Murray – The Next Number One? by Marco Di Nardo
who has been out with injury for most of the past two years. There was therefore a massive hole in the draw, and Murray took full advantage of the fact, winning his second title at Wimbledon, and his first since 2013. Indeed, Murray is the man of the moment, having had the most consistent first half of the season, including a trip to all three Slam finals. Excluding his losses at Indian Wells and Miami, Murray has reached at least the semi-finals of each event he has played in this year. He has won 40 matches against only 6 losses. Djokovic, on the other hand, despite losing just four times this season, was defeated before the semi-finals of an event three times: Dubai, Monte-Carlo and Wimbledon. Going on numbers alone, Djokovic still seems untouchable, with an almost 5000 point lead over Murray. But can the Scot make a serious run at the number one ranking? Will he ever get to that elusive spot? Looking at the Race rankings, which tracks only the points a player has won so far this year, Murray is just 815 behind Djokovic. That is less than a victory at a Masters 1000 event. There are quite a few of those tournaments coming up. The Olympics are
After his success at Roland Garros, everyone in the tennis world was talking about Novak Djokovic and his chances at winning the calendar Grand Slam. However, after a poor showing at Wimbledon, attention has immediately turned to Andy Murray, who won at SW 19 and now seems like a legitimate rival for Djokovic, at least for the near future. Of course, winning all four Slams in 2016 was never a foregone conclusion. Only one man Rod Laver has ever managed that in the Open Era, and were Djokovic to do so, he would have done so by winning six Slams in a row (dating back to last year). In hindsight, it was perhaps too big a task for anyone, as every player is bound to have a slip up somewhere along the course of six Grand Slams. And for Djokovic, that moment came against Sam Query at the third round of Wimbledon. Listless and obviously not at his best, Djokovic lost relatively easily to Querrey,
also on the horizon, though they won’t be much help in this regard (the Olympics, despite their importance and past precedent, will not give players ATP rankings points). Yet despite the fact that the Olympics won’t yield points, there might be a massive psychological prize to be had there. Murray has already won the gold, and Djokovic has stated he desperately wants to. If Murray could somehow best Djokovic here, it might have farreaching consequences for the rest of the year. All of that being said, the most important factors in determining the year-end number one are the big tournaments still to come: Cincinnati, the US Open, Shanghai and Bercy, not to mention the ATP World Tour Finals. Given that so many crucial events are still ahead, Djokovic’s lead doesn’t seem so big anymore. But even if Murray fails to rise to number one in 2016, he will have a good chance to do so at the start of 2017. Djokovic is defending titles at the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami, places where Murray could certainly make inroads. It is therefore certainly conceivable that the Scot will be able to one day, in the not too distant future, become world number one. It won’t be easy, and Nadal will also return to the Tour relatively soon, but Murray seems to have a knack for accomplishing things that people think are almost impossible.
Murray And Lendl – A Winning Combination by Giorgio Giannaccini It's true that some loves never die. Andy Murray knew that to get back to winning big tournaments, he had to get Ivan Lendl back in his life. Theirs was a meeting of minds, as Lendl saw in Murray a version of himself. The young Scot had everything a tennis player needed to succeed on the sport’s biggest stages, but somehow he always seemed to fall short. Lendl himself had known that struggle, for years losing Slam final after Slam final before finally breaking through, going on to win eight Major trophies. The only difference between the two men was about 30 years and the names of their nemeses: while Lendl battled in vain against Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors and Mats Wilander, Murray struggled against Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. In 2012, the year Murray surprised the world by hiring Lendl, something changed in his game he became more aggressive. Granted, he didn’t turn into Federer overnight, but Murray, who had been an all-out defensive player since his debut on the Tour, suddenly started hitting the ball a little harder, and looking for winners more often. He quickly realized that more aggression meant he could exert more control of the match, as he would no longer simply be at the mercy of his opponent’s ability to make big shots. The results, of course, were nothing short of sublime. Murray reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and, despite a second round defeat at Queen's Club, arrived at Wimbledon in a confident mood. Though he did struggle at times at SW19, he
