Australian Tennis Magazine - April/May 2022

FAREWELL TO OUR No.1 anks, Ash Th

DAVIS CUP AUSSIES SHINE

MAJOR MOVERS IN SEASON 2022 NEW STARS A T N O.1

A DREAM ENDING Brilliant BARTY’S

JOURNEY

APR / MAY 2022

PLUS ALCARA Z

SWIATEK

FRITZ

SAVILLE

contents APRIL / MAY 2022 VOL.47 NO.2

14

ASH BARTY’S ULTIMATE ENDING Departing professional tennis on the ultimate high note, Ash Barty begins an exciting new chapter with plans to maintain her long connection to the sport.

FEATURES 20 A DREAM JOURNEY

After travelling to Uluru and Alice Springs for the first time, Ash Barty created connections that will resonate for life.

EDITOR Vivienne Christie

FOUNDING EDITOR Alan Trengove

28 CALIFORNIAN DREAMING

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Leigh Rogers

PHOTOGRAPHS Getty Images Tennis Australia John Anthony/ISPA

With a first ATP Masters 1000 title in hand, Taylor Fritz is not only shining as America’s top-ranked player but dreaming of even bigger possibilities.

32 SCALING NEW HEIGHTS

In a dynamic time for professional tennis, some exciting new stars are scaling unprecedented heights in the 2022 season.

12

ON TOP OF THE WORLD Change is in the air at the top of the rankings, with Daniil Medvedev and Iga Swiatek joining the exclusive world No.1 club.

4 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

DESIGN Andrea Williamson Daniel Frawley Craig Holes

COVER PHOTO Scott Barbour

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

Email: editor@tennismag.com.au Distributed by Ovato Printed in Australia by Ive 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.

44 IS ALCARAZ THE NEXT NADAL?

While the talented Carlos Alcaraz draws inevitable comparisons to Rafael Nadal, he has already surpassed milestones his fellow Spaniard had achieved at the same age.

48 THE HYBRID GAME

From serve and volleyers at the dawn of the Open era, to baseliners and power-hitters who followed, tennis style has evolved over the years.

60 MAKING EVERY MATCH COUNT

Tennis Australia’s new Competitive Play Framework and UTR Ratings provide opportunities for Australian players at all levels.

24

SUPERSTAR SW1ATEK

Iga Swiatek has become one of the WTA’s most dominant yet consistent forces – and the new world No.1.

65 COLLECTIVE SPIRIT

As Australia defeated Hungary to progress to the 2022 Davis Cup Finals, the passion flowing through generations of proud Australians was clear.

REGULARS 6 7 8 10 11

FIRST SERVE FAN ZONE BREAKPOINTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT ONE TO WATCH

42 68 70 72 74

COURTING CONVERSATION SCOREBOARD RANKINGS KIDS’ CLUB LAST WORD

62

FAMILY IS EVERYTHING In a special first-person contribution, Alexei Popyrin shares how the sacrifices made by his family shaped his development as a player and a person.

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

5

FIRST SERVE

THANKS, “A

h s Aa

ppreciation is a word that I use a lot in my life,” said a quietly smiling Ash Barty as she paused to experience the nature at iconic Uluru in the weeks following her Australian Open victory.

“It’s just an amazing area to sit and appreciate … a beautiful, beautiful moment.”

The world No.1, a proud Ngarigo woman and Tennis Australia’s First Nations Ambassador, was cherishing every aspect of her first visit to the heartland of Australia.

Also incorporating time spent within local communities, where she met and hit with delighted school children, Barty acknowledged how tennis, and the life-changing journey she’d made in it, helped make her unforgettable time in the Northern Territory possible.

“To allow myself, through my profession and through my career to have that opportunity was really special,” she said.

Soon afterwards, Barty’s gratitude would take on an even deeper meaning. With her childhood dreams of Grand Slam success – especially at Wimbledon and the Australian Open – achieved, the much-loved Queenslander was also satisfied.

And while Barty's mid-March announcement that she was immediately retiring as world No.1 shocked and saddened countless supporters, there was widespread admiration of her ability to remain true to

6 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

the character that made her so widely admired. “There is no perfect way, there is no perfect timing but this was our perfect way and it was a great finish,” she smiled.

Barty concludes her career with 27 total titles (15 in singles, 12 in doubles) and as a Grand Slam champion on all three surfaces.

Winning all 14 matches she contested in the 2022 season, victory in the Australian Open final transpired as her last professional match.

