tennishead Volume 5 Issue 3

EXPERT TUITION: TECHNIQUE

Andy Murray volley and Flavia Pennetta forehand

TRAVEL: TENNIS TOURIST Croatian luxury and Goran Ivanisevic

TEAM TENNIS: TWO’S COMPANY How to kick-start doubles success

WIN!

TICKETS FOR THE ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

WWW.TENNISHEAD.NET | JULY 2014

THE WORLD’S BEST TENNIS M AGA ZINE

RACKET REVIEWS

Expert buying advice

ANA IVANOVIC The power of now

ANDY MURRAY WILL THE MAGIC RETURN?

MARIA SHARAPOVA I’m not 17 any more

WIMBLEDON 2014 DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

PATRICK MOURATOGLOU

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 JULY 2014 £4.50

What it takes to win on grass EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS: JAMIE MURRAY // ROSS HUTCHINS // DONNA VEKIC

FREE APP THE TENNISHEAD QUIZ Test your tennis knowledge any time and anywhere on your smart phone or tablet

BRILLIANT NEW Wimbledon Quiz App available NOW!

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Contents

Ba bol at Pu re Dri v e pag e 92

JULY 2014

im prov er RACKET REVIE WS pag e 87

78

34

ANDY MURRAY Climbing the mountain

doubles success

74 SUBSCRIBE TODAY See page 6 for details.

How to stay hydrated

ACADEMY 64 CAUGHT AT THE NET

GALLERY

22 Through the lens

68 PATRICK MOURATOGLOU

Photos from the tour

WIN

54

15 BOOK EXTRAVAGANZA Some of the summer’s great tennis reads

MARIA SHARAPOVA

60 ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

Tickets for the year-end event

80 K -Swiss shoes

Andy Murray’s volley

66 ITALIAN FIREPOWER

Young at heart

Booty for the star letter writer

Conquering the grass

74 NUTRITION

How to stay hydrated

76 MATS MERKEL

Tackling tournament qualification

78 DOUBLE UP Sharp reactions for doubles success

80 ASK TENNISHEAD

92 Babolat Pure Drive

Flavia Pennetta’s forehand

Expert answers to your questions

GEAR

Courtesy of online retailer Pro-Direct

83 GEAR NEWS

BIG READ

08 Hawkeye

94 WILSON PRO STAFF Iconic kit to hold onto

The latest from the tour

12 LOCKER ROOM

Jamie Murray and John Peers

16 HOT STUFF

Croatian teenager Donna Vekic

20 INSIDE OUT

Ross Hutchins on being a suit

34 ANDY MURRAY

Climbing the mountain

40 WIMBLEDON 2014

The greatest show on earth

New kit you won’t want to miss

87 RACKET REVIEWS

68

PATRICK MOURATOGLOU taming the turf

Frames for improvers

TRAVEL 98 CROATIAN ADVENTURES

Luxury trips to Umag

RESULTS AND RANKINGS 102 ATP & WTA TOUR

Comprehensive results

54 MARIA SHARAPOVA

108 SINGLES WORLD RANKINGS

Young at heart

Men’s and women’s top 100

114 ACTION REPLAY

110 TEAM TENNIS

Sharapova’s Wimbledon victory

Doubles results W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 5

hawkeye

THE NUMBERS game [stats]

Significant patterns and percentages from the ATP and WTA tours

321

Martina Navratilova

Singles tournaments won by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert combined Consecutive singles finals reached by Martina Navratilova after Eastbourne 1983 Most double faults served by a woman at Wimbledon 2013 - Marion Bartoli

91-22

1

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic’s titles on grass Wimbledon 2011 10 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

Marion Bartoli

© RAY GIUBILO

23 33

212

Matches the Bryan brothers lost on grass last year

Goran Ivanisevic, Wimbledon 2001 Goran Ivanisevic

35

Days of the 2014 ATP grass court season

3000 Most WTA ranking points won at Wimbledon over past three years

Number of men’s tie-breaks at Wimbledon 2013 compared to women’s

0

Most aces served in a single tournament

© RAY GIUBILO

58

Daniela Hantuchova

67

Tamarine Tanasugarn

72

76

Maria Sharapova

Ladies’ singles prize money at Wimbledon in 1968

Venus Williams

£750

79

Roger Federer has won Wimbledon four times after winning Halle

Serena Williams

4/6

Most wins on grass amongst current WTA players before 2014 season

Petra Kvitova Petra Kvitova

Bryan brothers

74%

Highest percentage of break points saved on grass

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Pete Sampras Stats from WTA and ATP

A NEW CHAPTER...

Three new tennis books hit the shelves in time for summer – Murray's spell with Lendl, Djokovic's background and the men's game are all analysed. Read on!

IVAN LENDL: THE MAN WHO MADE MURRAY

By Mark Hodgkinson Published by Aurum Press (£18.99)

→ In just over two years working with Andy Murray, Ivan Lendl helped turn the Scot into a two-time Grand Slam champion.

When Murray announced in March that he had parted company with Lendl the news was met with as many raised eyebrows as when he appointed the eight-time major champion in December 2011.

Like Murray, Lendl lost his first four major finals but went on to become world No.1 and win eight Grand Slams, but he had no experience of coaching.

In Ivan Lendl: The Man Who Made Murray, Mark Hodgkinson, author of Andy Murray Wimbledon Champion, investigates how Lendl turned Murray from a perennial runner-up into US Open champion and the first Briton to lift the Wimbledon trophy in 77 years, offering an insight into the relationship, and how it came to an end.

To win a copy of Ivan Lendl: The Man Who Made Murray visit www.tennishead.net/win.

THE SPORTING STATESMAN: NOVAK DJOKOVIC AND THE RISE OF SERBIA

By Chris Bowers Published by John Blake (£17.99)

→ Among all of today’s top tennis players, Novak Djokovic’s story is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating. In The Sporting Statesman: Novak Djokovic and The Rise of Serbia, Chris Bowers, a freelance journalist for The Times, Independent and Observer, doesn’t just look at Djokovic as a tennis player, but as an ambassador for Serbia. He delves into the history of Djokovic’s family, his relationship with his volatile father Srdjan and how he continued to play tennis even when NATO planes bombed Belgrade. Although not an authorised biography, as Djokovic wants to write his own when he retires, Bowers did speak to the Serb as well as family members, friends and, most significantly, Jelena Gencic, the woman who taught Djokovic to play tennis. In her last formal interview before she died from cancer, Gencic tells Bowers how she saw enough in her first afternoon with a five-year-old Djokovic to know he was a potential world-beater and how she came to be his ‘second mother’.

