Maria Sharapova – Between Doubt And Truth by Valerio Carriero
On Monday, March 7, Maria Sharapova made a major announcement at a press conference. She had made her intentions to do so clear in the days leading up to the event, and speculation had run rampant as to what she would tell the world. Everything from retirement to a pregnancy had been put forward as possible explanations for the conference. One thing was clear, however: it would not be another advertising campaign for one of her products. When the time came, fans around the world breathlessly tuned in for the bombshell of the year, as Maria Sharapova announced she had tested positive for a banned substance at the Australian Open. Of course, she did not just leave it at that. The substance? Meldonium, something most fans have never heard of. Sharapova had been taking it for a decade, but it had only been on the list of banned substances for tennis players since the start of 2016. The World Anti-Doping Agency had sent out a notice to all active players notifying them of the addition, but Sharapova had not noticed or so she claimed. Doubts about her story were raised by critics of the former world number one. It is difficult
to imagine, they argued, that someone with such a large management team would let such an important announcement go unnoticed. She maintained that she had been taking the drug which is used mostly in the treatment of certain heart conditions for legitimate reasons all these years. But skeptics don’t believe her story, which is similar to those told by several other Russian athletes who have also been caught using the drug. It seems like an awfully big coincidence that so many athletes suddenly have health issues and have been told to take this drug, which has for long been associated with enhancing sports performance. That being said, Sharapova is not without her defenders. She took full responsibility for the failure, saying that she had indeed received the e-mail herself but failed to follow the link that showed the list of banned substances. She also seemed genuinely remorseful in her press conference, and it’s hard to believe that she is such a good actress as to so perfectly pull of such pretense. But perhaps the most logical argument to use in Sharapova’s defense is this: she is not an idiot. Had she known the substance was
now banned, she surely would not have thought she would escape detection indefinitely. Indeed, to think that she would continue taking the drug after learning that it’s been banned, fully aware of the stringent tests they undergo on a weekly basis, is madness. It seems pretty clear that, at the very least, she is being truthful when she says she did not knowingly take a banned substance. However, that does not clear up the question of whether she took the drug in order to enhance her performance. The creator of the drug has gone on record detailing that the drug can be used to improve an athlete’s physical performance, and that it has likely been used for that purpose until now. At this point there are more questions than answers, and it remains unclear what effect of this incident will have on Sharapova’s career and legacy. Her final punishment has still not been decided, and how much of that punishment she ends up serving is also an open question. The truth is we might never know Sharapova’s real intentions for taking the drug, but the fact of the matter is that the damage has been done. Fans will never look at her in quite the same way again, the Tour might be changed in ways we can’t even imagine at this point.
Djokovic, The Record Machine by Marco Di Nardo It is useless to deny it. In the last 5 years, the courts have had a ruler capable of unseating from the top of the sport behemoths such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. We are talking, of course, about Novak Djokovic who, after identifying an intolerance to gluten as his main problem, has completely dominated men’s tennis in almost every respect. Since 2011 Djokovic has become the man to beat in the purest sense of the phrase. In those five years, Djokovic has of course not always been the world number one, but even when he was not statistically in the top spot, one certainly still got the sense that he was the guy nobody wanted to play. 2011 and 2015 were his most memorably dominant years, while the middle period saw him lose ground, statistically at least, to Rafael Nadal and even Roger Federer. But an “off” year for Djokovic still includes at least one Slam win along with a host of other trophies. Indeed, nothing proves Djokovic’s stranglehold of the men’s Tour better than an examination of the
records he has broken over the past few years. Some might even argue that, given his current trajectory, Djokovic will retire as the greatest player to ever have played the game. Such a conclusion is still very far off, but a look at his numbers makes one pause for a while before dismissing the notion. So what are the records that Djokovic holds? More importantly, which records does he not possess? In this article, we will examine both in order to determine whether he might one day become the best player ever. Grand Slam titles won Of all the records in tennis, this is considered by many to be the most important. As we all know, the record belongs to Roger Federer,
