N째18 - July
Tennis World "Champions keep playing until they get it right"
Andy Murray Destined to be a Champion
Viktor Troicki Back With A Vengeance
Tecnica Tennis Coaching On And Off The Court
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Destined to be a Champion by David Cox
An interview with Andy Murray
For the often fickle British sporting public, Wimbledon was always the tournament which would come to define Andy Murray’s career, ever since he burst onto the international scene as an 18 year old wildcard with both electrifying talent and poise back in 2005. “It's an incredibly difficult tournament to win,” Murray has always reminded reporters. “To win any tournament back to back, never mind a Grand Slam, on a surface where sometimes a set rests on a few points, it's not always going to go your way.” Early on in his career, Murray often resented the intense focus which surrounded his every move
at SW19. While his game seemed naturally suited to grass, he preferred both the surface and the atmosphere of the US Open, the tournament he won as a junior back in 2004. Two of Murray’s defining career breakthroughs would come first in New York, he reached his debut Grand Slam final at Flushing Meadows in 2008 before clinching a long awaited first major title there in 2012. However Murray always knew that in the minds of many fans, he would need to succeed at Wimbledon and end the long wait since Fred Perry’s triumph in 1936 for a men’s singles champion, in order for his career to fully receive the respect it deserves.
Murray’s Wimbledon victory also finally sealed him a place in his nation’s affections
New York may have captured Murray’s imagination as a junior but he was first inspired to chase his dream as a professional player by watching the exploits of his idol Andre Agassi at Wimbledon 1992 with his brother Jamie. Twelve years later, both Murray brothers are able to sit back and reflect on the fact that they’ve both got their names on the famous honours board. Andy broke down in tears while watching Jamie clinch the mixed doubles title in 2007 and the entire nation came to a standstill as Andy won a gripping encounter with Novak Djokovic to clinch the singles title in 2013. “It's great that we both have managed to get our name on the wall at the All England Club,” Murray said. “We didn’t actually get to fully catch up and reflect on it until the Australian summer hard-court season at the start of this year. He had to fly out for a tournament the day before the Wimbledon final, and then ended up going on quite a good run right up to the end of the season with his doubles partner John (Peers). But it’s great. We’re both really competitive so there is always banter flying backwards and forwards.” Murray’s Wimbledon victory also finally sealed him a place in his nation’s affections. While his rivals at the top of the game have long been idolised in their respective countries, almost since the start of their careers, it’s only recently that Murray’s popularity in the UK has really soared.
“The younger guys are now obviously becoming more mature and improving all the time.” Britain demands its sportsmen to be sparkling TV personalities as well as great athletes, and Murray’s angst-ridden on-court demeanour and matter-of-fact interview manner has not always gone down well with the viewers. “The last few years at Wimbledon have been very important tournaments in my career, and also for me as a person, as well,” he said. “So obviously I'll look back on them fondly. I have very good memories from Centre Court. It's a special court for me.” But while Murray’s approach to interviews may not always convey the kind of instant excitement the TV audiences crave, it illustrates the intense drive to achieve perfection which has taken him to the peak of his sport.
After a disappointing straight sets defeat to Grigor Dimitrov in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, ending the defence of his title on a rather forlorn note, he could have sought excuses. Instead the response was simple, ‘I need to work harder.’ “I need to go away and make a lot of improvements in my game,” he said. “I've lost a couple of matches in the last few slams where I've lost in straight sets and played poorly. So I need to have a think about things, what are the things I need to improve, and get myself in better shape and work even harder. Because everyone's starting to get better. The younger guys are now obviously becoming more mature and improving all the time.”
“It’s probably the closest the tour has ever been in terms competition, it’s got tougher for everyone to win tournaments not just the younger guys, which is great for the fans. One of the main reasons I can play the way I play is because of my physical conditioning. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym to try and get myself in best possible condition I can to win whatever tournament I’m playing.” Emilio Sanchez who coached Murray for many years as a teenager at his academy in Barcelona says that he’s always possessed those inate qualities necessary to be a champion. “He was always mentally tough,” he said. “He always had very clear and determined idea of
what he wanted and he took the steps which he felt were necessary to achieve his objectives. And he’s always been very passionate even if he doesn’t always show it. He substituted the things which were maybe initially lacking in his game with that passion. And that’s why he’s reached the top in the world and has won Grand Slams.” “For example, he always used to play in a very small area on the court. He was a good competitor, a good counter-puncher but he was not getting to the ball so well as the Spanish players so we worked a lot on his footwork. With the Spanish guys, it always seems like they have more options of where to hit the ball and that’s because of their movement. Andy began to move so well than whether he was defending or attacking, he was always extremely consistent. He also became stronger physically so that he could counter-punch and do it for far longer so the other player had to take more risks and make more mistakes.” Murray himself says that his appetite for work and inner belief in his ability was instilled at a very young age. “From a very young age I played a lot against players that were much older than me, which was great for my confidence,” he explained. “When I moved up to the higher levels of competition it was easier for me to compete and play my best tennis.
The key moment for me was winning the US Open junior title It also gave me confidence and that self belief, so when I played, I believed I could win. Winning big tournaments like the Orange Bowl as a junior (he won the U14 title at just 12), fills you with confidence that maybe one day you can compete at the highest level. The key moment for me was winning the US Open junior title, which was when I started to think that maybe I could make the step up to become a pro. The key is to never stop working though, you can always improve.�
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Back With A Vengeance by Rossana Capobianco Back in Gstaad after being banned for a year due to a failed drug test, Viktor Troicki is ready to put the past behind and get on with playing the best tennis of his career.
Viktor is back on the Tour. On the red clay of Gstaad, where he was granted a wild card, he hopes to put the past year behind him. Friends of the Serbian – and he is a popular player – remain convinced of his innocence, and are happy to have him back among them. Apart from his friends, there are many other people who still have faith in the Troicki. His new sponsor, Lotto Sport Italy, definitely do not have any doubts about his innocence or his ability to perform at a high level in the coming months and years. Certainly, his suspension was one of the strangest episodes in professional tennis in some time, and though Troicki is keen to move on, he recounted his experience for us.
It all started in Monaco in 2013, when the Serb refused to take a drug test because of an illness in particular, and a fear of needles in general. He said it would have worsened his condition. He asked to postpone the test to the next day and Dr. Elena Gorodilova, the authority on the ground, said yes. Troicki signed a document he believed to be a notification of the request, but which was instead a ploy to shift the blame to himself. The ITF suspended him for 18 months. From that moment on, Troicki went on the warpath. "If I was a top player this story would never have happened. For me it's crazy that she [the person who told him he could delay the test] is still in place. I met her only on the day of the appeal and the lies she told about me and my coach really hurt me. It will be hard for me to forget this story. I know they wanted to protect their people, but I think in this case it would have been better for everyone if she told the truth." When he appealed the decision he got six months knocked off his suspension. Now that he can play again, his motivation is greater than ever.
