Australian Tennis Magazine - January 2015

THE MILESTONES ISSUE SETTING NEW STANDARDS

The

BIG3 RAFA

ROGER NOVAK Greatest era ever?

Change YOUR GAME

TRAINING

TARGETS TURNING

POINTS BETTER BENCHMARKS SMARTER SELF TALK

2015

AUS

OPEN YOUR GUIDE Player forecasts

Aussie

CHARGE

THE LEGEND OF LLEYTON

KYRGIOS

DELLACQUA

NEW RECORDS

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JANUARY 2015 VOL 40 No. 01

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A SUPERSTAR ENCOUNTER She’s powerful, intimidating – and an honour to compete against. Opponents talk about a match up against world No.1 Serena Williams.

contents FEATURES 15 THE BIG THREE

Sharing world no.1 honours for the past decade, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal feature in a trivalry for the ages.

25 SHAKE UP! FAST4 TENNIS HITS THE BIG STAGE. Australian tennis is undergoing a transformation with the introduction of the exciting new FAST4 format.

36 TURNING POINTS

While milestones are celebrated, the turning points that lead to them can be more momentous.

47 GREAT MILESTONES OF THE OPEN ERA From the rise of professionalism to new tennis bodies, the modern game has been shaped by many critical turns.

55 10 PREDICTIONS FOR 2015

With season 2014 offering surprise after surprise, the New Year is bound to bring more unexpected moments.

Still, we cast an eye over what might unfold.

63 MIRROR IMAGES

Among the new generation of stars are several players carrying on the stylistic legacies of the greats who came before them.

72 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Australian tennis is at its statistically strongest for more than a decade – and with confidence and spirits high, the numbers could keep adding up this summer.

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STAGES OF SUSTENANCE Tennis development features many stages and that’s as true with nutrition as it is in any part of your game.

JANUARY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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JANUARY 2015 VOL 40 No. 01

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A LEGEND LIVES ON

Starting a remarkable journey as the youngest Australian Open qualifier ever, Lleyton Hewitt continues in recordbreaking fashion almost two decades later.

REGULARS 10 33 35 92 102 105 111 112 115 118

BREAKPOINTS BE THE PRO GEARING UP LOOKING BACK FROM THE CLUBHOUSE RANKINGS IN FOCUS 20 QUESTIONS KIDS CLUBHOUSE LAST WORD

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TRAINING TOUCHSTONES

Working towards a milestone matters as much in your training as it does in your matches.

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AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2015

EDITOR Vivienne Christie ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniela Toleski FOUNDING EDITOR Alan Trengove GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andrea Williamson Melissa O’Connor Trevor Bridger

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nicole Hearnden ADMINISTRATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Daniel Heathcote PHOTOGRAPHS Getty Images, John Anthony, Image(s) licensed by Ingram Publishing COVER PHOTO Getty Images COVER DESIGN & PHOTO EDITING Andrew Hutchison, FourFront

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.

FIRST SERVE

Making milestones matter

T

he New Year is the perfect time to consider a tennis milestone. Whether that be an acknowledgement of the many benchmarks already achieved in the game or some careful planning of those that are still to come, there’s a fresh outlook, pleasing timing and often a superb synergy as a new season begins.

That’s especially true here in Australia, host to the Grand Slam that often provides an opportunity for players to create – and fans to watch – something special. That scenario was demonstrated superbly at Australian Open 2014, when Stan Wawrinka broke the Big Four stranglehold and LI Na created yet more tennis history when each became fi rst time champions at Melbourne Park.

There’s another compelling reason to make this issue of Australian Tennis Magazine a milestone special. In 2015, Australia’s only tennis publication enters if 40th year of publishing – a rare feat in the niche publishing market and one of which we’re especially

proud. We’ve come a long way since John Newcombe graced our fi rst cover, the magazine doubling as the official program for the Australian Open that year. When it’s time to celebrate our 40th birthday, it’s certain to be something special.

Until then, we’re looking back at the many milestones that have shaped our game into the high quality, innovative and constantly evolving sport that we love today. Alongside features on history-making champions like Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Lleyton Hewitt, you’ll fi nd an exploration of the new FAST4 format (which will be launched by some of those champions this summer) and advice on how to get the most from your game.

We can sense you targeting new tennis benchmarks already. And why not? It’s the new season and an ideal time to strive for new standards.

Happy New Year, and enjoy some milestone tennis.

Vivienne Christie editor@tennismag.com.au

BE INSPIRED!

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With the world’s top players in our midst, there is inspiration all around. We’ll help you make the most of it with event reviews, player features and inspiration galore that will help you get the most from your game. Next issue is available from 9 February – a slightly longer gap between publication, but following the Australian summer, it will be well worth the wait!

Nexnt th mo

Targeting new highs Some players who could achieve new milestones this Australian summer:

Will world No.1 Novak Djokovic become the first man of the Open era to win five Australian Open titles?

Should she claim a 19th Grand Slam, Serena Williams will move ahead of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in the record books.

At age 33, Roger Federer is capable of adding to his record 17 Grand Slams –evidenced by his return to world No.2 in 2014.

The first Russian winner of the Australian Open women’s title in 2008, Maria Sharapova would love to win another major .

As a finalist at the 2014 US Open, Kei Nishikori became asia's most accomplished player — at Australian Open 2015 he could create more history.

JANUARY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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MILESTONE MEN

Amassing milestone after milestone for the best part of a decade, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are the Big Three stars of what could well be the most glorious era in tennis. By STEVE BARRETT

JANUARY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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FEATURE

The

Tennis loves its record-busting champions but some of the game’s most fascinating episodes involve the doomed quest for career milestones, or the price in achieving them.

By SUZI PETKOVSKI

RECORDS BROKEN: A fourthround loss in 2009 is the only blip in Rafael Nadal’s stunning French Open record, which includes nine wins in 10 appearances.

JANUARY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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FEATURE

Turning

points

While it’s the milestones that are celebrated in tennis, the turning points that lead to them are often more momentous. NICHOLAS McCARVEL uncovers some of our favourite stories.

S

tan Wawrinka stood at the net on Rod Laver Arena court, arms outstretched towards it, propping himself up as the disbelief engulfed him, his head sunk low between his shoulders: Somehow, someway, he couldn’t close it out against Novak Djokovic.

It was the end of their 2013 epic, a match that finished with a dizzying display of the legendary tennis the two had played over five hours on that 36

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2015

Melbourne night. It was perhaps one of the most disappointing losses of Wawrinka’s career, but also the one where he finally served notice: Stan was here to stay.

In tennis, and in sport, winning means everything. Players are measured by their success on the court, by how many tournament trophies that can be counted in their glassed cases home, by numbers written down in a record book. But sometimes, as Wawrinka displayed in

FEATURE

ng a i o g r e s u nd i s c t io n i u n d n o e t r t l ia n e in Austra ation with th ST4 format, rm FA transfo exciting new O O R E of the orts PAU L M rep

A SH

!

P U KE

e g a t s g i b e h t s t i h s i n n e t Fast4

STAR SHOWCASE: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will feature in FAST4 matches.

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FEATURE

GREAT MILESTONES

OF THE OPEN ERA If there’s one thing we’ve learned in the Open era, it’s that tennis is an ever-evolving sport. From shifting surfaces to revamped scoring systems, increased professionalism and new benchmarks in earning opportunities many pivotal trends have changed the game.

As Australian Tennis Magazine looks ahead to a new milestone in its 40th year, we also look back at the turning points that have shaped tennis itself. By PAUL FEIN

JANUARY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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