managed to battle his way to a final against Roger Federer. The Scot got off to a wonderful start, winning the first set 6-4. However, Federer kept his nerve to win the second 7-5, and from there started dominating the match, eventually sealing the final two 6-3 6-4. Murray wept in his speech after the loss, but he would soon be crying tears of joy since, just a few weeks later, he found himself back on the same court against the same opponent in the Olympic gold medal match. Having learned much from the Wimbledon final, and with Federer feeling the effects of a marathon semifinal against Juan Martin Del Potro, Murray sailed to a surprisingly easy victory, clinching a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 win in front of an admiring crowd. The Olympic win seemed to unlock something in Murray, and he kept his superb form going through the American summer season, finally landing again in the US Open final. The match was a brutal slugfest against Djokovic, who came back from two sets down to force a fifth set. Both men appeared to suffer cramps in the
last set, but Murray held his nerve to claim his first Slam crown. January again saw the Scot playing extremely well, and he beat Roger Federer in the Australian Open semi-finals, earning himself a spot in the championship round against Djokovic. Murray won the first set, as he so often did in their matches, but Djokovic found his rhythm and easily won in the end. The fourth set was a rather resounding 6-2 drubbing. But the Australian Open did not mean much in the scheme of things. For Murray, the biggest goal of them all was still ahead: Wimbledon. His grass court campaign got off to a wonderful start at Queen's, where he won the tournament, beating Marin Cilic in the final. And so he entered the hallowed All England Club, the weight of a nation on his shoulders. It was a strange Wimbledon that year, with both Federer and Nadal landing in the same half of the draw as Murray, but both losing yearly. This created an excellent opportunity for Murray, but he very nearly let it slip away
against Fernando Verdasco, who built up a two sets to love lead in their match. Murray held his nerve though, and the Spaniard unraveled a bit, letting the hometown hero clinch a close win in five. After a hiccup in the first set, which he lost in a tie-break, Murray calmly took control of the match, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the end. Waiting for him in the final was his old nemesis, Novak Djokovic. But this time was different. Murray had the crowd fully behind him, and Djokovic was tired from his long semi-final. After 3 hours and 30 minutes, the Serb finally capitulated to a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 defeat, giving Britain its first Wimbledon champion in decades. At the US Open, playing as defending champion, Murray had a disappointing loss to Stan Wawrinka. Murray admitted to a lack of motivation after his Wimbledon win, and he missed the ATP World Tour Finals in order to have back surgery. He lost to Federer at the Australian Open, and a few short months later revealed that he was parting ways with Lendl, a move that struck observers as senseless and illadvised. Murray drifted between coaches after that, first with Dani Vallverdu and then with Amelie Mauresmo, a move that was again questioned by many. During that time Murray struggled mightily, losing almost every match he played against Federer and Djokovic. Indeed, he was no longer a member of the Fab Four, but adrift on his own, not quite good enough to mix with the best but still better than the rest. The lone bright spot was the UK’s Davis Cup win, which Murray almost single-handedly engineered by winning every match he played. And then, another bombshell: he reunited with Lendl just before Wimbledon, and sounded an ominous warning to the rest of the Tour when
he won the tournament at Queen’s Club. The rest is history. "A triumph even more beautiful than the first, because this time I had no pressure," Murray said of his second Wimbledon victory. He played a nearly perfect tournament, losing only two sets throughout. Of course, he had a little luck again this time around, as he did with his first win. Nadal didn’t play at Wimbledon, Djokovic lost early and Federer was defeated in the semi-finals by someone else. But then, great champions are able to capitalize on opportunities when they are presented with them, and Murray certainly did that.
Djokovic – The Only Way To Beat Him? by Marco Di Nardo Beating Novak Djokovic is not something that many players can do these days. However, with his recent third round loss at Wimbledon, Djokovic showed that he is ever so slightly vulnerable against players who have particularly potent serves. Excluding Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka, the players right behind Djokovic in the rankings, a quick analysis reveals that when the Serb loses, it is usually against someone who can regularly hit more than 20 aces in a five-set match. First, let’s look at Djokovic’s head-to-head statistics against the biggest servers on the Tour: Novak Djokovic 4-5 Andy Roddick Novak Djokovic 1-2 Ivo Karlovic Novak Djokovic 8-2 Sam Querrey Novak Djokovic 8-2 John Isner Novak Djokovic 5-1 Kevin Anderson Total: Novak Djokovic 26-12 other Looking at these numbers, it’s clear that Djokovic still has a winning record against big servers overall. However, his winning percentage is still lower against them than it is against players with less potent serves. Interestingly, he has a losing record against both Ivo Karlovic and Andy Roddick. The American has a 5-4 lead over Djokovic, and is the only player with a winning record against the Serb after at least five meetings. Karlovic beat him two times out of three, most notably once in 2015 in Doha, where he was the only player to beat Djokovic before a final the entire year.