At the end of the year I hope to return to the Top 100, it will not be easy but it's the only thing I can do since I will not have a chance to play the big tournaments
"I'm fine and I feel perfectly fit, maybe I've never felt better,� he said. “I'm really motivated to start again. After Gstaad I will go to Kitzbuehel, after which I will move to Italy to play a few Challengers: San Marino, Cordenons, Genoa. Then we will see where I am and I will decide the schedule for the rest of the season." His team has not changed from before the suspension. "My coach, Jack Reader, will be with me. With him is Jelisavcic Milos, my trainer. It was really great for them to have waited and continued to be close to me. We will work together from the first day of Gstaad. I am very grateful to them. A year out is a lot, maybe it will take me a few months or a few tournaments to get back to normal. I have not had a chance to confront the high-level players, so it will be very difficult. I'll have to fight harder and try to play my best tennis." The objectives of the Serb is clear: "To be a better player than I was. At the end of the year I hope to return to the Top 100, it will not be easy but it's the only thing I can do since I will not have a chance to play the big tournaments. Next year, I want to return to full speed on the Tour and improve myself more and more."
It was a hard lesson to learn, but Trocki’s experience will surely help other players avoid a similar fate in the future Novak Djokovic, his long-time friend, was one of his main supporters over the past year. "I met several players at tournaments and Monte Carlo where I train. Each player has been really nice to me, some have understood the situation and were very supportive. Others sent me messages to show support." It was a hard lesson to learn, but Trocki’s experience will surely help other players avoid a similar fate in the future. And now that he is back on the Tour, he intends to make up for lost time. We will be eagerly awaiting his results, and from what we have seen, he may return to the upper echelons of the game sooner than anyone would have thought.
Out Of The Darkness And Into The Light by Fabrizio Fidecaro
With an unexpected revival at Wimbledon after a long period of darkness, Petra Kvitova is back.
At the end of 2011, Petra Kvitova was almost unanimously considered as the future of tennis on the WTA Tour. She had finished the season in second place in the rankings behind Caroline Wozniacki, having won Wimbledon, the WTA Tour Championships, the Paris indoors, Madrid and Linz. Champion interrupted The next two seasons, however, did not go as planned for the Czech. Though she remained a constant presence in the Top Ten, she no longer competed well in the Majors. She did win smaller tournaments here and there, and even
the Fed Cup in 2012, but her reputation was no longer one of a top player. By all accounts, 2014 was shaping up to be perhaps her worst season. On the eve of Wimbledon, Petra was ranked sixteenth on Road to Singapore. Her calendar had seen premature exits at all the Grand Slams, including an ugly third round exit at Roland Garros. She had not reached a final at all, with just two semi-finals (Sydney and Madrid) and three quarter-finals (Doha, Miami and Eastbourne). Then, out of nowhere, she recaptured the incredible power that many thought would make
Her mental maturity has also made a big difference in the long term her a true rival for Serena Williams. And it came just in time for the biggest tournament of the year. The power had always been there, of course, but it often misfired, and consistency was a constant struggle. At Wimbledon, however, everything suddenly clicked once again. Reborn on grass So what changed in London, beyond the fact that grass seems to bring out the best in her? At first glance, nothing. At least that is what she said: "The physical and mental preparation? It was very similar to three years ago. I need to be 100 percent because I know it will be tough. And I knew it in 2011, so there is no difference." Her pre-match routine, including her diet, also remained the same. But a closer look reveals some other details. In 2011 she drove a Skoda, and now she has a BMW. Perhaps more importantly, she is fitter now than she was a year ago, and has lost the extra weight she sported for a while. This most definitely helped her out in the longer matches, where fatigue had felled her in years past. Her mental maturity has also made a big difference in the long term. While players such as Pete Sampras, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams all won Majors as youngsters, they dealt with it better than Kvitova. It took her three years to really settle into her new role as a top player.
"I do not know if I was too young when I won my first Grand Slam," she said a Wimbledon, "but I'm certainly proud of that success..." "I do not know if I was too young when I won my first Grand Slam," she said a Wimbledon, "but I'm certainly proud of that success. I hope, however, that now my time has come. I will do everything I can to make it so." The first Grand Slam hurts It was difficult for her to come to grips with her newfound fame after winning at SW19 in 2011. "I was everywhere," she recalled recently, "in the newspapers, on TV, everywhere. I was not prepared for such a situation, I did not know how to handle it, because I had no idea how it felt. I had to win every match I played just for the fact that I was a Grand Slam champion and everyone expected me to be the best.
That's not how it works. Now I have learned so much, of course. I hope that past experience can help me." A big help has been Michael Safar, the sports psychologist who has worked with her since 2010. He only started touring with her since Roland Garros, but it has paid off quickly. “I believe that together we have done a very good job,� she admitted. "At times I felt a bit down because of the high expectations of the people around me. He gave me a big hand to handle the pressure and stay focused at all times of the match." In the past Safar had tried to teach her how to mask her emotions during matches so as not to help opponents.
Petra has always been an open book, wearing her heart on her sleeve. The psychologist tried to make her as inscrutable as possible, but Kvitova struggled to emulate the likes of Sharapova. The energy required to suppress her emotions eventually caused her tennis to suffer. Finally, the turning point? So Safar gave up the idea of trying to keep her quiet. Instead he focused on relaxation and focus exercises. The results were easily seen at Wimbledon, where Kvitova dominated the tournament from the start. Her only struggle came in the third round, but she dealt with former champion Venus Williams eventually,
and cruised through the rest of the event. In the final against Eugenie Bouchard, she lost only three games. Will this finally be the turning point in her career? It could be. Kvitova is an unpredictable player, and we would not be surprised to see her at the top spot. But at the same time it would not surprise us to see her at 10. The next US Open will be an important test in this regard. In New York, Petra has never gone beyond the first knockout round, demonstrating her lack of feeling for the concrete of Flushing Meadows. A strange fact given that her tournament preparation has often gone well in the past. Two years ago she won both MontrĂŠal and New Haven. A new beginning In short, it is now clear that from Petra we can expect anything and everything. But who knows, maybe her second Wimbledon trophy will finally give her the balance she needs.
