Australian Tennis Magazine - February 2015

INSPIRATIONISSUE SUPERSTAR MOTIVATION

AO 2015 REVIEW

AUSSIES ON THE RISE ROGER A new record

THE

KYRGIOS STARS AGAIN NOVAK High Five SERENA Unstoppable

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FEBRUARY 2015 VOL 40 No. 2

20

NOVAK’S HIGH FIVE

World No.1 Novak Djokovic collected an Open-era record fifth title and the Big Four reunited atop the rankings at Australian Open 2015.

contents FEATURES 16 INSPIRED … AND INSPIRING

As records were rewritten and new standards set, Australian Open 2015 provided excitement, entertainment – and inspiration for fans and players alike.

48 ROGER’S GRAND MILESTONE

With every win seemingly accompanied by more history for Roger Federer, the Swiss star claimed a grand milestone in the Australian summer.

52 THE STRIKE ZONE

Among many valuable lessons in a riveting Australian Open was the value of the strike zone – and how you can exploit it to your advantage.

58 IMPROVE YOUR REFLEXES

Want to be top of the twos?

Improving your reflexes is the perfect way to start.

26

UNSTOPPABLE SERENA

Now just three Grand Slams short of Steffi Graf’s record 22, Serena Williams seems unstoppable as she targets more history in her prolific career.

FEBRUARY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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FEBRUARY 2015 VOL 40 No.2

37

WELCOME TO THE KYRGIOS SHOW

Embracing the big stage is already a Nick Kyrgios trademark – and every star moment provides the opportunity to outshine the last one for tennis’ most exciting teenager.

REGULARS 10 BREAKPOINTS 14 THE HITTING WALL 61 BE THE PRO 62 FROM THE CLUBHOUSE 64 MY TENNIS LIFE 72 20 QUESTIONS 74 RANKINGS 76 SCOREBOARD 80 KIDS’ CLUBHOUSE 82 LAST WORD

56

OUTGUESS YOUR OPPONENT Winning requires as much from the mind as it does from the body, so understanding how to outguess an opponent is critical.

6

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2015

EDITOR Vivienne Christie ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniela Toleski FOUNDING EDITOR Alan Trengove GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andrea Williamson Melissa O’Connor Trevor Bridger

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nicole Hearnden ADMINISTRATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Daniel Heathcote PHOTOGRAPHS Getty Images, John Anthony, Image(s) licensed by Ingram Publishing COVER PHOTO Getty Images COVER DESIGN & PHOTO EDITING Andrew Hutchison, FourFront

Australian Tennis Magazine is published monthly by TENNIS AUSTRALIA LTD, Private Bag 6060, Richmond, Vic 3121.

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

FIRST SERVE

Inspiration v expectation

I

s it any wonder we’ve come to expect so much from Nick Kyrgios? With his 21st birthday still more than two years off, he’s already experienced a spectacular coming of age, several times over, on the world’s most famous tennis courts.

First there was the win over world No.1 Rafael Nadal to reach to the final eight at Wimbledon and after his inspired run at Melbourne Park, Kyrgios joined Roger Federer as one of the few men to reach multiple Grand Slam quarterfinals as a teenager – a feat last achieved by the great man back in 2001.

Amid all the excitement that such early milestones create, it’s helpful to remember that he is still a teenager.

Kyrgios won’t celebrate his 20th birthday until April – and as with most his age, that means things that are still being figured out.

The occasional smashed racquet and an odd outburst or two aside, Kyrgios is clearly not doing a bad job of it either.

Any concerns about such behaviour can be offset by the way the top teenager also applauded opponent’s

What we learned from Australian Open 2015:

good shots, acknowledged his own shortcomings and touchingly paid tribute to his grandmother after every match.

And most of all, Kyrgios entertained the masses. Australian tennis fans have craved a hero to stand alongside Lleyton Hewitt for years now; the fact that they’ve found one who can showcase his best game while playfully interacting with a new fan base – be that on court or via social media – should only add to the excitement.

History shows that such rapid progress can create crippling pressure for a young player. Kyrgios, now the topranked Australian man at world No.35, is clearly not most young players – but we should also be wary of asking too much of him too.

Inspiration need not be expectation; it’s more a time to welcome the opportunities. Specific objectives can come later. For now, let’s simply appreciate that kids like Kyrgios don’t come along each day.

Numbers can be a powerful measure Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams 18 became the most accomplished Australian Open champions of the Open era this summer. With five and six titles respectively, there’s a clear measure of how our current No.1s stand apart.

Standards will keep rising It took Serena’s best tennis to overcome Maria Sharapova in a high quality women’s final. Ditto Djokovic as he faced an in form Andy Murray. Great players can bring out the best in each other; expect some top tennis in the months ahead.

Great champions can’t win forever Fans faced a sad reality as Roger Federer exited in the third round, his earliest Melbourne departure in 14 years. Don’t panic yet – but don’t take his greatness for granted either. The same is true for Rafael Nadal.