who has won 17 Slam titles in his career. Djokovic currently stands at 11, and therefore needs to win at least another six to equal the record. That is not even taking into account that Federer is still active, and might very well still add to tally. Many experts argue that the Serb will be able to beat the record without major problems, winning an average of 2 Slams per season over the next three season. Personal Prediction: Djokovic will not break this record. Although he often shows himself to be the best player in the world, he does not make efficient use of all his opportunities in Slam finals, especially at Roland Garros, where he has never won the event. He could equal the
record if Federer does not win any more. Consecutive quarter-finals reached in Grand Slam tournaments Another record that belongs to Federer is that of consecutive quarter-finals reached in Grand Slams. The Swiss reached 36 between 2004 and 2013, stopping the run he started at Wimbledon in 2004 when he lost in the second round of that tournament nine years later. At the moment, Djokovic has reached 27 consecutive quarter-finals, and is therefore quite close to the all-time record. Personal prediction: The Serb will break this record. He obviously needs to do so on his current streak, as he is too old to start from scratch
again. But it seems very unlikely that anyone will beat him before the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam in the next three years. ATP World Tour Finals titles Yet another record that Federer holds is the number of titles won at the ATP World Tour Finals. The Swiss has won this event six times, triumphing in 2003-2004, 2006-2007 and 2010-2011. Djokovic has already broken the record of consecutive titles won, winning for four years in a row from 2012 to 2015. He is still one shy of equaling Federer’s record, having won five in total. Personal prediction: Djokovic will break this record by 2019, winning at least two of the next four editions of the
tournament. Even if Federer were to win another title, the Serb will likely win more in the end. Masters 1000 trophies Finally, a record that does not belong to Roger Federer. The player to have won the most Masters 1000 titles is Rafael Nadal, who has won 27. Djokovic, with 26 wins, is very close to the Mallorcan. Nadal, however, will need to once again dominate the clay Masters 1000 events if he has any hope of holding on to this record. Personal Prediction: Djokovic probably will win one of the two Masters 1000 events in the North American swing (Indian Wells or Miami), so if Nadal does not win the other, the Serb will have equaled the record. Hard to
say if Djokovic will win the clay events if Rafa is at top form. If Rafa wins at least one Masters 1000 before Roland Garros, at that point he will have the confidence to win others, and the record will be his. Otherwise, Djokovic beat the record by the end of the season. Total number of seasons ended as world number one This record, in both total seasons and consecutive seasons, belongs to Pete Sampras, who was number one for six consecutive years between 1993 and 1998. Djokovic is currently still only at four seasons in total and second in a row, having been number one in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. If he ended 2016 as the number one, he would come close to the total number of years in the position. Personal Prediction: Djokovic manages to equal Sampras (but not overtake him) as far as total seasons at number one is concerned. He will do this by ending as number one in two of the next three years. However, it will not be possible for him to break the record for consecutive seasons at number one. Total number of weeks spent at number one The next record returns to Roger Federer. The Swiss spent a total of 302 weeks in the top spot, while Djokovic
is currently at 185. Federer will likely not be able to add to his record, but then it will be very hard for Djokovic to reach 303. Personal Prediction: Djokovic will fail to break this record. He is still too far behind Federer’s count. Though he would likely want to break this record more badly than the one for total years ended as world number one, it is very unlikely. Conclusions Following my personal predictions, I believe that Djokovic will break the record for consecutive quarter-finals at Grand Slams and number of titles won at the ATP World Tour Finals. As for the total number of seasons ended at number one, he will be able
to match but not to break the Pete Sampras’ record. In terms of consecutive years at number one, he doesn’t stand a chance. He will also not be able to break the record for total number of Slams or weeks spent at the top of the rankings. Finally, the biggest unknown is the number of Masters 1000 titles won. He might break this one very soon if Nadal falters, but then again he may fail to. So Djokovic will likely end up with at least a few of the alltime records, but not the most prestigious one. Whether this dents his case for being the greatest player of all time remains to be seen.