Czech Renaissance by Diego Barbiani
Wimbledon was a wonderful time for Czech tennis. Petra Kvitova, of course, won the tournament, while Lucie Safarova, Tereza Smitkova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova also posted good results in the main draw. In the junior event, Marketa Vondrousova reached the semi-finals. Indeed, after a period of struggle, it seems as if Czech tennis is back in a big way. After Martina Navratilova dominated the women’s game for decades, Hana Mandlikova and Jana Novotna picked up where she left off, at least in some ways. But after they retired, there were few female Czech players who did
There were many reasons for the lack of new young talent. One of the main contributors was the fact that with Lendl and Navratilova gone, there were not really any role models for aspiring Czech youngsters to look up to. The drought was more heavily felt among the women, who suffered through almost a decade without any players near the top of the game. Though some did find limited success on the court, most of the Czech players looked much better than they played. Nicole Vaidisova is a prime example. From a young age she was pegged as the future of Czech tennis, and by the age of 15 had already won an
ITF title. She shot up through the rankings and in 2007 was at number 7 in the world. However, just when she seemed to hit her stride as a top player, she abruptly retired. She cited injury concerns as the main reason for her retirement, but many suspected at the time that the motivation was just not there anymore. It wouldn’t be until 2010 that Czech tennis fans would truly have something to cheer about. In that year, they were introduced to the incredible power of Petra Kvitova. She quickly became known as one the biggest hitters on the WTA Tour, frequently blowing her opponents off the court. A year later she won her first Grand Slam title on the prestigious lawns of Wimbledon.
The victory was made even more significant by the fact that she beat Maria Sharapova in the final, 6-3, 6-4. After her Wimbledon triumph, she struggled to maintain the sort of form that saw her lift the trophy at SW19. She remained in the Top 10, but didn’t quite dominate in the way many had expected her to. But she kept fighting, and her participation in the Fed Cup ensured that the Czech Republic had one of the most formidable teams in years. In 2011 and 2012 they easily won the Fed Cup, beating first Russia and then Serbia. The team at one point racked up 11 straight victories. But even more important than winning for Kvitova was the fact that the competition brought her closer to her teammates. She became good friends with Lucie Safarova, which is rather remarkable considering that friendships on the WTA Tour are not all that common. The two had to play each other in the Wimbledon semi-finals this year, and Safarova was happy for Kvitova when she won. Safarova has been playing particularly well of late, with many believing that it all started when she won the decisive point to give the Czechs the Fed Cup against Serbia. It boosted her confidence immeasurably, and though it took a while for her to start posting good results, once she got going she proved hard to stop.
Just a year ago the Czech Republic had only five highly ranked players, and today it is up to eight. In addition to her exploits at Wimbledon, she also reached the fourth round at the French Open, beating Ana Ivanovic along the way. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova is perhaps the least well known of the new Czech superstars, and most people will recall her name only as it pertains to a doping case, which cost her a six month suspension in 2013. But since then she has slowly become better and better, reaching the finals in Birmingham and then the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. She beat some big names en route to the last eight, including Li Na and Caroline Wozniacki. The young Smitkova, though she has little experience, is also making her case for being considered as the future of Czech tennis.
Having never reached the main draw of a Slam before, she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2014 – quite a feat indeed. She trains at the national tennis center in Prostejov, where the likes of Tomas Berdych also trained. Interesting up-and-comers like Marketa Vondrousova and Marie Bouzkova also frequent the center. Just a year ago the Czech Republic had only five highly ranked players, and today it is up to eight. Given that so many of those players are still young, it is not a stretch to say that Czech tennis might be entering another golden age.
Comeback Queen? by Laura Saggio
Maybe she will not still be playing professionally at 50, like the unsurpassable Martina Navratilova, but Martina Hingis does not seem ready to hang up her racket just yet. With her return to the circuit as a doubles player, she plans to prove she can still compete at a high level. "I still want to play." These were the words of the former world number one, Martina Hingis, after she and Sabine Lisicki won the doubles event in Miami earlier this year. They defeated Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the final in straight sets. Hingis quickly proved that she could still wield a racket competitively and make every shot count. The Swiss star officially retired from tennis in 2007, and apart from a short comeback attempt in doubles alongside Daniela Hantuchova last year, she has steered clear of the sport. Exactly what she hopes to accomplish with this latest comeback attempt is unclear.
She parted ways with Sabine Lisicki in June, so a lasting doubles partnership seems out of the question, but she did leave the possibility of further professional play open. “The separation was made by mutual agreement,” the Hingis said of the split. “I still want to play. I can still do it and I want to focus on my tennis." Certainly Hingis is negotiation uncharted waters. Very few players on the WTA Tour are older than 30, and at 33 Hingis would be one of the oldest. While some, like Serena Williams, have managed to remain competitive after 30, drawing on a wealth of experience, Hingis has the added difficulty of not having really competed for the past seven years. Given that she might even try and play singles (“Step by step, we'll see”) things may turn out to be very tough for her indeed. That being said, Hingis has been surprising her critics since her first day on Tour. It would not surprise us if she somehow managed to carve out a second career for herself, even if it is not as successful as her previous one had been. Whatever she decides to do, we are certainly keen to see how it plays out!
Kingmaker by Gianluca Atlante
An interview with Nick Bollettieri
It cannot be coincidence. Twelve of his students have reached the top of the world rankings. Agassi, Becker, Courier, Rios and Pete Sampras among the men, and Capriati, Hingis, Jankovic, Seles and Venus and Serena Williams among the women. But Nick Bollettieri does not like to focus too much on the past – he is always looking ahead. Above all he has a firm belief that his philosophy can help players become the best versions of themselves, and reach the top of the game. On a rainy day during Wimbledon’s first week, we met up with Bollettieri at the All England Club. After wrapping up a commitment with the
BBC, he arrived as punctual and positive as always. It would be his last interview before entering the Hall of Fame. We are in a transition period, or so it seems...What is your point of view, are we entering a period of less excitement? "The court today is as bright as it was yesterday. No, do not worry. Even after the decline of Sampras and Agassi everyone thought we were in a moment of transition, even a crisis. And instead, you saw what happened."
Does this mean rivalries will always be the bread and butter of the sport? "Without a shadow of a doubt. Meanwhile, it seems to me that the four strongest men, Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray, have waned. There are various youngsters like Dimitrov, Raonic and Tomic who are playing well. It would also be a mistake to ignore Nishikori. I think they are much closer to the top guys than you might think." On who would you bet of all those names? "Overall, Kei Nishikori. He has the qualities to emerge as a great talent and has already demonstrated his abilities.
He knows how to defend, how to attack and seems to me a complete player. There is also big room for improvement." One thing is certain: today you require much more muscle to succeed. "This is true, and I have little to add on the subject. Only that physical fitness still doesn’t get enough attention. Today, the ball travels very fast, this is true, but there's more in addition to power, you have to be fitter and stronger, mentally and physically. I do not think Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray are good just because they hit hard." Who is the best player right now? "There's not one, but four. The answer comes from the Majors, from Slam wins. Nadal has proven to be the strongest on clay, but on the grass and hard courts he may encounter difficulties. Djokovic is highly competitive and Federer will never fade. His class will allow him to compete for years. Murray is a great player, he will get back to winning." Over the past decade, except for Del Potro at the US Open in 2008 and Stanislas Wawrinka at the Australian Open this year, only the "Fab Four" have won Slams. What is the reason for all this?
