David Goffin: 8/10 Goffin had a wonderfully consistent year, especially on the clay, where he proved himself to be one of the very best in the world on that surface. An injury derailed his plans for a while, but he bounced back strongly from that to finish the season strong. Expect more of the same in 2018 from the Belgian.
2017 Scorecard Ariano S. Roger Federer: 10/10 2017 was, in some ways, the most exciting year of Federer’s storied and legendary career. At times he played some of the finest tennis we’ve ever seen from him. Beating Nadal four times and winning two Slams is just incredible at his (or any) age. A remarkable season. Rafael Nadal: 10/10 Nadal ended the year, deservedly, as the world number one. He was by far
the most consistent player on the Tour and played significantly more tournaments than Federer. There remain some questions about his health, especially his knees, but if he can stay on the court in 2018 there is no reason not to expect great things from the Spaniard. Grigor Dimitrov: 9/10 In perhaps the most solid year of his career, Dimitrov started the year brightly before fading for a while. He found himself in Cincinnati again, however, and has been playing at a superbly high level ever since. Could 2018 finally be the year of Dimitrov?
Jack Sock: 8/10 For years the press has been crowning any new American tennis player as the man to revive the sport in the US. And every time, we have been disappointed as the new savior fades from view and disappears. Sock, however, has slowly climbed his way to the upper echelons of tennis, and unlike so many before him he appears to have some staying power. Next season should show whether he is the real deal after all. Juan Martin Del Potro: 7/10 Given the second half of the 2016 season, we were probably expecting
something more from the Argentine. Though he continues to be conservative about how much he plays in order to preserve his health, Delpo is trending upward. He nearly qualified for London this year, and should do so in 2018 if all goes to plan Stan Wawrinka: 6/10 Barring Wimbledon, Stan is always in the mix at the Slams. His great performances in Australia and Paris confirm this. That being said, he has been disappointingly inconsistent on the Tour and his knees seem to be a big problem. It will be interesting to see if he can return to some better form next season. Alexander Zverev: 7.5/10 The last person to have this much success at 20 years of age was Novak Djokovic. But for all his obvious talent, Zverev struggles to perform consistently well on the bigger stages, especially at the Slams. He is still young and will toughen up mentally with the years, but right now he isn’t quite ready to take
over the world. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 7/10 A strange season for the Frenchman, who ended the year on a high with a Davis Cup victory. During the season he did well at some smaller events but failed too often at the big ones. Overall, not his best year. Marin Cilic: 6.5/10 Cilic is a Top 10 player through and through, but he sometimes seems to forget that himself. If his blisters at Wimbledon had waited a week longer, it might have been a very different year for the Croatian. As it is, however, he had a decent season, no better.
Dominic Thiem: 5.5/10 On clay, Thiem is a force to be reckoned with. Elsewhere, though, his game needs work. He also doesn’t seem to be as focused on his tennis as he needs to be. He could be a Top 5 player in 2018, but he could also fall out of the Top 50. It’s up to him which of those two scenarios play out. Nick Kyrgios: 6/10 “Talented but not focused enough” seems to be a recurring theme for the younger players in our list. Kyrgios struggles to play his best tennis when it matters most at big events, but he did show some attitude
improvements this year. It remains to be seen if he’s serious enough about his craft to become a big time player. Denis Shapovalov: 7/10 One of the pleasant surprises of 2017, Shapovalov’s game seems to be a mix of Federer’s grace and Nadal’s explosiveness. Fun to watch but still inconsistent, he might be one of the breakout stars of 2018. Carreno-Busta and Kevin Anderson: 7/10 Both men did better than expected, though whether it was due to the absence of many top players or their own newfound form remains to be seen. Djokovic, Murray, Nishikori, Raonic: N/A So many stars, so little time on the court.
Shanghai and his eventual pulling out of the
poignant comeback narration. That among the
tournament before his quarter-final against Filip
assorted opponents Federer beat this year, also
Krajinovic halted the brief bit of respite even before it
included four wins over Nadal, also added to the
adequately sank in.
fervour of Federer’s
Yet, despite the chaos
achievement stockpile. But, to distil the proportion of
Sharada
caused by the recent turn of events, Nadal’s year
Federer’s success in the season to merely his wins
Signs looked ominous
remains one to be cherished. As much as the seasons – 2008, 2010 and 2013 – which spanned his peak.
over Nadal would be doing both rivals a disservice. And Nadal more so, than Federer. Granted, Federer’s fifth-set turnaround at the
Roger Federer has been the man in vogue across the 2017 season, with his exploits making up for a
Australian Open against the Spaniard was momentous that changed the course of their rivalry.
Rafael Nadal: The year that has been when Rafael Nadal played the final of the Shanghai Masters with his right leg taped, right below the knee. Not because the sight was familiar and brought back memories of gloom and doom, but because it was the first time in the entirety of the 2017 season, the world no. 1 had looked to be vulnerable fitness-wise. Nadal’s subsequent withdrawal from the Swiss Indoors in Basel staved off the lingering doubts momentarily as did his second-round win against Hyeon Chung at the Shanghai Masters, which saw him finish the year for the fourth time in his career. But, his struggling win against Pablo Cuevas in the third round in
Yet, the first Major of the season was more than just
year.
substantiated his ability to repeatedly shrug past ill-
this one match-up. The Swiss did breakdown his
Likewise, the tempo Nadal set in Melbourne didn’t
health and emerge as the last player standing on the
half of the draw as the 17th seed, causing upsets to
wane in the aftermath of the tournament to resume
court.
oust his better-ranked
directly in the clay season
As if to counter this aspect
opponents. In his half of the draw, obscured by the
as it was expected to. Nor was it spent post the
of the Mallorcan, tournament draws have
sheen cast around by Federer, Nadal was also
culmination of his success run across Monte Carlo,
been often brought into the context this year.
etching a similarly noteworthy progression which included emphatic wins over Alexander Zverev (third round) and Grigor Dimitrov (semi-final).
Barcelona, Madrid and Roland Garros on the red dirt. He did suffer losses – be it a gruelling five-setter against Gilles Muller in Wimbledon, or early upsets
References have been made – both obliquely and definitively – about him being sorted into an easier section of the draw as compared to his rivals, with
It has, then, been this toned-down progression that has dotted Nadal’s roadmap throughout the
in Montreal and Cincinnati to almost make him an outside looking-in at the US Open – but these only
the US Open being the foremost example to be cited in this regard.
Such references, however, do not consider that regardless of how easy – or difficult – a draw is, performance in any match on any given day is solely dependent on the player himself. The draw is ancillary in that it only gives an indication of opponents, it doesn’t give specifics about what the opponents’ game-plan vis-à-vis the other. Beyond such momentary mentioning, Nadal’s career has had certain repetitive pattern to this discourse of easier
options being available to him. Is there credibility to harbouring this line of thought? Injuries aside, Nadal has had to be aggressive to stake his place as a player who has been able to adapt, in spite of the toughness of the circumstances surrounding him. Repetitively called as the clay-court specialists, even discounting his performances in the years before, 2017 should alone suffice to end this argument once and for all.
For, had he only been good enough to play on clay, he ought not to have reached the Australian Open final, where the surface was as fast it could have been. And, most importantly, had he been so impervious to change, we wouldn’t be having Nadal as the oldest player to become the world no. 1, almost a decade removed from when he first earned his place in the ranking spot.
similar partnerships coming out of familial relationships often stifled and compromised the player’s emotional well-being, there was no trajectory of oneupmanship that looked to be wielded by Nadal Sr. over his protégé in all these years of their association. Certainly, doubts were cast when it seemed from Toni’s wording – to Il Tennis Italiano – he was dissatisfied with the way his role had been altered after the recent additions which were made to Rafa’s coaching camp –
Beyond Toni Nadal: Peering into the Future Sharada
In February 2017, when Toni Nadal announced that he would be stepping down as his nephew Rafa’s coach at the end of the season to take up a more proactive responsibility in the Rafa Nadal Academy,
the announcement had strong reverberations. For, not only had it come as a surprise, but also because it meant that an era would come to an end. Not that theirs was a unique partnership by any means. There have been several instances where family members have doubled up as successful coaches in the tennis realm. However, what separated the Toni and Rafael Nadal duality was that where other such
specifically pertaining to Carlos Moya, who joined the team at the end of the 2016 season. To that end, quick clarifications refuting this claim – which, did turn out to be statements whose message was lost in translation – came from Toni and Rafa. The 16-time Grand Slam champion, in an interview with news.com.au, at the Mexican Open in March, even went on to note, “He [Toni] has been with me for a lifetime and the relationship with him has been a little bit more
That the French Open chose to acknowledge
over afresh after moulding and overseeing his nephew’s path
Toni’s contribution, by having him present Rafa
through tennisdom for 27 years.
the things he did for me.”
with a replica of the men’s singles trophy engraved
With only time being able to
with all his wins during the
show how their diverged
More than these rebuttals, though, Rafa’s
presentation ceremony, then made for a singular
professional paths will unfold, it’s then prudent to sign off the
gesture. It also completed the circle of their
year with a poignant message penned by the 56-year-old
successes, going back to the place where it had emerged before the world as a fascinating narrative, nearly a dozen years ago in 2005.
coach in the Spanish newspaper, El Pais.
special than the one I have with my other uncles because I have lived everyday with him and I am very grateful to him for all
performances throughout the year thereafter proved that the tie between his uncle and him were as strong as ever, if not stronger. Toni intended to keep quiet about his decision to step away as Rafa’s coach until the end of the Australian Open so that his nephew wouldn’t lose focus. Yet, Rafa’s performances over the summer – in which he powered through the clay season as the standalone favourite and completed La Decima at Roland Garros, and went on to win his third US Open title – gave a better indication that weighing as his uncle’s impending retirement as was on him, he was determined to make it a memorable send-off for him with his results being indelibly linked with his uncle’s contribution forever.