But what about Sam Querrey and John Isner? Both are 2-8 against Djokovic, but Querrey won a massive match against Djokovic at Wimbledon this year. He knocked him out in the third round, marking the first time since Roland Garros in 2009 that the Serb has not reached the quarter-finals of a Slam. And how can we forget the victory in Bercy in 2012, when Querrey came back from 0-6, 0-2 to eventually win 0-6, 7-6, 6-4? It was one of the greatest comebacks the Tour has ever seen. Isner, on the other hand, beat Djokovic in Masters 1000 hard court events on each occasion he won. The first came in the semifinals at Indian Wells in 2012, followed by a quarter-final in Cincinnati in 2013. Isner dominated on serve on those occasions, especially in tie-breaks. We conclude our analysis with Kevin Anderson, who despite having beaten the Serb only once,
last year was the closest of all to beating Djokovic in a Grand Slam outside of Paris. On the lawns of Wimbledon, Djokovic was forced into a very uncomfortable situation when Anderson took the first two sets in their match. The Serb eventually won, but it was another long, hard slog against a big-serving opponent. Ultimately, one cannot say that when Djokovic plays big servers he is at a disadvantage. After all, he usually wins these encounters anyway. But if you stand any chance at all of beating the world number one, you better have a good serve at your disposal. Djokovic’s best weapon is his return, and if you can take that away from him you upset his rhythm and give yourself chances to take control of the match. It’s not guaranteed, of course, but if you can get into a tie-break and serve well, you have a better shot than most.
The Crystal Samurai By Valerio Carriero
Kei Nishikori has been forced to retire from a match 16 times in his career. This is an enormous number, many multiples the number for the average Tour player. The Japaneseborn sensation has been impressing observers with his immense talent throughout life, but he seems unable to pass even a few weeks without some sort of debilitating injury striking him down. The son of an engineer and a piano teacher, Nishikori is intelligent and funny off the court, something that does not necessarily come across when you watch him play. At only 1.78 meters tall, extremely short in the modern game, everything is more difficult for Nishikori than for his fellow superstars. Not that he minds, as he loves nothing more than to fully embrace a challenge. The first challenge he set himself in the world of tennis was called "Project 45," which was the simple goal of reaching the Top 45 in the world rankings. When he left the Bollettieri academy, this might have seemed a lofty ambition, but it was realized quicker than most people would have thought. Indeed, he did not just meet this goal but blew past it in pretty quick fashion. He is now a fixture in the Top 10, with a career-high ranking of four in the world. But his story continues being interrupted by the constant plague of injury. It has been, even more so that his fantastic talent and play, the one constant that has defined his career. Since the very beginning, when he won his first title in 2008 at Delray Beach, beating James Blake in the final as a 244-ranked qualifier, injury has loomed over him like a shadow. Full of
confidence from that victory, Nishikori entered the main draw of Wimbledon to play the first Slam of his career. Unfortunately, it would also be his first Slam withdrawal, but most certainly not the last. Indeed, while most players try to stay positive and hope they never get injured, Nishikori has been forced to live with the fact that he most likely will have to deal with these endless problems for his entire career. So significant an impact are they having on his ambitions, that they are not just changing his fortunes, but potentially those of the entire Tour. For example, in May of 2014 he played Rafael Nadal in the final of the ATP 1000 event in Madrid, and was absolutely destroying the Spaniard. Up a set and a break at 6-2, 4-2, he seemed destined to cruise to an easy victory. Then, out of nowhere, back pain overwhelmed him to the extent that he could not even finish the match. That incident affected his preparation for Roland Garros, where he lost in the first round. The knock-on effect continued into the American hard court season, where foot surgery kept him out of several events. He arrived at the US Open out of form and without many matches behind him. He then played some of the best tennis of his life, blowing past players like Raonic, Wawrinka and Djokovic before landing in his first Grand Slam final. He even won several long matches, something that usually drains him and leads to injury. He lost to Cilic in the final, but it again raised the question: what would this man be capable of if he stayed healthy? What if he had beaten Nadal in Madrid? Could he have gone on to win Roland Garros? The entire tennis landscape would have shifted completely from what we see today. Of his fellow Top 10 players, only Jo-Wilfried Tsonga comes close to Nishikori in terms of
retirements. It’s true that both Nadal and Murray have also suffered extended layoffs due to injury, nobody has had to content with the string of injuries Nishikori has. The most tragic thing is that the problem is getting worse, not better, especially during the grass court season. Nishikori has retired from Halle and Wimbledon twice in the past few seasons, each time with different ailments. This is most likely due to his increased workload during the clay court season preceding Wimbledon, which is the most physically taxing time of the year. So it seems clear that he will have to choose which part of the season he will play well in, as he clearly cannot be fit for a whole year. It seems that Nishikori’s career is destined to be one of the great “what-if” careers in tennis history. But that doesn’t mean he cannot still accomplish a great deal. Indeed, he might very well have a Slam to his name before all is said and done.