"In tournaments that count, such as the Grand Slams, they step up their game. They have the stamina and talent and strength to handle the important moments. It is no coincidence that, Nadal and Federer, together, have won 31 Grand Slams." Among women, however, there seems to be more of a balance. Halep and Bouchard, for instance, are new faces playing well. "Yes, all true, but when Serena wants to play well, she always makes the difference. Sharapova showed that, at Roland Garros, she is still great. It is true that there are many good young players coming up, but when it comes to crunch time I
think Serena and Sharapova know what to do to win." In essence, the tennis is changing? "It could not be otherwise. Even the courts are changing. Beware, though, I want to reiterate that it will not be exclusively muscle that determines the new elite. Dimitrov and Nishikori, for example, are not that big, but are able to play at a very high level."
Australia’s New Hope by Diego Barbiani Center Court, Wimbledon. It is match point for Nick Kyrgios, and he is on the verge of pulling off the greatest win of his career against world number one Rafael Nadal.
Center Court, Wimbledon. It is match point for Nick Kyrgios, and he is on the verge of pulling off the greatest win of his career against world number one Rafael Nadal. He hits an ace. And not just any ace, but one that zips down the court with the speed and fury of a meteor. Indeed, Kyrgios himself hit Wimbledon like some sort of shooting star, and it seems as if that star is only beginning to rise. So begins the tale of the young Australian who, to the surprise of everyone including himself, knocked out of the best players of the past decade in the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Since that time the name Kyrgios has been heard in every corner of the planet. But close observers of the ATP Tour have been aware of this youngster for some time, with many pegging him as the next big thing in men’s tennis. He certainly has the weapons to dominate at a high level, starting with his serve. It’s a devastating delivery which he can hit with both power and accuracy. If he can get his ground game to the same level, he will be very dangerous indeed. There was a certain amount of irony in his victory over Nadal. It is the first time in nine years that a teenager has beaten a world number one.
“I like people to have fun with me”
The last person to do it? Rafael Nadal in 2005, when he beat Roger Federer in the French Open semi-finals. The Spaniard lost in four sets, just as Federer had on that day in Paris. Nadal was overwhelmed by the young Australian’s incredible power and unplayable serve. Just a few days earlier Kyrgios had been on the verge of defeat against Richard Gasquet, but he saved nine match points and came back from a two-set deficit to eventually oust the Frenchman. Nick Kyrgios is just 19 years old, but he already looks like a man. He has the stereotypical physique of a modern tennis player – strong, slender and tall (1.93 meters). But he doesn’t exactly look like every other guy on Tour. His hairstyle seems like something the lead singer of a punk band might wear, and the many chains that dangle around his neck do not exactly strike the viewer as terribly practical. He is aware that he stands out, and doesn’t mind a bit. “I like people to have fun with me,” he said at Wimbledon. “I cannot think just of winning, I hope to be worth the price of admission." Noble words indeed, especially in the modern game when so many players seem to be carbon copies of one another. Tennis loves a character, and he certainly is that.
But why has the general public not heard of Kyrgios before today? Much of it has to do with a cautious approach by pundits, journalists and fans. Over the past few years, many a player has been tagged as the next big thing, only to disappear into obscurity a year late. This is especially true in Australia, a proud tennis country that has been lured into false hope many times of late. One need only look at Bernard Tomic for evidence of this. He was the great Australian hope for a long time, but now is on nobody’s radar when it comes to winning events of any importance.
Now it is Kyrgios’ turn. Born in Canberra to a Greek father and Malaysian mother, Australian tennis fans have a new hero to root for. "That boy has two huge balls," Radek Stepanek said of Kyrgios some time ago. After Wimbledon, it is hard to disagree. Decisions, decisions Kyrgios attended college at Radford in Australia until the eighth year, then chose to continue his training at Daralman College in Canberra. He started playing tennis at the age of seven when his mother, Norlalia, gave him a tennis racket. But tennis was not his true passion, as he loved basketball above all else as a youngster. He adored the Boston Celtics, and to this day can often be seen wearing basketball outfits. But eventually he was forced to choose between the two sports, and he chose tennis because he believed he had a more realistic chance of doing well in that sport. He was already 14 years old when he decided to work full time on his tennis, but he quickly became a very competent player. Motivation has never been a problem for Kyrgios, who from early on has stated that his objective is to become number one in the world. He has never been afraid of anything, especially not hard work.
At 17 he was the top-ranked junior in the world, and he has found the transition to professional play to be relatively smooth At 17 he was the top-ranked junior in the world, and he has found the transition to professional play to be relatively smooth. He has already started earning respect among his peers. Roger Federer recently invited him to Switzerland for a week of training, but for the most part he trains with his friend and compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis. He, too, is of Greek origin and loves basketball. "He is even more talented than me," Kyrgios once said of Kokkinakis. At the Australian Open, Kyrgios was in the stands to cheer for Kokkinakis during his match against Igor Sijsling.
The two have fun together, and try to be as supportive as possible. The ATP Tour can be a lonely and competitive place, and having a friend to lean on has certainly made things easier for both of them. Great expectations But of course when two people are both competing in the same field, it is only a matter of time until they have to face each other. This is exactly what happened when the two friends had to face off in the final of the junior Australian Open. Luckily, they handled the situation well, and often play doubles together (they won the Wimbledon juniors title).
Kyrgios eventually ran afoul of Milos Raonic at Wimbledon, perhaps the only person at the tournament with a bigger serve than him With Hewitt long past his prime and Tomic in constant trouble off the court, these two might just be the face of Australian tennis for years to come. "Thanasi? I miss him very much," Kyrgios said at Wimbledon in reference to his partner, who had returned home after the Nottingham Challenger to complete his studies. Kyrgios then pledged to donate five pounds to the Elena Baltacha foundation for every ace he served. Kyrgios eventually ran afoul of Milos Raonic at Wimbledon, perhaps the only person at the tournament with a bigger serve than him. But unlike the players who had beaten Nadal at Wimbledon in the past, like Steve Darcis and Lukas Rosol, Kyrgios seems to be just getting started.
Living Legend by Federico Coppini
An interview with Ken Rosewall
Wimbledon Park, 10 AM on the morning of Wednesday, 25 June. The grass is still green at the All England Club. The taxi journey that brought us from Gate 14 at Heathrow airport to SW 19 was short and intense. The black cab is like a sort of time machine, and once you get into one you cannot help but cast your mind back to the past. On this day the feeling is particularly strong, as I am travelling to meet with one of the great tennis legends of the past, Ken Rosewall. Looking strapping in a suit and tie, he greets me warmly.
In his hand he is holding a copy of his autobiography, “Muscles,� which he wrote with Richard Naughton. Looking at him, it strikes me what he managed to accomplish at Wimbledon. He reached his first final in 1954, where he lost to Jaroslav Drobny. Twenty years later, he managed to reach the final again. Though he lost, his staying power was absolutely incredible, and it remains unsurpassed to this day. He never did manage to win at SW19, but he did win the US Open in 1956 by defeating Lew Hoad in the final.
