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The Australian Open once again got the tennis year off to a great start and whetted out appetite for the forthcoming season. The master they call Roger Federer once again lifted that famous trophy, sending out a warning to all his opponents that he’s still the man to beat.

There again, it’s still very early in the season, and way too early to write anyone off yet. Look at the surprises last year threw up, a prime example being Juan Martin Del Potro winning the US Open title by beating Federer in the final.

The red clay that is used as the surface on a tennis court originated right back to the origins of the game. If you play tennis yourself, you have been privileged to have a game on this famous surface. The history of the red clay court is particularly prevalent in Spain and the home of the only major played on clay; France.

This is a unique surface and makes the style of play completely different from other surfaces. To actually play on clay is an exhilarating experience.

There are qualities which are vital to any great tennis player and as the world of tennis progresses on, these qualities are debated over by fans and players alike.

There are arguments that can be made for a handful of different elements of the sport, and while it may all boil down to a matter of opinion, it’s still fun to look at the possibilities.

I have listed a few elements to consider. Which do you think are important?

What about volleying? A game that it going too smoothly can become a disadvantage for opponents as point may easily be lost. Just take a look back at players of the past such as John McEnroe.

With the Aussie Open kicking off the just starting ‘10 tennis year, the action is officially here again. There are plenty of pros rounding out a field that finds itself more saturated than it has happened to be in quite a few seasons.

Long ago are the days of Roger and Nadal taking over each and every event. There are some additional participants on the tour who have legitimate chances each moment a tournament starts.

Although Federer and Rafael Nadal sit on the top two rankings in the world, there are some players that might end up 2010 atop the field at number 1. Why don’t we have a glimpse at the favorite prospects at this time.

Tennis fans around the world are rejoicing as the grand slam season has kicked off. Things are most definitely exciting on both sides of the tour, leading many to speculate as to who will dominate the sport this year. Let’s take a look at the men of the sport.

Things will certainly be interesting in men’s tennis this year. It’s one of the first years in recent memory where fans legitimately believe that more than just two players have a chance at finishing on top.

It wasn’t too long ago that nearly every grand slam tournament was being dominated by Justine Henin. She was clearly the world’s best, and only a few players stood a chance at beating her every time she took the court.

Having sat atop the world rankings for a couple of years, Henin surprised many tennis fans when she retired at the very young age of just 25 years old in 2008. Many wondered why she would call it quits when she was at the top of her game.

Andy Roddick comes into the 2009 US Open at a crossroads of his career.

Roddick has played some great tennis this past summer and many believe the former US Open champion has revived his career. Much of this is due to the fact that Roddick has spent a great deal of time on his fitness.

On the other hand, the US Open marks the end of another season, as the prime of his career slowly slips away as he still looks to snap the longest US men’s Grand Slam drought in the open era.

Andy Roddick is at an inflection point as far as his career is concerned. The 2009 US Open could dictate where his career goes from here.

On one hand, he has seen the rebirth of his talents, leading him to arguably his best season in a while thanks to being as fit as he was when he won his only major in 2003.

At the same time, Roddick is aging and the clock is ticking on his career. His role in men’s tennis is crucial right now, as he’s really the only player who stands a chance to bring the US its first grand slam since Roddick captured the championship in 2003.

Past world No. 1 Rafael Nadal will face Fernando Gonzalez during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open later today.

After a diversity of issues that he might not be fully recovered from a knee wound that kept him sidelined for the majority of of the summer, he has proven critics mistaken with some great play during the first four rounds of the tournament.

Nadal’s knee injury required him to miss Wimbledon in July, a tournament that he won in 2008. Unable to defend his finals and having missed some other events, Nadal lost his world’s #1 status to Roger Federer, who took advantage of Nadal’s hiatus with a win at Wimbledon.

Juan Martin del Potro. Many forget to mention del Potro when speaking of top contenders, but his potential on the hard court is undeniable. Del Potro won 23 straight matches last summer, capturing four tournament victories in a row leading straight up to the 2008 US Open, besting any teenager in tennis history except for Rafael Nadal.

Del Potro reached the quarterfinals at least year’s open, but was stopped short by Andy Murray in a four set nailbiter. Murray went on to advance to the finals. This is all an indication that an improving Del Potro can’t be overlooked at this year’s tournament.