Australian Tennis Magazine - February 2011

FEBRUARY 2011

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summer stars

australian open 2011 Courting new Characters

Your Game

• • • •

Serve Strong, Return Smart Ability with Agility Optimal Eating Tips for Touring

novak djokovic

A Grand Slam Reawakening

Print Post Approved PP 349181/00187

kim clijsters

a true blue breakthrough

FEBRUARY 2011 REGULARS 7

Topspin

15

Your Serve

46

Court Talk

55

My Game

62

My Coach

76

Rankings

78

Scoreboard

OR FROM THE EDIT ims of the floods that names rallied to support vict

A

s the game’s top tennis Open 2011 was there was a sense Australian devastated parts of Australia, of the new n just the first ma jor champions going to showcase more tha

tennis season. figure from that multi-million dollar fundraising And how it delivered. While the onstrating a depth ed the game’s superstars in dem day grew, new characters join r the final balls are struck. of spirit that resonates long afte id Nalbandian but showed heart in taking Dav Lleyton Hewitt lost first round ic silenced Tom d ive commentary debut. Bernar to five sets before his impress ed world No. 1 Rafael the third round, where he test the critics with a gutsy run to ht future in upsetting a ille showed glimpses of a brig Sav e Luk or juni sie Aus al.

Nad the boy’s final. string of seeds on the way to first Chinese e a role model to millions as the Na Li made history and becam final, brandishing to progress to a Grand Slam woman – in fact, first Asian – Alexandr Dolgopolov way. Surprise quarter-finalist personality aplenty along the Schiavone and watch in the future. Francesca showed he’s among those to minute marathon. d a thriller in their four hour, 44 Svetlana Kuznetsova delivere all four ma jors since become the first man to hold World No. 1 Nadal, hoping to injury contributed to wed the best qualities when sho y sibl pos 9, 196 in er Lav Rod impeded Spaniard i-finals. Not only did the clearlyending that dream in the sem the problem posthe also refused to talk about resolutely finish the match, but to David Ferrer. match, giving credit instead as her sixth the poster girl for perseverance Kim Clijsters, meanwhile, was ian Open. Novak finally delivered a first Austral run to the semi-finals or better ma jor. in finally claiming his second Djokovic showed similar traits arming speeches ions ended with such heart-w It was fitting that both champ t staff and family, from her dentist to her suppor – Clijsters thanking everyone de them the d victims. It was form that ma Djokovic remembering the floo s. t makes them such popular one champions, but character tha

VIVIENNE CHRISTIE, Editor

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EDITOR CONSULTING EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR ART DIRECTOR ADVERTISING MANAGER ADMINISTRATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER MY COACH CONTENT PHOTOGRAPHS

COVER PHOTO

Vivienne Christie Alan Trengove Daniela Toleski Naomi O’Bryan Jackie Cunningham Ben Carenco Travis Atkinson, Karen Clydesdale Getty Images, John Anthony (All photographs by Getty Images unless specified) Getty Images

Australian Tennis Magazine is published monthly by TENNIS AUSTRALIA LTD, Private Bag 6060, Richmond, Vic 3121. Ph: (03) 9914 4200 Email: editor@tennismag.com.au Distributed by Network Distribution Company Printed in Australia by Webstar The views expressed in Australian Tennis Magazine are not necessarily those held

by Tennis Australia. While the utmost care is taken in compiling the information contained in this publication, Tennis Australia is not responsible for any loss or injury occurring as a result of any omissions in either the editorial or advertising appearing herein.

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Australian Tennis Magazine | February 2011

FEbRUARY 2011 VOL 36 No. 2

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FEATURES

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The Djoker Gets Serious Can the “big two” become the “big three”? It’s a question many are asking as an awe-inspiring Novak Djokovic halted the trend of Nadal and Federer finals to claim a second Australian Open.

Y ou Say You Want A Revolution?

If a change will do you good then the Australian Open, delivering charming new characters and fresh champions, is in very fine shape indeed.

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Starting Strong There’s no better kick start to a new season than first-time success in the Australian summer.

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C rowning Aussie Kim K im Clijsters showed she’s the top player on the women’s tour – even if the rankings don’t quite show it.

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Justine Henin: a world of her own J ust a year after restarting her career, Justine Henin has announced that injury is forcing her second retirement.

Australian Tennis Magazine | February 2011

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john anthony

Happy to be an honorary Aussie, Kim Clijsters wore a Carla Zampatti dress as she celebrated at Melbourne’s iconic Brighton Beach.

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Australian Tennis Magazine | February 2011

Crowning Aussie Kim With charming new characters and established stars stepping up, Australian Open 2011 was all about showcasing the women’s tour at its finest. Ultimately, though, it was Kim Clijsters’ title to claim as she set about showing she’s the top player in today’s game – even when the rankings don’t quite show it. By Vivienne Christie

H

owever tenuous the connection might have become, Kim Clijsters knew that “Aussie Kim” was a tag she was never going to shake easily. Even if she spends the most time in her native Belgium and has a stronger link to her husband’s American homeland, Clijsters has been travelling to Australia for too long – and leaving too significant an impression – for devoted supporters to surrender their adopted favourite now.

With a broad smile and eager-to-please

the 2004 final and felled by injury in the third set of her semi against eventual champion Amelie Mauresmo in 2006. Fresh from her victory in the US Open, Clijsters’ comeback tournament of 2010 promised much but ultimately delivered little, the favourite suffering a baffling thirdround loss to Nadia Petrova.

They’re the setbacks that can build character, though, and Clijsters showed plenty of it at Melbourne Park, starting with

A smart switch ... Na Li, Asia’s first Grand Slam finalist, originally planned a badminton career.

“I’m not the youngest one out there anymore. I’m going to have to use it to my advantage.” – Kim Clijsters demeanour, being “Aussie Kim” suits Clijsters too – especially given the fact that beneath the good humour and laid-back approach there’s a steely individual who’s not afraid to make her point (just ask Todd Woodbridge following their much talked about centre court exchange).

While accepting her setbacks graciously, Clijsters also tackles them with a fierce resolve.

And so it was at this year’s Australian Open, a major that until recently seemed confined to Clijsters’ might-have-been files. In eight appearances she’d been a semi-finalist or better five times, falling to red-hot countrywoman Justine Henin in

a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of former World No. 1 and 2009 finalist Dinara Safina that took just 44 minutes to complete and ending with her three-set win over surprise finalist Na Li, the only player to test the champion in a superb final that will be remembered among the best in recent Australian Open history.

Experience showed for Clijsters, who admitted that even if she’s not always comfortable being title favourite, she’s learned to handle the pressure. Asked if she agrees she’s a more complete player than in

her previous eight Australian Open attempts, the Belgian had a slightly different viewpoint.

“I don’t know ‘better player’.

I think a more mature person. I think that’s also something that has an impact on the way that you feel on court. So I think my best tennis, you know, I could do it then, too, Australian Tennis Magazine | February 2011

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