Rafa’s abrupt ending to the year, in which he was yet again forced to withdraw from a tournament midway – at the ATP World Tour Finals in November – is also, then, a new chapter in his career even as it seemed to be a story retold many times over. As to how the 16-time Grand Slam champion would rebound in the upcoming season, which would be entirely different to how his previous comebacks had been, with his uncle by his side. On the other side, the same rationale can be extended to Nadal Sr. as well. For, he too is starting
“Thanks to him [Rafa], I have lived experiences that have surpassed all my dreams as a coach. I have travelled by his side to incredible sites and I have met relevant and interesting people from many fields,” mentioned the 56-yearold, adding, “Today I leave your [Rafa’s] side but my path does not end here. I will continue to be linked to tennis because my enthusiasm and love for this sport, fortunately, remain intact.” There is, then, a certain promissory slant to that last statement from Toni Nadal. That while he may remain out of sight starting in 2018, he will never really fade out of mind irrespective of the changes that have, and will be, ushered in.
Who Is The Real Number One? Marco Di Nardo
Rafael Nadal is officially the year-end world number one for 2017. For the Spaniard, it represents the fourth time he has bagged this prestigious prize, after also ending as number one in 2008, 2010 and 2013. He therefore further improves on his own record, becoming the first player to ever finish as world number one in four non-consecutive years (the previous record, naturally, being three years). This is almost certainly a record that will never be surpassed. Losing the year-end number one title and then regaining it later is
close to impossible, but doing so four times is utterly mind-boggling. Yet, despite his magnificent year, which represented an incredible comeback from injury, many have argued that Nadal was not the “real� number one of 2017. Roger Federer, naturally, is the preferred candidate for these pundits. In both quantity and quality of tournament wins, the Swiss outshone the Spaniard for the season. In addition to winning more tournaments, he also beat Nadal all four times they met this year. Nadal, however, played in more tournaments than Federer, meaning that his point total for the season is higher, giving him the year-end number one.
This is certainly not the first time that there has been an apparent disparity between who ended
surface. Ultimately, skipping the clay was a double-edged sword: it helped Federer win
the year as number one and who was considered the “real” number one. In 2013,
Wimbledon, but killed any realistic chance he had of ending the year as the world’s top-
Nadal ended the year as the top ranked player in the world, but the ITF bestowed its “World
ranked player.
Champion” title on Novak Djokovic. The ITF simply considered that the Serb, on balance,
At the end of year, we are faced with a stat sheet that shows Federer was absent for much
had the best year of any player on Tour. It seems that 2017 might very well see something
of the season. But taking that into account makes his accomplishments even more
similar play out, except instead of Djokovic it could be Federer who earns the honors.
incredible. He won a total of seven tournaments, an incredible conversion
As already mentioned, Federer beat Nadal
percentage considering he only played a total
each time they played in 2017. The first, and most important, of these meetings came in the Australian Open final, where Nadal was up 3-1 in the final set before Federer made a tremendous comeback to win the year’s first Slam. While that match was very close indeed, the next three encounters were comparatively one-sided, with Federer not dropping a single set in Indian Wells, Miami or Shanghai. Some have suggested that their match in Melbourne
of 12 events in 2017. Two of his seven titles were Slams, and three were Masters 1000 events. His final win-loss percentage for the year is an impressive 91.2% (52-2). Nadal played 18 tournaments and won six titles, including two Slams and two Masters 1000 events. His win-loss percentage is 85.9% (67-11).
profoundly affected Nadal, who must have expected to win going into the match, and even more so once up a break in the fifth set. They maintain that the loss weighs on his mind each time the two now meet, and has affected his mental and physical game.
Federer being the “true” number one. That being said, he ended 1040 points short of Nadal when all was said and done. This is not an insignificant number, and cannot simply be disregarded in any argument. If Federer had won the ATP World Tour Finals his case would be much stronger, but he lost a winnable match in the semi-finals, handing a key point of attack to his critics.
Of course, one of the big reasons Federer did not end the year as world number one was the fact that he decided to skip the entirety of the clay court season. This not only kept him physically fresh, but also prevented him from meeting, and presumably losing to, Nadal on clay. If there was any lingering doubt in Nadal’s mind following Melbourne, Federer certainly made sure it stayed there by not giving the Spaniard a chance at revenge on his favorite
The statistics seem to back the theory of
The fact of the matter is that Nadal is number one, no matter who the ITF World Champion title goes too. In the end, it doesn’t even really matter. Both these players had incredible years, especially when conspiring that they were both written off coming into the season.
Perhaps it would be fitting for Federer to be crowned World Champion, so that he and Nadal could in effect “share” the moniker of “player of the year.” Each man deserves to be lauded for what they have accomplished in this most tumultuous of tennis years.
The Magic of Roger Federer’s and Rafael Nadal’s Rivalry in Tennis’ Golden Age Veronica Bruno With Rafael Nadal’s 2017 U.S. Open, forecasting who will be crowned GOAT
The years 2004-2007 were Federer’s years. He won three grand slam titles all
(greatest of all time) has begun anew. If Rafael Nadal hadn’t been around, Federer
four years in a row: the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open.
would have scooped up like 30 titles by now, Rafa the same if the reverse, but
The King of Clay emerged on the scene
maybe not. Each player established himself as an untouchable force at an early age, but Fed and Rafa’s longevity is due to the other existing in the same era. The rivalry between Federer and Nadal (Fedal) has been an incredible Golden Age. When Roger Federer came onto the scene and won his first grand slam at Wimbledon in 2003, he began a dominant run that hardly saw him break a sweat while hitting rocket shots all over the court with a precision and speed that simply took your breath away. It was thrilling, it was brilliant, and it was all done with the lightest of touches, without a slight hint of where Roger Federer was going to magically place the ball. Clearly, the tennis gods had blessed the man from Basel. “First, there was tennis, then there is Roger Federer,” Former world No. 1 Andre Agassi said about the Swiss great.
The one slam he didn’t scoop up at the time was the French, which introduced the “King of Clay” to the world, Rafael Nadal, who ran through opponents like a freight train to capture the Coupe des Mousquetaires four years in a row (2004-2008), then an even more impressive five-peat 2010-2014, and of course 2017’s La Decima. Rafa established the greatest record of a single grand slam. The Spaniard then pushed his luck on the other surfaces and his brazen, unorthodox approach—playing left-handed while being a natural rightie, wicked topspin shots, marathon athleticism, and ability to outlast anyone’s stamina on the court—messed with Federer’s perfect blend of effortlessness and grace across the net. Witnessing the two different styles became a testament to all of what tennis could be. The greatest match ever played Their 2008 Wimbledon match was the zenith of this entrancing rivalry. Federer,
in his elegant cardigan that matched his ensemble with its gold trim, all neat and
rivalry. The win at the All England Club gave Nadal the confidence boost he
tidy, and Nadal in his much messier getup and longer locks told us everything we
needed to do the same again the following year, in Australia—his lone win there—
needed to know in one picture. Both players battled through rain delays and as
and again, in 2010, his greatest year, when he went from Roland Garros to
the match approached darkness, Rafa snapped Federer’s 65-match streak on
Wimbledon and ended with the U.S. Open win.
grass by declaring he was no longer just a
2007 was the last year Roger Federer had
clay court grand slam winner. The drama of the event featured both players at their
beaten Rafael Nadal in a grand slam final. That is, until this year. You get the feeling
best game and the five-set epic—the longest final in Wimbledon’s history at nearly five hours—had all the drama, culminating with the Spaniard hoisting up the gold trophy for the first time, in the dark, with only the flashbulbs illuminating the occasion. It is still considered by most as the best match ever played.
that the Mallorcan player had gotten in his head somehow, like a mental monkey on his back that he couldn’t shake. After the 2009 Australian Open loss, Fed only faced the Spanish legend in the Roland Garros finals, always losing to him, but won plenty of his own grand slam titles, including two more Wimbledons, one Australian, and even a singular French,
The victory in Wimbledon seems to be the defining moment of their magnificent
achieving the career Slam.
