Indian Wells & Miami Review by Tennis Now

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

CONTENTS My favorite match against her? I don’t think I have a favorite match. I definitely don’t have a favorite match. I really abhor every time we play, but I do enjoy the battle when I’m out there. It’s just afterwards I don’t like it as much, —Serena Williams on facing older sister

Venus Williams.

OPENING SHOTS

MAKING THE GRADE: DANIELLE COLLINS

BLOOMING DAYS

YOUTH CHARGE

BY THE NUMBERS

By Daniel Huerlimannn

18 By Richard Pagliaro 23 EATURE By Alberto Amalfi

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

By Chris Oddo

HUMBLE WARRIOR: JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO By Chris Oddo

18 31

36 40

VIDEO VIEW OZ BUZZ Tennis Now TV

TALKING POINTS FEATURE

42 By Alberto Amalfi 48

FINALS

By Daniel Huerlimann

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WRITERS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The Sunshine Double gave us dynamic revival and dramatic reveal.

Chris Oddo

Alberto Amalfi

Chris Oddo profiles the Humble Warrior’s comeback and appeal.

Creativity collided as talented Pulsating rallies and passionate 20-year-olds Naomi Osaka and resilience marked this road trip Daria Kasatkina faced off in the as Sloane Stephens showed Indian Wells final and gave us a shrugging off an eight-match glimpse of the Grand Slam future. losing streak and returning to her We feature four men and four Crandon Park junior roots to reign women who will produce breakas Queen of the Keys. out seasons in 2018. American tennis celebrated Stephens, 32-year-old John Isner, who made a bold breakthrough claiming his first Masters crown, and the Bryan brothers who won their fifth Miami title and 115th championship together in a red, white and blue farewell to the tournament’s tenure on Key Biscayne. We saw Juan Martin del Potro deny championship points dethroning Roger Federer in the Indian Wells final to claim his first Masters title in a thriller.

Tennis Now photographers Mark Peterson and Dan Huerlimann capture vivid insider’s views of the joy, pain, sweat and struggle of life on the pro circuit in our Indian Wells and Miami wrap-up issue.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Peterson

Daniel Huerlimann

DESIGN Natalia Valenkova Shirin Abdollahi Billy McGrath

Richard Pagliaro EDITOR Tennis Now Magazine

Tennis Now

1 Baker Street, Suite #612 Mount Kisco, NY 10549 914.595.4211 To advertise with us: ads@tennisnow.com General comments or questions: media@tennisnow.com 2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

OPENING SHOTS By Daniel Huerlimannn

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Blooming Days These four young risings stars will produce breakout 2018 seasons By Richard Pagliaro

Naomi Osaka Age: 20 Nation: Japan Ranking entering Miami: 22

Ad-In: Tremendous athleticism, easy Break-Out: Osaka outclassed and

overwhelmed a pair of the most powerful champions in WTA history—beating Maria Sharapova in Indian Wells and sweeping Serena Williams in Miami— and barely looked fazed doing it. The 5-foot-11 Osaka ran through nine straight games thrashing world No. 1 Simona Halep in the semifinals and reeled off nine of the last 11 games dismissing Daria Kasatkina in the final to claim her first career title in Indian Wells.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

power, a booming serve and the racquet skills to generate substantial spin on every shot make Osaka one of the most explosive—and exciting—young players in the game. Working with coach Sascha Bajin, who previously worked with Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki, has helped Osaka improve her fitness, strengthen her shot tolerance and play with more patience. Osaka is a rare player who summons her best against the best: She defeated three current or former world No. 1 players en route to the Indian Wells title.

Ad-Out: While her shot-selection

and match management skills have grown stronger, Osaka’s focus can still waver. A self-described shy person, how will Osaka adapt to the brighter spotlight she’ll now face? Former No. 1 Martina Hingis famously remarked: “It’s easier to be the hunter than the hunted.” Osaka must now produce beneath the pressure of expectation.

