two years and by the time he came back to playing tennis, Del Potro was ranked 1042 in the world.
Del Potro's first signs of a successful comeback were shown at the Wimbledon where he stunned Stan Wawrinka in the second round. He then put up a marvellous performance at the Rio Olympics where he stunned World No.1 Novak Djokovic in the first and round and Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals to set up a gold medal match with Andy Murray which he eventually lost, thus winning the silver medal.
Also Read: US Open diary: Murray brings everyone's spirits down, but then Del Potro lifts them right up