Taking a break and finding new
The Australian Open was the first stage
motivation Before 2017, the last grand slam win for
where both legends could test out their new tactics and the retooled efforts paid
the Swiss was 2012. Four years later, his body was starting to show the physical toll
off magically. All the players marveled at the speed and style of game both athletes
of decades of playing. The Swiss Maestro decided to walk away from it all for a little
showed. They overwhelmed higher ranked players throughout the fortnight
while to mentally and physically build himself back up, with the long game in
and illustrated vintage form with a new updated twist. The response was
mind. Federer’s had some coaches throughout his career, he’s also been
euphoric. When Federer was down in the fifth set on Rod Laver, the sheen started
coachless as well, but he seemed to find the right mix with Ivan Ljubicic, who worked with him to retool his backhand— so often the go-to weakness by Nadal— and Federer gave himself the OK to let his body take a deserved rest. Rafael Nadal did the same. He took time off and worked with a new coach as well, Carlos Moya, who has taken over the reins from beloved “Uncle Toni.” Moya helped develop a more varied approach to the power-hitting method that had left the 31-year-old’s body rattled with injuries, including to his wrist in the latter half of 2016. Moya encouraged Rafa to play “smarter,” change tactics more often, taking the singular focus off of chasing down every single ball. You saw the world No. 1 employ this exact strategy in his semifinal against Juan Martin del Potro at the U.S. Open this year. After the Argentine won the first set, Nadal adjusted and took back the match. Double Comeback and Standing on Top
to wear off and we thought, here we go again, but no, even here the outcome was different. The Swiss magically let five games in a row fly off his (bigger) racket and with the win, the mental monkey on his back. You could see how much a victory over Nadal on that stage meant to the world No. 2. He demonstrated an almost kid-like glee, jumping up and down like a youngster on Christmas morning before he composed himself to approach his great rival at the net. Federer beat Nadal thrice more this year, first in the fourth round at Indian Wells, then the final in Miami, and lastly the Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. The losses to Fed stung but had also inspired Rafa to become better. This time it was Nadal’s turn to start to get sick of the defeats. He answered by going full-throttle during the clay season and collecting nearly every trophy he could lay his hands on, including that epic 10th French Open. The two didn’t have to face each other
during grass season, with Federer achieving his record 8th Wimbledon trophy, and Nadal going out in the fourth round. Who would have thought we would be here with the Swiss clinching his 18th and 19th grand slams? The resilient form he displayed seemed unstoppable, but stop it did or slowed down a bit once hardcourt season began again. This time the competition for the top spot was up for grabs, hard to fathom considering that they were ranked #17 and #9 coming into 2017. The race for #1 depended on how either did in the summer Masters 1000 tournaments. While neither did great, with Federer’s back starting to act up again. He followed his loss to Zverev in Montreal with a withdrawal in Cincinnati, with Nadal going out in the quarters there and even earlier at the Canadian Open. The disappointments for Federer allowed Nadal to move up to the top spot in the ATP rankings. Next up was the last grand slam of the year in New York and this time it was Nadal that rallied to the call. With Federer out in the quarters, Nadal sprung ahead in ruthless fashion and scored his 16th grand slam. The last grand slam prize gave Nadal’s a significant lead in the ATP rankings. Post-Grand Slam Season Rafa, looking battle-worn after the Flushing Meadows run, and Federer, resting his troublesome back, put in one last effort to make it a fight to the finish during the Asian hard court season. Both legends won titles early on, with Nadal’s coming first at the China Open, without facing the Swiss, but both came face-to-face in the Shanghai final,
with the same head-to-head result all year long, the 36-year-old father of four prevailing. Federer followed up his win with his seventh title of the year, at his hometown event, the Swiss Indoors, an event the Spaniard skipped. But the effort to push themselves post-grand slam season has left the two weary and worn from the toil of pushing themselves all year long. With Federer’s withdrawal from the Masters 1000 event in Paris, Nadal’s first-round match guaranteed his end-of-year spot, the oldest male tennis player to achieve the stat. Federer is also the oldest No. 2. Their rivalry was captivating and we wanted to see it continue, but both players couldn’t maintain the momentum going into the end-
also stand poised at No. 1 (Rafa) and No. 2 (Fed). The two greats have performed two sides of a coin all year long, to everyone’s absolute delight and fascination. Both possessed unfathomable mental strength to make it to this crossroads. They have added to their haul of clinking trophies, they own a whopping 35 grand slams together, with Roger’s 19 and Rafa’s 16. The elusive GOAT title is being bandied around again, with lots of big names in the tennis world throwing in their weight. “Of course if I will win two grand slams this year and he will not win, we’ll be closer,” Nadal said about their incredible slam collection this year. “But one more year and
of-year event, and they left the ATP Finals focusing on their long-term health and fitness, with Nadal withdrawing, and Federer being ousted by finalist David Goffin in the quarters. Rivalry Continuing And here we stand, with both icons in their sport (and sport, in general) standing, selfishly with most of the big prizes that tennis can offer. They stand at two grand slams a piece, Rafa’s two Masters 1000 titles and Federer’s three, with Nadal’s six titles this year, and Federer’s seven. The grand slam tally between them is exactly where we began the year at, with the Spaniard trailing the Swiss by a hair’s-breath of three. They
he has 19. I have 16. So three is [still a] big difference. I really don’t think much about these kind of things. I do my way. I’m very happy with all the things that are happening to me, [to] win this title again.” Neither is complete without the other. They make each other better. They’ve motivated each other as they’ve both done well throughout the year. They bring out the best in each other. “Our bond is stronger than the one I may have with Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray… I feel the most connected and closer to Rafa,” Federer said in 2014, according to the Indian Express. Adding to their legacy all year long Federer seemed motivated to get some of his reputation back after the beating it took from losing to Nadal all these years. The Spaniard still pulls ahead in their 38 matchups, with 23-15. Fed said that most of
those occurred on Rafa’s favored clay, and made good on his word when he equaled his
Rafa’s speech during the U.S. Open trophy presentation, he gave a message of hope to
hard-court record against him with the Indian Wells match and solidified a slight lead
the victims of the Mexico earthquake and Hurricane Irma. When Stan Wawrinka lost to
(11-9) on the surface by beating him in the Miami and Shanghai finals. Federer now
Fed at Indian Wells, Federer was sitting on his player’s bench trying to make him laugh
holds the lead on two surfaces against his
through heartache.
rival (grass, hard-court), a significant point in the GOAT debate. He also retains a higher
But when the two champions play each other, it’s anything but polite. Their tennis
winning percentage over him for the year, 91% compared to Nadal’s 86.15%, according
performance is lethal, brutal, aggressive, and ruthless. The dichotomy makes their
to sportskeeda. Among Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic in big title conversion rates, it’s actually Djokovic who comes out on top, with Nadal slightly behind him, and Federer third. But Fed has retained the best record against Top 10 players all year long, according to the
presence in the sport intriguing and sports fans—I say sports because they’ve transcended tennis in many ways—are addicted to this high level of both performance and elevation of the human spirit.
ATP. Considering Rafa’s prowess on clay, it still seems likely he’ll catch at least another French Open or two. Time is also on his side, with John McEnroe saying he thinks Rafa will remain in the Top Five for at least five more years, in his interview in Metro UK. At 31, he has a good five years on Federer, but everyone also knows that each slam win gets harder and harder as they age. The bulk of their slam collection was done in their 20’s. The two dominated the slams 2004 to 2010, peaking at ages 24 and 29, when they won 24 out of 28 total at that time with Fed’s total 15 and Rafa’s nine. Ambassadors to their Sport Their rivalry is continuing to fascinating. Both exude respectability, comradeship, and humanity. Fed is heavily involved in his charity, and Rafa started a tennis school in his hometown; they represent everything you would want to see in a sports hero. During
"Well done for Roger that he is having an amazing season, and well done for me because I'm having a great season too," said Nadal after his U.S. Open win. The drama of their rivalry has been at the forefront of tennis for decades now. The reemergence of their tennis prowess is a captivating movement in sport that’s already become one of the biggest stories this year. The continuation of the rivalry is the gift to tennis that just seems to keep giving. It will be fascinating to see what becomes of their powerhouse dominance in 2018, as others return to the game (Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka, Nishikori). As it stands, both Federer and Nadal tower about 4,000 points above everyone else. But they also have a lot of points to defend. At any rate, we are blessed to witness the resurrection of the Federer-Nadal rivalry and the extension of a true Golden Age of tennis.
Dimitrov Delivers
opposite of simple. During any given point, with any
Gallwey has also talked about cultural heritage,
given shot, he had a thousand options available
though it is hard to apply any such theories to
Grigor Dimitrov has always
to him, most of them spectacular. And with his
Dimitrov himself. Players from the old Soviet Union
incredible talent he often
used to, according to
chose the right shot at the right time and brought the
some, have imagination completely drilled out of
crowd to its feet. But all too often he chose poorly,
them. Their minds were not allowed to race or be
especially in big moments. When you have too many options, you have no options at all. You can never achieve what Timothy Gallwey calls a
excited by possibility or opportunity because they already knew what do to: they had practiced it a million times. Such an ironminded discipline is not
state of being “quietly alert”, which helps a player push his performance to the edge of his abilities.
something Dimitrov has ever had, at least not until recently. Of course, such theories about tennis training soon made their
Alessandro Mastroluca
promised much with his tremendous talent, but it seems he might finally be coming into his own. Less is better. This is the phrase that best describes the new Grigor Dimitrov. “Simplicity has helped me play a lot better,” he said recently, and he’s right. So much so, in fact, that he won four tournaments this year, a personal best, including his first Masters 1000 event and the prestigious ATP World Tour Finals. But it has not been an easy journey for Dimitrov. An abundance of talent is a great gift, but it can be a great burden as well. The Bulgarian has always played his tennis as if he were a finely tuned supercar: beautiful and unstoppable in the right conditions, but susceptible to breakdown. His style has traditionally been the
way to the West in the Academy of Nick Bollettieri,
now than ever. His backhand is still beautiful
Tour Finals, especially in the semi-finals against
whose famous regimen of interiorization cemented in
but deadlier than ever, and his forehand has become
Jack Sock. During that match we saw the new
his students’ minds a very rigid and singular style of
vastly more consistent. His serve is also more powerful
Dimitrov in all his glory after he lost a tough first
play.
and reliable than in
set, but maintained his
Dani Vallverdu, Dimitrov’s
previous years. He has more confidence in his
composure and focus to steamroll the American in
current coach, is not exactly a Nick Bollettieri,
options and his choices, and his tight game plans
the next two.
but he has done much to focus Dimitrov’s game and simplify what he does on the court. It also doesn’t hurt that Dimitrov is now more physically fit than at
ensure that he doesn’t get too tempted to get creative.
Particularly effective was his serve, against Sock and throughout the whole event. His serve out wide was especially accurate and deadly, forcing his
any time during his career. And while technique has never been Dimitrov’s problem, his application of that technique is sharper
where all of his newfound discipline, focus and consistency were on full display throughout both weeks of the ATP World
Dimitrov’s journey culminated, of course, at the O2 Arena in London,
opponents off the court and into a weak returns. This gave Dimitrov plenty of room to hit into, and he rarely failed to take advantage of such an opportunity. It is a pattern of play that the old Grigor would perhaps not have enjoyed so much – it is not very flashy, after all – but the new Grigor followed that path all the way to the trophy. And even with this pattern of play failed him, as it did in the second set of the final, Dimitrov did not panic or despair. Instead, he dug deep and found another level to his game. In the
World Tour Finals, finishing first in that category among participants. Overall, Dimitrov suddenly fulfilling his potential is not down to one major change, but many small ones that have added up to make him a more complete player. A Masters 1000 champion and ATP World Tour Finals
third, he recorded his highest number of unreturned serves of the tournament, as well as his highest first serve
times he was down 0-40 this season, he managed to claw his way back to win the game on only six occasions. At 15-40 down, he put up
percentage. Dimitrov may only be 17th on the ATP’s “Under Pressure� statistical leaderboard, but there is little doubt that he has often played his best tennis in the toughest spots this season. After all, he ended the year with a 17-10 record in tiebreaks, 8-5 against the Top 10 and 4-1 in finals. Impressive numbers indeed.
more of a fight, winning 34 of the 74 games in which he found himself at such a disadvantage. But when it came down to closer situations, such as 30-40, Dimitrov did incredibly well, winning those games 71 times while losing only 64.
