Rafael Nadal
World ranking: No 1
Date of birth: June 3, 1986 (age 27)
Born: Manacor, Balearic Islands, Spain
ATP titles: 60 (14 grand slams)
2013 highlights: After missing the first month with knee and stomach issues, Nadal quickly proved that he had not lost a step despite spending the previous six months on the sideline and considering surgery. He won 10 times, including slam victories at the French and US Open, and reclaimed the No 1 ranking last fall.
Break point: Among his many accomplishments, Nadal is one of two male players to have completed the golden slam, which is winning all four major titles plus the Olympic gold medal. The retired American Andre Agassi is the only other male player to have accomplished the feat. Germany’s Steffi Graf and America’s Serena Williams have accomplished it among women. Nadal was the winner of the Mubadala event in 2009 and 2010.
Head to head results in ATP play: Djokovic 22-17, Ferrer 21-5, Murray 13-5, Wawrinka 12-0, Tsonga 8-3
Novak Djokovic
World ranking: No 2
Date of birth: May 22, 1987 (age 26)
Born: Belgrade
ATP titles: 41 (six grand slams)
2013 highlights: Djokovic saved his best play for the cold-weather months. After a strong start that included winning the Australian Open for an unprecedented third straight time in January, he cooled off in midseason, then was unbeatable at the end. In fact, the week that he was unseated as world No 1, by Nadal in October, he beat the Spaniard in a tournament final.
Break point: A major turning point in his career came in mid-2010, when a doctor diagnosed the Serbian’s allergy to foods containing glutens, which had caused fatigue, gastric distress and other vexing issues throughout his career. Glutens are grains like wheat and barley, which is interesting in that his family operated a pizzeria for years. He won 10 times in 2011. Won Mubadala in 2011 and 2012.
Head to head in ATP play: Nadal 17-22, Ferrer 11-5, Murray 11-8, Wawrinka 15-2, Tsonga 11-5
David Ferrer
World ranking: No 3
Date of birth: April 2, 1982 (age 31)
Born: Xabia, Alicante, Spain
ATP titles: 20
2013 highlights: With Andy Murray missing time with back surgery and Roger Federer sliding down the rankings, Ferrer took advantage to climb to third. He won twice, and made the finals at seven events. His season highlight arguably came when he reached the finals of the French Open, where he lost to countryman Nadal.
Break point Ferrer: is one of the grittiest players in the sport and gets maximum value from his tools, but it was not always this way. In a famous childhood incident, his coach grew so frustrated with Ferrer’s attitude, he locked the teenager in a dark closet. Ferrer, 17 at the time, quit the game, but eventually changed his mind and his attitude.
Head to head in ATP play: Nadal 5-21, Djokovic 5-11, Murray 5-7, Wawrinka 7-5, Tsonga 3-1
Andy Murray
World ranking: No 4
Date of birth: May 15, 1987 (age 26)
Born: Glasgow
ATP titles: 28 (two grand slams)
2013 highlights: After winning the Olympic gold medal at Wimbledon in the summer of 2012, Murray returned a year later and became the first Briton in 77 years – and the first Scotsman since the 19th century – to claim the Wimbledon singles title. Though back surgery ended his season early, he was named the BBC’s sportsman of the year two weeks ago.
sidebar body: Break point Murray is a believer in Bikram yoga and said the high-heat workouts help with flexibility, ward off muscle pulls and strains, and build endurance in extreme climates. Sometimes, he dials up the heat to 40°C. So, small wonder he can handle the humidity of his annual pre-season training sessions in Miami, where he spent the past few weeks. Won Mubadala in 2008.
Head to head in ATP play: Nadal 5-13, Djokovic 8-11, Ferrer 7-5, Wawrinka 8-6, Tsonga 8-1
Stanislas Wawrinka
World ranking: No 8
Date of birth: March 28, 1985 (age 28)
Born Lausanne, Switzerland
TP titles: 4
2013 highlights: In a breakout year, he four times made the finals – more than in his three previous seasons combined – and won the Madrid Open. He also established a reputation as a player who can handle duress over the long haul. It took over five hours for Djokovic to dispatch him in the five-set semi-finals of the Australian Open, a match the eventual winner characterised as tough as any in his career.
Break point: In 2009, Wawrinka married a former television presenter and fashion model from Switzerland named Ilham Vuilloud. Interestingly, of the six players in the field, Wawrinka is the only one who is married. This is his second appearance at the event.
Head to head in ATP play: Nadal 0-12, Djokovic 2-15, Ferrer 5-7, Murray 6-8, Tsonga 2-3
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
World ranking: No 10
Date of birth: April 17, 1985 (age 28)
Born: LeMans, France
ATP titles: 10
2013 highlights: Won on the hard-court surface in Marseille, giving him at least one victory in three consecutive seasons, and wins in five of the past six years. His most noticeable event was the French Open, however. In June, he lost in the semi-finals to Ferrer in three sets, while playing before home fans in Roland Garros. Tsonga was attempting to become the first Frenchman to reach the French Open final since Henri Leconte in 1988.
Break point: Tsonga has had some ups and down, but few players can boast of having recorded victories in grand-slam play over Roger Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray. So he clearly has the tools to play with the very best on a given day. He has been ranked as high as No 5 in the world.
Head to head in ATP play: Nadal 3-8, Djokovic 5-11, Ferrer 1-3, Murray 1-8, Wawrinka 3-2