Incredibly, he won again 16 years later against Tony Roche. Companies are founded, flourish and die in the kind of time between Rosewall’s two US Open triumphs. Of course, much of Rosewall’s career was played before the Open era, which robs his stats of the shine that they would have had if he had he been born just a bit later. All in all, he was barred from playing in 45 Grand Slam tournaments because he had turned professional. "You were the greatest," I tell him at one point, surprising both of us. He smiled graciously, but he quickly corrects me. "I'll tell you who I really was the greatest," he smiles, "Pancho Gonzales!"
"When we were professionals, we played against each other at least 70 times and I beat him on only eight occasions.” His biography deals with much of his time as both an amateur and a professional, and also focuses on the last Wimbledon final he played. It was an emotional time for Rosewall to play in the Championship Match again after such a long absence. "I lost in three sets to Jimmy Connors,” he says. “You will not believe it, but it was my best match at the Championships. I was forty years old and competing in my fourth Wimbledon final." He first played in a Wimbledon final in 1954, where he lost against Jaroslav Drobny. He reached the Championship Match again two years later but lost to Lew Hoad. Then in 1970, it was John Newcombe’s turn to deny him the joy of completing a career Grand Slam. Connors denied him his last chance. "I never won here, but I have wonderful memories. I played four finals. The people love me, the Club invites me every year, I feel at home." People also constantly recognize him around the grounds. When they see him sitting at a small table having a drink, he will invite them to sit down. Rosewall loves to tell stories, and they are always fascinating.
"I'll tell you who I really was the greatest," he smiles, "Pancho Gonzales!" Recently, for example, he went to the old home of John Newcombe in Sydney to play tennis with his wife, Angelika Pfannenburg. He realized the net was broken in some places. The next day he showed up with some old shoelaces to patch the net. Newcome was at home on all surfaces when he played, from grass to clay, and delighted crowds for years with his elegant backhand and powerful forehand. Today, he is as comfortable dealing with fans off the court as he was dealing with opponents on the court back then, and he has become an unlikely and passionate ambassador for modern tennis. We just wish he could have competed at more Grand Slam championships when he was in his prime. Had he been able to, the records books might look very different today.
The Rise Of The Supercoach by Valerio Carriero
A breath of fresh air is flowing through the men’s Tour. The stars of yesteryear have come back to the court to compete again, though not in the same way they used to. It was started by Andy Murray in 2011, when he hired Ivan Lendl to be his coach. It was a long and profitable partnership, which led the Scot winning two Grand Slams and ending the British drought at Wimbledon. The experiment’s success caught the attention of other top players, who have sought to emulate Murray’s actions. Novak Djokovic, who has for long worked
with Marian Vajda as his coach, surprised the world by adding Boris Becker to his team. Becker revealed that he was contacted immediately after the loss of the number one ranking in the autumn of 2013. Their collaboration began in 2014, but results were slow to come. The volley which the Serb hit on match point against Wawrinka in Melbourne looked like a bad joke with someone like Becker looking on from the coach’s box. There were some whispers that Vajda and Becker did not get along, but Djokovic remained steadfast: "The results will be seen over time, Boris has helped me a lot in terms of mental health."
Nevertheless, the unsatisfactory French Open final which the Serb lost badly to Nadal did little to reinforce the idea that Becker was adding much value to proceedings. That validation was not far off, however, as a few weeks later Djokovic would clinch a second Wimbledon title as well as the world number one ranking. It’s now hard to argue that their collaboration has been anything less than a rousing success, even if it did take a while to start paying off. Roger Federer would not be outdone by Nole and Murray, of course, and he opted to hire Stefan Edberg as his adviser. The union was made official in the last days of 2013, and the
results were immediate. After a disastrous 2013, Federer reached the semi-final at the Australian Open, won in Dubai over Djokovic and reached the final of the ATP 1000 event in Monte Carlo. This was soon followed by victory at Halle and a finals appearance at the Championships. Certainly not a bad year for the Swiss, both on and off the court. Though he did lose the Wimbledon final, he played incredibly well throughout the fortnight. He approached the net more than he has in years, an obvious effect of his collaboration with Edberg. He will be full of confidence heading into the North American hard court season, and might very well threaten the field at the US Open. Though not quite as high profile of a move, Stanislas Wawrinka’s teaming up with Magnus Norman has paid off in a big way. Not only did he win the Australian Open, but he followed that up with a victory in Monte Carlo and a solid performance at Wimbledon. The Swiss is nearly guaranteed of a spot in the ATP World Tour Finals for a second year in a row, and adding to his accomplishments with Robin Soderling, Norman can definitely be considered as one of the best coaches of his generation.
Going down a few more steps, we find Kei Nishikori. Michael Chang might not quite be on the same level as Edberg and Becker, but his appointment as Nishikori’s coach did make some headlines. Their collaboration also paid off almost immediately, with Nishikori entering the Top 10 for the first time. He also reached the final at the Masters 1000 event in Madrid, where he dominated Nadal for a set and a half before succumbing to injury. He might not have been retired for very long, but former world number three Ivan Ljubicic has make a quick and immediate impact as a coach for Milos Raonic.
The Canadian is now just a few steps away from the Top 5, and made the quarter-final at Roland Garros as well as the semis at Wimbledon. Ljubicic has added a new level of aggression to Raonic’s game, and it is paying off well. Another Croat, Goran Ivanisevic, is finding similar success as the coach of Marin Cilic, though the road has been anything but smooth. Cilic was out for many months due to a doping ban, but has been playing like a man on a mission since his return. He is back in the Top 20 and has very few points to defend until 2015, which means things can only improve for him from here. Of course, former players do not always make good coaches. We need only look at the teaming up of Andy Murray and Amelie Mauresmo, a partnership that has seen no success in its short life. Kim Clijsters also did not manage to add much in the way of value to Yanina Wickmayer’s game, and their relationship seems to have come to an end. While it is still ongoing and has not had substantial success as of yet, Richard Gasquet’s collaboration with Sergi Bruguera is definitely an interesting one. The oft-injured Frenchman is in need of some
Perhaps it is the mental reassurance of having someone of that stature in your corner that is causing players to post better results with their guidance. stable support from a good coach, but it remains to be seen if Bruguera can provide that support. Even more in dire need of a good coach is countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who seems to be moving further and further away from his Top 10 form. He is working with Nicolas Escude and Thierry Ascione, but the hoped-for rebirth has not yet arrived. Another failed experiment was Martina Hingis’s coaching of Sabine Lisicki. The only thing that their partnership accomplished was to make Hingis long for the days when she was the one competing on court – she is reportedly planning a comeback of some sort.
It is difficult to imagine what former players can teach today’s top stars about technique. After all, they are already very polished players and will likely not significantly change the way they play going forward. That being said, it does seem that the current fashion of hiring former top players is paying off for the most part. Perhaps it is the mental reassurance of having someone of that stature in your corner that is causing players to post better results with their guidance. Whatever the reason, it seems unlikely that this trend will soon end.