Interestingly, Dimitrov seems at peace to let games
The numbers also show how effective he was on return in 2017. He was 13th on the leaderboards when it came to points won against the
that get out of hand go relatively easily. Of the 25
second serve, but stepped up his game for the ATP
winner (a title, incidentally, that even Nadal has never won), one feels that the Bulgarian has finally arrived. His increased physical fitness has led to better movement, and since he is in better position to hit his shots his timing and execution are better. Combine that with a renewed tactical awareness and mental strength, and you have the recipe for, perhaps, a future world number one. The big question now is whether he can keep it up. He played at an incredibly high level towards the end of 2017, but to be world number one you have to keep that level up not for a few months but for the entire
year. You have to maintain the same sort of focus and dedication in the smaller tournaments as well as the big ones, something that
many a talented player has struggled to do. But given his current attitude and how hard he has worked to reach this point, it seems
unlikely that he will give up on his newfound success without a fight.
The ATP World Tour Finals Giorgio Perri
Where are the stars? One could easily tell the story of the 2017 tennis season using only two players: Federer and Nadal. For many tennis fans, the tale of their tremendous comebacks were all that really mattered in 2017, and no matter which part of the year you wish to talk about, that chunk of the season was likely dominated by either one of our comeback kings. However, like a good movie with a bad ending, the fairytale conclusion to the
season we were all looking forward to never materialized. In the director’s cut of our film, Federer and Nadal contested the final of the ATP World Tour Finals, finishing the year on the same note it started on in Melbourne. Alas, we can’t always get what we want, and ultimately it was Grigor Dimitrov who ended a fantastic season with his biggest career win, defeating surprise finalist David Goffin in a hard-fought contest. This statement reveals that, while Federer and Nadal dominated the whole year, there were quite a few smaller narratives that also played themselves out. Some of the biggest stories of the year were not about what players did, but what
they did not do. Djokovic and Murray, for example, didn’t play much at all, missing most of the season and falling out of the Top 10. Several other big names had similarly shortened seasons, including Raonic, Nishikori and Wawrinka. And into the void left by these giants of the game stepped several players eager to seize their chance at greatness. So, what most people thought would be a triumphant final act to the season became a bit of a strange affair, with several of these new players taking the place of the contenders we are used to seeing at the ATP World Tour Finals. Players like Thiem and Zverev might have been new to the event, but
But Nadal’s withdrawal struck the cruelest blow. No matter who else played, as long as he and Federer were present they could carry the tournament with their star power alone. Unfortunately, a very long season of tough competition had caught up to Nadal, and his body gave up on him. Following his loss to Goffin, he declared himself unfit to proceed, opening the door for Carreno Busta, as already discussed. Nadal has never had a very good run of it at the ATP World Tour Finals, reaching the championship match only twice and losing both times. It is the one major tournament he has
everyone has for some time expected them to make it to the top of the game. The same cannot be said of Pablo Carreno Busta, the world number ten who snuck into the draw after Nadal withdrew at the last minute. Jack Sock was also a huge surprise, and few people would have pegged him as heading for London when the season started. His fate hung in the balance until the 11th hour, when he needed a near miracle to qualify: in order to make the Top 8, he would have to win the Masters 1000 event in Paris. This was a tall order indeed
the cut thanks to a long season of consistent results, but few would argue that he blew the competition away in 2017. A few players who would have added some more star power to the event were ultimately left on the outside looking in. In some cases, like that of Juan Martin Del Potro, they came agonizingly close to qualifying. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who would be a Davis Cup hero shortly after the ATP World Tour Finals, failed to qualify, though Goffin, whose Belgian team
never won.
for a player who had never won such an event, but win it he did. David Goffin made
would lose to Tsonga’s French team, did.
match away from the final, a little shaken but with reason to be confident, when he
Yet even after Nadal’s withdrawal, Federer was still there. And given the demised state of the draw, he was widely expected to cruise to the title. Early on, it seemed as if he would do exactly that, winning all his round robin matches even though he had to play three sets more than once. The Swiss was therefore one
met David Goffin, a man to whom he had never lost. From the start of the match, however, it was clear that the Federer who started the season so brightly was not the same Federer as the one on the court at the O2 Arena. As with Nadal, the season had taken its toll on the world number two, and he simply had nothing left in the tank. He fought hard, but Goffin proved to be too much, moving to the final to face Dimitrov. The final was a match that you would have gotten
fantastic odds on a year ago. Dimitrov and Goffin? Playing for the title at the ATP World Tour Finals? It would have seemed an utterly absurd notion, yet that is what sold out crowd ultimately got. So what do we make of this ATP World Tour Finals that was so very light on stars? Does it diminish Dimitrov’s win, seeing as he did not have to face any player in the Top 3 on his way to the title? Probably not. He played the best players of the year in the toughest event to qualify for, and we
cannot fault him for who ended up across the net. The bigger question is whether things will return to normal in 2018, or will we have to endure another season with half the big stars out due to injury? One can only hope that all the big names are up and at it again and playing well, but it’s clear that the budding young stars had better hurry up and become big stars already, because clearly the Tour will need them sooner rather than later.
Novak Djokovic: The Ultimate Funny Man of Tennis Akshay Tennis is a serious game. It is a battle of strength, stamina, skill, will power and patience with a tradition of gentlemanly and aristocratic behavior. So it goes without saying that tennis needs its share of funny and charismatic individuals - the kind of impersonators like Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic for that matter in recent times. John McEnroe, Jimmy Conors and Henry Laconte provided this sport with the much desired aura several years back, but let’s be honest, till the arrival of Novak Djokovic; the funny bone hadn’t been tickled in a while. Go to youtube.com and search for Nole’s antics off-court and one sees a plethora of videos which tell us that he is a guy who can not only laugh at the expense of others
but when it comes to fooling around and
Djokovic is frequently called a ‘showman’, but the
mockery, like the champ he is, he is a sport and a true
connotation of this word in Novak’s context goes a little
gentleman at the same time.
awry. The Serbinator, unlike a real
Novak is fluent in 5 languages; Serbian, Italian,
showman, will not tell you a joke to make you like it or to
German, English and humour. Off the court, he is
make you want to watch (and at the same time, to get in his
known for his impersonations of great players like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova and many more. Because
opponent’s head), Djokovic, seems like somebody who just thought of something funny and wanted to share it with you. And this is what makes
he has a sense of humour and plays to the crowd,
Novak Djokovic, the ‘Djoker’, human. There is a thin line
between a life of glory and success and a normal life.
tennis professional. He has been framing his fun-loving
equipment manufacturer Head, Nole dressed up like
This guy probably breaches that line and lets
side as an escape from the un-fun routine of the game.
Maria, complete with a blond wig and everything
the contents of the two, spill into each other and
“People don’t even realize the free time that we don’t
and while stroking his wig, in one of his zestful
congregate to form a mass.
have things that we are
moments said, “I mean it
This mass is his life which some believe is a way that
sacrificing to be here. Whenever I have the
makes me feel beautiful on the court. You know, it
Novak uses to relax his otherwise stressed out life.
opportunity to experience something else, why not? I
makes me feel like a woman.” Regardless of
What with the fluctuating rankings and the on court rivalry with the other tennis greats, especially Andy Murray, Novak uses his sense of humour to
enjoy it.” The Djoker has many antics describing him as the ultimate funny man of tennis. In a spoof of a
how silly the spoof is, you have to laud an athlete who is literally at the top of his sport and is still able to make time to have a little fun at his own expense.
reassure his stance in the relentless occupation of a
commercial that Maria Sharapova shot for her
Just hours after Victoria
Azarenka used a break in play to ease her nerves in the 2013 Australian Open semi-finals against Sloane Stephens, Djokovic stepped out at Rod Laver Arena dressed up as a doctor during a legends doubles match. After having dismissed David Ferrer in less than 90 minutes during the men’s semi-final match, Novak returned to the court in a white coat and came to the assistance of an ‘injured ‘Henri Leconte. The then World No.1 checked the theatrical Frenchman’s heartbeat and also gave him a mock mouth to mouth respiration, much to the crowd’s delight. However, the Djoker’s antics have not always been popular with the victims. Nadal was not happy with the Serbian’s exaggerated pulling of his underpants from his shorts during one of the post-match presentation ceremonies, where Novak allured the crowd by imitating Sharapova, Nadal and of course, himself. We want Novak to sport the jester’s hat as long as he wants to but his fandom would also want him to have the crown of the No.1 player for a long, long time to come.
David Ferrer: The Humble Hustler Askhay David Ferrer recently dropped out of the Top-30 for the first time in over a decade with the Spaniard struggling to cope up with the changing dynamics of the sport. Nevertheless, it is not the statistics that define this man, on the contrary it is the emotion that he evokes from the spectators that characterize David’s game-play. The beauty in Ferrer’s style of play is the fact that one will never find one man in the audience who hates Ferrer. The 35 yearold’s determination is a nightmare for opponents but it is that ‘never say die’ attitude that endears Ferrer to the supporters. It was this attitude that drew appreciation out of a hostile crowd in his Wimbledon quarterfinal against home favorite Andy Murray in 2012. His nickname ‘Ferru’ meaning ‘made of iron’ aptly suits his workman like ethic. And any Ferrer match is sheer entertainment, but having reached an age of 35, being entertaining means nothing to him. Fortune vs Ferrer Ferrer is the modern day equivalent of legendary hustler - Michael Chang, and while the American won a Grand Slam event, the Spaniard may end his career without one.