Asked to reflect on the legacy she leaves in tennis, the everhumble Barty noted personal qualities rather than playing ones. “Just trying to be me maybe has left that legacy of just being comfortable in yourself,” she said. “I’ve always just tried to give it my best and I hope that my colleagues, my peers, my competitors knew that. I hope that they understood that what they saw is what they got.”

As Barty hit with children in Mutitjulu and Alice Springs, it was clear the then-No.1 could provide many lessons to young people throughout the nation. And in time, her massive influence in tennis will almost certainly continue in other ways.

For now, much like Barty did in Central Australia, it’s time for pure appreciation. Thanks, Ash, for the endless joy and inspiration you’ve provided.

Vivienne Christie editor@tennismag.com.au

CASUAL COURT HIRE

FEATURE

ASH BARTY

“I’ll never fall out of love with tennis and never stop loving everything that it gave me.”

Ash Barty's

ULTIMATE ENDING … AND A HAPPY NEW START

Departing professional tennis on the ultimate high note as world No.1 and reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, Ash Barty begins an exciting new chapter with plans to maintain her long connection to the sport. By VIVIENNE CHRISTIE

A

longside exquisite shot-making and a rare but graceful court craft, spectacular timing has long been an Ash Barty trademark. So too is Barty’s ability to stay true to the strong personal values that attracted thousands of adoring fans with every highstakes match win.

And so it was that just weeks after becoming the first Australian player to triumph at her home Grand Slam in more

than four decades, the 25-year-old Barty shocked the world by announcing her immediate retirement from professional tennis.

“A lot of different things have happened in my life that have changed my perspective and timing is everything,” Barty reflected a day after revealing the news through an emotional video interview with her close friend Casey Dellacqua on social media.

“I just knew that for me the time was right. I’d given absolutely everything that I could to the sport, and I knew that it wouldn’t be fair to my team and the people that have invested so much time and energy into my life to not be 100 per cent committed for them.

“It’s been a hell of a journey.

I wouldn’t change a thing and I certainly have no regrets.”

It was far from a decision that Barty had made lightly, with thoughts of leaving the tour first

AN ASH-TONISHING CAREER

Key moments in Ash Barty’s Grand Slam-winning journey …

1996 FINAL HIGH: Ash Barty's triumph in the AO 2022 final became the last win of her professional career.

Born in Ipswich, Queensland

2000 Finds an old wooden tennis racquet in her parent’s garage, sparking interest in the sport

2001

2002

Begins tennis lessons and would spend hours hitting against brick wall in her parent’s garage

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

15

FEATURE

Dream

JOURNEY As she travelled to Uluru and Alice Springs for the first time, Tennis Australia’s First Nations Ambassador Ash Barty created connections that will resonate for life.

WORDS: VIVIENNE CHRISTIE PHOTOS: SCOTT BARBOUR

20 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

F

ar from the heady heights of her Grand Slam victories and the many fan-filled celebrations that followed, a smiling Ash Barty experienced one of the most special moments of her life at Uluru. “Can I touch it?” she said, highly respectful of the sacred site and a community she had long dreamed of visiting. “I can’t not.”

Connections, of course, are a theme that have followed the 25-year-old throughout her personal and professional life – bonds formed with family, friends, her team, colleagues and the countless fans she’s attracted throughout her years in the sport.

But there were none quite so powerful as the connections that the then-No.1 player made when she travelled to Central Australia in the weeks after her Australian Open 2022 triumph.

“Never in my life did I think I would have a chance to be able to touch and feel and connect with Uluru,” a still-wonderous Barty reflected a day after that first visit.

“It's just a beautiful part of our landscape and I think being able

to connect with it in a hands-on With the famous rock a kind of feel and scenario was constant backdrop on the really magical.” first day of her long-awaited It was equally magical for journey, Barty also appreciated Barty, a proud Ngarigo woman the centuries of history. As and Tennis Australia’s First Uluru first came into focus Nations Ambassador, to connect for the Queenslander, she with her heritage as was struck by CONNECTIONS: she toured Uluruboth its enormity As Ash Barty Kata Tjuta National and power. connected with land Park. “As a child, as an “It hasn’t changed and nature at Uluru, Aboriginal girl growing she also created over thousands of magical memories up, it’s the heartbeat years, and I think within the Mutitjulu of our nation. Being that’s one of the community. able to experience that most beautiful firsthand is something things about it,” I always wanted to do,” Barty she said. “That it is untouched. said. “To be able to allow myself, It is just as perfect as it ever through my profession and was and ever has been and through my career, to have that ever should be – and that’s how opportunity was really special.” we should respect our land.”