Break Point: The Inside Story of Modern Tennis

By Kevin Mitchell Published by John Murray (£18.99)

→ 2013 was the year of the narrative. From Rafa’s return from injury to Federer’s decline and Murray finally ending his wait for a Wimbledon win, it was a year full of stories. And they weren’t all about the ‘Big Four’ either, with new challengers starting to show signs of threatening the established order and stars of the future beginning to show their potential. All in all there were more than enough narratives to write a book about, which is exactly what Observer and Guardian journalist Kevin Mitchell has done with Break Point.

Mitchell starts where the story of 2013 began for Murray – at the US Open in 2012. He explores the relationship between Murray and the travelling media, how he has changed in recent years and gives first-hand insight into his training regime in Miami – ‘the experience was enough to render us mute’. Mitchell then gets stuck into 2013, the high-quality Australian Open final between Murray and Djokovic, Nadal’s return from injury in Vina del Mar and Federer’s ‘dilemma’ over whether he could still challenge at the very top. As he continues to chronicle the year’s events, Mitchell gives illuminating insights

“WITH INSIGHT INTO MURRAY'S TRAINING REGIME - 'IT WAS ENOUGH TO RENDER US MUTE'" into life as a full-time tennis correspondent and explains why Wimbledon 2013 was the ‘single most significant turning point in the realignment of men’s tennis since the decline of the serve volley game’. Fittingly, Mitchell finishes with a chapter entitled ‘Who’s next?’ looking at who will crack the ‘Big Four’ this year and whether men’s tennis is indeed on the cusp of change.

THE BLUFFER'S GUIDE TO TENNIS

By Dave Whitehead → Friends and family don’t know their Borgs from their Beckers? Their Sharapovas from their Hantuchovas? Well Dave Whitehead is here to help with his Bluffer’s Guide to Tennis.

For your chance to win a copy, visit www.tennishead.net W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T 15

BOOKS

BOOKS

hawkeye

hot stufF Donna Vekic

Coming of age After making a big breakthrough at Edgbaston last year, Donna Vekic will be hoping to enjoy further success in Britain this summer Words: JO CARTER

I

t is ten years since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova stunned Serena Williams at Wimbledon to win her maiden Grand Slam title. Today Sharapova remains one of the biggest names in the sport, but a new generation of players is on the rise, determined to topple the 27-year-old Russian and her contemporaries from their perch. If any one of them is capable of making a major breakthrough as a teenager it might just be a player who has frequently been compared with Sharapova herself.

Donna Vekic, who will celebrate her 18th birthday at the end of June, is tall, blonde and elegant and comes from Eastern Europe. The similarities with Sharapova do not end there.

Like the world’s highest-earning sportswoman, Vekic has a steely determination and strength of character that mark her out as an exceptional prospect.

The Croatian’s mental fortitude was evident in Kuala Lumpur in April, when she became the youngest winner of a title on the Women’s Tennis Association tour since Vania King in 2006. Vekic came from a set down in four of her five matches and beat Dominika Cibulkova, who has been one of the players of the year, in the final. Recovering from the disappointment of missing three match points at 5-2 in the final set against the Australian Open runner-up, Vekic eventually sealed a hard-fought 5-7 7-5 7-6(4) victory.

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Vekic’s talent was clear when she reached the final of the Tashkent Open on her debut in the main draw of a WTA event two years ago. On her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open the following year she beat Andrea Hlavackova, who was ranked more than 50 places ahead of her in the world rankings.

The comparisons with Sharapova were underlined last summer, when Vekic beat three top-50 players en route to the Aegon Classic final in Birmingham before falling to Daniela Hantuchova. Sharapova had reached the semi-finals at the Edgbaston Priory club as a 16-year-old qualifier in 2003 and won the title there a year later before going on to record her historic triumph at Wimbledon.

However, not everything has gone Vekic’s way since her stunning debut at Edgbaston.

She won only four more tour-level matches in 2013 and went six months without recording a victory before beating Olivia Rogowska in Indian Wells in March.

“This is my first full year on tour,” Vekic said.

“I made the transition last year and it was good, but now it just gets really tough. There are lots of expectations and I have lots of expectations for myself. I have a good team that will help me get through it.

“At first I thought the transition was easier, but it gets tougher. You think you’re there but you’re nowhere near there yet and you’ve got lots of work to do. When I play the top players

[CV]

“It’s hard to stay patient. I just want to win everything right now” Birthplace Osijek, Croatia Date of Birth June 28, 1996 Height 5ft 10in Plays Right-handed, two-handed backhand WTA singles ranking No.67

© juergen hasenkopf

Titles 2014 Kuala Lumpur

I see how much I have to improve, how much stronger I need to get. You realise playing those matches how much you need to improve.”

Vekic clearly learns quickly. Her victory over Cibulkova in the Kuala Lumpur final – her first win over a top 10 player – came barely a month after she had lost in straight sets to the Slovakian in Indian Wells.

“It’s hard to stay patient,” Vekic said. “I just want to win everything right now, but I have a good team around me that helps me stay on the ground and helps me make the right decisions in terms of scheduling.”

That team includes David Felgate, the British coach who helped turn Tim Henman from a talented teenager into a top 10 player.

Felgate, who has also worked with Xavier Malisse and Nicole Vaidisova, first started coaching Vekic when she was just 11.

While Serena Williams and Li Na have been striking blows for the thirty-somethings, there are signs of a changing of the guard in women’s tennis. Sloane Stephens and Eugenie Bouchard have both made Grand Slam semi-finals and the likes of Vekic, Elina Svitolina, Caroline Garcia and Belinda Bencic are all making their mark.

Vekic, who first broke into the world’s top 100 at the start of last year, said: “As I did well last year I said I wanted to improve my ranking. Everyone has their own career and some go slower than others.” Of her contemporaries, she believes only time will tell who will enjoy the greatest success.

“When we’re all around 25 it will be interesting to see who is up there,” she said.