Luck seems to derive a sadistic pleasure out of Ferrer’s misery, at 5ft 9inch Ferrer already has a height disadvantage and on top of that he is playing his tennis in an era where players as talented as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are all in their prime(at different points in time). And what’s more, Scot Andy Murray – known for his fragile temperament finally got his act together as he clinched his first major in the same year where Ferrer flourished. Having the writing on the wall is something that Ferrer has grown-up with, and adversity
seems to drive this little 35 year-old. Being a part of a golden generation of Spanish
spine of an Iron Man contestant. Which begs the question – ‘Is hard work alone enough to
tennis, Ferrer is perhaps the least talented player of the quintet of Juan Carlos Ferrero,
fetch you a Grand Slam title?’, and to be honest in today’s tennis scenario the straight
Nicolas Almagro, Fernando Verdasco and of course Rafa.
forward answer is ‘No, it isn’t’. That said, perseverance and resilience is
All of the above mentioned four have at least two weapons with which they can hurt their
something that Ferrer will never say no to. Where the Spaniard will find hope, is the fact
opponents, while Ferrer’s only weapon on court is his speed and tenacity, his fitness is
that miracles do happen in sport. And as long as guys like Nick Kyrgios and Alexander
second to none on tour.
Zverevs continue to beat the Murrays and Nadals of today’s world with talent and big hitting, Ferrer’s relentless running can still trouble the bests in the world.
The Valencian has taken the phrase “there is no substitute for hard work” to another level altogether. His regular work out of a mere 90 kms of cycling to add to a 4 mile run is something that would send shivers down the
Finally, France! Giogio Perri It seems hard to believe that the Davis Cup was once one of the most prestigious events in all of sports. Players would do just about anything for a chance to represent their countries, knowing that a victory would earn them eternal fame. But that was a long time ago. The Davis Cup is a faded ghost of its former self, thanks to host of circumstances mostly beyond the tournament’s control. For some, the event still holds a tremendous attraction and importance, and there is still large fanfare around the finals every year. But this season, like most recent editions, has brought with it many criticisms. France won the trophy, but were they the best team? Most people will agree they were the deepest team, but the best? It’s an interesting question that goes to the very heart of not only the Davis Cup’s biggest problem – diminished teams that face each other without the tennis world’s biggest stars – but France’s greatest concern: why have they not had more major trophies with such a talented generation of players? France’s last Davis Cup win came in 2001, an absolute eternity in any sport, yet at the time since the country has enjoyed perhaps its most talented group of players ever. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet have been near the top of men’s tennis for the better part of a decade, and for almost that entire time just about everyone expected multiple Grand Slams from this group. The Slams, however, never materialized, and neither did
the Davis Cup victories, despite three trips to the final. France’s talent pool stretches way beyond these three top players as well, with the likes of Lucas Pouille, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Nicolas Mahut and Julien Benneteau all waiting in the wings if they are needed. So their problem has never been getting good players, but getting those good players to play well when it really mattered. It is a problem that current captain, the legendary Yannick Noah, is all too aware of. “Had we had lost the doubles, I would have ended up in the electric chair,” he joked during the finals weekend, after he chose the relatively unusual combination of Richard Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert to contest the doubles rubber. For France, it is a victory long overdue, especially when looking around at the competition. Without Murray, Britain is utterly lost. Serbia likewise is a shell of a team without Novak Djokovic. There was therefore no excuse no to win this year, and Noah emphasized that the culture of losing had to end. That being said, the final was all but a cakewalk for the French. Belgium might not be a behemoth on paper – Steve Darcis and David Goffin are not exactly Federer and Wawrinka from the 2014 final – but they played their hearts out and very nearly upset the favoured French. The very first rubber of the tie, Goffin against Pouille, set the French on their back foot, though Tsonga did steady
the ship with a win over Darcis. The doubles was critical, then, and Gasquet and Herbert came up clutch when it mattered most. Tsonga lost a shocker to Goffin on the last day, but Pouille made up for his earlier loss by beating Darcis and sealing the win. It is no coincidence that Noah captained this team to its first title in 16 years. He was also the captain of the victorious Davis Cup teams of 1991 and 1996, and he has now definitely earned his title as “Saviour Of France.� With this win, Noah becomes just the fourth coach
since the abolition of the Challenger Round to win at least three titles. For France, the question now is, can they repeat this triumph? Or was it a once-off, a speed bump of victory on the road of defeat? We will have to see how the team responds next year, but if Noah is involved at all they definitely have a shot. The irrepressible Frenchman has been the embodiment of all that is good in French tennis for decades, and as long as he is around, good things tend to happen.
a man? Sure, her breakdown during the 1999 French Open final against Steffi Graff was one of the worst moments I can remember in tennis. Watching her cross the line to dispute the call on Graf’s side was just awful. Seeing her react in every negative way to the pro-Graf crowd
Martina Hingis: the Mozart of her time
saying rude things about her opponents and opening her mouth with a “devilmay-care” attitude. She often came across as if her
It was hard to love the “bad girl of tennis” at first but admiration grew for her over the years Martina Hingis, a conflicted genius. I loved her game, I just didn’t love her personality. So many
game. And what a game she had, a thinking woman’s tennis. Watching her play was as if Roger Federer had the personality of a Nick Kyrgios or a John McEnroe. Has she really been treated fairly? Would we have been so offended if Hingis had been
Veronica Bruno
tennis fans felt the same. In many ways, she was the “bad girl of tennis,” refusing to conform to social norms,
extremely neat ponytail was just tied a bit too tight, giving her an intense, critical appearance that distracted from her brilliant
was embarrassing. Watching her dissolve into tears over the crowd’s reaction and trying to refuse to attend the ceremony, I was horrified. But in retrospective, thinking about her age and early success as a teenager, I kind of understood her petulance. Sport is unforgiving and tennis fans could only applaud the schadenfreude she received after calling Graf “washed up.” The crowd wanted the German great to win one more at Roland Garros and the flawed match allowed her to retire afterwards in grace. But for Hingis fans— the few of us who were left —the match underscored a major problem with the Swiss talent. Her mind, which had once dominated brilliantly over her
opponents and had seen her get to five grand slams in short succession during the ascendance of the power-hitting era, was becoming her worst enemy in matches. But really, what if this had been John McEnroe? He got bolted from the 1990 Australian Open for telling the tournament advisor to “go f___ your mother.” Did we come down so hard on Hingis because she was a woman? Did she display simply unacceptable behavior from a ladies’ champion? There’s no excusing the way she conducted herself and some of the things she said about opponents, but I sometimes wonder. A young prodigy Watching Martina Hingis reminded me a bit of the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from the Milos Forman movie, Amadeus. Like Mozart, Hingis was a child prodigy managed by her tennis-loving parent (her mom named Martina after Martina Navratilova). Both geniuses in their fields, Hingis and Mozart were expected to perform at an
early age, while mentally still children. Mozart’s
ability to the Amadeus movie, and it makes me
father paraded his child prodigy as a performer at
think so much about Hingis. Watching her play
the tender age of six and used his connections at the
and listening to her opinions were often two
Salzburg court to secure
vastly different experiences
opportunity for his brilliantly talented son at age 17.
as a fan. Mozart never received the accolades that
Hingis’ singles grand slams all came in her teenage
have been thrown his way ever since his death as
years, with her “growing up” in the biggest limelight there is in tennis, on the grand slam stage. Despite all their brilliance, both tired of their parents
centuries have continued to discover his timeless perfection. Without the glare of the public, Martina Hingis entered the third act of her career and racked
managing them and they rebelled by striking out on their own. Tom Hulce brings this dichotomy of immaturity and brilliant
up multiple grand slams as the best women’s doubles player. Whoever she played with—namely Sania Mirza and Leander Paes—
was guaranteed to win. In
one vintage video he talked
"Martina was partially the
addition to her 20 doubles grand slams, she also has a
about her before he went on to his own incredible streak
one who showed me how it was all done," Federer
Silver from the 2016 games. Although many of her
of success, saying, “It’s normal that when you think
commented about her retirement announcement.
doubles titles have come recently, Hingis holds the
of Switzerland tennis, you think of Martina.”
"It was great for Switzerland to have someone of her
record for both the youngest to win a grand slam title and
An influence for Federer
caliber. We were very lucky. I loved playing with her at
achieve the No. 1 spot on the WTA. Her career
Perhaps Fed took some lessons from her public
the Hopman Cup, she was always super friendly, I love
longevity proves that she was more than a child prodigy, collecting five of her doubles grand slam wins in the last few years. Mozart composed his last masterpiece, his Requiem, in his last year, almost finishing it by the time death took him at age 35. Finding a new joy in her third act It was exhilarating to see Hingis leave behind many of her personal demons while playing doubles. She found a new joy for the game, which let her brilliance shine through. She could anticipate her opponents better than anyone else and magically appear anywhere on the court.
perception. Never one to miss a beat, maybe it was watching Hingis’s poor reception by the press and fans that influenced his own more measured public personality. It certainly couldn’t have been lost on the legend. Once a player who had meltdowns himself, he was able to dig deep and find a way to remain calm throughout his career that paid dividends. Of course, it helped that his success came later in life than Hingis’s, with his first grand slam win at the age of 21, as opposed to Martina’s at 15. Blooming later in life is continuing to be the gift that keeps giving, with the 19time grand slam champion still achieving huge wins at
that about her." The chance to see Federer and Hingis play mixed doubles at the Olympics was a truly missed opportunity. The two talked about it for the 2016 Rio Olympics, but with Federer’s sabbatical last year, the plans were scuttled. It would have been fascinating—both are Olympic medalists in doubles (Federer with Wawrinka in 2008). There are some great vintage videos of the two of them playing together on YouTube at the Hopman Cup. Her terms I don’t want to get into the incident when she retired the second time from tennis
Roger Federer praised the Swiss player as his idol. In
the “ancient” age of 36 in men’s tennis.
singles, when she tested positive for cocaine. She has
adamantly refuted the incident, which resulted in a two-year ban from the sport. But it’s a testament to how much the Swiss great has grown since she came back to tennis as a doubles player, establishing a new
Despite controversy about her personality when she was younger, in her third act, she had the chance to show the world a more grounded persona and a new roster of titles. Most importantly, she was able to go out on her own
successive stage to her career. It takes a big person to rise to the occasion from a low point.
terms, retiring as the top ranked doubles player. I’m interested to see where she goes next. A major
talent, I’m sure she will be sought after as a celebrity tennis coach. But who knows? Hingis surprised many with her post-singles success. She may have another surprise up her sleeve post-retirement.