Vivienne Christie editor@tennismag.com.au

BEN SOLOMAN

There’s strength in numbers Seventeen Australians contested main draw singles events at Melbourne Park, many of them achieving career-best performances.

While there’s much work to be done yet, the job arguably becomes much easier as the positives add up.

Nexnt th mo 8

The MOMENTUM issue

The Lleyton legend will grow More a reminder than a lesson but it was reassuring to know that even as he eyes the end of his career (after his 20th Australian Open in 2016), Lleyton Hewitt will remain a powerful figure in Australian tennis when he transitions to Davis Cup captaincy.

Maintain the positives of a stunning Australian summer with a recap of famous matches of momentum, as well as advice on how to turn the tennis in your favour. On sale from 7 March.

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2015

FEATURE

WELCOME TO THE

KYRGIOS SHOW It’s wildly entertaining, unbearably suspense-filled and one of the most exciting stories in Australian tennis for years. And Nick Kyrgios, star of the show, is both unafraid and unapologetic as every big stage moment provides an opportunity to outshine the last one.

By VIVIENNE CHRISTIE

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

NOVAK'S HIGH FIVE Changing of the guard? Not so much. No.1 Novak Djokovic collected an Open-era record fifth title and the Big Four reunited atop the rankings at Australian Open 2015. By SUZI PETKOVSKI

T

he challengers were supposed to be coming.

Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic broke through the Grand Slam ceiling in 2014, Kei Nishikori made the final at Flushing Meadows, while Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov, youngest guns in the top 10, were improving by the week.

But you could be forgiven for thinking 2014 never happened at Australian Open 2015. World No.1 Novak Djokovic swept to an Open-era record fifth title, in a retro third Melbourne Park final against Andy Murray, 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0. It was all very 2013, right down to the tenor and scoreline of the match (two years ago it was 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-2).

20

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2015

After splitting punishing tiebreak sets, Murray gained an early break in the third but admitted to being distracted by Djokovic’s apparent physical distress. Known for big dips in his energy levels, Djokovic wobbled and stumbled from the start of the second set.

Ironically, once the Serb levelled, it was Murray who was run ragged. From 0-2 in the third, Djokovic swept 12 of the last 13 games. At 3-all in the third, they were still locked at 98 points apiece. But the denouement was swift, and more brutal than in 2013, with Murray consigned to his fourth final defeat at Melbourne Park and the unfortunate distinction of

the only 6-0 final set on the tournament’s long honour roll.

Of course, not everything was the same. Djokovic’s eighth major (equal with but sure to surpass Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Ken Rosewall and Fred Perry) was his first as a dad. “Everything is different,” declared the 27-year-old, playing these days for wife Jelena and three-monthold son Stefan.

“This trophy as a husband and father feels very different. I think it has a deeper meaning, more intrinsic value now to my life. Just feel very, very proud of it.”

Much has changed in Murray’s world too; back surgery in 2013, engagement to Kim Sears and a left-field coaching appointment in Amelie Mauresmo (what a contrast the coaches made, Mauresmo and Boris Becker in opposing boxes). Though he came up short in his eighth major fi nal (for two wins), Murray rebooted his career at Melbourne Park. He’s back at No.4, and back in the snarling hunt for big titles.

Both Djokovic and Murray stomped on the ambitions of younger challengers. Djokovic’s cleanest win was a 7-6(5) 64 62 quarterfi nal defusing of No.8 seed Raonic, the Canadian ace man not sniffi ng a breakpoint in the entire match. Murray was even more impressive in a madly athletic 6-4, 6-7(5) 6-3 7-5 fourthround defeat of his Wimbledon conqueror Dimitrov, arguably the match of the tournament.

He next ended the inspired run of 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios, in a coolly professional 6-3, 7-6(5) 6-3 quarterfi nal.

For the exuberant young showman, this was a valuable lesson in defensive mastery, tactical smarts and competitive grit. As Britain’s flag-bearer since his teens, Andy also had wise counsel for the rising Aussie (and his nation) about not heaping on unnecessary pressure. We would all do well to heed it.

SEMI SPARKS

Tomas Berdych, Murray’s semifi nal victim, is no newbie challenger, saddled for years with the tag of ‘best never to win a major’. Their Thursdaynight stoush crackled with more quality and tension than the anticipated Djokovic-Wawrinka epic, not least because Murray’s discarded coach and childhood friend, Dani Vallverdu, is now in Berdych’s camp. Some trash talk from the Czech at the changeof-ends after he won the fi rst set spurred Murray to a ruthless 6-7(6), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 win over the bigger-hitting but brittle Berdych.

Even Andy’s fiancee Kim Sears felt the tension, footage capturing her fi ring expletives at Berdych.

(This weeks after Mirka Federer’s ‘cry baby’ heckling of Stan Wawrinka; do we need a Code of Conduct for WAGs now?)

TO THE FORE: While Stan Wawrinka (above) relinquished his top four ranking, there was no shame in reaching the semis; frustrated at finishing runner-up for a fourth time, Andy Murray (below) will take heart from his return as a major contender.