Wimbledon is almost a home Grand Slam tournament for Vekic, whose training base is in London. She will hope to be on English soil when she celebrates her 18th birthday, which falls during the opening week of the Championships. And what better way to celebrate her coming of age than with a lengthy run at the All England Club? n W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 17

hot stuff

hot stufF

elena baltacha 1983-2014

On May 4 2014, former British No.1 Elena Baltacha died from liver cancer aged just 30. On Sunday June 15, 'Rally for Bally' will be held in her memory to raise funds jointly for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and The Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis. Rally For Bally will feature stars such as Andy Murray, Ross Hutchins, Martina Navratilova, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski in mixed doubles matches at the Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club, the Aegon Classic in Birmingham and the Aegon International in Eastbourne.Â

www.justgiving.com/rallyforbally

Murray’s Mountain After winning the greatest prize in tennis, it’s going to be a tough challenge for Andy Murray to make it two in a row WORDS: PAUL NEWMAN Paul Newman is tennis correspondent of The Independent, The Independent on Sunday and i.

W

hen you have climbed the mountain once, the summit can be even harder to conquer a second time. As Andy Murray considers the challenge that awaits him at Wimbledon this summer, he might be advised not to dwell on the recent experiences of others who have set out from base camp in the hope of scaling the highest peak for a second year in a row.

Since Boris Becker successfully defended his first Wimbledon title 28 years ago, only Pete Sampras and Roger Federer have made winning returns to the All England Club 12 months after their maiden victories.

Those who have failed include Stefan Edberg, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Novak Djokovic.

How will Murray react at his home Grand Slam event now that the burden of 77 years of British failure in the men’s singles at Wimbledon has been lifted from his

shoulders? Surely nobody in the history of the sport has faced the same pressure as the man from Dunblane once he had established himself as Britain’s best male player for threequarters of a century. Year after year the weight of expectation grew, fed by Murray’s own excellence and by his outstandingly consistent record at Wimbledon.

Even though the greatest pressure has finally been lifted, major questions remain as Murray prepares to return to the scene of his finest hour. How hard will it be to rekindle the fire that drove him to glory last summer? And without the same goal in sight – that of winning his first Wimbledon title – will he find the drive needed to win again?

Achieving the ultimate goal of winning Wimbledon can be an immense drain on the physical, mental and emotional resources of any player. While only two defending men’s singles champions have ever gone out in the first round – Manuel Santana lost in four sets to Charlie Pasarell in 1967, while

“Wimbledon champion? It’s a lot nicer hearing that than ‘four-time losing finalist’” 3 4 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 35

[THE CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW]

[THE CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW]

From Monday June 23 to Sunday July 6 the sporting world will focus on the lawns of Wimbledon. We set the scene with our definitive guide to The Championships

4 0 W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T

QUIET

[THE CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW]

PLEASE...

W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T 41

[THE CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW]

[THE CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW]

[WHO KNEW?]

WIMBLEDON UNCOVERED

IN 1933, BUNNY AUSTIN WAS THE FIRST MAN TO WEAR SHORTS ON COURT AT WIMBLEDON. ALICE MARBLE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN SIX YEARS LATER IN 1939.

Facts to amaze as you wait in the queue

1

There was a massive surge in electricity demand at the conclusion of the 2008 final between Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. There was a 1,400 megawatt spike – equivalent to 550,000 kettles being boiled – as viewers finally got up from their seats to turn the lights on.

LLEYTON HEWITT

2

Brazilian Maria de Amorin hit 17 consecutive double faults during a second-round match in 1957.

3

Mita Klima from Austria is the youngest player to ever compete in the tournament at 13 years old in 1907.

6

Lleyton Hewitt is the only defending men’s singles champion in the Open era to lose in the first round. in 2003 he was beaten 1-6 7-6 6-3 6-4 by Ivo Karlovic, who had only won two previous tour matches.

4

7

5

8

Tournament organisers allowed David Nalbandian to bring his match with Fernando Verdasco forward in 2006 so he could watch Argentina’s World Cup quarter-final against Germany.

Nalbandian lost in straight sets and Argentina lost on penalties.

Nalbandian was also disqualified from the semifinals of the boys’ singles in 1999 for arriving late.

DAVID NALBANDIAN

4 2 W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T

Jean Borotra has had the longest Wimbledon career.

He entered the men’s singles competition 35 times between 1922 and 1964 and won it twice.

He also played in the veterans’ doubles in 1977 at the age of 78.

Tennis balls used at Wimbledon are donated to provide homes for endangered Eurasian harvest mice.

SUFRAGETTES TRIED TO BURN DOWN THE OLD CENTRE COURT STAND IN 1913 BUT WERE CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

[THE CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW] 15

Egyptian Jaroslav Drobny is the only African player to win the men’s singles title back in 1954. He also played ice hockey for Czechoslovakia and won a silver medal at the 1948 Winter Olympics. Drobny is also the only player to win the men’s singles title wearing glasses.

ABOVE THE PLAYERS’ ENTRANCE TO CENTRE COURT IS THE QUOTATION FROM RUDYARD KIPLING’S 'IF':

“IF YOU CAN MEET WITH TRIUMPH AND DISASTER AND TREAT THOSE TWO IMPOSTERS JUST THE SAME.”

THE FIRST CHAMPIONSHIPS PLAYED AT CHURCH ROAD, IN 1922, DID NOT FINISH UNTIL THE WEDNESDAY OF WEEK THREE AFTER IT RAINED EVERY DAY.

16

9

A member of the British royal family has presented the trophy to every post-war men’s singles champion except Boris Becker in 1986, who received his trophy from French Davis Cup legend Jean Borotra.

10

The roof can be deployed or retracted up to a wind speed of 43 miles per hour.

All lines are 50mm wide, except baselines, which are 100mm.

17

Slazenger has been the official ball supplier since 1902.

18

Wimbledon adopted yellow tennis balls in 1986 with the advent of colour television; before that, white balls were used.

19

Each of the 22 competitors in the first Championships in 1877 paid an entry fee of one guinea (£1.05).

20

In 1907 Australian Norman Brookes became the first Wimbledon champion from outside of Britain and Ireland. He was also the first left-handed winner.

11

Peter Doohan only won two more Grand Slam singles matches after shocking two-time champion Boris Becker in the second round in 1987.

12

Jimmy Connors is the only former champion to twice lose on the old No.2 Court, often referred to as the Graveyard of Champions. He was beaten by Kevin Curren in 1983 and Patrik Kuhnen in 1988.

13

The last married woman to win the ladies’ singles was Chris Evert Lloyd in 1981, while Evonne Goolagong was the last mother to win in 1980.