Jelena Ostapenko by Alex Bisi
Angelique Kerber’s victory over Serena Williams in Melbourne has again shown that there is room at the top for new stars, and Jelena Ostapenko has recently proven that she is as likely as anyone to one day rise to the top of the women’s game. A native of Latvia, Ostapenko was born in 1997, and in late February she surprised her peers, and perhaps even herself, by reaching the final of the prestigious WTA event in Doha, losing the championship match in a tough three-setter to Carla Suarez Navarro. Ostapenko, who loves to dance, has been on the radar of a few in-the-know pundits for a while, but she has now officially introduced herself to the wider tennis public. A product of Nick Bollettieri’s academy product, she has a very good two-handed backhand which she often uses to impose her will on her opponents. Indeed, it is mostly due to her backhand that she has been able to win seven ITF singles titles so far. 2015 was the first year in which she started to really test herself on the WTA Tour. She received a Wild Card at Wimbledon and even won a match (ironically beating Carla Suarez Navarro in the first round) before bowing out to Kristina Mladenovic. Buoyed by her performance at Wimbledon, as well as her continued success in ITF events, she managed to qualify for the US Open and again win her opening round match. When she finally lost to Sara Errani in the second round, it was only after a long fight and winning the first set 6-0.
After the US Open, she reached the final of the event in Quebec City, but lost at the final hurdle. But at 41 in the rankings and rising fast, it seems only a matter of time before Ostapenko starts competing for the big events on a regular basis.
Dominic The Dominator by Federico Mariani
Dominic Thiem started February knocking on the door of the Top 10. Indeed, judging by the quality of his wins, it might be that he is already a Top 10 player, and the rankings just need to catch up to him. In a short space of time he has beaten beat Nadal, Ferrer, Dimitrov and Tomic, while also winning two titles in Buenos Aires and Acapulco. Many pundits have compared his demeanor and talent to that of Stan Wawrinka, and the Swiss has certainly done all right for himself, so that comparison bodes well for the Austrian. From Buenos Aires to Acapulco and Rio, Thiem won 13 of 14 matches, two titles (the fourth and the fifth in his career) and reached two semi-finals. He is now less than 300 points from a Top 10 spot, and given his current pace he will certainly get there sooner rather than later. Last season, Thiem exploded onto the scene with three tournament wins (Gstaad, Umag and Nice), but so far his 2016 campaign has already surpassed 2015’s, and it’s not even April! Indeed, his meteoric rise has caused many fans and commentators to breathlessly predict that he will one day rule the Tour. At the very least he is a Top 5 talent, and one can perhaps argue that he is already playing at that level. His technical resemblance to Stan Wawrinka is rather remarkable. As with Stan, Thiem needs space and time to be able to make the most of his massive groundstrokes, and because of this clay is his preferred surface. Wawrinka’s main strength is, of course, his devastating
backhand, and while Thiem does not quite possess Stan’s firepower in this department, he executes the shot with a natural efficiency that looks almost lazy. And when he hits it well, it is almost unplayable. Adding to his talent and technical proficiency is his fighting spirit, which is certainly uncommon in a player his age. He has reached six finals in his career, winning five. Of the 12 tie-breaks he has played in 2016, he has won 9. These are numbers that one usually associates only with the very best players on the Tour. In Buenos Aires he was forced into tie-breaks several times, and always came out on top when it mattered most. Indeed, so far Thiem is undefeated in 2016 when he has been pushed to three sets. It takes a special kind of confidence to beat Rafael Nadal in a third set tie-break, especially when you have already saved a match point. And confidence is something Thiem does not lack  it is evident from the second he sets foot on the court that he believes he can win each and every match he plays. As with Stan, however, Thiem does have his flaws. He can often be found very far behind the baseline  too far back to effective pressure opponents. His return is also subpar and it has some way to go before it can be considered anything close to world class. The good news is that he is still young, and while there is room for improvement, there is also time to improve. That being said, in the short term he will struggle because of these shortcomings. Staying five meters behind the baseline on clay is well and good, but when it comes to faster surfaces, he will definitely struggle to make any sort of headway against superior competition. It is extra problematic because of the many points that are tied up in
tournaments with fast surfaces (Wimbledon and the US Open, among many others). If he truly intends to become a Top 5 player, he will have to be able to play well at these big events, which will require a significant change to his tactics. His big serve will help keep him in matches for now, but to win them he needs to come closer to the baseline. One benefit he has which Wawrinka never enjoyed is that he is flourishing early. Wawrinka was a late bloomer, but Thiem already has a clear advantage when it comes to titles won as well as his mental toughness. Unfortunately, however, he has not been able to play his best tennis at the Slams. Indeed, he looks his age at the Majors, and in 2015 he managed to win only four Slam matches all year. With the way the rankings are constructed, no player will ever get anywhere near the top unless he
performs well at Slams. As good as he has been in best-of-three set matches so far in his career, he has been terrible in best-of-five set contests. Whether this is a fitness issue is not clear, but one thing is certain: he has to figure it out, and fast. At 23 Thiem is not exactly a youngster. In the old days, when players regularly lifted their first Slams before the age of 20, he would be considered a veteran. In the modern game, though, he is maturing remarkably quickly. These days tennis players tend to peak around 28, so Thiem is way ahead of the curve. Even with his shortcomings he already a handful for every opponent he faces, and he is sure to only get better with age. The sky is the limit for this young man, and his career will be fascinating to watch.