Key Quote: “I mean, it’s weird

if you grow up watching someone and wanting to be exactly like them, and then you have the chance to play them and it’s sort of this respect thing. But you also want to win really bad. I don’t really know how to describe it, but, yeah, I just wanted her to, in the end, like, after the match, just know who I am and stuff,”

—Naomi Osaka on defeating her tennis idol, Serena Williams, in her Miami opener.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Daria Kasatkina Age: 20 Nation: Russia Ranking entering Miami: 11

Ad-In: One of the most creative players in

Break-Out: Kasatkina unleashed crackling

forehands and clever touch upsetting world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, 7-6 (2), 6-3, storming into the St. Petersburg semifinals for the second time in the last three years. At Indian Wells, Kasatkina downsized four Grand Slam champions in succession—Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Venus Williams—before bowing to Naomi Osaka in the final.

the game, Kasatkina can confound opponents shifting spin, speed and placement of her shots. Anticipation, sharp court sense, a twisting topspin forehand and a torching backhand down the line are all strengths. Kasatkina is quick off the mark and can bamboozle opponents with her clever drop shot off both wings.

Ad-Out: A volatile temper can sometimes see

Kasatkina bounce her Tecnifibre racquet around the court and lose concentration. Though she’s astute absorbing—and redirecting—pace, she can sometimes be pushed back several feet behind the baseline into defensive positions against bigger hitters and doesn’t always apply her transition skills.

Key Quote: “(My) greatest

pirit, strength? The fighting s I think. Yeah, because ing even when I’m not play feel really good, like, I don’t I’m forehand or backhand, ball still trying to reach every t. So I and fight for every poin from think this is like coming childhood.” satkina —Daria Ka

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

CiCi Bellis Age: 18 Nation: United States Ranking entering Miami: 44

Break-Out: The American qualifier defused

defending Doha champion Karolina Pliskova, 7-6 (4), 6-3, scoring the biggest victory of her career and charging into the Qatar Total Open quarterfinals in February. Bellis beat US Open finalist Madison Keys and rising Russian Daria Kasatkina during her Doha run.

Ad-In: Empowered by exceptional quickness and anticipation, Bellis is at her best taking the ball on the rise and controlling play with her forehand. Exuding a positive presence on court, Bellis is a problem solver who plays savvy combinations and sharp angles to displace harder-hitting opponents. The teenager credits her weekly phone calls with WTA mentor Chrissie Evert in helping her adapt to the pro circuit.

Ad-Out: Standing 5-foot-7, the San Francisco-

born baseliner is one of the slightest women in the Top 50. Bellis must get physically stronger, add more sting to her sometime shallow second serve and apply her speed to attack to continue her ascent toward the elite level of the game.

as . I think e m r fo e n o e g u h a n e be matches f o h c n u b a g in y la p t s ju ment in, a rn u to t, n e m a rn u to h c ea ing able e b d n a t, u o t n e m a rn u to hes each tc a m f o h c n u b a y la p to I’ve been t a th g in th e m o s is k e e w it’s gotten k in th I d n a , n o g in rk o w reas, last e h w ; e m r fo r e tt e b t lo a easily. lly a re d re ti t e g d I’ r a e y son I And during this presea ess and I tn fi y m n o t lo a d e rk o w so much e m d e lp e h ’s it e lik l e fe already.” i Bellis

Key Quote: “I think fitness h

—CiC 21

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Maria Sakkari Age: 22 Nation: Greece Ranking entering Miami: 52

Ad-In: An athletic player who can control

points with her kick serve and heavy topspin forehand, Sakkari has worked with coach Thomas Johansson, the 2002 Australian Open champion, to add more nuance to her game. The Athens native swept 21st-ranked Ashleigh Barty and 16th-ranked CoCo Vandeweghe in succession to reach the Indian Wells round of 16. Sakkari, who started the season weakened by illness that saw her lose her first five matches, should shatter her career-high rank of No. 48 this season.

Break-Out: Last September, Sakkari reeled off six straight victories—including upsetting Caroline Wozniacki and Indian Wells champion Elena Vesnina—to reach her first Premier 5 semifinal in Wuhan.

Ad-Out: Consistency has been an issue: Sakkari won just three matches in March and April last season and opened this season on a five-match losing streak. Though fitness is an asset, Sakkari has struggled to sustain her level in longer matches: She is 1-4 in three-set matches this season.

