Australian Tennis Magazine - April 2013

APRIL 2013

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YOUR GAME • MASTER THE LOB

• BUILD YOUR MIND POWER

SLOANE STEPHENS

STAR POWER

• END POINTS ADVICE

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• FITNESS PROGRAM

SERENA WILLIAMS ERNESTS GULBIS ANA IVANOVIC

THE BIG FOUR IN BATTLE

APRIL 2013 VOL 38 No. 4

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REGULARS 7

Top Spin

32

Aces & Places

43

My Game

50

My Coach

58

Rankings

60

Scoreboard

63

Your Serve

40

FROM THE EDITOR

W

s title? to win a Grand Slam single ho is the best pla yer not wers – ularly ask , even if the ans It’s a question fans wil l reg levant – have seeme d almost irre in the men’s gam e at lea st

in recent years. pt the ma jor ains the onl y man to interru Juan Martin del Potro rem rra y and Mu y kovic, Roger Federer, And domination that Novak Djo id Ferrer is the ined since June 2005. Dav Rafael Nadal have mainta 2008 – and that the top four rankings since ck cra to yer pla er oth y onl test the recent en Nadal was unable to con was virtually by default wh Australian Open. ble – and when ht be slow, it’s also inevita And yet while change mig ng down the Big e surprises . As our ‘Bre aki it comes, there ma y be som ong the most es this month , mingled am Four’ special feature examin e young pla yers ck that elite group are som obvious contenders to cra v and Bernard Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitro with the requisite X Factor. mples .

Tomic are prominent exa ing the increasingly part of the formula for tak Athletic talent is onl y one hnique, tactics, game’s highest echelon. Tec monumental step into the those qualities are are also critical and just as fitness and determination game, they’re ation members in the men’s evident in some Next Gener te the ma jor ng women set out to emula also key components as you ria Sharapova Ma s, Victoria Azarenka and success that Serena William have recently achieved. month , is Stephens, also featured this Rising American star Slo ane r-old once yea 20most buzz. Interestingly, the currently generating the phens went on to on her bedroom wall. Ste posted images of Serena nd Slam singles tionship with the 15-time Gra form a close personal rela quarter-final s. her in the Australian Open champion before defeating nges might next observers consider when cha It underlined a key fact as players they y and synchronicity if it’s the occur: there’ll be both an iron d top spots. usurp them in their covete once inspired who ultimately VIVIENNE CHRISTIE, Editor

EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR FOUNDING EDITOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER ADVERTISING MANAGER ADMINISTRATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER PHOTOGRAPHS COVER PHOTO

Vivienne Christie Daniela Toleski Alan Trengove Andrea Williamson Breanna Kray Daniel Heathcote Getty Images, John Anthony (All photographs by Getty Images unless specified) Getty Images

Australian Tennis Magazine is published monthly by TENNIS AUSTRALIA LTD, Private Bag 6060, Richmond, Vic 3121. Ph: (03) 9914 4200 Email: editor@tennismag.com.au Distributed by Network Distribution Company Printed in Australia by Webstar The views expressed in Australian Tennis Magazine are not necessarily those held by Tennis Australia. While the utmost care is taken in compiling the information contained in this publication, Tennis Australia is not responsible for any loss or injury occurring as a result of any omissions in either the editorial or advertising appearing herein.

4

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | April 2013

FEATURES

12

14

On top of the world After reclaiming the world No.1 ranking, Serena Williams is highly motivated to keep adding milestones to her spectacular career.

Breaking down the big four Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal have been pillars of the men’s game for years – but is their domination still assured?

20

Top 10 test

24

Sparkle with substance

25

Ageless career

How well do you know the stars of the WTA?

Sloane Stephens’ sense of fun only adds to her growing star power but achieving it hasn’t necessarily been easy for the No.2 American.

At age 42, Kimiko Date-Krumm is winning many battles between youth and experience in her second career.

28

The life of Bryans

40

Time limits

While Bob and Mike Bryan’s off-court life takes each of them in an individual direction, their on-court achievements remain a stunning team effort.

A stricter enforcement of the ATP’s timebetween-points rule is creating challenges for some players.

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | April 2013

5

BREAKING DOWN

THE BIG FOUR Pillars of the men’s game for the past 10 years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are also not immune from age, injury or new challengers. DARREN SALIGARI reports on the players who could rise from the pack to break down the Big Four.

14

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE | April 2013

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Clijsters

Your GaME

& roddiCk

• Build A tActicAl AdvAntAge

FavourITES FarEwEllED

• injury impAct • Fit At Any level • leArn RADWANSkA’S BACkhAND

YOUR Game • Psychology of the Pros • UPPer-limb inJUries • serve science

TurNING PoINTS

Bernard Tomic TURNING POINTS

stArs

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off Court

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Major MaSTErMIND

noVaK dJoKoVic

ACES & FAULTS

PaSSION ReIGNITed

2012 SEASON WRAP

caroLine WoZniacKi

The FIGhTBack

YOUR GAME

angeliQUe KerBer JUan MonaCo Maria KirilenKo

• CASEY DELLACQUA’S STEPS FOR A STRONGER SERVE • FINESSE YOUR FOREHAND WITH JO-WILFRIED TSONGA • COMMON INJURY AILMENTS

Travelling on Tour

SERENA WILLIAMS

SAM STOSUR MARINKO MATOSEVIC OLIVIA ROGOWSKA

DECEMBER SHOWDOWN BONUS GUIDE

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

MEET OUR NEXT

GENERATION

LLEYTON HEWITT

A FIGHTING FUTURE

A TOP TIER TAKEOVER

NOVAK DJOKOVIC HEROIC LEADER YOUR GAME

MUST-READ

CASEY DELLACQUA DAVID FERRER LAURA ROBSON

SUpERSTAR STAyiNg pOwER

JANUARY 2013

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FEBRUARY 2013

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AUSTR ALIAN SUMMER ISSUE

AUSSIE STARS SPECIAL

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US OPEN

Andy MurrAy

DECEMBER 2012

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• LEARN FROM THE PROS • ESSENTIAL EXERCISES

AO 2013

FORM GUIDE

BONUS GIVEAWAYS & SPECIALS

ROGER FEDERER

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EXCLUSIVE

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2013

AUSSIE CHAMPIONS

MAJOR NEW MILESTONES

MARIA SHARAPOVA GLAMOUR, GRIT & GRACE

TOP 10

QUIZ

BERNARD TOMIC SLOANE STEPHENS ANDY MURRAY LI NA

YOUR GAME • SMASH WITH STYLE • BENCHMARKS FOR SUCCESS • MANAGE TENNIS ELBOW

YOUR GAME

• DOUBLES DELIVERY

• LEARN DJOKOVIC’S VOLLEY

RAFA’S RETURN DEL POTRO POSTER

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SERENA WILLIAMS POWER PLAYER

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A DRAMATIC DEFENCE

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• MATCH DAY ADVICE • SERVE SCHOOL

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MARCH 2013

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OCTOBER 2012

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