Italy’s Golden Generation by Valerio Carriero
August 17, 2009 was an historic day for Italian women’s tennis, and destined to change the fate of an entire generation. On that day, Flavia Pennetta became the first Italian woman to break through the seemingly impossible barrier of the WTA Top 10. This followed a season of incredible results, yet the best was still to come. A little less than a year later, on the red clay of Paris, Francesca Schiavone won her first Grand Slam title, and it wasn’t just her first it was Italy’s first. In 2011 she nearly did it again, but lost in the final against Li Na. But the French Open would hold more glory for Italian women: in 2012 Sara Errani reached the final before losing to Maria Sharapova, who was gunning for her personal career Grand Slam. But Errani built on that success and has remained near the top of the women’s game ever since. The next member of Italy’s golden generation is Roberta Vinci, who for a long period of time was overlooked by the press and fans. But despite that, she flourished on the doubles circuit, racking up Slam win after Slam win with Errani. All told she has won five Grand Slam doubles titles, and has also lifted the Fed Cup four times between 2006 and 2013 (along with a lost final in 2007). And in 2015 she put up a performance that would make her un-ignorable she reached the final of the US Open, something her more celebrated compatriots had never managed. Not only that, but she beat Serena Williams to get there! On the other side of the net in the final at
Flushing Meadows was Flavia Pennetta, another oft-overlooked member of Italy’s dream team. Vinci would, with her performance in New York and on the eve of her 33rd birthday, finally realize her dream of reaching the Top 10, and in doing so also delivered a dream for Italy: an all-Italian final! The fact that it came on the hard courts of the US Open made it all the more incredible, as Italians traditionally don’t do well there. Four Italian women, then, have reached or won Grand Slam finals in less than a decade. A true miracle comparable only to other traditionally stronger tennis superpowers such as Russia, the Czech Republic and Germany. Other powerhouses, such as France and Spain, have come nowhere close to matching such consistency recently. It is therefore perfectly reasonable to talk about Italy as one of the greatest tennis power of the 2000s. Two Slam champions in singles and three finalists; three former number one doubles players along with six Slam wins; four
Fed Cup trophies and two Top 10 singles players. Truly a haul of honors that anybody would be proud of. The present and recent past for Italian tennis has certainly been very bright. The question now is whether the next generation can pick up where this golden one has left off.
Juan Carlos Ferrero: “I tell the children that without working, you cannot achieve anything” We interview Juan Carlos Ferrero who tells us how his daily routine is at the academy and if he sees himself as a tennis coach in the future. Juan Carlos Ferrero opens us the doors of his academy, JC Ferrero Equelite Academy. He receives us and tells us how his daily routine is because he lives at the academy and he usually trains with the children who train there, he advises them from his experience of being the ex-number 1 in the world. Juan Carlos, what calls me the most attention is to see the difference between other Academies which also have reputation; you live daily there, don’t you? Some professional tennis players have academies with their names but without a behind job your name is not useful. JCFerreroEquelite, apart from having great professionals as Toni (Antonio M. Cascales) or Samuel López, I am also there. We have an extra that other academies don’t have and this is that I live at the facilities and I know the players, I advise them or sometimes, I even train or play a match with them. It will be one of the reasons that make children decide to come to Equelite, won’t it? Knowing that you will be there, watching and advising them… At the end, this is important and it is possible that they come for that reason but I would prefer, and I think that a lot of them come because of our reputation. I have been working for more than 25 years and the list of players
who have come to the academy is amazing. We have always had good players, both, boys and girls, and this is the thing that people have to value. To stay here, they have to value the treatment they received, in the sports and personal level and here that treatment is very good. What do you like the most of working with children? I don’t usually work with children but when I do it and I am on the court with them, the best is to see how happy they are on the court and the things that they ask me. For them, it is like an adventure and if you help them to live it, they will be more passionate about the sport. Is it sometimes difficult to work with them? Each person has good and bad points. In addition, they are in a difficult period, with the puberty and other things. Some of them are also under pressure, more than they should have for his age. We are with them and we have to help them as much as possible.