Lucas Pouille: A Future Contender by Giorgio Giannaccini With Roger Federer out for the year and Rafael Nadal still struggling with injury, everyone’s attention has turned to the next generation of tennis superstars. But while most people focus on the likes of Nick Kyrgios, Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev, another youngster has quietly but steadily made tremendous progress: Lucas Pouille. Born on 23 February, 1994 in northern France, Pouille can be described as the quintessential modern player: he is consistently excellent in all his fundamentals, from his forehand to his backhand to his serve, and is capable of injecting tremendous power into his shots when needs be. He is also tall essential these days at 1.85 meters, and makes good use of his height. His athleticism is similarly outstanding. Of course, keen observers knew quite a while ago that the young Frenchman was destined for great things. In 2014 at the Masters 1000 event in Paris, he started from qualifying, ranked 176, and beat the likes of Steve Johnson (ranked 41 at the
time) and Jarko Nieminen in order to get to the main draw. Once there, he faced Ivo Karlovic in the first round. The big-serving Croat was in good form coming into the event, but found no answer for Pouille’s energy and precision, and he was upset 6-1, 6-4. The flamboyant and inconsistent Fabio Fognini awaited him in the next round. Ranked 20 in the world, Fognini eventually lost 7-6, 7-6. In his press conference, when confronted by
skeptical journalists questioning how he managed to implode yet again, Fognini was defensive. “Pouille is strong,” he said prophetically. “Watch out for him.” Pouille’s luck ran out in the next round, however, when he hit the brick wall that is Roger Federer. It was a routine 6-4, 6-4 win for the Swiss, but Pouille learned a lot from the event, and would build on the confidence he gained in Paris. Since then he has
grown from strength to strength, yet managed to fly under the radar. People often gush about Thiem’s backhand, the flashy brilliance of Zverev and Goffin’s tactical acuity, yet rarely mention the Frenchman. But that has started changing. In Bucharest this year he reached the final before losing to Fernando Verdasco, then going on to qualify for the Masters 1000 event in Rome. There he reached the semi-finals,
losing to Murray after beating players like Ernest Gulbis and David Ferrer in his run to the final four. By far his most impressive achievement, however, came at Wimbledon. Finally freeing himself from the label of being a clay specialist, he reached the quarter-finals at SW19. He ousted Donald Young (6-4, 6-3, 6-3), Juan Martin Del Potro, (6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 6-1) and Bernard Tomic (10-8 in the fifth) en route to the quarters, where he met his match in Tomas
Berdych, the world number 9. His loss did not deter him though, having won $250 000 and a bucket load of ranking points. He is now knocking on the door of the Top 20, and shows no signs of slowing down. So while it might be sad that Roger and Rafa are nowhere to be seen at the moment, at least there is one more talented young face to keep a look out for.
England needed a lot of cheering up after their soccer team lost in humiliating fashion to Iceland at the European Football Championships at the end of June. Luckily for English sports fans, there was plenty of solace to be found at Wimbledon. One of the most interesting stories of the championships involved Marcus Willis, who went from unknown journeyman to national hero almost overnight. The story itself might have lasted only two rounds at the Championships, but for Willbomb (as he is known to friends) the tale started long before the television cameras were focused on him.
