Australian Tennis Magazine - July 2015

BODY AND HEALTH SPECIAL BEING THE BEST YOU CAN BE

NOVAK

ROLAND GARROS REVIEW

DJOK OVIC FLEX APPEAL THE NEW TENNIS BODY

Unstoppable Stan and Serena

TENNIS TRANSFORMERS Full body makeovers

NISHIKORI Kei to greatness?

NAPPING

ON THE JOB And other pro secrets

PLUS

DEFENSIVE BACKHAND BEWARE A WOUNDED OPPONENT MEDITATION YOGA

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JULY 2015 VOL 40 No. 7

contents

14

THE CHANGING TENNIS BODY

Bench pressing? So last century. Today’s leaner, longer physiques have been shaped by the demands of 21st-century tennis.

FEATURES

20 TENNIS TRANSFORMERS Champions who transformed their bodies – and their careers.

24 IN FINE FETTLE

Peak health, not the Grand Slam, is the new holy grail of tennis. Why Lleyton Hewitt is a role model in professionalism and resilience.

32 BEWARE THE INJURED PLAYER

Nothing can mess with the mind more than an injured opponent. How to avoid the mental minefield and stay focused on your game plan.

34 THE PAIN GAME

We admire champions even more when they come back from serious injury or illness. Not all of them do.

52 BEND IT LIKE NOVAK

The world No.1 isn’t the only top player to benefit from yoga.

Game, set, mat.

56 OUCH… THAT HURTS!

You don’t have to be a pro to suffer major injury. Some sensible body maintenance goes a long way in preventing injury and keeping you on court.

26

THE LOW-CARB TENNIS TAKEOVER Unlike the meat-and-potatoes champions of the past, today’s pros are limiting and refining their carbohydrate intake. Should you?

JULY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

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JULY 2015 VOL 40 No.7

41

LEADING LIGHTS

A slashing Stan Wawrinka ended Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam dream, while Serena Williams fought off nerves and a dangerous Lucie Safarova to keep hers alive.

Highlights from a drama-filled French Open.

REGULARS 8 BREAKPOINTS 12 THE HITTING WALL 31 STROKEMASTER 54 GEARING UP 60 FROM THE CLUBHOUSE 64 RANKINGS 66 SCOREBOARD 68 20 QUESTIONS 70 IN FOCUS 72 KIDS’ CLUBHOUSE 74 LAST WORD

48

LITTLE BIG MAN

Kei Nishikori is the smallest man in the top 10. Does this David among Goliaths have the talent and grit to win a major?

4

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE JULY 2015

EDITOR Vivienne Christie ACTING EDITOR Suzi Petkovski ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniela Toleski FOUNDING EDITOR Alan Trengove GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andrea Williamson Melissa O’Connor

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.

TALL STORY

200

150

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA – 188 CM

FERNANDO VERDASCO – 188 CM

ROBIN SODERLING – 193 CM

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO – 178 CM

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO – 198 CM

ANDY RODDICK – 188 CM

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10

ANDY MURRAY – 190 CM

No.1

50

0

NOVAK DJOKOVIC – 188 CM

100

RAFAEL NADAL – 185 CM

their athletic brethren. Current No.1 Novak Djokovic, at 188 cm, is the same height as predecessors Stefan Edberg and Ivan Lendl. Height is more of a winner in women’s tennis, with six-feetplus Amazons Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport all major winners and former No.1s. Dual Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, at 182 cm, is a smidgen under six feet.

Of course, some statistical variation comes into play, with our top 10s (apart from 2015 fi gures) taken from yearend rankings. And we’ve gone back in decades. The years in between may yield surprises. Like 1991, which featured five men 190 cm or taller, and 2009, which yielded the tallest average – 188.1 cm – for men players. Is there a taller top 10?

Let us know.

LONG AND SHORT OF IT: 198 cm Delpo and 178 cm Davydenko.

ROGER FEDERER – 185 CM

N

ot if we take the top 10s of the past three decades as a gauge.

Although the average height of men in the top 10 (May 25 rankings) is up 5 cm on the 2005 fi gure, today’s men are slightly shorter than in 1991 and in 2009, which may be the tallest top 10 group ever.