Wimbledon In Paris by Laura Saggio It’s hard to imagine a real grass court, with neatly trimmed blades cut between 5 and 7 mm in height, outside of British borders.
It’s hard to imagine a real grass court, with neatly trimmed blades cut between 5 and 7 mm in height, outside of British borders. Yet, at the British Embassy in the clay-dominated region of the Ile-de-France (at 35 rue du Faubourg SaintHonoré, to be exact), is exactly such a court. It is a court like no other, of course, as it has seen a vast array of ambassadors, employees, politicians and businessmen step onto its surface. Many top players have also made an appearance at the embassy, since it has often been rented out to professionals after Roland Garros to prepare for the grass season. "The first time someone used it for that purpose was in 1996. It was Kimiko Date," Ben Newick, who has been the butler at the embassy for 30 years, recently revealed. But of course it is usually locals who make use of the court: Mary Pierce, Gil Simon, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils, and, above all, Amelie Mauresmo,
who prepared for her ultimately triumphant Wimbledon campaign here in 2006. Yet perhaps the greatest excitement the court ever sees is the yearly tournament that is hosted for the embassy employees. Their very own Wimbledon. The 40 or so employees sign up battle it out over lunch and tea breaks, but it is usually Eric Célérier who comes out on top. He is an economist with a good one-handed backhand, and loves the event. “In my first successful year, I found myself in the final with the Ambassador,” he said recently. “We were playing in front of all the directors. He said that he would not be pleased if I lost on purpose." Currently, the famed tournament is suspended, but the court is still hosting special events. The last was an exciting clash between Henri Leconte and Tim Henman. The Brit, who knows something about Wimbledon, won the set they played. "It was like 1980s grass,” Henman said afterwards. “Faster than Wimbledon today and full of bad bounces. The court is not perfect, but it is amazing to have a grass court in an embassy in Paris."
In 2010, when he made his first official trip to Paris, the new British Prime Minister David Cameron was received by Nicolas Sarkozy at the embassy with a racket in hand. It was definitely an unusual welcome, but the two men enjoyed a match away from the prying eyes of the media. The court’s life began in the late 1960s, but was only fully converted from a garden into the proper court it is today in 1992. When work was completed in 1992, Queen Elizabeth was at hand to officially open it. The court has seen some incredible matches in its time, and is likely to see many more. Who knows, maybe they will even start televising the incredible contests soon!
Familiar Faces And Old Rivalries by Fabrizio Fidecaro The addition of so many “Supercoaches” has certainly added an extra dimension to professional tennis.
Imagine Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, battling it out in the Wimbledon final. No, I am not referring to the glory days of 25 years ago, at least not entirely. In fact, I am referring to the latest edition of the Championships, where the two old foes squared off on Center Court for the first time since their clashes over the three-year period of 1988-90. The only difference is that this time they battled one another from the stands – the one as the coach of Novak Djokovic, and the other as the coach of Roger Federer. The "Supercoach" is the latest trend in the world of tennis. Andy Murray started it by hiring Ivan Lendl, who guided him to an Olympic gold medal and two Grand Slams, including the first Wimbledon trophy to be won by a Brit since Fred Perry 77 years previously. This highly successful partnership, now concluded, inspired Djokovic and Federer to make their own bigname hires. The Serb settled for the dour German, while the Swiss decided to approach the serve-and-volley master from Sweden.
And so the theater of confrontation has expanded to the bleachers, and it has become possible to revive old rivalries that have long been dormant. At first glance, it would appear that Federer and Edberg have the more natural partnership. They are relatively similar in temperament and get along well. Djokovic and Becker, on the other hand, are very different indeed, but after getting off to a rocky start their partnership has delivered some very good results. After all, returning to world number one is nothing to be sniffed at. Federer and Edberg are also doing well, with the Swiss playing much better after the troubles of last season. In short, the idea of a past champion supporting a top player today is proving to be a good one. It is no coincidence that Kei Nishikori hired Michael Chang, while Marin Cilic asked Goran Ivanisevic to help him out. With the help of Chan, Nishikori has finally made it to the Top 10, and Cilic is quickly climbing back up the rankings after spending time out of the sport due to a drug-related suspension.
Coaches are no longer fringe figures, but have become real protagonists on the Tour. Having a champion by your side to help you both technically and psychologically has become a real “must.” The coaches enjoy the attention, and the fans enjoy seeing old faces back on the court (or at least next to it). Not everyone, however, has adapted this fashion. The recently dethroned Rafael Nadal, for example, has never thought of replacing his uncle Toni. They have been together since he was a child and things are unlikely to change. The man who started it all, Andy Murray, is trying to outdo his competitors by adding another big name to his coaching.
This time he has opted for an old WTA star in Amelie Mauresmo. The decision did raise quite a few eyebrows, with many questioning how the partnership could possibly work out. After all, Mauresmo does not know anything about playing on the ATP Tour, and while she was successful in her own way, her accomplishment pale in comparison to the more experienced Murray. So far, it seems as if all the critics might have something to their argument, even if Murray’s mother Judy fully supports the partnership. Murray lost badly to Grigor Dimitrov in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, which has led some pundits to call for Mauresmo’s firing. But for the time being Murray seems intent on giving it at least a few more months before making any further decisions. It must be said that not all good coaches are former successful players. Hall of Famer Nick Bollettieri, for example, is famous in his own right as a coach. Patrick Mouratoglou is another case in point, and the Frenchman has become only more well-known thanks to his professional (and perhaps personal) partnership with Serena Williams. Though the American has struggled of late, it seems that she is keen to keep working with Mouratoglou.
Tennis By The Numbers by Roberto Marchesani
1 - Slam finals reached by Eugenie Bouchard, the 20 year-old Canadian. The Wimbledon final was only her third Tour-level final. She lost to Kvitova, who picked up her second Wimbledon title. - The number of career Grand Slams Italian tennis has seen. This was achieved by Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci when they won the title at SW19 - The number of titles Lleyton Hewitt has won in Newport. He had reached the final twice before but never won. The Australian won the trophy at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships by
beating Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 in the final. He also won the doubles event, winning both draws for the first time in his career. - The number of titles Leonardo Mayer has won. His maiden victory came in Hamburg, where he beat top seed David Ferrer in a tie-break in the decisive set of the final. 2 - Number of victories for Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon (2011, '14). Curiously, they are also the only titles he has won on grass, though he has reached the finals at Queen's and Halle. He lost to Nadal and Haas respectively in those finals.