21

Yvon Petra was the last champion to wear long trousers on court back in 1946.

22

Kitty Godfree and her husband Leslie are the only husband and wife pair to win the mixed doubles at Wimbledon.

24

Richard Krajicek was the only player to beat Pete Sampras in men’s singles at Wimbledon between 1993-2000.

He won 7-5 7-6 6-4 in the 1996 quarter-finals.

RICHARD KRAJICEK

14

Wimbledon is the largest single annual sporting catering operation (1,800 staff) carried out in Europe.

W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T 4 3

I still feel quite young at “heart.

I have the passion and the energy to keep doing what I am doing

�

5 4 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t

Young he rt at

Despite it being ten years since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old, the desire to win big still burns bright WORDS: PAUL NEWMAN

THE PASSAGE OF TIME IS MORE APPARENT IN SPORT THAN IN ALMOST ANY OTHER WALK OF LIFE. Yesterday’s emerging prospect soon becomes today’s seasoned professional and before you know it they are tomorrow’s veteran. Can it really be 10 years since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova stormed the ramparts of the All England Club to take her place in the elite citadel of Wimbledon champions?

Sharapova herself finds it hard to believe, though she is all too aware of how long she has been a professional player. “I feel like I’ve been on the tour for a while,” the Russian said with a smile when reminded recently that a decade had passed since she made her stunning breakthrough. “That’s an understatement.

I still feel quite young at heart. I have the passion and the energy to keep doing what I am doing. I love playing, I love competing, and I love it as much as I did

when I was a 17-year-old girl. It’s just that that type of success came at a very young age for me. To sit here after so many years and to see where my career has been and what I have accomplished, I would have never thought I would be able to do that.”

Consider the stage that some of today’s younger players were at when Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004. Donna Vekic, the tall, blonde Croatian who has been compared to the young Sharapova, was just eight at the time. Ten-year-old Laura Robson was still at primary school. Even Grigor Dimitrov had only just turned 13 when the young woman who is now his girlfriend beat Serena Williams in the final to cause one of the biggest upsets in All England Club history.

All those players have come a long way since that time – including Sharapova herself. Asked if she feels a different person and a different player to the young

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t 5 5

ACADEMY

[frame-by-frame]

flavia Pennetta Forehand The recent Indian Wells champion demonstrates her flamboyant forehand and David Sammel dissects the stroke into bite-sized chunks

1

Flavia has a very flamboyant swing, in other words large! She takes her racket back with a lovely shoulder turn, and the left arm is extended as a counterbalance to the racket arm. She is beginning to load on the right leg and the shoulders have turned further than the hips for fast acceleration through the ball.

2

The Italian starts the forward swing and you can see that the wrist is laid back so the racket will come through almost like a sling shot. She is beautifully balanced in the legs, fully loaded on the right leg with the left leg nicely relaxed. We know this because the left leg is lightly touching the ground.

3

Well into her forward swing the wrist is still laid back and the shoulders are rotating and gathering speed. The left arm is starting to tuck in similar to that of an ice skater bringing in the arms to spin faster.

Her head has been still throughout this process, eyes firmly fixed on the ball. Her base is wider than her shoulders.

The importance of overall body strength → This sequence of images demonstrates wonderfully how strong the best players in the world have become over the years. Hours and hours

6 6 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

of work in the gym, on the track and on practice courts mean Flavia has a fantastic physique that allows her to throw herself into a forehand such as

this – but crucially maintain control of her body throughout. That control – from strong legs and core – means she never loses control of herself or the ball.

Pennetta's return to the top Italian 32-year-old Flavia Pennetta returned to the big time earlier this season when she crushed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-1 to win the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells - her first title since 2010. The bubbly right-hander had also taken out world No.2 Li Na in the last four in California. A back and wrist injury had sent Pennetta

plummeting down the rankings and out of the top 150 before hard work and perseverance saw her return to the very top of the game.

Before reaching the semi-finals of last year’s US Open, she had even considered retirement: "The feeling and everything was so bad," she admitted. "And now, after one year, we have the trophy.”

GOLDEN RULE Image 5 also demonstrates how fast Flavia's racket head has whipped through the ball – a key element of creating big topspin.

To hit with heavy spin the racket strings must make relatively 'thin' contact with the ball at high speed, causing the ball to kick violently off the court when it arrives with your opponent.

4

Flavia has driven upwards as she swings and rotates into the ball. The racket head has caught up with the wrist like a slingshot, helping develop more pace. The right leg is straight as she has powered up into the ball and the weight is starting to transfer from the right leg onto the left. Still watching the ball closely.

5

We can see she is hitting with a lot of topspin because of how fast the racket has rotated over the ball. However, she doesn't get full extension forwards with her arm - it doesn't go through the ball as far as many other professionals' racket arm. What she loses in penetration, though, she makes up for with spin.

6

The last frame demonstrates a textbook end to the stroke with the elbow up nice and high and the wrist relaxed, allowing the racket head to drop down her back below her wrist. Her base has widened and the weight has shifted totally to her left leg. Her left hand has stayed nicely tucked in close to her body.

Fast rotation will add punch to your groundstrokes → Power doesn’t just come from a strong arm, it is generated by using strength from many different muscle groups. The flaring of Flavia’s skirt in images 5 and 6

demonstrate just how fast her rotation is through the execution of this forehand.

The power of her upward drive from her legs means she actually lifts up into the

air in image 5. Her flared skirt in image 6 again indicates that she has not slowed down her rotation or swing throughout her follow-through.

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academy

FLAVIA Pennetta

ACADEMY

Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic are both former Wimbledon champions and proved they can adapt quickly to grass court tennis

[preparing for wimbledon]

unique challenge Preparing players for the brief grass court season is like no other time of the year, explains the leading French coach Words: patrick mouratoglou 6 8 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

[biography] Patrick Mouratoglou is the founder and Head Coach at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy which is based near Paris. Founded in 1996, it is now considered to be one of the best in the world and offers personalised training which is tailored to each of its players' individual needs.

P

"nadal has struggled on grass because he finds it difficult to get as low as he would like... his knees start to get painful"

reparing for any Grand Slam tournament is always a challenge, but Wimbledon is a special case for two main reasons. Firstly, players are just not used to what is a very different surface because there are only a handful of tournaments played on grass. Secondly, there is so little time to prepare, especially if you go deep into the French Open, which finishes just 15 days before the start of Wimbledon.