How do you usually advise the guys who dream with achieve the top? I advise them that they have to work hard because if they don’t do it, they aren’t going to achieve anything. I also ask them humility. With the emergence of tennis players such as Carla or Garbiñe, are you noticing that more girls want to be tennis players now than before? Not too much. This has been happening for a long time. We have an unrepeatable generation of players with more than 10 Top 100 and 2 or 3 in the TOP 10 for some years and this is not being reflected in the base tennis. We have to achieve it and make shorter distances between them with projects such as the Open Promesas Circuit and the Street Tennis which have been taking for some years but just in a national level. How do you usually spend a day at the academy? I try to have breakfast in the café every day. There, I inform about what is happening at the
academy and if somebody needs anything, he or she can come to talk to me. After that, I go to the court where the players are training and from this point my day can vary a lot. I always try to stay on a court with any group at least once a week and every afternoon I go to the gym to train with the players who are finishing their training. What are you most proud of the Academy? I am really proud of having got it without any kind of subvention neither help and today it is a training center worldwide known in the tennis world. In my sports life, clearly, when I won the Roland Garros and achieve number 1 in the worldwide ranking. In my personal life, I can say that I feel proud of my family, my wife Eva and our daughter Vega. How did you decide to build an academy like this? It was something that it was happening. I didn’t build it, I grew up in it and this is other thing which differentiates us from other academies with good reputation. Toni (Cascales) built this academy for me and for other partners: we played well but we lived far from the place where we lived and we spent a couple of hours by car every day. Thus, we started to live among 6/8 players and 3/4 employees in a small house with a gym and two courts. When I grew up and I started to win tournaments, I decided to invest money at the academy. When I retired, I decided to continue living there and help the children to achieve their dream as my coaches had helped me. Paddle tennis is practiced by a lot of people and you also practice it a lot. Do you teach Paddle or do you have it planned? I don’t play a lot. I have played some tournaments because I am really competitive and I want to continue competing in any way. As I played some tournaments, I would like to
continue playing others and I will also play others of the tennis senior circuit. With respect to the academy, we have really good facilities and we have a paddle school for competition and for beginners too. About the guys, you have at the Academy, is there any that you believe that have a great potential? Who? We have some players with a lot of potential. The academy has with limited places to guarantee it. We have a great Junior group, some of them have ATP points and good ranking. I am convinced that any of them will make a great leap and will be Top 200/300. In addition, we have a desirable group with boys of 15 years old. Apart from Nicola Kuhn who has already had international recognition. We also train with Carlos SĂĄnchez and Rafa Izquierdo, both are 15 years old and Spanish and they were finalists of the Master Marca sub 16 and are Top 5 of their category. As far as
girls, we have some good players but they are still too young to say their names. Training Young players, don’t make you feel you want to be a coach in a future? It is something which I would like to do in the future. I have already had really positive experiences with Nico Almagro and other players of the academy; in addition, I am the Captain of the UCAM Absolute Team. Can you see yourself training a Young boy and make him be a top? Yes, but not now in the future as I have just said.