Key Quote: “I think since I

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

omas started working with Th lot of (Johansson), I gained a h him. confidence working wit ifferent We started working a d t. way. He helped me a lo e court Having him outside of th trength also gives me a lot of s s a very when I’m playing. It wa e until d a m e w t a th p te s d o o g f the now. I think that’s one o these keys that made me win matches.” aria Sakkari —M

INDIAN WELLS & MIAMI BY THE NUMBERS

By Alberto Amalfi

0 2 3

Matches won by Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells and Miami this spring

Years since Miami semifinalist Victoria Azarenka reached her last semifinal also in Miami

Women reached quarterfinals at both Indian Wells and Miami: Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova and Venus Williams

3 3 4-2

Number of championship points Juan Martin del Potro denied defeating Roger Federer in the Indian Wells final

have swept the Sunshine DoubleIndian Wells and Miami-the same year: Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters and Steffi Graf

Number of championship points Juan Martin del Potro denied defeating Roger Federer in the Indian Wells final

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Different women have won Indian Wells the last six years

Number of appearances Venus Williams has made in Miami quarterfinals

Number of times Roger Federer has lost to players ranked outside the Top 100 in his career

For the first time in 18 years no member of the Big Four—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray—reached the Miami round of 16

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Most Miami Open titles won by a woman— Serena Williams: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015

Novak Djokovic’s age when he won the 2007 Miami title to become the youngest Miami men’s champion

Naomi Osaka rose 22 spots in the rankings to No. 22 after winning her first career title at Indian Wells

Number of courts Miami Open will host when it moves to its new home at the Hard Rock Stadium in 2019

35 40 175 947

Roger Federer’s age when he won the 2017 Miami title to become the oldest Miami men’s champion

Combined age of Indian Wells’ finalists Naomi Osaka and Daria Kasatkina

Ranking of Thanasi Kokkinakis, who upset Roger Federer in Miami becoming the lowest-ranked man in 15 years to defeat a world No. 1

Number of spots in the rankings Sloane Stephens has risen since last summer

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

13,500 16,100

Number of seats in the new Miami Open stadium built inside the Hard Rock Stadium home of the Miami Dolphins

Number of seats in Indian Wells main stadium the second-largest tennis-specific stadium in the world

$439,350 $1.340

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Awarded to Indian Wells and Miami doubles champions

Million championâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s check awarded to Indian Wells and Miami singles champions

O S . E ic . y R v L- K b o E VA rn jok o D G O N s wak A ov N

V O

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MAKING THE GRADE:

COLLINS IS A RISING FORCE By Chris Oddo

Two-time NCAA champion Danielle Collins broke out in a big during the Sunshine Swing.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

The 24-year-old Floridian had never won a main-draw WTA match above the 125K level before she scored three Indian Wells wins, including her first Top 20 victory over US Open finalist Madison Keys, to reach the round of 16. As a 93rd-ranked qualifier, Collins reeled off seven straight wins, including victories over 2017 US Open semifinalists CoCo Vandeweghe and Venus Williams as well as a comeback conquest of Olympic gold medal champion Monica Puig.

Is this just the start of a career graduation from college champion to pro standout? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited to find out! 2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Get to Know Danielle Collins: Started playing tennis at: Age 3 Favorite surface: Hard court Favorite player: Venus Williams Goals for the 2018: To get inside the Top 100 (she will be inside the top 60 after Miami). Where she got her drive and determination from: Her father, Walter Collins, who is a landscaper. Where she learned to play: On the public courts of St. Petersburg, Florida Where she honed her craft: College. Collins was a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Virginia

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Collins on facing Venus Williams: The first time I saw Venus in the locker room, I nearly cried. I mean, I’ve idolized her my whole life. She’s been my favorite player for forever. This is such a special moment, I’m just trying to wrap my head around it.

Youth Charge By Chris Oddo

Each year Indian Wells and Miami provide valuable information about which players are headed for breakout summers. Here are our picks for four young players on the cusp of breakout seasons.

Borna Coric Strength: The 21-year-old Croatian is

finally 100 percent healthy and when he is fit he is never out of a match because he refuses to quit even when he is down. Because of his grinding, patient, physical style, Coric can wear down even the toughest opponents.

Weakness: The Indian Wells

semifinalist can be too passive at timesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that characteristic proved costly as he failed to close out Roger Federer in Indian Wellsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and Coric rarely wins easily, which can make it tough for him to put together long runs.