While it’s true that there is more similarity between the surfaces these days, playing on grass remains very different to playing on clay or hard courts. Grass is what I call a “living” surface, because it changes with the weather conditions and you can get some bad bounces. Clay is also a “living” surface, but in other respects it’s at the other end of the scale to grass – which makes playing on grass even more of a challenge given that the season comes immediately after players have just spent two months or more playing exclusively on clay.

Grass is a very special surface firstly because of the low bounces, which are such a contrast to clay.

On clay the bounces are quite high because players use a lot of topspin, which is accentuated when the ball hits the court surface. On clay, because of the high bounce, you are often standing higher than usual on your legs. That’s such a contrast with grass, where you usually need to be as low as possible because of the bounce, especially if your opponent is hitting flat shots or sliced backhands and serves.

Being low also helps your movement on grass. I think one of the reasons why Rafa Nadal has struggled on grass in the last two or three years is because he finds it difficult to get as low as he would like. His knees, which remain fragile, start to get painful, because getting down into a low position puts much more pressure on them.

When you are on the run on clay you put all your weight on your exterior foot before hitting the ball, enabling you to slide. On grass you have to be much lighter on your feet, almost as if you were stepping on eggs. You have to move carefully and be more fluid. On clay your last step is usually a big stride, at the end of which you are putting all your weight on W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 69

academy

MOURATOGLOU

ACADEMY

(l-r) TREAT HUEY and DOM INGLOT

Tennis iCoach Tennis iCoach is the International Tennis Federation’s official coaching platform. Access expert coaching from around the world on technique, tactics, biomechanics, psychology, sports medicine and methodology. www.tennisicoach.com

“You've got to think fast.

Doubles is quicker... you've got to react quickly” dom inglot

[expert advice]

DOUBLE UP Razor-sharp reactions, variation and communication are key ingredients for success on the doubles court

“Y

© JUERGEN HASENKOPF

louis cayer

7 8 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

ou have got to think fast,” says Britain’s No.1 ranked doubles player Dom Inglot.

“With singles you can get into a bit of a rhythm, read the game, but doubles is quicker, you have got to react quickly.”

As singles players become more powerful, the doubles game has evolved too, and reaction speeds have become razor-sharp to cope with the pace – and net play, poaching and intercepting is more challenging than ever.

“Doubles has changed a lot from 20 or 30 years ago, now it is a lot more of a power game, the intricacies have gone out a bit,” admits former Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray.

At the top level, the implementation of the sudden-death deuce (no advantage is played) and a super tiebreak (to 10 points) in place of a third set, have added a different dimension to the game.

Where once serve and volley reigned, the focus now is on a big serve and hard return, and the emphasis is firmly on power. However, at club level, good doubles is still about solid percentage play, where consistency should be the foundation of a strategy, mixing in more aggressive and attacking plays as a variation. The strategic principles of doubles are similar across all levels of play and all

surfaces. However, to be successful at the highest level, these principles must be tailored to the surface and your opponents.

First, play percentage tennis – stick at what you are good at and play ‘within yourself’.

“Most of the teams that I started to work with were taking too many risks and were doing too many variations and they were mastering nothing,” explains Louis Cayer, Head of High Performance Coaching and Doubles Leader at the LTA. “It is better to have a few variations that you master and can do day in, day out. Those who take too many risks and variations are often called shot makers; they are dangerous, they create upsets, but don’t win too many Slams.”

That said, variation can be your strongest weapon. While it is important to be solid and play consistently, being predictable can lead to trouble.

As a partnership try to keep poaching and attempt different things, especially on key points. Keep your opponents guessing and do not just hit to weaknesses every time on a big point. Add variation through spin, pace and direction.

Whether it’s the Bryan brothers or the No.1 seeds at your local club, it is important to show your opponents that you’re not intimidated. Take the

doubles

"Those who take too many risks are dangerous, they create upsets, but don’t win too many Slams.” Louis Cayer match to them and do not let them dictate the points.

Really try to break their service in the first game because this can put your opponents on the back foot.

Target the weaker player, and stick to your game plan.

For example, plan to hit aggressively up the line if one player likes to poach on cross-court shots.

On grass, getting your first serve in is crucial, so slow your serve down a little and concentrate on direction. A slower serve also gives you more time to get tight on the net.

If you don’t make your first serve, the topspin second serve is less effective on grass (it skids instead of kicking up high), so speed up the second serve a

Training tips

Louis Cayer’s drills to improve your doubles game

No Bounce Allowed → Play a normal set of tennis, but neither team may let the ball bounce after the return. This drill develops the many skills needed for coming forward to the net.

No Lobs Allowed → Play a normal set of tennis, but the teams may not play lobs.

Players will typically play low or straight groundstrokes or

volleys and will likely soon discover that closing in wins points more quickly.

Only Cross-court Returns → Play a normal set of doubles, but the receiver can only play cross-court returns. This constraint helps players to practise different patterns such as serve and cross-court volley or (left) xxxx poaching by the server’s xxxx partner. xxxxxxx

academy

Left: 2011 Wimbledon champions Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik.

Right: Xavier Malisse and Jamie Murray enjoy a joke on court

little and hit to the body – the extra speed will make it difficult for your opponent to hit a full clean stroke.

“A doubles partnership is a bit like a marriage,” said John Peers. “You have to get on with them and find a way to have fun even when it’s not fun.”

In the case of game style, opposites attract. If you are a good returner, you should be seeking someone with a strong serve.

“The ‘leftie-rightie’ is good as guys are always getting different looks on serve,” explains Jamie Murray when talking about his Australian partner Peers. But that is not the only reason the pair recently won an ATP title in Munich.

“We both have different strengths and weaknesses and together they match up well and we complement each other nicely, it’s good that one person is strong in one area and another person is strong in another area,” says Peers. “We help each other to lift both those areas and we combine well.”

Communication is key. As a rule it is better to speak too much rather than not enough. Make it a habit to say something positive after each point.

“We talk all the time,” says 2011 Wimbledon women’s doubles champion Kveta Peschke of her partnership with Katarina Srebotnik. “Sometimes I will suggest something and sometimes Katarina.”

“Sometimes we communicate verbally, sometimes with hand signals,” adds Srebotnik. “We have to be quick now because they cut it to 20 seconds between points. For doubles this is really hard because if I have a vision how I want to play this point I need to tell Kveta and this takes time.”