- The number of events won by Roberto Bautista Agut in the last 4 weeks (St.Hertogenbosch and Stuttgart), the only 2 titles of his career. The Spaniard beat Lukas Rosol 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the Stuttgart final. 3 - The number of losses Feliciano Lopez suffered as June turned into July. Those three loses did not mark a disastrous period for the Spaniard, however. On the contrary, it was a very successful grass season for Lopez, who won the title in Eastbourne, reached the final at Queen’s as well as the fourth round at Wimbledon. - The number of players who won their first career titles in 2014: Pablo Cuevas (Bastad), Roberto Bautista Agut (s’Hertogenbosch) and Federico Delbonis (Sao Paulo). - The number of finals Djokovic has played at Wimbledon: two wins (2011, '14) and one loss (2013). - The number of years in which Novak Djokovic was seeded number one at the Championships (2012, '13, '14). - The consecutive years in which Rafael Nadal lost to a player ranked outside of the Top 100. He lost to world number 100 Lukas Rosol in 2012 (2nd round), against number 135 Steve Darcis in 2013 (1st round) and number 144 Nick Kyrgios in 2014 (fourth round).
Lukas Rosol nel 2012 (2° turno), con il n°135 Steve Darcis nel 2013 (1° turno) e con il n°144 del mondo Nick Kyrgios nel 2014 (nel 4° turno). 4 - Set points wasted by Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth set of the Wimbledon semi-finals. He eventually lost 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 - Comebacks completed by Fabio Fognini after going down two sets to love. At Wimbledon, in the first round, he recorded his fourth such victory by beating Alex Kuznetsov 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 9-7.
5 - The different tournaments won by Lleyton Hewitt on grass: Wimbledon, Queen's, St.Hertogenbosch, Halle and now Newport. There are a total of eight titles on this surface. - The number of sets in the fabulous 2014 Wimbledon final between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, one of the best finals ever played in the history of the tournament. Djokovic won 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 after a thrilling match in which the Swiss saved a match point in the fourth set and recovered from 5-2 down. In the fifth set, Federer had a break point at 3-3, but could not convert.
- The semi-finals streak of Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon (6 semis reached in total). In 2007 he lost to Nadal, in 2010 he lost to Berdych, he beat Tsonga in 2011, lost to Federer in 2012 and beat Del Potro in 2013. He beat Dimitrov this year. 6 - The number of Spaniards who have won in Stuttgart: Bautista Agut is the 6th such player after Nadal (2005, '07), Ferrer (2006), Montanes (2010) and Ferrero (2011).
8 - Lost finals by David Ferrer in the past 18 months. This poor record stretches back to Acapulco in 2013. Since then the Spaniard has lost almost every final he has played (Acapulco, Miami, Estoril, Roland Garros, Stockholm, Valencia and Bercy). He last won a tournament in Buenos Aires against Fabio Fognini. - Slam finals Roger Federer has lost: two at Wimbledon (2008, 2014: Nadal and Djokovic), 1 US Open (2009: Del Potro), 1 at the Australian Open (Nadal: 2009) and 4 at Roland Garros (2006, '07, '08, '11: Nadal). 9 - Wimbledon finals Roger Federer has played in (2003, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '12, '14). He is the only player ever to have played in so many finals at SW19, having surpassed William Renshaw and Arthur Gore this year, who both played eight. - Number of match points saved by Nick Kyrgios against Richard Gasquet in the 3rd round of Wimbledon. It is the third time a player has won a match after saving so many match points. Vincent Spadea did so at Roland Garros in 2004 and Christophe Roger-Vasellin at Roland Garros 1982.
- The number of years that went by since a teenager last beat a world number one. Nick Kyrgios, who is 19 years old, beat Nadal at this year’s Wimbledon. The last time this happened was in 2005, when Nadal beat world number one Federer at Roland Garros. 10 - The number of years that went by since a 17 year-old beat a Top 20 player. Alexander Zverev beat Mikhail Youzhny in Hamburg recently, becoming the first person to accomplish this feat since Richard Gasquet beat Nicolas Massu in Portugal in 2004.
14 - Grand Slam finals reached by Novak Djokovic (3 Wimbledon, 4 Australian Open, 5 US Open and 2 Roland Garros) 18 - Consecutive defeats in a Grand Slam by Filippo Volandri. This is a world record, which he set at Wimbledon this year. 25 - Grand Slam finals reached by Roger Federer in his career (9 Wimbledon, 6 US Open, 5 Roland Garros, 5 Australian Open).
13 - Consecutive defeats in the 1st round of a Grand Slam by Paolo Lorenzi. He lost to Federer at Wimbledon.
91 - The number of years since the last Canadian Slam semi-finalist at a Slam. Milos Raonic became the first Canadian to reach the last four at such an event since 1923.
US Open: Why it is a love-hate affair by Princy James It is said that French Open is the most gruelling Grand Slam, but the US Open is regarded as the most difficult by a lot of players.
It is said that French Open is the most gruelling Grand Slam, but the US Open is regarded as the most difficult by a lot of players. Thanks to the sounds of planes flying overhead and the 22,500 loud fans, pandemonium is the apt word to describe the atmosphere of second oldest of the four Grand Slams. Before the Arthur Ashe stadium was constructed in 1997, the US Open used to be played in the Louis Armstrong stadium; Mats Wilander compared it to an ‘airport’; while Jim Courier jokingly described the stadium as a ‘toilet bowl’. When pitted against the refined ambience of Wimbledon, Flushing Meadows, with its cacophony, constitute the other extreme.
Like how Boris Becker said - “At Wimbledon, you have to be quiet, otherwise they throw you out. Here, you can do anything you want. You can play a saxophone in the stands and nobody cares.” New York Mayor’s boycott Becker’s quote pretty much sums up how it is like to compete in the US Open. True, it caters not just to the elite audience, but rather, encompasses all sorts of tennis fans. With a seating capacity of 22,500, the Arthur Ashe stadium is the biggest tennis-only stadium in the world. The commotion, coupled with the
buzzing sound of the planes flying overhead, is annoying not just for the players, but also for the spectators at times. Mayor David Dinkins, an ardent tennis fan and a friend of Arthur Ashe, who served the office from 1990-1993, decided to alleviate the situation by consulting the Federal Aviation Administration, and implement a plan to detour the commercial aircraft leaving the nearby LaGuardia airport during the event. His successor, Rudy Giuliani, who was against this decision, boycotted the event throughout his term. Super Saturday woes The memories of September 8, 1984, will live long in the hearts of tennis fans who witnessed the day’s events at Flushing Meadows. That single day featured the men’s semifinals and the ladies singles final back-to-back. The first match of the day - Ivan Lendl vs. Pat Cash semi-final started at 11.07 a.m. The gruelling match lasted longer than the authorities expected as Lendl defeated Cash 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4). It was followed by the ladies singles final between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. Navratilova defeated Evert 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. The second semi-final between John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors was next. Connors took McEnroe to five sets before finally giving up 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. By the time those
three matches got over, it was 11.16 p.m. Like how Navratilova puts it - that 12-hours of nonstop tennis was like ‘OD-ing on tennis’. McEnroe, who played the second semi-final, didn’t get enough time to rest before he faced Lendl in the final the next day. Lendl, who himself was burned-out after his strenuous match with Cash, was delighted by the fact that McEnroe - Connors semi-final also stretched to five sets. But contrary to Lendl’s calculations, McEnroe toppled him in a quick fashion - 6-3, 6-4, 6-1. The day came to be known as the ‘Super Saturday’ from then on, and that scheduling pattern continued.