The Adventures Of Marcus Willis by Giorgio Giannaccini
It all began with the tournament hosted by the British tennis federation for a wild card into Wimbledon’s qualifying draw. Most of the top tennis players in the world automatically qualify for Wimbledon, with the rest getting entered into the qualifying draw. Willis’ ranking was so low that he didn’t even qualify for the qualifiers, but he was given the opportunity to fight his way in, which he did. He subsequently arrived at Roehampton, where the qualifiers for Wimbledon are held (the courts at SW19 are exclusively used for tournament play). In the first round Willis started with an upset, beating Yūichi Sugita in three sets after losing the first 6-1. Gaining confidence from that victory, he made short work of the brilliant but inconsistent youngster
Andrey Rublev, and finally clinched his spot in Wimbledon’s main draw with a win over Daniil Medvedev. Ranked 772 in the world, Willis suddenly found himself in a most unexpected place: Wimbledon. In most years, for most players, that is where the dream would stop: in the first round of the most important tennis tournament in the world. At first, it certainly seemed as if this might be his fate, as he was drawn to face the talented Ricardas Berankis, ranked 54 in the world, in his first match. But Berankis, usually a relatively reliable player, had no answer for Willis, losing in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. This finally caught the world’s attention, and Willbomb became a household name, at least for a time. What aided his fame was that he was due to play Roger Federer in the next round. There has likely never been a more contrasting picture in the history of the Championships: the former world number one, winner of 17 Grand Slams titles, versus a player ranked 772 in the world. Nobody expected Willis to challenge Federer, but the match was far from boring, with the Englishman giving everything on the court. The 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 might look brutal, but fun was had by all, and the crowd gave the players a standing ovation as they left Center Court. “I was nervous but the atmosphere was fantastic,” Willis said afterwards. “I loved every minute. It was really incredible.” One consolation for his loss was a check for $65 000, a pittance for the likes of Federer, but an enormous sum of money for a journeyman pro. Up to that point, Willis had earned only $356 in prize money in 2016. His main source of income was as a tennis instructor at the Warwick Boat Club, where he charged £30 per hour.
Willis had been contemplating retirement, but was talked out of it by his girlfriend, who encouraged him to follow his dreams. He is certainly happy that she did. Along with a decision not to retire came a re-dedication to tennis, which included a new diet and strict exercise regime, which played no small part in his success at the All England Club. Willis started Wimbledon off on a good note, but it was Andy Murray who finished it. Murray’s win was not the ultimate consolation for English football fans he is Scottish, after all but a British winner was certainly something to celebrate. And after that loss to Iceland, few would have thought there would be anything worth celebrating ever again.
Attack Versus Defense by Federico Coppini The weakest link in a chain determines its strength. In today's tennis, a player is often judged by the strength of his weakest shot. A strong serve and powerful forehand are no longer enough  to compete, your game needs to be complete. That being said, let us assume that a player is complete, and take a quick look at the fundamental question of how that player must use his shots. Many great matches have been won by players largely because they were able to play the right shot at the right time, even though they were technically overmatched by their opponent. On the other hand, many players with superior technical abilities have found themselves at the losing end of a match because they played the wrong shot at the wrong time. A technically perfect and aesthetically beautiful shot doesn’t mean anything if it is played from the wrong position or at an inopportune time, while an ugly shot put in the right spot might mean the difference between victory and defeat. Consider this: if the perfect baseline player came up against the perfect serve-and-volley player, who would win? Of course, neither such a player exists. However, if such a match were to take player, the baseline player would win every point. On return, he would be able to hit winners from the baseline, while on serve the volley player would have to come into the net on his first shot, meaning the perfect baseline player could perfectly lob or pass him before a
volley could be hit. It would be a case of absolute defense trumping absolute offense. In the real world, a balance of these things are required. So let us take a look at exactly what type of shot is defensive, and what type of shot is offensive. Simply put, we can classify offensive shots as strong groundstrokes, smashes, volleys and potentially serves and returns. Defensive shots are lobs, half-volleys, chops and slices. In some circumstances, certain defensive shots can be used to attack, but no offensive shot (with the exception of groundstrokes) can be used to defend. Let’s see how to deal with the scourge of all tennis players: the magician who constantly changes pace and (almost) never misses. Pro players of this type are Murray, Radwanska and Errani. These are the kinds of opponents who chase
down every single ball, putting everything back into play and driving other players insane. These kinds of players are very dangerous for young or inexperienced players, who don’t have the patience or mental fortitude to deal with the fact that their best shots are coming back. It takes much more than a strong forehand to beat this breed of opponent. There are a few very important things that a tennis player should know if he has any hope of winning this sort of match. First, do not be fooled into thinking you will get easy points and mistakes from your opponent. The only way you can win points and, ultimately, the match, is to patiently await your opportunity, and exploit it full when it arrives. Second, do not prolong the rallies too much. You are then playing his game, and he will wear you down until you make a mistake. Finally, do not think you can hit a winner every time he seems out of position. His speed will
catch you off-guard most times, and given that his defensive shots tend to be high and deep, it will be hard to get a lot of power on your strokes. So you will have to wait until the court has opened up more than with any other opponent until you pull the trigger. But you might be thinking, what opens up the court against such a player? There are several things, but they may go unnoticed if you are not careful. One option is to hit a deep, high ball in one corner of the court, and follow that up with a short, flat shot to the opposite side of the court. Another is to draw your opponent to the net and then pass him, because rarely is very defensive player good at the net. Other opportunities may be more difficult to recognize. Sometimes, for example, your opponent will hit a short ball up the middle of the court. This is an opportunity not to be missed. You must hit the ball hard back up the middle of the court and come to the net, which will cut of your opponent’s angles for a pass. This will likely provide you with a relatively straightforward volley or smash. Another option is to open up the court with your serve. If your opponent is used to you staying back after a serve, it will likely surprise him if you suddenly come to the net. This will give you an easy volley, and probably make him think twice about every return after that. One key ingredient is to hurry your opponent into playing a shot he does not want to, and coming to the net is the perfect way of doing that. Everybody struggles to play their game under pressure, especially baseliners.