If you are playing with a new partner, take time to find out more about them and what level of communication they expect on court. Often personalities are exaggerated under pressure, so make sure you really know your partner before you head into a big match.

This feature is based on information extracted from Tennis iCoach and other ITF coaching resources.

For full references head to www.tennishead.net W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 79

GEAR [WIMBLEDON KIT]

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Frame, set and match

2014 improvers R acket Review

Racket photography: richard washbrooke

In the final instalment of our three-part review of the best rackets on the shelves this year, we step out on court with those geared for improving their game

I

f you’re new to tennis, coming back to the game or looking for a frame that will simply take more of the strain on court, you’ve come to the right place. Our improver rackets are aimed at recreational players keen to enjoy their tennis, not endure it – and get better into the bargain.

Let’s get one thing straight: these rackets cannot improve your tennis on their own – otherwise you’d see every top-ten player wielding one on tour. Instead, they are designed to give you the confidence and leeway to improve by helping you hit as many balls as possible. By keeping weight low and the surface area of the stringbed high, the ball should work its way back across the net more often than not, and all without wearing out your arm.

Improver rackets can generally be broken down into three categories – starter frames that are lightweight and forgiving; oversize rackets that offer the biggest sweet spots on the market; and stepping-stone frames, ideal for those intent on making progress with their game. A couple of the rackets in this third category bridge the gap between improver and intermediate frames – they are harder work than some of the others we tested, but also offer access to more spin and feel.

Who are improver rackets aimed at?

Improver rackets are designed for recreational players and those who are new to the sport. Their light, head-heavy frames and larger stringbeds ramp up the power, widen the sweet spot and let you keep swinging all day. You may be after a racket that will help you get the best out of your tennis lessons, or keep that rally going a little longer. Perhaps you’re ready to work on your technique and start playing socially – or to start turning some of those mix-in Ls into Ws. Whatever your goal, all of our improver rackets share one philosophy: they’re there to help you enjoy the game.

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 8 7

GEAR

RACKET REVIEW

results [May 19, 2014]

wta rankings RANKING

1

PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM Failed to defend her title in Madrid after she was forced to withdraw from her quarter-final against Petra Kvitova with a thigh injury. Returned to action in Rome, where she defeated home favourite Sara Errani to win the 60th title of her career.

Serena WIlliams

usa Born: 26/09/81 Lives: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA Height: 5ft 9in Weight: 155 lbs

This year: $1,843,345 Career to date: $56,026,826 Career-high ranking: 1 (08/07/02) Career titles: 60 Last title: Internazionali d'Italia WTA Premier, Rome, Italy, May 2014

2

li na

china Born: 26/02/82 Lives: Wuhan, China Height: 5ft 8in Weight: 143 lbs

This year: $3,267,584 Career to date: $16,566,773 Career-high ranking: 2 (17/02/14) Career titles: 9 Last title: Australian Open, Grand Slam, Melbourne, Australia, January 2014

3

agnieszka radwanska

POland Born: 06/03/89 Lives: Krakow, Poland Height: 5ft 8in Weight: 123 lbs

This year: $1,531,881 Career to date: $15,701,820 Career-high ranking: 2 (09/07/12) Career titles: 13 Last title: Korea Open, WTA International, Seoul, Korea, September 2013

4

simona halep

romania Born: 27/09/91 Lives: Constanta, Romania Height: 5ft 6in Weight: 132 lbs

This year: $1,433,659 Career to date: $3,473,304 Career-high ranking: 4 (19/05/14) Career titles: 7 Last title: Qatar Total Open, WTA Premier, Doha, UAE, February 2014

5

victoria Azarenka

belarus Born: 31/07/89 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 6ft Weight: 154 lbs

This year: $360,255 Career to date: $23,714,697 Career-high ranking: 1 (30/01/12) Career titles: 17 Last title: Western & Southern Open, WTA Premier, Cincinnati, USA, August 2013

6

petra kvitova

czech republic Born: 08/03/1990 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 6ft Weight: 154 lbs

This year: $539,829 Career to date: $12,439,051 Career-high ranking: 2 (31/10/11) Career titles: 11 Last title: Toray Pan Pacific Open, WTA Premier, Tokyo, Japan, September 2013

7

Jelena Jankovic

serbia Born: 28/02/1985 Lives: Dubai, UAE Height: 5ft 9in Weight: 130 lbs

This year: $710,168 Career to date: $16,038,243 Career-high ranking: 1 (11/08/08) Career titles: 13 Last title: Copa Claro Colsanitas, WTA International, Bogota, Colombia, February 2013

8

maria Sharapova

russia Born: 19/04/87 Lives: Bradenton, Florida, USA Height: 6ft 2in Weight: 130 lbs

This year: $1,516,271 Career to date: $28,212,116 Career-high ranking: 1 (22/08/05) Career titles: 31 Last title: Mutua Madrid Open, WTA Premier, Madrid, Spain, May 2013

9

Angelique Kerber

germany Born: 18/01/88 Lives: Puszczykowo, Poland Height: 5ft 8in Weight: 150 lbs

This year: $609,214 Career to date: $6,033,751 Career-high ranking: 5 (22/10/12) Career titles: 3 Last title: Generali Ladies Linz, WTA International, Linz, Austria, October 2013

10

dominika cibulkova

sLovakia Born: 06/05/1989 Lives: Bratislava, Slovakia Height: 5ft 3in Weight: 121 lbs

This year: $1,596,157 Career to date: $5,860,403 Career-high ranking: 10 (31/03/2014) Career titles: 4 Last title: Abierto Mexicano Telcel, WTA International, Acapulco, Mexico, February 2014

Points: 11,590

Points: 7,540

Points: 6,360

Points: 5,140

Points: 4,741

Points: 4,600

Points: 4,255

Points: 4,141

Points: 3,870

Points: 3,705

down 2

10 8 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

11-100 RANKINGS

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Reached QFs in Madrid on 21 seasonal debut on clay, losing in 22 three sets to eventual champion 23 Maria Sharapova. Claimed first 24 win in seven attempts against 25 Sam Stosur in Rome, but was 26 beaten in last eight by home 27 favourite Sara Errani.

28 29 Yet to win a title in 2014 but 30 enjoyed consistent results on 31 clay, reaching QFs in Stuttgart 32 and last four in Madrid, where 33 she lost on both occasions to 34 eventual champion Maria 35 Sharapova. Fell in Rome QFs to 36 Serbia's Jelena Jankovic.