Agnieszka Radwanska: Sticking to her guns – the old fashioned way! Akshay
In an ever-competitive world of modern tennis, where aggression and sharp body language have become the mustrequisites of an effective game strategy, baby-face Agnieszka Radwanska comes forth as a docile and precision-oriented player, who defies the modern demands and outsmarts her opponents with age-old yet reliable game tactics. The packed Center-Court arena at Wimbledon witnessed an expected annihilation of the unwell Pole in the first set of the 2012 Ladies Singles Final, as Serena Williams literally pounced upon the opportunities – and ran
away with the first set with 6-1. Some of the Pole fans
not a fluke. Possessing a contrasting demeanor as
in the crowd were clutching their country’s flag close to
compared to her opponents in the category of Top 10
their chests with every big shot or winner – coming off
WTA players, the 28-yearold Pole has earned an
Serena’s racquet.
ever-swelling fan base
It would not be an exaggeration to say that
because of her endearing nature and upright on-court
many in the crowd were feeling a bit of sympathy for
behavior. The thinking contender:
Agnieszka Radwanska, who was pitted against the mighty Serena. But, they were over-reacting to the situation because the Pole made a heartening
Many tennis pundits would argue that Aggie’s baseline game is pretty predictable, but they cannot deny the fact that she duly compliments it with subtle
comeback with her typical baseline play to prove that her journey to the final was
tactics. The most potent weapon in her artillery is swift movement that looks
awe-inspiring, mixed with grace. If we scrutinize her
with elegant and vintage tennis – which is always
of her opponents. Her overall game-strategy allows her to
recent records then it is apparent that the Pole can
worth watching. Aggression and on your face tennis
use her defense as attack – that comes from her sheer
test the bests in business with a firm faith in her
might have become the synonyms of the modern
resilience and deep faith in tried and tested tennis. She
abilities. Nimble like a
tennis, but Aggie’s firm
will never overwhelm her
rabbit – she has got great hands and feet, which
faith in her game and tactics set her apart – she
opponents with swift shots, but shows a lot of courage
allow her to chase every shot in the steep corners.
leads the category of endangered tennis players,
and character whenever she is tested or pushed to a great
Another highlight of her game is that she makes the most of her drop-shot to bring forth her opponents to the net and then outsmarts them with an
who have not adapted well with the modern demands. Another great aspect of Radwanska’s game is that she has tremendous anticipation skills. Thus, it
extent. She turned professional in April 2005 and after sheer hard work and determination, the Pole rose to No.2 in the World at one point and still bamboozles us
exquisite lob. For a tennis lover, Radwanska is a kind of treasurer who treats you
becomes a lot easier for her to negotiate some of the trickiest ground-strokes
with her amazing shots that fetch her ‘Shot of the Month Award’ every now and then!
The Coming Year Federico Mariani
With the short off-season currently underway, it’s time start thinking about who will hit the ground running at the start of 2018. With the Australian Open closer than you may think, players won’t have long to get into top form before the year’s first Major. And after a tumultuous 2017, early indications are that next season may be even crazier than the last. DJOKOVIC AND MURRAY. Coming into the 2017 season, Djokovic and Murray were seen by many as being the most likely to dominate the season. However, both men started the season slowly and things only got worse as time went on. In the end, both missed basically the entire second half of the season and have consequently fallen out of the Top 10. Djokovic is currently number 12 while Murray, who ended 2016 as world number one, has fallen to a lowly 16th place. This new reality will certainly make the Australian Open very interesting, seeing as they will be playing the top seeds much earlier than usual. It’s not exactly a stretch to imaging them quickly climbing the rankings though, especially since they are defending very few points thanks to their poor performances at the beginning of last year. On the other hand, Federer and Nadal each have a lot of points to defend, meaning that a change at the top of the rankings might come sooner
than most think. FEDERER AND NADAL. On the opposite side of the spectrum from Djokovic and Murray are Federer and Nadal. Their unexpected revival in 2017 saved what would have otherwise been a tremendously dreary and boring season. To see them race each other for the year-end number one, while meeting several times in big matches throughout the year, brought joy to many a tennis fan. Federer played incredibly well the entire year, though he was hampered from August onwards with a recurring back injury. Nadal played equally well, and when Federer wasn’t there to challenge him he simply rocked the competition. It’s hard to imagine both players falling off a cliff in 2018, though dominating as they did last season will likely be more difficult with the presumed return of Murray, Djokovic and Wawrinka. Expect plenty of successes, but also a few more setbacks for both players. YOUNG BLOOD. The 2018 season will start with six new faces in the Top 10 compared to a year ago. Federer, Dimitrov, Zverev, Goffin, Sock and Carreno Busta all occupy spots vacated by others over the past 12 months. Among these, Dimitrov and Zverev are the most likely to remain, while the others will probably fall back to the pack once the likes of Djokovic, Murray, Nishikori and Raonic return to reclaim their places. As far as possible breakout stars are concerned, Denis Shapovalov is the most likely to make
major strides in 2018. He may be only 18 years old and two years removed from winning the junior title at Wimbledon, but by all accounts he is ready to take his place in the Top 50, and possibly the Top 20. A fiery competitor who already has wins against Juan Martin Del Potro and Rafael Nadal to his name, Shapovalov is definitely a nextgen star to keep a very close eye on as the season progresses. So with Federer and Nadal looking to continue their swan song and Djokovic and Murray gunning for their old positions at the top of the rankings, things will get mighty interesting in 2018. And with Del Potro on the comeback trail, Dimitrov finally blossoming and Zverev maturing, things might get turned on their head once again. Who knows, by this time next year we might have a world number one nobody expected.
Best Tennis Stadiums in the World Akshay
The spirit of Tennis is not only derived from its players or its millions of followers, albeit at the heart of the game is the rich history, the aesthetics and the style that is embodied at the cathedrals of Tennis. The arenas are simply stunning and grandeur as they offer us a magical feel with their immense historical significance or breathtaking visuals. in the hearts of the fanatics as for them it is a sort of a pilgrimage that they take to pay their homage to their favorite player
Tennis architecture can be traced from the origins of the sport at Wimbledon. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club that organizes ‘The Championships’ at the
Let’s take a sneak-peek into the best tennis stadiums around the world after assessing them on the accounts of style, history, capacity and the event’s popularity. From the traditional Wimbledon Centre Court to the stunning Monte Carlo Country Club, this is a must read top five countdown!
current site situated at Church Road in South West London used to have a small facility at Worple Road where the grass court Grand Slam was hosted from 1877 to 1922. This was the first instance of what you call an apt Tennis Stadia that had stands for the spectators to watch their beloved stars from close quarters.
1. Centre Court, All England Club, London There’s no better place in the world to watch a game of tennis than the famed Centre Court as it produces the most beautiful images of the sport. The overall look and the feel inside the ‘Home of Tennis’ is so refreshing that one feels overawed by the occasion From the customary plain white attires that the
However, as Tennis grew in significance and its popularity reached mammoth proportions, multiple venues have been erected since then and out of all of them there are certain venues that have an extra-special magic because of their sheer size, or due to their atmosphere or owing to their location. Visiting these stadiums hold a special place
contestants are asked to wear, to the natural daylight that appears to illuminate the hallowed turf in an astounding manner, to the grayish backdrop of the viewers sitting perfectly close to the performers and to the history that has been carved out year after year, one can only illustrate the opportunity to be at SW19 as special.
2. Court Central, Monte-Carlo Country Club, Monte Carlo The atmosphere within Court Central is
has been constructed on a chain of shelves overlooking the glittering blue waters. The court is wonderfully landscaped, with palm trees, vivacious colors and magnificent views.
4. Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Melbourne The Rod Laver Arena (RLA) is the main show-court of the ‘Happy Slam’ – the Australian Open. With the Melbourne skyline visible from the distance and the back of the court left in shade – the imagery of the ‘RLA’ is surely pompous. The environment is sociable, tranquil and party-like. The excitement in the air is palpable as it is the most intimate stadium on the earth, i.e., even if an aficionado is sitting 15 rows back he never feels detached from action. Additionally, the blue Plexicushion turf that
electrifying, the setting serene and the scenery, breathtakingly beautiful and startling - and a touch awe-inspiring! Surrounded by the rocky Provence hills from one side and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea on the other, it can be hailed as the most impeccably located tennis showground in the globe. The club, which dates back to the 1920s,
was installed on the arena has now become the new emblem of the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific. The latest look is more appealing and evokes images of the oceanic ‘True Blue’ concept in the minds of the Australians who are nuts about their beaches. The retractable roof of the court saves the fans and the players from the blistering heat and the hot winds that make life miserable for them.