You buy...what you think about! by Federico Coppini I read something the other day that stuck in my mind. It is such a bewildering thought and at the same time such an obvious one, that I can’t believe it hasn’t occurred to me before… “Our thoughts are like MONEY.” Think about this statement for a moment. In other words, everything you think about, you BUY We have all heard about the principle according to which our attention determines our emotional state and therefore the quality of the results we achieve. This is clear. If you really want something hard enough and focus all your energy on attaining it, you will most probably achieve it. If instead you do not focus on attaining it, you won’t. But the concept of the money metaphor takes this principle to a new level. It implies that we can even achieve things we DON’T want, if we think about them hard enough. Therefore if you keep thinking “I don’t want to be poor. I hate having no money. I don’t earn enough to buy what I want.” If you SPEND the majority of your thoughts on the experience of being poor, this is exactly what you will get. We all know people who complain all the time about how unlucky they are, and how events are always against them. And when we take a close look at their lives, what do we notice? They are right! They actually seem to be
unluckier than the average person. How can this be? Well, let us consider a salesman who is concerned about not making his sale, and who cannot think of anything else. Do you think he will be relaxed or nervous during his sales pitch? Do you think he will be more concerned with solving his customers’ problems or selling his product? Do you think he will respond to his customers’ objections with empathy or defensively? Clearly, a nervous and defensive sales person who pushes his product aggressively won’t stand much of a chance to make his sale. If thoughts are money then, and if we buy what we think about, the importance of a positive mental focus becomes obvious. For instance, if every month when you get your salary you had to go out and buy all the things you don’t want, you would find this ridiculous, wouldn’t you? Then be as frugal with your thoughts as you are with your money. How? In this way: 1. Increase your awareness of the times you harbour negative thoughts. Become used to asking yourself: “How is my thinking right now? Is it positive or negative? 2. If your focus is negative, replace it with its positive opposite. Instead of thinking about all that is lacking in your life, concentrate on what you have and your future opportunities. Get into the habit of asking yourself: “What do I like best in my life?” 3. Fight off external negative influences tooth
and nail. Steer clear from people that always whinge. Control the input of amplified and negative messages from the media. Get into the habit of asking yourself “What is influencing my attention right now; is it positive or negative? 4. Surround yourself with positive influences (or pay attention to what is around you). Do not blame the environment, the economy or your potential. You have all you need; you just have to feed your mind. Look for role models; associate frequently with energising people, people who inspire you and light up your spirit. Join a ‘mastermind group’ (a group of people with similar interests); this kind of association will improve your life more than anything else. Remember: you are the people you spend your time with. 5. Furnish and decorate your home with images and colours that make you feel good. Listen to exciting, energising and stimulating music. Get used to asking yourself “What can I focus on in order to improve the experience I am living?” In his renowned book “Think and Grow Rich”, Napoleon Hill wrote, “You must have ABSOLUTE CONTROL of one thing: your thoughts. If you can’t control the mind, you can rest assured that you will control nothing else.” With a constant positive mental focus, you will prepare a fertile ground where success and fulfilment will take root and grow. With a negative focus, your life will become ever more polluted, thus killing your dreams even before they are given a chance.