Why it is important to understand when you make a tactical error by Federico Coppini Truly understanding tactical mistakes is the first step to making better choices on the tennis court. If you do not understand your mistakes, you can never learn from them, and are doomed to repeat them! Why is avoiding tactical mistakes important? If you are able to use proper tactics on the tennis court, your game will become instantly more productive. Indeed, simply taking notice of the fact that you are not using the correct tactics is already a huge step in the right direction. There is a substantial difference between recognizing a tactical error and fixing it. A lot of work goes into fixing the bad habits that have conspired to force you into making a tactical error, but once you have put that work into your game it will be the better for it. Other advantages of recognizing tactical errors Once you truly understand tactics and how they play into your game, you will be able to develop new strategies based on those tactics. But how are you supposed to know the difference between a tactical error and a technical error? After you have committed an error, always ask yourself: was I balanced and well-placed to hit the shot that I hit? If the answer is “yes,” then most likely is it was a technical error, but if the answer is “no,” then you have most likely fallen prey to a tactical error. Also ask yourself: given my opponent’s position and my current technical abilities, did I hit the
right shot? If the answer is “yes,” then probably it was a technical error, and if the answer is “no,” it was a tactical one. The most difficult tactical error to identify and understand is the one that does not result in a lost point. This mistake is almost “invisible” as it does not lead to the end of the point, but it does put you in a negative position in the rally that eventually does contribute to the loss of the exchange. How to understand “invisible” tactical errors It is not easy to understand tactical errors that do not have immediate consequences during the point. However, through some tactical
analysis of your own and others’ play, you may soon come to understand the situation clearly. Here are some analytical starting points: 1) Use your own personal experiences, as well as those of others, to identify popular tactics and how they are applied. Then you must ask yourself during a match whether your opponent is trying to use these tactics, or even try and implement them yourself. 2) Spend some time before or after matches thinking about what shots you should play in certain situations, and whether they are tactically sound. Be sure to take your current technical skillset into account, and also analyze which direction would be the most effective for
your shot. 3) Try to apply these tactics in your matches, and practice them until they become second nature. When they do, you will find that your game has taken a huge step in the right direction. In conclusion, improving your tennis is not just about having a good backhand or serve. You must take tactics into account as well, and use them to complement your technical talents. To become better at tennis you need to think more and more about tactics and strategy, and your game can improve tremendously by focusing on these two elements.
THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING BELOW THE SURFACE OF MATCH RELATED BEHAVIOUR by Federico Coppini There are 3 factors to consider when developing understanding of player match behaviour:
i.) Context- Context is the situation in which the behaviour commonly occurs. So, for example, a particular behavior may occur only in certain match situations.
ii.) Form- Form is the behaviour that we see. So, for instance, a player who gives up when losing, a player who plays poorly under pressure, or a player who acts angrily when not meeting expectations.
iii.) Function- The Function is the reason for the behaviour. When we look at behaviour through a functional lens we are repeatedly asking ourselves, “What is the player’s current behaviour in the service of?” “Why might it be occurring?”
When we look deeply at player match behaviour we can often see that similar forms of behaviour may have many different functions. It is the function that is important for players to understand if they want to be able to regulate their behaviour.
Consider a player who gives up when losing. The function of their behaviour could be a lack of motivation to play well. But often we incorrectly blame giving up on poor motivation.
Maybe they are becoming caught up in their own thoughts such as “There’s nothing I can do” and acting helplessly. Or they also could be avoiding the pain that they will
experience when they actually lose after trying their best. In all these scenarios the same form of behaviour- giving up- is caused by different functions. Conversely, one function could be seen in many forms. For example, the function of a player who habitually reduces and avoids the difficult internal states of anxiety and pain that they experiencesduring and after a poor performance could be seen in the form of anger, giving up, poor concentration, and excuse making.
The more we view match behaviour through a functional lens the more effective we will be in targeting the causal and maintaining factors that contribute to a behavioural pattern which is always the first step in regulating competitive actions.
Looking at Function of Coach and Parent Behaviour
It is also important to develop awareness of the functions of our own coaching and parenting behaviours.
For example, I know that when I have the urge to communicate my frustration with a player, there could be several potential functions of this behaviour. In some cases I may be making a conscious choice to motivate the player by becoming angry. But anger often serves other functions. I may be caught up in judgements of the player’s performance like “that’s not good enough, they should be doing so much better”.
Or maybe anger is serving the purpose of unintentionally reducing the feeling of embarrassment or anxiety that I experience
at the poor performance of the player.
And this challenge is often exaggerated for parents who naturally experience emotions more strongly when watching players compete. So it is also important for coaches and parents to monitor internal experiences if we are to increase the intentionality of our interactions with players .
Changing behaviour, especially when habitual, is hard for players, coaches, and parents.
But it can be done efficiently when a keen eye is taken to understand the functions of behaviours.