Although it was exciting for the fans, it was excruciating for the male players, who were denied a 24-hour’s rest owing to a crazy schedule that crammed the matches on Saturday and Sunday which suited the broadcasters. Players like Roger Federer, who won a record five titles at the US Open, was critical of the idea of ‘Super Saturday’. “I don’t think TV should dictate just to have the finals on Sunday and the semis on Saturday and not have the true champion hold the trophy up. I just don’t think that’s the goal here, ” Federer said. With the evolution of the game and extending matches, Super Saturday became a subject of harsh criticism. Also, the rains further aggravated the situation, making the practise less practical. When the 2012 final was pushed to Monday owing to bad weather, the authorities finally decided to scrap that tradition, much to the delight of the players. Now, the male players get ample time to rest before preparing for the finals, but the clamor is something which cannot be gotten rid of. Celebrity spectators, live music, wild crowd...that electric ambience is the very essence of the tournament. It is true that with the US Open, it isn’t an instant attraction, but it is unique, whether you like it or not.
Coaching On And Off The Court by Stefano Massari (mental coach)
I am in La Spezia and it is Saturday afternoon. It’s July and it's hot. The streets are almost empty, and the wispy clouds are lazily making their way across the sky. I have just finished a meeting with some colleagues and am walking to the station. After every step, my shirt sticks to my skin a little more. I feel the weight of my mobile phone in my pocket, and it occurs to me that Luke had his exam this morning. Luke is a tennis player with a 2.5 ranking, and we have been working together all year. He is intelligent and has a huge desire to win, although he can be a little impulsive on the court. I decide to give him a call. Before I can even greet him he starts speaking very fast. He apologizes for not calling earlier and says something about a broken phone.
I manage to ask him how the exam went, and he tells me it went very well, but that he had not thought it would go well last night. He had gone to bed in a very bad frame of mind. But, he tells me, he had woken up as if he were another person. He had decided that he did not want to live another day of his life in fear or doubt, but instead wanted to experience each day as the intense and beautiful wonder it is. This thought, he continues, has changed everything. It allowed him to sit in front of the examination committee with a different spirit and give the best of himself. He was able to say everything he knew, and even when he did not know something he didn’t simply fall silent. He says that he was even able to help out a classmate by telling him about his new philosophy. It worked for him as well. Finally, he pauses, perhaps for breath, before saying that today he was finally able to practice in his life something which he had been using on the court for so long. He says that on the court he sees every challenge as an opportunity for gratification, fun and growth, and realized that he can adopt this in his everyday life as well.
The train departs and I look up at the sky, and for some reason the sun looks a little brighter than it ever has. For someone like him, and like so many other athletes I work with, being able to divert attention from the focus on results is very difficult. But when they are able to forget about the result, and focus instead on what gives them pleasure and gratification, to focus on the journey rather than the destination, I see a massive change in all my students. They are able to express themselves more positively on the court, and play to their full potential. But managing stress is not easy. We live in a culture or results, and moving away from that is a massive challenge. When, as a boy, I came home from school, my mother asked me what I had learned, while I focused more on what grades I had received. Of course, I am not saying that results do not matter at all. However, I maintain that focusing too much on results lead us to obsess over them, which causes stress and anxiety. Focusing instead on what we want to achieve can be a joy in of itself, and lead to positive results. Luke asks me if we can make an appointment for next week. I say that we can, and think about how proud I am of Luke for realizing that he can live his life in such a positive way, by living in each moment and appreciating its uniqueness. But I do not tell him this. I know that he has already embraced the philosophy fully, and that words will add nothing to his happiness.
The Psychological Aspects Of Tennis by Laura Saggio
How to re-focus attention and the importance of visualization
Focus is the cognitive activity that the athlete performs every time he prepares for some sort of action. Focus, therefore, comes before performance. This means that before performing any action, the player should aim to achieve the maximum amount of attention through mental focus exercises. To succeed in this, it is essential to keep your attention on the current moment, and focus on what you need to do right now (i.e. play point by point and not think that "I am not serving well today"). Sometimes, narrowing one’s attentional focus in favor of optimal performance can be difficult. Stress or performance anxiety may be two distracting factors that interfere with focus. Interruptions or breaks during the match can also have this effect. In these circumstances, it becomes necessary to re-focus your mind on the task at hand. Errors, poor decisions, external distractions and breaks during a match are all aspects that need to be managed and mastered.
Re-focusing is more effective when an athlete has a method for doing so. The technique of '"switching," for example, is an action routine that can be expanded or reduced according to the length of the pause. Many tennis players use this technique, each in its own way. Some players, after losing a point and before playing the next one, will place their palms on their thighs. This energetic gesture triggers the switch mechanism. The basic routine that determines the technique of '"switching" is the following: 1. Eliminate the reaction: achievements must be recognized. Errors, doubts and complaints must be identified and removed to re-focus attention on the next action. 2. Recover: regular breathing with relaxation techniques must be used to save energy and release tension. 3. Review: focus on the action to be taken. Reflect on the game. 4. View: visualize your next action. 5. Use triggers to focus your mind. For example, when your opponent throws up the ball in preparation for a serve, focus on the ball toss as a trigger.
6. Keep in mind the point of the trigger: visualize your desired action. 7. Respond: convince yourself that all your preparation for the match has readied you for what needs to be done next. Now we will focus on visualization (ideomotor training). This is an indispensable cognitive tool for the development of attentional skills. To perform well, the athlete needs to be able to visualize critical situations and how to perform in them. This is particularly important during times, such as with injury, when training opportunities are limited.
During visualization, the motor activity in the muscles produces subtle nerve stimulation, which also affect the circulatory and respiratory systems in the same way as during a real match. By visualizing these movements, the athlete improves his ability to keep his mind focused on the activities that his mind has chosen to perform. Visualization should also produce multi-sensory images, and not just visual ones. Imagining yourself playing means 'feeling' yourself on the court. You must “feel� the point as if you are playing it: the sound of the ball, the noise from the stands, the wind on your face. Properly utilizing this kind of visualization is useful for: 1. Learning a motor act 2. Preparing for a match, developing strategies and tactics, as well as preparing for unexpected events. Visualization can even be useful in-between points, as the player can focus on positive mental images from previous matches or training sessions in order to give themselves confidence in their own abilities. We will conclude today’s column with some wise words from Stefan Edberg: "You have plenty of time to think...you're out there alone and have to think and change things from within yourself" (1995).