Tennis in 2014: 10 memorable moments

1) Serena bounces back For Serena Williams 2014 should have been a year to savour but Garbiñe Muguruza inflicted her heaviest defeat in a major, allowing her only four games in the second round at Roland Garros. Then Alizé Cornet put her out in the third round at Wimbledon, her earliest exit there in nine years. That was followed by her early retirement in the doubles when, hit by a mystery virus, she was led away after serving more double faults than a drunk in the park. And then she killed it in New York: the moment of the year, for me. On the eve of winning her 18th major she was asked, witlessly, what that number meant to her. "It means legal to do some things," she said. "It also means legendary." And so it does. And so she is, enigmatic too, powerful and back on top, the Guardian reports. 2) Murray's clay magic My favourite "extended moment" of 2014 is Andy Murray's first set against Rafael Nadal in Rome. For about 40 minutes Murray recaptured the magic diluted by his back surgery the previous September. "Andy Murray playing the best clay court tennis I've ever seen him play," Chris Evert tweeted. For the first time since winning Wimbledon the previous summer, he felt comfortable on court, hitting without fear. It did not last. Nadal came back at him to win from 2-4 in the third, after which Murray struggled until making a late charge to reach the ATP World Tour Finals in November, only to collapse spectacularly in the last group match against Roger Federer. 3) Cry baby call Federer surrendered to injury for only the third time in his career after hanging on to beat Stanislas Wawrinka in a gripping ATP Tour Finals semi-final remembered for what occurred at 5-5 and deuce in the third when Stan (who blew four match points) stopped to complain to the umpire that he had been interrupted by a call of "cry baby" from Federer's box. The finger was pointed sharply at Mirka, his friend's uber-loyal wife. 4) Swiss success A week later Federer dragged himself to the starting line in Lille, where Gaël Monfils played perhaps the match of his life to beat him in the second rubber of the Davis Cup final. Federer and Wawrinka, friends again, combined to level the tie in the doubles on the Saturday before Federer sealed Switzerland's first triumph in the competition after 85 previous attempts by beating Richard Gasquet in the first reverse singles - allowing Stan to get an early start on the champagne. "I'm drunk," he said, shaking his head when Roger deflected a difficult question towards him. Stan led the team celebrations deep into the night. 5) Wawrinka wrestles with the Big Four It had been a long time between drinks for Wawrinka - metaphorically, at least. When he beat Nadal to win the Australian Open in January for his breakthrough major title, the beginning of the end for the Big Four looked more likely. The evidence gathered as four different players won the majors. Unfortunately another slump slowed Wawrinka's progress. But even Federer would concede Stan's single-handed backhand is as good as his own. Mirka might demur. Read more