A similar story in the women’s game, with today’s 177.4 cm average falling short of the 178.2 figure a decade ago.

So while the general trend is toward taller athletes, today’s players are not at historic highs, nor is the curve irreversible.

When it comes to scaling the summit in the men’s game, taller is not necessarily better. Former No.1s Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras, with 45 major titles between them, are all 185 cm, average among

CENTIMETRES

Are tennis players really getting bigger all the time?

TALL TIMBER: The 2009 men’s top 10 may be the tallest ever, yielding an average height of 188.1cm Shortest: Nikolay Davydenko 178 cm; Tallest: Juan Martin del Potro 198 cm; Average: 188.1 cm

SCALING the heights …

Top 10 heights

2015

200

188

185

190

196

198

196 185

178

175

(May 25 rankings)

6

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE JULY 2015

177

178

184

180

180

162

178

180

180

ANDREA PETKOVIC

EKATERINA MAKAROVA

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO

ANA IVANOVIC

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI

PETRA KVITOVA

SIMONA HALEP

MARIN CILIC

189 175

175

MARIA SHARAPOVA

SERENA WILLIAMS

STAN WAWRINKA

DAVID FERRER

RAFAEL NADAL

MILOS RAONIC

193 180

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10

188 174

175

AMELIE MAURESMO

188

KEI NISHIKORI

185

TOMAS BERDYCH

185

Djokovic is the same height as former No.1s Lendl and Edberg.

180

178 167

178

185

168

VENUS WILLIAMS

NADIA PETROVA

ELENA DEMENTIEVA

PATTY SCHNYDER

JUSTINE HENIN

MARY PIERCE

IVAN LJUBICIC

ANDRE AGASSI

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10 No.1

MARIA SHARAPOVA

LINDSAY DAVENPORT

GASTON GAUDIO

GUILLERMO CORIA

DAVID NALBANDIAN

No.1

ANDY RODDICK

RAFAEL NADAL

0

ROGER FEDERER

50

LLEYTON HEWITT

100

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO

150 CENTIMETRES

Shortest: Justine Henin 167 cm; Tallest: Lindsay Davenport 189 cm; Average: 178.2 cm

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10 No.1

200

MEN

WOMEN

182 168

KIM CLIJSTERS

2005

No.1

ANDY MURRAY

0

ROGER FEDERER

50

Shortest: Carla Suarez Navarro 162 cm; Tallest: Maria Sharapova 188 cm; Average: 177.4 cm

Shortest: Guillermo Coria and Gaston Gaudio 175 cm; Tallest: Ivan Ljubicic 193 cm; Average: 182.1 cm

100

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

CENTIMETRES

WOMEN

175

150

MEN Shortest: David Ferrer 175 cm; Tallest: Marin Cilic 198 cm; Average: 187.4 cm

188

183

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10

Davenport headed the tallest women’s top 10 a decade ago.

FIRST SERVE

Let’s Get Physical Not

so long ago, ‘athlete’ and ‘tennis player’ were rarely used in the same sentence. Sure, tennis boasted world-class physical specimens like Margaret Court (aka the Aussie Amazon) and Bjorn Borg, dubbed the Ice Borg for his resting heart-rate of 35. The last Grand Slammer, Steffi Graf, ran 1500 metres in almost Olympicqualifying times.

But the prevailing wisdom was that abundant athletic ability was not required for tennis. In their early days on tour, speedy and powerful Venus and Serena Williams were criticised for lacking ‘court sense’. How times have changed.

Tennis players today think of themselves as athletes fi rst.

Nutrition, recovery, rigorous stretching for injury prevention, sprints, weights, yoga, Pilates, meditation, day-time naps, icebaths and daily massages are as much a part of the tennis player’s existence as practice sets and on-court drills. Trainers and physios equal – or outnumber – coaches on tour. Until recently, Andy Murray travelled with two trainers and a physio.

The game has never been more physically demanding, and no champion can succeed today without maximising every iota of their physical ability.

Sometimes, the physical aspect is the difference in elevating a fine player to world-beater.