ASH BARTY

“We are in the heartbeat of our country, the heartbeat of our nation.”

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

21

FEATURE

SUPERSTAR

SW 1 ATEK Iga Swiatek has become one of the WTA’s most dominant yet consistent forces – and the new world No.1. We chart the rise of the prodigious Polish youngster, who has rapidly translated her junior success to the game’s biggest stages. By MATT TROLLOPE

O

n 21 March, Iga Swiatek danced around a ball to set up her forehand, fired it into the deuce corner for a winner, and completed a 6-4 6-1 win over Maria Sakkari to capture the Indian Wells title.

It closely resembled a scene from the Roland Garros final two seasons earlier; Swiatek fired a forehand winner into the same corner to complete a 6-4 6-1 win over Sofia Kenin.

That marked her first major title, fast-tracking her development into one of the game’s biggest stars. And she was determined to avoid the post-Slam slump that had afflicted several women’s champions in recent years.

“I think this is what women's tennis is struggling with. That's

24 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

why we have so many new Grand Rome, Doha, Indian Wells and Slam winners because we are not, Miami – completely outclassing like, as consistent as Rafa, Roger, her opponent in all four finals and Novak,” said Swiatek. “That's – and built a win-loss record why my goal is going to be to be of 62-18. consistent. It's going to be really Dominant in 2022, she has a hard to achieve that.” tour-leading 26 victories (against Yet she has just three losses) achieved that TRAILBLAZER: Becoming and is unbeaten in the first Polish player consistency – as 17 matches since to claim a Grand Slam her latest titles at mid-February. In the singles title as the Indian Wells and Miami Open final she 2020 Roland Garros Miami prove. beat Naomi Osaka champion, Iga Swiatek is Swiatek has 6-4 6-0 to win the now the first world No.1 player from her nation. reached the second tournament without week at every Slam dropping a set, and since her Parisian breakthrough, became just the fourth woman including the quarterfinals in her in history – after Steffi Graf, Kim Roland Garros title defence and a Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka – semifinal at Australian Open 2022. to achieve the coveted ‘Sunshine Since the start of 2021 she has Double’ of Indian Wells and accumulated WTA 1000 titles in Miami titles back-to-back.

And, after entering Roland Garros 2020 ranked 54th, she is now the world No.1.

Her ascent to top spot came earlier than expected; she was ranked second when incumbent No.1 Ash Barty abruptly retired and requested her name be removed from the WTA rankings. Yet with

IGA SWIATEK

“I always believed in myself, but probably that I'm going to be No. 1 was crazy for me to consider.”

FEATURE

A

FR

Californian Dreaming

TAY L OR

With a first ATP Masters 1000 title in hand, California’s Taylor Fritz is not only shining as America’s top-ranked player but dreaming of even bigger possibilities.

KRISTINA MOORE reports

28 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

t the front and centre of the ATP’s Next Gen campaign in 2016, signs that Taylor Fritz would lead America’s next wave of men’s champions were plentiful. Armed with a big serve and dangerous forehand – Fritz having modelled his game on childhood idol Pete Sampras – the young Californian also possessed an impressive tennis pedigree: parents Guy and Kathy

May are both former pro players, his mother having achieved a top-10 ranking on the WTA Tour.

Fritz was also a former world No.1 junior, after quarterfinal appearances at all four junior Grand Slams (and a title run at the US Open) in 2015. In just a third ATPlevel tournament in 2016, as a wildcard in Memphis, the then-18-year-old progressed all the way to the final.

RITZ When a title breakthrough came on grass at Eastbourne in 2019, Fritz at last appeared poised for his ascension. “I have wanted to win a title for so long, ever since making the final in Memphis when I was so young,” he enthused after a straight-sets victory over fellow American Sam Querrey in Eastbourne.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I’m so happy I finally got it.”

Yet the higher-level success long predicted for Fritz would require a degree of patience.

Four further ATP finals appearances ended in losses and while Fritz contested 21 Grand Slam main draws between 2016 and 2021, he failed to progress beyond the third round at any of them.

TAYLOR FRITZ

“I’ve put in a lot of work …

I’m excited because I have a lot of things I can still improve on.”

WEAPONS: A big serve and impressive athleticism are a potent package for Taylor Fritz.

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

29

FEATURE

While the vastly talented Carlos Alcaraz draws inevitable comparisons to fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the teenager has already surpassed milestones his idol had achieved at the same age. By PAUL FEIN

NEXT NADAL? IS A L C A R A Z T HE

44 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

RAFAEL NADAL

F

lash back 19 years.