2017 year-end ranking: 48 Projected year-end ranking: Top 15 2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Hyeon Chung Strength: After his inspired run to the

Australian Open semifinals, Chung continued his fine form at Indian Wells and Miami joining Coric as one of only five men to reach at least the quarterfinals at Indian Wells and Miami. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an incredibly gifted mover, who can hit wicked backhands on the stretch.

Weakness: The 6-foot-2, 192-pound

Chung has not yet developed a forcing serve to match his strength and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s come up flat in recent big matches.

2017 year-end ranking: 58 Projected year-end ranking: Top 15 32

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Frances Tiafoe Strength: The American is showing

true grit, fire and passion for winning and he has the swagger to step up to the biggest players in the game and win. Tiafoe knocked off Kyle Edmund and Tomas Berdych back-to-back to reach the Miami round of 16 for the first time. He has put his court coverage, quickness and powerful groundstrokes to good use with career wins over Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverv.

Weakness:

Inexperience and shot selection have hurt Tiafoe at times and while heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an explosive player he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possess a reliable knockout punch yet.

2017 year-end ranking: 79 Projected year-end ranking: Top 50 2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Denis Shapovalov Strength: The Canadian is a dynamic

shotmaker whose electric winners make fans swoon. He hits a beautiful one-handed backhand and offers up a nasty lefty slice serve that allows him to control the court against righties. But Shapovalov is more than just aesthetics. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a world-class fighter and never gives up on a match.

Weakness:

: The 18-year-old Shapovalov is still developing physically and adjusting to conditions on the pro circuit. The left-hander has limited experience on clay and will need time to build his base and confidence.

2017 year-end ranking: 51 Projected year-end ranking: Top 20 34

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

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2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

A Work of Spirit Juan Martin del Potro’s rise to prominence at Indian Wells and Miami was about so much more than tennis.

By Chris Oddo

Big personality. Big game. Big heart. That’s Juan Martin del Potro summed up in three short sentences but in reality those words don’t do the man any justice because you could go on and on, rambling like a marathon baseline point that meanders into 30-stroke territory, when you speak of the complexity and inspirational quality of the Argentine. The “Tower of Tandil” may inspire jaws to drop and hearts to skip beats, but there’s more to the Argentine than just pulsating power and refreshing tenderness. Not to belittle either of those two endearing traits (and Delpo has them in spades), but the 2009 US Open champion is more than that. The 29-year-old is a multitalented man and tennis savant who has once again emerged at the top of the tennis pantheon this season because of a newly developed industriousness that has enabled him to soldier on without his biggest weapon 36

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

against a cadre of players that are all in possession of theirs. That, to me, has been the beauty of del Potro’s Phoenix-like rise to prominence in 2018. He has not just resumed his career with all his previously held faculties intact. Instead Del Potro has had to conjure a way to win matches against the best players in the world without the worldclass backhand that made his game lethal. From the moment he rejoined the tour at the 2016 Delray Beach it wasn’t the power that made our jaws drop—it was the lack of it. Instead of storming out of the gates as he began his comeback after three surgeries on his left wrist in a two-year span, del Potro cautiously limped back into tennis. It came as a shock to many, who wondered how he would ever make his way up the rankings without the backhand that made his game so lethal back in the day.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

And yet there was something spiritual about his approach. This was del Potro unplugged, letting us in on his trepidation and sharing his vulnerable self with us. He took the court half-naked figuratively, exposing himself to any player with tactical nuance, his lack of a topspin backhand making him an easy target for net approaches and the big insideout forehands that are common in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis.

Imagine playing with pressure. Down a break point while serving to stay alive in a set. Trying to close out match point against a tough opponent. Then imagine swinging a racquet with a thrice-surgically repaired wrist that could tear again and end the dream at any moment. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pressure at a whole different level.