37 38 Fell in Stuttgart opener (l. to 39 Svetlana Kuznetsova) but 40 bounced back in Madrid to 41 reach her first Premier 5 final, 42 losing in three sets to Maria Sharapova. Fell in Rome second 43 44 round to clay-court specialist 45 Carla Suarez Navarro.

46 47 Former world No.1 has played 48 just three tournaments in 2014 49 after being sidelined with injury. 50 Following defeat to Lauren Davis 51 in Indian Wells, w ithdrew from Miami, Madrid, Rome and Roland 52 53 Garros as she continues to 54 recover from foot problem.

55 56 Mixed results on clay for Kvitova 57 as she fell in clay-court opener 58 to Alisa Kleybanova in Stuttgart 59 before reaching semi-finals in 60 Madrid, where she lost in three 61 sets to Simona Halep. Fell in 62 Rome opener to China's world 63 No.43 Zhang Shuai.

64 65 Reached SFs in Stuttgart, 66 where she fell to fellow Serb 67 Ana Ivanovic. Lost in Madrid 68 second round to Anastasia Pav69 lyuchenkova but bounced back 70 to reach SFs in Rome, beating 71 No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska 72 before falling to Sara Errani.

73 74 Sensational start to clay-court 75 season, winning her first 76 silverware in 12 months as she 77 defended her title in Stuttgart (d. 78 Ivanovic). Claimed back-to-back 79 titles for first time since 2012 80 with victory in Madrid (d. Halep).

81 Fell in Rome 3R (l. to Ivanovic).

82 83 84 After helping steer Germany into the Fed Cup final for the 85 first time since 1992, Kerber 86 struggled for form on clay, 87 crashing to back-to-back 88 defeats in Stuttgart (l. to Suarez 89 Navarro), Madrid (l. to Garcia) 90 and Rome (l. to Cetkovska).

91 92 93 Continued impressive form in 94 Kuala Lumpur, reaching final before succumbing to 95 first-time WTA winner Donna 96 Vekic. Struggled on transition 97 to clay courts, suffering 1R 98 defeats in Madrid (l. to Stosur) 99 and Rome (l. to Giorgi).

100

Sara Errani (ITA) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) Sloane Stephens (USA) Sabine Lisicki (GER) Roberta Vinci (ITA) Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) Samantha Stosur (AUS) Alize Cornet (FRA) Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) Lucie Safarova (CZE) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) Kaia Kanepi (EST) Sorana Cirstea (ROU) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) Andrea Petkovic (GER) Venus Williams (USA) Klara Koukalova (CZE) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) Elena Vesnina (RUS) Zhang Shuai (CHN) Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) Jamie Hampton (USA) Garbine Muguruza (ESP) Elina Svitolina (UKR) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) Peng Shuai (CHN) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) Alison Riske (USA) Madison Keys (USA) Kurumi Nara (JPN) Caroline Garcia (FRA) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) Casey Dellacqua (AUS) Annika Beck (GER) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) Camila Giorgi (ITA) Karin Knapp (ITA) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) Jana Cepelova (SVK) Monica Puig (PUR) Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) Petra Cetkovska (CZE) Christina McHale (USA) Marina Erakovic (NZL) Polona Hercog (SLO) Zheng Jie (CHN) Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) Karolina Pliskova (CZE) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) Lauren Davis (USA) Donna Vekic (CRO) Vania King (USA) Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) Stefanie Voegele (SUI) Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) Virginie Razzano (FRA) Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) Monica Niculescu (ROU) Paula Ormaechea (ARG) Sharon Fichman (CAN) Urszula Radwanska (POL) Mona Barthel (GER) Alexandra Cadantu (ROU) Belinda Bencic (SUI) Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) Laura Robson (GBR) Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) Shahar Peer (ISR) Coco Vandeweghe (USA) Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM) Misaki Doi (JPN) Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) Johanna Larsson (SWE) Heather Watson (GBR) Dinah Pfizenmaier (GER) Alison van Uytvanck (BEL) Teliana Pereira (BRA) Zarina Diyas (KAZ) Katarzyna Piter (POL) Julia Glushko (ISR) Olga Govortsova (BLR) Timea Babos (HUN)

RANKINGS

emirates ATP Rankings RANKING

1

PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM

11-100 RANKINGS

Bounced back from shock QF defeats in Monte Carlo (l. to Ferrer) and Barcelona (l. to Almagro) to lift a record fourth title in Madrid (d. Nishikori).

Beat Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov en route to Rome final, but Djokovic proved too strong.

rafael nadal

Spain Born: 03/06/86 Lives: Manacor, Majorca, Spain Height: 6ft 1in Weight: 188 lbs

This year: $3,602,662 Career to date: $68,240,345 Career-high ranking: 1 (18/08/08) Career titles: 63 Last title: Mutua Madrid Open, ATP Masters 1000, Madrid, Spain, May 2014

2

novak rafael nadal djokovic

serbia Spain Born: 22/05/87 03/06/86 Lives: Manacor, Monte Carlo, Mallorca, Monaco Spain Height: 6ft 2in Height: 6ft Weight: 1761in lbs Weight: 188 lbs

This year: $3,072,637 $5,714,859 Career to date: $55,776,687 $61,215,267 Career-high ranking: 1 (18/08/08) (04/07/11) Career titles: 44 57 Last title: Internazionali French Open, Grand d'Italia, Slam, Paris, ATP Masters France,1000, JuneRome, 2013 Italy May 2014

Became the first man to win the Lost to Federer in Monte same Grand tournament Carlos SFs Slam and was forced to eight timesfrom whenMadrid he defeated withdraw with David in French Open final right Ferrer wrist injury.

Returned to Rome, wheretitle. he toaction claiminhis 12th major defeatedhis Nadal a fourthin a Suffered firstfor 1R defeat timewhen in a row to lifttohis 19thDarcis Slam he lost Steve Masters 1000 on opening daytrophy. at Wimbledon.

3

stanislas Wawrinka

switzerland Born: 28/03/1985 Lives: St Barthelemy, Switzerland Height: 6ft Weight: 179 lbs

This year: $3,404,049 Career to date: $12,199,771 Career-high ranking: 3 (27/01/14) Career titles: 7 Last title: Monte-Carlo Masters, ATP Masters 1000, Monte Carlo, Monaco, April 2014

Enjoyed a sensational start to clay court campaign, lifting first Masters 1000 trophy with victory over compatriot Federer in Monte Carlo. Suffered shock defeat to Dominic Thiem in Madrid opener before losing to veteran Haas in Rome 3R.