Training for the match? Training is the match! by Federico Coppini
The player and the game Just as every experience in life prepares you for future events in your life, every tennis match prepares you for future matches. Following this line of thought, every missed shot or tactical error may be a result of you not paying enough attention in previous matches 足 you did not learn from your past mistakes, so you are doomed to repeat them. Each person experiences a match differently, and whether they are able to take any lessons away from that match depends a lot on their personality. Most people are only able to look at a match retrospectively, and cannot learn while in the moment. You can still learn from analyzing a match once it is over, but sometimes the most effective lessons are learned in the present. It is interesting that players will often try and analyze their matches with other people 足 their parents, coaches etc. 足 when they are the only ones who truly understand what happened on the court. They are the only ones who felt the racquet make contact with the ball, who felt the flow of the points and the pressure of the moment. Therefore, the importance of "learning in the moment" is quite clear. In the end, it is up to each of us to learn from our experiences. That starts by completely immersing ourselves in each experience 足 for that is the only way in which we will truly grow.
Strength In Doubles by Umberto Longoni
If someone asked you which characteristics a good doubles player must have, you might think of certain technical aspects, such as a good serve or effective return. Good positioning, rapid footwork and an instinct for net play might also come to mind. All of these are indeed
characteristics of a good doubles player, but there are a few other things I would add 足 some psychological aspects. First, I would say that a good doubles player likes to play doubles, and does not consider it a last resort. He likes to be part of a team, and feels comfortable sharing and communicating with his partner. Most people think that, in doubles, one plus one equals two. In fact, however, two good doubles players can
add up to more than the sum of their parts. This is because their play is complementary, with one player making up for the shortcomings of the other. On the other hand, one plus one can also add up to zero if the players do not work well together or if they are not comfortable playing doubles. Misunderstandings between partners can lead to larger miscommunications which makes effective teamwork almost impossible. Sometimes doubles partners fall into a relationship of
“victim” and “persecutor,” with one person dominating the relationship on the court. This never translates to good tennis. Ups and downs Players just starting out or of intermediate skill might find their doubles relationships following predictable patterns after a while. This is particularly true if the pair is not well matched or if things are not going well on the court. Early on in a match, mistakes might be dismissed with a “sorry”, “never mind”
or “bad luck.” But as soon as the pair falls badly behind, the tone changes into something more unfriendly. Mutual criticism comes to the fore and comments become spiteful and mean. Sometimes, especially if defeat is drawing near, one of the players might complete lose their temper, giving up on points and displaying indifferent body language. They might also start saying things to themselves that are clearly meant for their partner. Doubles at its best Instead of the toxic relationship described above, doubles is it at its best when players can cooperate with mutual respect even in the darkest hours. When you continue to trust and support your partner despite the difficulties, it increases your chances of turning the match around. Remember that a prerequisite for playing well in doubles is feeling free. Free to be bold when the opportunity presents itself, free to make mistakes or commit a double fault. This freedom allows players to have fun and always support each other. But you must remember that it is a two-way street! You must be tolerant if you expect tolerance in return.
The need for physical contact It is no coincidence that professional teams are always seeking physical contact, such as high fives or pats on the shoulder. Sometimes the frequency of contact might even strike the viewer as absurd. However, it is important for players to have this physical contact on a regular basis. It is a way of constantly communicating team harmony and mutual support. They do it because they always need each other, even if it is a very bad day. Try it on court yourself sometime, and you will find that not only is it more fun to play, but you could just see a marked improvement in your game.
Back Pain In Young Tennis Players – A Growing Concern by Adriano S.
More than 50% of young tennis players suffer from lower back pain. This troubling statistic is even more alarming when one realizes that the progression of back problems can remain unknown to the player until the first painful event. The L5 is the most frequently affected vertebrae, but in youngsters the cause of the back pain is often due to the stretching of ligaments and muscles, or from overuse syndrome with inflammation of the facet joints. Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis are also possible causes. A recent study (Campbell et al) published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics confirmed that hyperlordosis is common among young players, caused by hyperextension associated with the service motion, torso rotation in open stance groundstrokes and the execution of twohanded backhands. All of these, combined with poor internal hip and shoulder rotation, can contribute to the misalignment of the L4-L5 facet joints. Because of this, there are certain movements and activities that young players should not participate in until at least the age of 12. These include very fluid movements, excessive training and long trips (where excessive sitting is required). An interesting recent study (Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Correja et al) showed that players with lower back pain have in common an abdominal muscle deficit, lower activation of the extensor muscles and less muscle co-contraction. All of these factors lead to traumatic movements when playing tennis, and could cause long-term damage. This is definitely a subject that requires extensive further study. However, it is important to note that not all back pain is a result of the abovementioned phenomena. A mild ankle sprain might affect the entire kinetic chain to also cause back pain. Conditions like tumors and kidney stones must also be considered and rules out before assuming that a young player has a serious back condition.