Roger Federer served and volleyed to his first Wimbledon title. Serena Williams edged her sister Venus in the Australian and Wimbledon finals, while Justine Henin outplayed fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters in the French and US finals.

As spectacular as these young champions were, a long-haired, 16-year-old Spaniard in sleeveless shirts and pirate pants intrigued, even captivated, me more. I first saw Rafael Nadal on my old-fashioned, 28” TV set. Like a tennis Houdini, he disappeared outside the screen sprinting for shots far beyond the sidelines and baseline, only to miraculously reappear after hitting the most extraordinary defensive shots. His much older and more aggressive opponents needed four, five, six, or even seven shots to win a point if they didn’t err before then.

TOP GOAL: Already on the cusp of the world’s top 10, Carlos Alcaraz has his sights set on rising to No.1.

Amazed at my discovery, I eagerly told my tennis friends, “This kid will win four to eight French Open titles, for sure.” I cautioned that Nadal would have to improve his serve, volley, and overall offense to win majors on grass and hard courts. As enthralled as I was, I never could have imagined this teen sensation would amass 13 French Open and 21 Grand Slam titles, both all-time records.

In the spring of 2003, the Spanish lefty flashed unmistakable signs of future greatness on the European clay.

Whacking his incomparable forehand and shouting “Vamos!” after point winners, Rafa upset 2002 Roland Garros champion Albert Costa at Monte Carlo and then 1998 Roland Garros winner Carlos Moya at Hamburg. Moya, who also comes from the island of Mallorca, rightly predicted his longtime friend would someday rank No. 1, although he couldn’t have foreseen he’d coach Nadal more than a decade later.

As it turned out, I also couldn’t have foreseen something I witnessed about a year ago. Rob Koenig, the esteemed tennis analyst, was being interviewed on a podcast and raving about a Spanish teenager I had barely heard of – Carlos Alcaraz.

I immediately went to YouTube and watched Alcaraz play his boyhood rival, Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.

I was astounded at their precocious shotmaking – rocket groundstrokes on the dead run followed by sadistic drop shots, followed by incredible gets, followed by deadly passing shots. You name it, these whiz kids hit it.

But most of all, their neversay-die defence, especially that of Alcaraz, was something to behold. His blazing speed and ferocious determination to retrieve any shot no matter how ridiculously far off the court brought back memories of the most renowned Spaniard in tennis history.

Flash forward to early 2022.

Alcaraz was no chimera. On the contrary, the new Spanish

MAY 2021

“He already has a great level of tennis today, but I really believe that he is going to be a fantastic player in the near future.”

Bull was starting to fulfill the great expectations of tennis cognoscenti. His career trajectory was strikingly similar to that of his boyhood idol.

At Rio de Janeiro in February, Alcaraz rampaged through the field with wins over No.6 Matteo Berrettini, No.38 Fabio Fognini, and No.14 Diego Schwartzman in the final to become the youngest ever to win an ATP 500 tournament. At 18 years, nine months, and 16 days, he also became the youngest active player to rank in the top 20, bettering Nadal’s 2005 record by 15 days.

never seen someone hit the ball so hard,” a thoroughly impressed Tsitsipas said. The Spaniard became the youngest player to defeat a top-three opponent at a major since Michael Chang, 17, shocked No.1 Ivan Lendl and No.3 Stefan Edberg to win Roland Garros in 1989.

“When you see somebody at 18 who can hit the ball that big already off both sides and moves that well, it’s close to unique,” Paul Annacone, who coached superstars Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, told The New York Times.. “His backhand is actually Times better than his forehand. He misses his forehand BREAKTHROUGH CHASING THE (occasionally). It’s GREATS: Winning huge, but he misses TOURNAMENT 18 of 20 matches The breakthrough it. He doesn’t miss he'd contested tournament for the backhand much after Miami, Carlos Alcaraz came last year at all. Sometimes Alcaraz's 2022 record was second at the US Open. As the I do wonder, and I only to Rafael Nadal.

Spaniard slugged it don’t mean this in out with world No.3 a bad way, whether Stefanos Tsitsipas on Arthur someone who plays like that Ashe Stadium, a boisterous is really fearless or just doesn’t crowd helped him overcome a have any tennis I.Q. yet. That’s horrendous fourth set to prevail the unknown, but if you look 6-3 4-6 7-6(2) 0-6 7-6(5) and reach at the kid’s tools, once he his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. understands how to open up the “Ball speed was incredible. I’ve court and use short angles and