Babolat Dresses Up In Stars And Stripes by Carlo Cazzaniga
French racket manufacturer Babolat has made some very special changes to their famous Pure Aero rackets for a limited time they’ve covered them in stars and stripes! These rackets are sure to come in handy with the US Open on the horizon. The racket will be used by American Jack Sock, who is currently ranked 26 in the world. The specifications remain the same as the classic yellow and black version, which has proven immensely popular with both pro and casual players over the years. With a weight of 300 grams, the frame offers great power and stability, allowing players to keep the racket steady at the point of impact
for maximum effect. Babolat’s FSI Spin Technology adds a new level of spin to shots, giving players the edge in every exchange. Of course, Babolat did not stop with just the racket, but they have also released a bag with a similar makeover, featuring stars and stripes everywhere. With these two fashionable items, any player will be more than ready when the US Open kicks off at Flushing Meadows later this year.
Wimbledon is the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, which means that any clothing designer would love to have their outfits paraded around on Center Court. Unfortunately, the All England Club only allows the players to wear white, which puts a bit of a damper on the creativity of designers. Despite that, Wimbledon often sports some of the most interesting clothing of the year, in both the good and bad sense. Sometimes it looks as if players just stepped off the runway, while just as often they look as if they came to work in their pajamas. With this in mind, we turn our focus to the attention-getting outfits of Wimbledon 2016.
The Wimbledon Fashion Show
by Edoardo Di Mino
Thumbs up for Feliciano Lopez and Ellesse Over the past two years, Ellesse has continually surprised us with their elegant tennis outfits. This is likely to do with the fresh ideas brought to the company by a new design team. Ellesse focuses on trying to maintain a classic, old school look, while also utilizing the latest in technology. Their new collection, showcased at Wimbledon, delighted everyone with its impeccable style, breathability and ultra-light fabrics. Intelligent design is particularly evident in the upper part of garments, allowing the rest of the outfit to follow the movements of the body and impart a freedom of movement not often seen on court. Berdych and Adidas fail to impress Adidas is a very popular and influential brand,
but to say their showing at Wimbledon was a letdown would be an understatement. The men's line, worn by Tomas Berdych this year, featured shorts that have recently been spruced up, but are still quite lackluster. The shirt’s stitching pattern also leaves much to be desired, leaving Adidas way behind other brands at the event. On a brighter note, the US Open collection is looking much more exciting. Serena and Nike a winning combination Serena won a lot at Wimbledon this year. Not only did she walk away with the singles and doubles trophies, she is also the winner of the best-dressed award. Serena worked with Nike on her outfit, and her dedication to fashion certainly paid off. The dress has a clean, linear design with hidden seams on the top and a non-existent neckline, which no doubt pleased tournament organizers. The bottom of the dress flows wonderfully, especially when combined with the super light material it is made from. Makarova’s black socks Wimbledon has never been shy of handing out fines to players who violate its strict dress code. Even the great Roger Federer has been asked to adjust his wardrobe in the past. However, Ekaterina Makarova, currently number 30 in the world, played at Wimbledon with black socks without getting fined at all. At least, that’s how it appeared at first. Apparently she was wearing white socks after all, but also black anklets on top of those. These she was wearing for medical reasons, hence the organizers allowing it.
Mizuno Consolidates Success With New Winter Collection by Carlo Cazzaniga
The comeback continues for Mizuno, thanks to the success of an excellent tennis line for the spring and summer of 2016. Never willing to be complacent, the Japanese brand has pushed itself even further for its autumn/winter 2016-2017 collection. Catering to both elite players and more casual tennis fans, there is something for everyone in Mizuno’s new line. Thanks to continuous technological research, Mizuno has introduced a new line of shoes that is the company’s best yet. An important list of players will represent the brand at international competitions, such as Ivo Karlovic (world number 21), Marcos Baghdatis (45), Roberto Bautista Agut, Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Simone Bolelli. There are two main styles in the autumn/winter 2016-17 collection. Both styles come in two different types of soles: one for clay and one for other surfaces. Mizuno tennis shoes are developed with Wave technology, a Mizuno exclusive, which provides controlled damping and stability in lateral movements, always ensuring that your ankle is correctly positioned. The Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 2 is
designed for top professional players who are looking for a lightweight shoe that also sports high performance. The Mizuno Wave Tour Intense 2, which is also available in a ladies’ version, is designed for players who are looking for greater stability.
Mizuno Wave Tour Intense 2