Murray later lamented the media trying to cause friction between him and Vallverdu.

But this was a cracking backstory, with a fascinating prequel: Berdych fi rst tried to recruit Murray’s former head coach, Ivan Lendl, who knocked him back.

One wonders what would have happened if Tomas had approached his former countryman five or even 10 years ago. He humbled an out-of-sorts Rafael Nadal in the quarters to join Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as the only

players to beat all the Big Four in majors. But he slipped to 1-4 in Grand Slam semis, and turns 30 this year. Tick tock.

STAN V NOVAK III

For a third straight year, Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic duked it out over five sets, though their fluctuating semi, 7-6(1) 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-0 to Djokovic, did not approach their blockbusters of 2013 and 2014.

Both men tallied more errors than winners and both surrendered hard-won momentum as soon as they’d wrested it.

Wawrinka risked and hit bigger from the outset, controlling many points with his devastating backhand, but a horribly played fi rst-set tiebreak put him on the back foot.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Neither illness nor an immense Maria Sharapova could stop Serena Williams as she claimed her 19th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Now with Steffi Graf’s 22 majors within sight, the superstar champion is charging towards more tennis history.

RICHARD EVANS reports

UNSTOPPABLE 26

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2015

I

t is unlikely still that Serena Williams will overtake Margaret Court’s record haul of 24 Grand Slam singles titles but suddenly Steffi Graf’s collection of 22 crowns lies within sight.

This year even, should Serena bag all four Slams. The unlikely though has been a constant of the 33-year-old American’s career, its theme being that the obvious or traditional is never central to her rack of achievements and surprises.

Turning 30, she sat on 13 Slams but piecemeal has built this up to 19 now, thanks to her Australian Open 2015 crown. There are no rows of five or six consecutive Slam on her CV but every year she’s in there, one or two more which given her longevity, all adds up.

Serena don’t forget – and like all greats she invariably goes by the christian name only – won her first major title in New York during the last millennium, the US Open in August 1999.

Statistics though are a framework only to the Serena story.

Time will show her 6-3, 7-6(5) victory over Maria Sharapova in the women’s final to be a reasonably tight affair but cannot begin to divulge the drama within.

There was an opening set rain break – when the Russian was hitting her way back into the match – that suited Serena followed by a second set of winners, guts and sustained quality, the combatants nigh on impossible to separate.

That we had rain should have been no surprise. The fortnight swung from ideal playing conditions when the sun shone to the highly unseasonably cold when it didn’t. That Serena came into the final bugged by illness may perhaps be down to the weather as much the physical and emotional drain a Grand Slam can throw up.

She didn’t go into specifics – Serena rarely does – but sounded hoarse two days before and the word from the Williams camp was always of a champion not quite herself.

It didn’t stop her playing like a trojan against Sharapova and indeed it is difficult to recall a

more focused and formidable sadly seems all but gone, there is outing from the American ever. a new Aussie on the block.

“It feels really good to be sitting Ajla Tomljanovic is 21-years-old here as the champion,” Serena and a recent arrival from Croatia. admitted. “I definitely didn’t think Brisbane based she is expecting that I would be here an Australian passport RAISING THE BAR: in the beginning in the post any day As Serena Williams of the week or the soon and competed became the most beginning of the two under the green and prolific Australian Open champion of the Open weeks, but it feels gold in Melbourne. era, Maria Sharapova’s pretty excellent.”

She too went down impressive fight helped And in many in round two, to set a new Grand Slam standard. ways, the same was American Varvara true for her Russian Lepchenko but opponent. before a crowd that backed her A loose beginning aside, vociferously. Hard hitting and Sharapova was immense in the 180 cm tall with a ranking in the final, break points saved, match 60s, she has the potential to take points saved through nerveless the domestic baton from Stosur. hitting. She will be dumbfounded The bigger early noise as what to do next, Serena however came from a faux winning their last 16 encounters, Canadian corner of Melbourne. but cannot be distraught. Serena stands apart as the world No.1 player yet Sharapova sits equally comfortably in second slot, no one else remotely near.

“If I’m getting to the finals of Grand Slams and setting myself up to play a match against Serena … I’m happy to be in that position,” she said. “I love the competition. I love playing against the best, and at the moment, she is.”

Immediately pre tournament the talk was of the newcomers, a realignment of the women’s game.

It didn’t last. Ana Ivanovic, a former world No.1, had found her way back to world No.5, and still only 27-years-old, a genuine resurgence loomed.

Only Ivanovic has been nothing if inconsistent for many a year and with much public backing promptly fell in the first round, to the Czech qualifier Lucie Hradecka, this after a first set 6-1 rout to the Serb.

Home hope Sam Stosur, another one Slam winner with a mindset not dissimilar to Ivanovic, lasted a little longer, falling to the women with possibly the best name on the WTA tour, the Californian Coco Vandeweghe, in round two.

But while public expectation of Stosur FEBRUARY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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