5. Qi Zhong Stadium, Shanghai Rounding-off the top-5 is the Qi Zhong
shape. At night, the exterior of the centerpiece is lit up and its faint glow can be seen for some distance as you approach the sports ground. Atop the lights sit eight gigantic conglomerations of metal that each resembles a single magnolia petal. The Flower stadium as it is popularly known has a steel roof with 8 petal-shaped pieces to remind you of Shanghai’s city flower the blooming Magnolia. The roof takes 8 minutes to open or close as ‘8’ is believed to be the most propitious number by the Chinese. The comfort of the fans has been given special attention in this enormous structure as in the summer, cold air comes down from the top of the building to the floor of the round stadium and in the winter, warmed air by ducting system under spectators' seats is sent directly to the viewers.
stadium – the address of the only elite men’s tennis event in Asia. The arena that has the capacity of 15,000 spectators is an architectural marvel as the structure of the stadium, called ¡®tension ring structure' creates strong and reliable Colosseum-
The Next Gen ATP Finals A new tournament with new rules Marco Di Nardo
The Next Gen ATP Finals, which took place a few weeks ago in Milan, was a revolutionary event for many reasons. For the first time, the Top 8 players under 21 came together for a tournament similar to that of the ATP World Tour Finals, and the event promoted these new faces who tennis fans may not yet be familiar with. But perhaps even more revolutionary that the tournament itself was the rule set it used, which differed significantly from the rules used by the main Tour. Let's start with the score. In Milan, each match was a
best-of-five set affair. However, each set was
formats and events. The first-to-four format is used
played in a first-to-fourgames format, with a tie-
by some local organizations in countries
break at 3-3 if necessary. If a game reached deuce
such as Italy, and are called “Rodeo�
(40-40), a winner-takes-all
tournaments (though they
point was played to determine the winner of
play three sets and the tiebreaker happens at 4-4
that game. That is, there was no advantage point as
instead of 3-3). These tournaments also use the
is used on the ATP Tour.
winner-takes-all approach at deuce, though the returner in that instance gets to decide which side of the court to return from. A similar system is used in
Radical as these proposals may seem, they are variations of systems that already exist in other
doubles on the main Tour. So the scoring system is
changing the number of games per set would likely
server has to start the next point. Each player can view
not entirely revolutionary, but trying to adopt it for the
be almost impossible to implement across the
his remaining time on a special clock on the
ATP Tour would be a revolutionary step indeed.
board. At best, the ATP could hope to use the
scoreboard. If a player does not manage to serve
In a sport linked to
system in few low-key
within the allotted time – of
traditions such as tennis, it was difficult enough to try
events to see how the public reacts.
course, the returner must be ready too – a warning is
and introduce a tie-break in the fifth set of a Slam (even
The one new rule in Milan
issued by the referee. Repeated warnings result
now, only the US Open does it). Even the Davis Cup has remained stubbornly resistant to introducing a tie-break in the deciding set. So
that will almost certainly be implemented everywhere at some point is the shot clock. This clock counts down the 25 seconds inbetween points that the
in a point penalty. The 2018 Australian Open will be the first big event to attempt a shot clock, though it remains to be seen how successful it will
be and how widely it will be adopted. One must keep in mind that the ITF, which runs the Slams, and the ATP do not always see eye to eye when it comes to adopting the same regulations, so it could be some time before we see uniformity in how these shot clocks are used.
instead of just when there is a challenge by a player. A similar trial will take place at the World Tennis Challenge in January, but it’s hard to imagine line judges disappearing completely, especially given how skeptical some players are about Hawkeye’s accuracy.
Another change in Milan was a “live Hawkeye” system, which basically allowed the electronic Hawkeye system to make calls on every single point,
The Next Gen ATP Finals also experimented with the abolishment of the “let.” This was already trialed in 2013 at Challenger level and eventually abandoned,
but apparently the ATP believes the rule change should be given another chance. So, if a player hits the net cord on a serve the point continues, instead of the server repeating the serve. This change did not thrill anyone, and it has an inherent sense of unfairness to it. It seems extremely unlikely to ever make a permanent appearance on the main Tour or at Slams. Finally, coaching was allowed during
changeovers, with players able to communicate with coaches via a tablet at their seat. They were also able to view a variety of statistics on the tablet if they chose to. These two changes seem minor and won’t affect too much if they are ever adopted. That being said, constantly obsessing about statistics during a match seems like a good way of making the sport much too cold and calculated. Overall, the only changed
that seemed to add much to proceedings was the shot clock. The many experiments certainly did raise a lot of interest in the event, but it seems best for all concerned that the majority of the changes remain in Milan. Rafael Nadal, for one, has already said that he believes if these rules were all adopted it would all but destroy tennis. He is already very unhappy about the shot clock that will be used at the Australian Open, and
would no doubt utterly despise something like the “no let� rule. Tennis is in a tough spot, having to somehow modernize to entice new fans but at the same time remain true enough to tradition to not drive away old fans. There is a balance to be struck somewhere, but that balance was not found in Milan.
Lessons from 2017 Indian tennis circuit: The story of three ATP, and
enough. But, all the same, these events have helped
and the country’s secondhighest ranked player,
the nation maintain its foothold in the international
Ramkumar Ramanathan. He, then, came close to
tennis community as more than just a representation
winning his second consecutive Challenger
a WTA tournament
through its players.
tournament in Bengaluru
However, it’s been the latter element that has had
the following week before he was pipped in the semi-
been the more emphatic follow-through by way of
finals by Sumit Nagal. The twenty-year-old eventually
these tournaments. Specifically, pertaining to the troika of the ATP Challengers and the WTA 125k series events each of which, helped train the
got his hands on his first singles crown in the Challenger circuit, posting a win over Great Britain’s Jay Clarke in the final. Meanwhile, at the Mumbai
spotlight on the Indian players. Indian no. 1 Yuki Bhambri won his sixth singles title in the ATP Challengers in Pune, beating compatriot
Open, Ankita Raina (then the Indian no. 2) made it all the way to the quarterfinals, before bowing out to France’s Amandine Hesse in a topsy-turvy match. In
Sharada
Of the myriad tournaments in the ATP and WTA Tours, four came from the Indian subcontinent. Or rather, more precisely, from India. The ATP Chennai Open – played in its last edition – was the sole entrant to in the ATP World Tour’s tournaments’ pockets in January while, in November, two ATP Challenger events were played in Pune ($50,000) and Bengaluru ($100,000). And lastly, again in November, the WTA Tour returned to India for the first time since 2012, with the debuting of the Mumbai Open, a 125k series tournament in the country’s financial capital. From the larger perspective, in comparison to the clusters of tournaments – markedly, bigger events – held in swathes in Europe, Australia and the Americas, a quartet of tournaments sound puny
the process, not only did she regain her place as the
Looking at the ATP Challenger, we felt it was
2015 also featured the country hosting the most number of
Indian no. 1 – from Karman Kaur Thandi who had
right because we felt our players would be featuring in
Challenger tournaments. While there were five tournaments
overtaken her right before the tournament – but she
that. If we take bigger events, without our players, it makes
held in 2014 (in Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Indore and
also became the first Indian
no sense. [So], we are glad
Pune), 2015 had the nation
woman since Sania Mirza (who stopped playing
that it’s helped our players.” Further continuing, Mr. Iyer
host four (in New Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Pune).
singles in 2012) to win a WTA singles match.
also went on to add that the MSLTA was focused on
Both 2016 and 2017, then, witnessed this number fall
And, in a country, where Mirza’s achievements have started to seem impenetrable to scale over as much as they are looked upon with awe, the 24-
ensuring that these tournaments don’t end up being temporary fixtures in the season’s calendar scheduling. “This year, we backed all this because we
sharply down to two each – with the tournaments moving to New Delhi and Pune in 2016. Likewise, the previously-held WTA tournament in India was also conducted in Pune, under
year-old Raina elevated the level of optimism surrounding the future of women’s tennis in India. According to Sunder Iyer, the general secretary of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), under whose aegis the Pune Challenger and the Mumbai Open were organised and conducted, these aspects are the biggest motivating turnarounds for holding these tournaments. Speaking to Tennis World magazine exclusively, during the Mumbai Open, Mr. Iyer stated, “We have also taken the step to look at what our players need.
felt our players had the opportunity [as] many of them are playing at this level. So, that’s why we pushed it hard,” he mentioned. “And, I think, this is what India needs for the next three-to-five years – this level of tennis.” That Mr. Iyer would feel strongly about the need to have consistency in the continuance of these tournaments isn’t surprising. Although ITF fixtures are scattered across numerous locations in India, as it currently stands, the MSLTAbacked Pune Challenger is the only regular fixture from India in the ATP Challenger circuit, since its inception in 2014. Incidentally, 2014 and
the purview of the MSLTA. The sustenance of the Indian tennis presence in the international rungs of the sport is, then, indelibly interlinked with the MSLTA under whom, interestingly, the inaugural edition of the Maharashtra Open will be held in January 2018. And, as noteworthy as these efforts are, it’s also a point of reference for the other state tennis associations in the country to follow suit to widen the network of tournaments in the upper rungs of tennis’ pro circuits.
The Courage of Fear
feeling is fear.
of the same feelings and sensations.
Francesca Amidei
Anyone who has played a tennis match in their life, whether just against a
There are cold players and emotional players. There are killer players and players who struggle
friend or in a more organized setting, knows the feeling that one gets when playing an important point which could
exorcise this fear? Or must we all live with it as best we can?
endlessly to finish out a game or set. Finally, there are players who play their best tennis in the most difficult moments, and there are players who always struggle during these moments. Yet there
determine the outcome of the match. It does not matter what is at stake in the larger sense, whether you are at your club or a big tournament, the sensation of nervousness and fear is just about the
throughout our entire lives, from the classic fear of darkness as a child to fear of career failure and eventually fear of death. In a tennis match, we all experience a whole variety of emotions and
is a common feeling that unites them all, one that no tennis player of any level can ever escape. That
same. That is one of the beauties of tennis: that everyone at all levels of play can experience most
sensations. At times, it feels as if we can never miss a shot or ever lose a game, when everything is
Is it possible, over time and with more experience, to
Fear accompanies us
react to that fear. Some players are overwhelmed
not mean you will always win, but it does mean that
by it, and struggle mightily to play their best tennis
you will be able to look at your performance and say
when faced with the fear of losing a big point or a big
that you did your best.
game. Others manage to
Fear will always be there
we live.
fight through the fear, to accept it even if they
for everyone, but we must all have the courage to be
The most important thing is
cannot ignore it. If you accept that you will feel
afraid. There is no shame in fear, and there is no way
fear, that it is a normal part of life and a normal part of playing a sport like tennis, you will find it easier to play your best despite of what you are feeling. That does
of ultimately defeating it for good. You must simply learn to know the feeling and bear it in a way that it does not overly affect you.
working well and supreme confidence is the order of the day. At other times, it feels as if we can’t hit a winner to save our lives, and that we will never win another match as long as
to not be dominated by whatever you are feeling in any given moment. Simply put, you cannot completely get rid of fear. It will always be there for everyone, the only difference is how we
A Winning Mentality
that every tennis player can follow in order to improve
2. Be patient, and know that negative moments
their performance in terms of their technique, fitness
are coming Tennis is a sport in which a
and game.
lot of errors are made. In many matches, the
Many people talk about having a winning mentality.