But a strange thing happened And there lies the nuance. That amidst all that fear and caution: del Potro came back to tennis not del Potro blossomed. And as because he was ready to open he has grown (as I write this the a full-on assault on the tour, but Argentine has already won Indian because he missed it and couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Wells by taking out Roger Federer live without something that was in the final and is on a 15-match such a big part of who he is. He winning streak that has continued returned to tennis because he had unabated in Miami) into a player to try one more time, but at the of depth and nuance and tactical same time he came with the fear awareness that surpasses who he that if things went badly again his was in his first career. career would have to end.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Slowly, but ever so surely, del Potro has overcome his fear and started to hit his backhand with a little more punch. But don’t think that for a moment the fear doesn’t remain. He has to not only deal with his opponent, the conditions, the ebb and flow of a Masters 1000 on one of the game’s biggest stages, he has to also deal with the fact that he was, is and always will be vulnerable. That’s why Juan Martin del Potro’s second career-whether he wins Grand Slam titles or notwill always in my mind be more remarkable and moving than the first. He has handled the most difficult set of circumstances brilliantly, taught himself to play with more restraint and finesse, and become a more wellrounded tennis player than he was before he was injured At Indian Wells and Miami this spring, del Potro has taught us that we don’t have to stay on a singular path to be our best selves. We can read the tea leaves and react to what they tell us. In 2018 del Potro is the living embodiment of passion for the game and the willingness to embrace tennis completely. It’s not about the winning and losing, but the soul, the humanity and the grace, all of which del Potro possesses and shares, and which we should be thankful for. 2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

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VIDEO VIEW Tennis now

BUZZ

click on videos to watch

Indian Wells Heroes and Zeros, 2018

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

Camps Call For WTA Rule Change

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

TALKING POINTS By Alberto Amalfi

Anyone who gets used to losses should give up on life,

—Venus Williams after her Indian Wells semifinal loss to Daria Kasatkina.

My tennis dreams? I wish to win four Grand Slams and Olympic Games in one year. As Steffi Graf did once. I said, dream and do it,

—Indian Wells finalist Daria Kasatkina on her goals.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

I’m not thinking about quit tennis now, but I was close to quit tennis because I made three surgeries on my wrist, and I couldn’t fix the problem. I got depressed at home for a long while, and I wasn’t happy doing the effort to recovery my wrist. In that moment of my life, I was trying to find a different way of my life. That’s what I was thinking about, quit tennis. But thanks God I’m here and healthy, and I’m playing tennis again. I’m in the top 10 again. I have too much love from the crowd, for my fans, and I’m doing this because I love it,

—Juan Martin del Potro on his comeback.

It’s kind of cool, but also a little bit, like, sad because then you’re not around the people that you talk to and stuff. But other than that, it’s cool. Because then, like, all the sushi, there is still a lot of sushi left and stuff,

—Naomi Osaka on the positives and negatives of reaching the Indian Wells final. 2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

At the end of the day, my tennis should not be complicated. First chance I have, go forward, try to serve well, and rip the ball when you have the chance,

—Milos Raonic on simplifying his game.

This whole process, honestly, amazes me that I still have my shit together (smiling), to be honest. I really am surprised that the challenges that I have been put through and I’m still going through is—I wouldn’t expect myself to be this calm and this positive and this optimistic for this long period of time,

—Victoria Azarenka on coping with the stress of a child custody case during her comeback.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

My favorite match against her? I don’t think I have a favorite match. I definitely don’t have a favorite match. I really abhor every time we play, but I do enjoy the battle when I’m out there. It’s just afterwards I don’t like it as much, —Serena Williams on facing older sister

Venus Williams.

Winning tournaments, I guess trying to stay world No. 1, trying to get to world No. 1 at this point because I’m so close, everything is so tight. Stay injury-free, enjoy myself, try to beat the best players that are out there. Yeah, that’s it. And just enjoy it from that perspective. Then obviously there is a lot of family and friends and that stuff, the more important things, you know, that I care a lot about,

—Roger Federer on his motivation at age 36.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

It’s weird if you grow up watching someone and wanting to be exactly like them, and then you have the chance to play them and it’s sort of this respect thing. But you also want to win really bad. I don’t really know how to describe it, but I just wanted her to, in the end, like, after the match, just know who I am and stuff,

—Naomi Osaka

on sweeping her tennis idol, Serena Williams, at the Miami Open.

Well, it’s life, you know. God always challenges you when you expect it least. He always throws everything possible at you,

—Novak Djokovic on coping with injury andillness in his comeback.

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

FINALS By Daniel Huerlimann

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW

2 018 INDIAN WELLS & MIAMI REVIEW 54

2018 MIAMI OPEN REVIEW