4

roger federer

switzerland Born: 08/08/81 Lives: Bottmingen, Switzerland Height: 6ft 1in Weight: 187 lbs

This year: $1,992,398 Career to date: $81,245,913 Career-high ranking: 1 (02/02/04) Career titles: 78 Last title: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, ATP 500, Dubai, UAE, February 2014

Reached final in Monte Carlo for a fourth time but lost to Wawrinka. Skipped Madrid to be with his wife for the birth of their twin sons, Leo and Lenny.

Returned to action in Rome, but suffered shock opening defeat to Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.

5

david ferrer

spain Born: 02/04/82 Lives: Valencia, Spain Height: 5ft 9in Weight:160 lbs

This year: $1,057,681 Career to date: $22 975,724 Career-high ranking: 3 (08/07/2013) Career titles: 21 Last title: Copa Claro, ATP 250, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 2014

Reached SFs in Monte Carlo, where he lost to eventual champion Wawrinka. Suffered shock 2R defeat to Teymuraz Gabashvili in Barcelona but bounced back to reach SFs in Madrid (l. to Nishikori) and QFs in Rome (l. to Djokovic).

6

Tomas Berdych

czech rep Born: 17/09/85 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 6ft 5in Weight: 200 lbs

This year: $1,642,539 Career to date: $17,783,298 Career-high ranking: 5 (19/08/13) Career titles: 9 Last title: ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, ATP 500, Rotterdam, Netherlands, February 2014

Struggled for form on clay, falling in Monte Carlo 3R to Garcia-Lopez. Reached final in Oeiras but lost to world No.62 Berlocq. Fell in Madrid QFs to eventual champion Nadal before bowing out in Rome 3R with defeat to Grigor Dimitrov.

7

juan martin DeL potro

argentina Born: 23/09/88 Lives: Tandil, Argentina Height: 6ft 6in Weight: 214 lbs

This year: $186,933 Career to date: $15,345,947 Career-high ranking: 4 (11/01/10) Career titles: 18 Last title: Sydney International, ATP 250, Sydney, Australia, January 2014

Missed the entire clay-court season after undergoing surgery in March to repair damaged ligaments in his left wrist. He began rehabilitation in early May after visiting his surgeon Dr Richard Berger at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

8

Andy murray

great britain Born: 15/05/87 Lives: London, UK Height: 6ft 3in Weight: 185 lbs

This year: $682,956 Career to date: $30,968,220 Career-high ranking: 2 (17/08/09) Career titles: 28 Last title: Wimbledon, Grand Slam, London, UK, July 2013

After Davis Cup defeat to Fognini in Naples, took time off and opted to skip Monte Carlo before returning to action in Madrid, suffering 3R defeat to Santiago Giraldo. Showed signs of improvement in Rome, where he lost in QFs to Nadal.

9

MILos Raonic

CANADA Born: 27/12/90 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 6ft 5in Weight: 195 lbs

This year: $632,120 Career to date: $4,367,759 Career-high ranking: 9 (21/04/14) Career titles: 5 Last title: Thailand Open, ATP World Tour 250, Bangkok, Thailand, October 2013

Reached QFs in Monte Carlo, losing to eventual champion Wawrinka. Fell in Oeiras QFs (l. to Berlocq) and in Madrid 3R (l. to Nishikori). Defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga en route to Rome SFs, where he lost to eventual champion Djokovic

10

Kei Nishikori

JAPAN Born: 29/12/89 Lives: Bradenton, USA Height: 5ft 10in Weight: 150 lbs

This year: $1,534,019 Career to date: $5,122,254 Career-high ranking: 9 (12/05/14) Career titles: 5 Last title: Barcelona Open, ATP 500, Barcelona, Spain, April 2014

Won his first title on clay in Barcelona (d. Giraldo) before reaching final in Madrid, where he led Nadal before being forced to retire with a back injury. Became first Japanese man to break into ATP top 10.

Missed Rome with back injury.

Points: 12,500

Points: 11,850 6,860

Points: 5,830

Points: 5,125

Points: 5,030

Points: 4,330

Points: 4,125

Points: 4,120

Points: 2,975

Points: 2,815

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

John Isner (USA) Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) Richard Gasquet (FRA) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) Fabio Fognini (ITA) Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) Tommy Haas (GER) Tommy Robredo (ESP) Ernests Gulbis (LAT) Kevin Anderson (RSA) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) Nicolas Almagro (ESP) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) Gael Monfils (FRA) Fernando Verdasco (ESP) Marin Cilic (CRO) Feliciano Lopez (ESP) Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) Gilles Simon (FRA) Vasek Pospisil (CAN) Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) Andreas Seppi (ITA) Santiago Giraldo (COL) Ivan Dodig (CRO) Florian Mayer (GER) Marcel Granollers (ESP) Nicolas Mahut (FRA) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) Jeremy Chardy (FRA) Radek Stepanek (CZE) Joao Sousa (POR) Julien Benneteau (FRA) Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) Federico Delbonis (ARG) Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Ivo Karlovic (CRO) Robin Haase (NED) Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Igor Sijsling (NED) Lukas Rosol (CZE) Juan Monaco (ARG) Andrey Golubev (KAZ) Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) Denis Istomin (UZB) Dominic Thiem (AUT) Jurgen Melzer (AUT) Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) Albert Montanes (ESP) Martin Klizan (SVK) Benoit Paire (FRA) Sam Querrey (USA) Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) Lukasz Kubot (POL) Steve Johnson (USA) Marinko Matosevic (AUS) Pablo Andujar (ESP) Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) Benjamin Becker (GER) Alejandro Falla (COL) Bradley Klahn (USA) Kenny De Schepper (FRA) Matthew Ebden (AUS) Stephane Robert (FRA) Leonardo Mayer (ARG) Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) Jack Sock (USA) Donald Young (USA) Bernard Tomic (AUS) Victor Hanescu (ROU) Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) Dusan Lajovic (SRB) Pere Riba (ESP) Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) Dustin Brown (GER) Lukas Lacko (SVK) Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) Julian Reister (GER) Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) Somdev Devvarman (IND) Blaz Rola (SLO) Michael Russell (USA) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Filippo Volandri (ITA) Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 10 9

results

[May 19, 2014]

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