Things to consider - It is important to check Vitamin D levels regularly, as these can worsen a predisposition for back pain. - A slow walk, which acts as a dynamic stretching exercise, is simple and healthy, and highly recommended before and after exercise. - There is no cure and there are no miracles. Responses to treatment are subjective and unpredictable, so prevention is always better than cure. - It takes an average of six weeks for a complete recovery after an acute event. Avoid hacks and non-professionals! - Avoid corticosteroids if at all possible The following is highly recommended: - Aquatherapy - Mesotherapy - Acupuncture - Yoga - Postural gymnastics - Hard surfaces
SERENA WILLIAMS: THE MENTALLY TOUGHEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME? by Federico Coppini While watching the women’s Miami Masters (2005) singles final I couldn’t help but think about a conversation I had with 2005 Wimbledon doubles champion Stephen Huss late last year. We were chatting about what comprised mental toughness and who we thought was the mentally toughest player of all time. I remember being somewhat surprised when he concluded, “I tell you what, it’s hard to go past Serena Williams”. When asked why, he spoke of her ability to play her best in the most important matches; her clutch play towards the end of sets; her ability to recover and win from dire scorelines; and her ability to roll when in front. Many of these attributes we saw on display again in the Miami final. While arguments against Serena's mental toughness greatness generally centre around her superior physical ability competing against a class of opponents that have no claim to alltime greatness, I thought I would take a closer statistical look at Serena’s Grand Slam record when considering the arguments for… 1.) Playing Her Best In Big Matches While Serena had an uncharacteristically poor serving day in Miami, and was far from her best early, there can be no question that she is one of the best big match players of all time. Serena lives for the last weekend in Slams… And at 17-4 in Grand Slam finals, she has an incredible habit of saving her best for last. 2.) Finishing The Job When In Front
While Serena has had a few uncharacteristic Grand Slam losses from winning positions in recent years, this is far from the norm throughout her career. She has traditioanally attacked victory like a shark smelling blood in the water when the chance to finish her opponent presents. This tendency has also been well learnt in the locker room so when Li Na threw in a loose game to get broken in the second set, it was clear that the end was near. 3.) Playing Clutch at Crunch Time When the pressure was on in the Miami final towards the end of the first set, Serena stepped up with her traditional aggressive choices when it mattered most. As Mary Joe Fernandez said, “Li Na didn’t lose that set as much as it got ripped away from her”. To explore Serena’s history in this regard I chose to look at her winning percentage in Grand Slam sets that went past 5-5 in comparision to some other all-time greats. Serena has won approximately 70% of 7-5, 7-6, and advantage
Grand Slam sets in comparison to approximately 60% for Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova. That’s quite an accomplished pair to make look like inferior pressure performers!
career. Additionally, seven times opponents served for the match during her title runs only to be run down. And she saved match points on 3 occasions….
4.) Recovering From Big Trouble In the Miami final Serena needed to produce her fighting qualities in the first set when down 2 breaks at 5-2. She answered by first breaking and holding, then followed by playing an incredible 3 points to break again from set point down at 5-4 40-30. As impressive as this snapshot into Serena’s usual when hunting from behind was, this was JUST the first set afterall, and she has a history of consistently producing much more Houdini like escapes from dire match circumstances during her Grand Slam title runs. Consider this…. In 10 of her 17 Grand Slam title runs Serena was 5 or fewer points from defeat at some point in the tournament, providing a considerable counter to the argument that she has been simply too good for her opponents across her
While it has long been argued that it is simply not possible to compare different eras. And comparing the mental toughness of men and women has it’s own challenges. For instance, I would think that competing well under pressure holds slightly more weight for women because of the narrow margin for error in best of 3 set Slam battles whereas for men the mental endurance of competing over 5 sets is more important. So while we could argue all day about what even comprises mental toughness, let alone who is the mentally toughest player of all time, Serena must be considered the greatest escape artist in the history of the game. And that she has followed those escapes by going on to win Grand Slams so regularly is a combination without comparison.