Like Murray adding 13kg of muscle. Or Novak Djokovic’s well-documented switch to

Nexnt th mo

a gluten-free diet before his dominant 2011 season. Murray and Djokovic are walking in the footsteps of Martina Navratilova, Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi before them.

Out in club land, we don’t have every waking hour to devote to our tennis games. But we can surely follow the pros’ lead in paying more attention to our bodies – whether it’s strengthening through weights, or the gentler work of rest and recovery. There’s plenty of inspiration for improvement in this Body issue. Even small changes, as champions have found, can make a big difference on the court.

From tactical blunders to player brand-building and post-playing careers, the August issue is at the business end of the game.

Suzi Petkovski Acting Editor

August issue on sale from 30 July.

THE BUSINESS OF WINNING

18

Top 10 heights

200

MEN

194

188

180

183

188

190

193

191 180

178

177

175

173

1990s No.1 Sampras is the same height as Federer and Nadal.

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10

185

183 172

168

163

IVA MAJOLI

169

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ

STEFFI GRAF

JIM COURIER

BORIS BECKER

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10 No.1

MONICA SELES

GORAN IVANISEVIC

WAYNE FERREIRA

THOMAS ENQVIST

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV

MICHAEL CHANG

THOMAS MUSTER

ANDRE AGASSI

No.1

178

170

GABRIELA SABATINI

179

MAGDALENA MALEEVA

175

175

167

184

173

188 175

172

170

164

Navratilova was No.1 but below average height in 1985.

BONNIE GADUSEK

HELENA SUKOVA

ZINA GARRISON

MANUELA MALEEVA

STEFFI GRAF

CLAUDIA KOHDE-KILSCH

PAM SHRIVER

HANA MANDILKOVA

KEVIN CURREN

YANNICK NOAH

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10 No.1

BORIS BECKER

No.1

CHRIS EVERT

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA

MILOSLAV MECIR

ANDERS JARRYD

STEFAN EDBERG

0

JOHN McENROE

50

MATS WILANDER

100

JIMMY CONNORS

150 CENTIMETRES

Shortest: Zina Garrison 164 cm; Tallest: Helena Sukova 188 cm; Average: 174.8 cm

186

PETE SAMPRAS

0

1985

WOMEN

100

50

Shortest: Kimiko Date 163 cm; Tallest: Monica Seles 179 cm; Average: 172.7 cm

Shortest: Jimmy Connors 178 cm; Tallest: Miroslav Mecir 191 cm; Average: 185.6 cm

185

IVAN LENDL

WOMEN

191

150 CENTIMETRES

Shortest: Michael Chang 175 cm; Tallest: Goran Ivanisevic 194 cm; Average: 185.6 cm

180

MARY PIERCE

MEN

190

190 180

KIMIKO DATE

185

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO

200

CONCHITA MARTINEZ

1995

No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8 No.9 No.10 JULY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

7

THE CHANG TENNIS BO Bench-pressing is so last century. Today’s longer, leaner silhouettes combine strength, agility and unprecedented flexibility – a body shape that has evolved with the demands of 21st-century pro tennis. By NICK McCARVEL.

14

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE JULY 2015

FEATURE

ING DY JULY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

15

MOM N UMSPECIAL

POWER TO NEW HEIGHTS

START OVER

FORWARD NG THINKI Goal setting

Top tactical

turnarounds

secrets

POWER PLAYS Gain the

NEVER MISS

BOUNCE BACK Learn from

STAYING

a loss

G N O STR

momentum and keep it

LLEYTON HEWITT A new life NOVAK IC DJOKOV ?

E The L B PPA Slam in Grand O T sight?

S N U S WILLIAM MADISON IS SERENA KEYS Making

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FRENCH OPEN

LEADING

LIGHTS As Serena Williams extended her greatness with a 20th Grand Slam victory at Roland Garros, Stan Wawrinka underlined his increasing star status by upsetting Novak Djokovic to claim a surprise second Slam.

By LEO SCHLINK

LITTLE BIG MAN

48

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE JULY 2015

KEI NISHIKORI, the smallest man in the top 10, faces a formidable challenge to trump the Goliaths of the game for a major title. Can the 2014 US Open finalist go one better? PAUL FEIN takes up the case for the talented little guy.

JULY 2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS MAGAZINE

49