1. Do not have any
objective is simply to make
expectations, commit only to doing your best
fewer errors than your opponent. Each match will
Every player wants to win every match, but you must
have frustrating and negative moments, and
put such thoughts to the back of your mind. You must focus just on playing. No one knows what will happen, but you can focus on the present, on each
you must accept these as they come. Do not get angry or depressed because you are losing points or making mistakes, those are part of the game
and every shot in each and every moment. At the end of each exchange you will see if your best effort was worthy of winning the point.
and you can work through them to still come out on top.
Federico Coppini
Some confuse it with masculinity, while others see it simply as extreme confidence. Yet others believe it to be a question of character, utterly innate and not teachable. Finally, there is an opinion that it equates to a “hunger to win,” which is most often seen in athletes of lesser social status. None of these definitions really deal with the term on a concrete basis, but simply describe it as some sort of vague magical essence that defies proper categorization. Based on my experience with many successful athletes, including 10 medal winners at the Olympic Games, and as documented by decades of sports psychology, the truth behind the concept of a “winning mentality” complex. In this short article I want to provide you with some practical advice
3. Do not let the score determine your emotions
Players with little experience get excited
of their fears that give in to them before they are even
Whatever their technical level, tennis players have
when they play well and lose control emotionally
felt on the court. They will start making up excuses
to think about how they want to play. Their strategy
when they play poorly. More experienced players
before the match is over, indeed before it is even
may be as simple as “hit the ball to the backhand
know not to get caught up
clear who will win. In my
each time,� but thinking
in this cycle. You must not let your mood determine
experience, girls are very susceptible to this, swaying
about these things can help a lot with mental attitude on
how you play, else you will end up being your own
this way and that based on points won or lost. We
court. Trying to puzzle out what your opponent is
biggest fan when you are playing well, but fall apart mentally when you make some mistakes.
must have the courage to accept our fears and learn how to manage them, as this is one of the big differences between winning and losing.
doing and planning your next step is a great way to keep your mind sharp and focused on court, and is something that must be practiced as often as
4. Manage stress and accept your fears Many players are so afraid
possible. 5. Think about the game
Your Role At The Net When Your Partner Is Serving In Doubles A few nights ago, I happened to see a video of a doubles match at the 2012 Fed Cup. It was a tie between Russia and Serbia, and the two Serbian players were relatively unknown to me. What interested me so much about this match was the position the top-ranked Serbian player was taking while her partner was
serving: on the service line!
“how’s” and “why’s” and
At first I thought her partner had rushed her serve, not
tennis is no exception. In tennis, we can see “why” as
giving her enough time to take up a proper position at
tactics and “how” as technique.
the net. However, after watching the following points
In this specific case, which is
I realized that this was
positioning yourself when
entirely her intention, and it was not a mistake!
your partner is serving, you have to ask yourself “why
“Why and how” is a phrase I
should I be at the net, as all doubles players are?” After
often use, and I think it’s an important one. I put “why” before “how” because we must always know why first, and then adapt to how. Our lives are filled with
answering that question, you have to ask “where exactly is the best place to be?” Many of you will answer with the following:
- “Because in doubles you
you have to be aggressive?
It is important to remember
have to be at the net to be aggressive.”
You are starting the point in “no-man’s land,” the worst
that when your partner is serving, it is as if you are
- “Because I need to intercept poor returns
position on a tennis court to be in. If you head back to the
serving! You need to win the service game in order to
quickly at the net.” - “Because everyone does it,
baseline, you will be in an incredibly defensive position,
stay on serve and not surrender a break.
it’s the best thing to do!”
and even by heading to the
Therefore, you need to
The above three answers all have an element of truth to
net you are just going where you were supposed to be at
ensure your tactics and placement are good and that
them, but it’s wrong to assume that everyone
the start. You have already missed potential
you are being a good teammate.
should do the same thing all the time. Players of different levels certainly do not do everything exactly the same, and just because you see a pro do something doesn’t
opportunities. Our Serbian player was in two minds as to the type of game she wanted to play, and got taken advantage of by her opponents.
Remember these points: - Always know why you are doing something. Do not just do anything blindly because you are told to do so or see
mean it would work for you. That being said, the net is the best place to be for several reasons. The first is that you are sending your opponent a message that his return will not be easy, and the room for him to maneuver his shot will be minimal. If you cannot immediately intercept a return, you can always wait for the point to develop and an opportunity to present itself. Imagine if you stayed back completely, or even on the service line as our Serbian player. Once your partner served, what opportunity will
So where should you be positioning yourself? Closer to the middle of the court is the golden rule (i.e. away from the sidelines). You must almost be at the central line that divides the two service boxes. This gives you great aggressive positioning as the most natural place for the return to go is back where it came from, especially if it was a good serve. If you stand, as I so often see, with your one foot on the sideline, your opponent will have huge space to hit into on his return, and you will almost definitely not be able to cover it properly.
others doing it. - It is a good exercise to put yourself in your opponent’s shoes, and then consider how you would look doing what you are doing. This will yield useful information. If you see your opponent standing on the service line in the tram when you are returning, you will immediately think to hit up the middle past them. So don’t do it! - It is vitally important to always communicate with your partner. Without proper communication you are almost certain to fail!
Try to figure out what your opponent’s weaknesses are and exploit them without mercy. Your game strategy will, in part, need to be dictated by your opponent’s weaknesses. For example, if your opponent does not like being attacked, attack him. If, on the other hand, your opponent does not like to come down to the net, force him to come in with drop shots. Remember that the best defense is an effective attack, because if your opponent is busy fighting off your attacks, he will have less time to organize his own.
Knowing Your Opponent The key to victory? Federico Coppini
The first thing to keep in mind in each match is that you must always force your opponent to play his weakest shot whenever you are able to. You need to keep studying your opponent, both on the court and in-between games during changeovers.
If you are playing against a very consistent player who makes every shot, do not challenge him on the ground, because in that kind of play style you will likely lose. Instead, use aggression to break his rhythm. On the other hand, if you are playing an aggressive player, try to limit your mistakes and encourage
mistakes in your opponent by making him hit one extra shot each time. And above all, never change a winning game plan. When you are losing badly, it is important to mix up your game plan. At that point you can only make things better by changing it up. That being said, changing your game plan when you are losing is never easy. It's hard to admit that you are losing. Of course, you need not always change the second you start losing. If you lose a set 6-4 or are just being competitive overall, it’s fine to stay the course for a while if you feel you can turn things around. But if you lose a set 6-1 or 6-2, a change is not just necessary but crucial. Take risks when you are behind in the score, but never when you are ahead. So, if the score is 0-30, don’t play overly risky shots. Risky shots are best left for situations where you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
The important thing is to keep calm and not lose
show your opponent that you are feeling confident.
confidence. Losing your cool means giving up free
Always fight to the end.
points to your opponent just because you are
The more stressed and tired you are, the harder
nervous and don’t believe
you will have to fight, but
in yourself.
always do it with a smile on your lips and enjoy every
Always hide your worries, and do not appear
moment. A game of tennis between two similarly
concerned in front of your opponent. If you are physically tired or simply frustrated with how things are going, don’t show your opponent. You will simply
skilled players comes down to the little things, and often the balance can be tipped thanks to a little extra fight.
give him extra confidence and further hurt your chances of winning. Remember, your opponent is playing on the same court as you and likely suffering through the same physical and mental challenges. If you reveal that it’s getting to you, you will give him a boost.
your second serve better. If you lose control of your second serve or hit it poorly, you will almost certainly lose.
Do not be afraid. Keep calm, fortune will turn in your favor at some point. Do not forget to smile every now and again. You are, after all, supposed to be enjoying yourself. Feeling happy and good on court will help your game, and
Hit your first serve well, but
Always give your best in every match, and don’t think about the rest of the tournament. See each match as a universe unto itself. Try to conserve your physical and mental resources for the moments that matter the most. Don’t overextend yourself, knowing your own limits is as important as knowing your opponent’s weaknesses.
towards which you should move, shot after shot.
an uncomfortable position. If your lob isn’t well placed,
Defense
you give your opponent the chance to hit a smash. If
If you are on the baseline on an attacking shot from
this happens, move back to the baseline in order to
half court, try to respond
defend and hit one more lob.
Federico Coppini
with a passing shot, with a shot on the body, on the
Build your game
feet or with a lob. The opponent shouldn’t be
End the shot Get ready for a volley or a
If you find yourself just inside the baseline, you can choose among various possibilities. You can try and hit after the bounce with a very aggressive
comfortable with volleys, so don’t be afraid to put them on probation by hitting the ball just towards them. Play just on purpose a short ball so that they’re forced into
smash in order to end the shot. You could find yourself in this court’s area after returning an opponent’s short ball.
Adopt a tactic based on your style
long-line, otherwise you can play a drop shot. Playing inside the baseline will give you the chance to step forward and be creative. Aggressiveness When you hit the ball in the half court area, you will be in a favorable situation and you should try and hit aggressively towards the court’s corners after the bounce or even with a volley. Let the ball go low on the net when you are attacking. You are playing a winning shot, or at least an aggressive shot, that will let you distance the ball from the serve’s area