tennishead Volume 6 Issue 2

THAI TENNIS

Sporting excellence at Thanyapura

BOOM BOOM

Serve like Sabine Lisicki Get a backhand like Rafa

PICTURE PERFECT Miami and Indian Wells galleries

Babolat AeroPro Drive RG

WWW.TENNISHEAD.NET | JUNE 2015

THE WORLD’S BEST TENNIS M AGA ZINE

RAFA Ma9nifique

WIN TICKETS TO UK GRASSCOURT EVENTS

2015

BEST RACKETS Frames for club players tested by the experts

[Life on Tour]

Andrea Petkovic

NOVAK DJOKOVIC Can he better his 2011 season?

Checkmate

How playing chess can improve your tennis

Patrick Mouratoglou

Laying the foundations of a new academy

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2 JUNE 2015 £4.50

COMPREHENSIVE RESULTS AND RANKINGS PLUS: EATING FOR STRONG BONES TOP DOGS ON TOUR KAROLINA PLISKOVA EDOUARD ROGER-VASSELIN

BA BOL AT A EROPRO DRI V E RG

CONTENTS JUNE 2015

82

36

ANDREA PETKOVIC

EDOUARD ROGER-VASSELIN

15 SUBSCRIBE TODAY See page 6 for details.

GALLERY 18 AMERICAN HARD COURTS Stunning images from Indian Wells and Miami

JANKO TIPSAREVIC

16

WIN 44 GRASS COURT GIVEAWAY Win tickets to Nottingham, Birmingham and The Boodles

68 SIGNED BABOLAT RACKET BAG Autographed by players including Kim Clijsters and Agnieszka Radwanska

76 BABOLAT AEROPRO DRIVE Get your hands on the racket used by Rafael Nadal

BIG READ 08 HAWKEYE

KAROLINA PLISKOVA

08

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Big three gearing up for Roland Garros

12 LOCKER ROOM Alize Cornet shares her most embarrassing moment

15 JANKO TIPSAREVIC Former world No.8 back after career-threatening injury

16 HOT STUFF The remarkable rise of Karolina Pliskova

30 RAFA’S REIGN A look back at Nadal’s nine Roland Garros victories

36 CULTURE SHOCK Andrea Petkovic on how she fills her time away from tennis 4 W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T

42

BLADE RUNNERS

PAGE 77

RACKET REVIEWS

62

30

A LOOK BACK AT NADAL’S NINE ROLAND GARROS VICTORIES

42 BLADE RUNNERS We preview the grass-court season

98 LAST WORD The Chinese artist behind this year’s Roland Garros poster

ACADEMY 52 FRAME BY FRAME Sabine Lisicki’s powerful serve

54 LEARN FROM THE PROS Breaking down Rafa’s backhand

56 NUTRITION How diet can help improve bone health

58 MATS MERKEL Learning from defeat

60 PATRICK MOURATOGLOU

WHAT SURPRISED ME THE MOST WAS HIS MENTAL STRENGTH. FOR ME, RAFA IS THE BEST PLAYER IN HISTORY IN TERMS OF MENTALITY Da vi d Ferrer

52

56

Exciting times for the new academy

64 CHECKMATE Can chess help you on court?

68 ASK TENNISHEAD Our experts answer your questions

GEAR 71 GEAR NEWS Adidas Barricades, Karakal get creative

74 ON COURT SUPPORT Get the right sports bra

77 RACKET REVIEWS We roadtest the 2015 intermediate frames

82 ME AND MY RACKET Edouard Roger-Vasselin on his trusty Babolat

SABINE LISICKI’S POWERFUL SERVE

84

HOW DIET CAN HELP IMPROVE BONE HEALTH

TRAVEL 84 THAI TENNIS A sporting oasis in Phuket

RESULTS AND RANKINGS 88 ATP AND WTA TOUR Results from Indian Wells and Miami

93 TRAMLINES Sania Mirza makes history

94 RANKINGS THAI TRAVEL

Men’s and women’s top 100 singles rankings W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T 5

HAWKEYE

THE KING OF CLAY [THE NUMBERS GAME]

Stats Amazing: Rafael Nadal’s incredible record on the red dirt CAREER DEFEATS ON CLAY

4

GASTON GAUDIO

3

3= 3= 4

2

DAVID FERRER

2

match winning streak on clay

14 PLAYERS

92.9%

1

CAREER RECORD ON CLAY

2010

325-25

CLAY SLAM

[NADAL)

13 2

3

46-7 66-1 RECORD IN CLAY-COURT FINALS

only player to win all three clay court Masters events in same year

762 [MALLORCA 2002)

NADAL’S RANKING WHEN HE WON FIRST ATP MATCH ON CLAY

[SOPOT)

FIRST TITLE ON CLAY

August 2004

$14,175,676

CAREER PRIZE MONEY WON AT ROLAND GARROS RECORD V ROGER FEDERER ON CLAY

81

(APRIL 2005-MAY 2007)

ROGER FEDERER

[FEDERER)

1 2

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

RECORD AT ROLAND GARROS

GAMES LOST IN DEBUT MATCH IN MONTE CARLO (D. KARL KUCERA 6-1 6-2)

8

CONSECUTIVE TITLES IN MONTE CARLO (2005-2012)

[MONTE CARLO 2010, BEAT FERNANDO VERDASCO)

6-0 6-1 ONLY PLAYER TO WIN A MASTERS FINAL FOR THE LOSS OF A SINGLE GAME

CAREER TITLES: CLAY 46, HARD 16, GRASS 3 10 W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T

Stats from WTA and ATP

HAWKEYE

ANDY MURRAY'S DOG, MAGGIE MAY

TENNIS PLAYERS’ DOGS 1

VENUS WILLIAMS HAROLD

2

NOVAK DJOKOVIC PIERRE

Harold Reginald Williams, known to his friends as Harry, joined Venus Williams’ team in 2007 after the seven-time Grand Slam champion bought him from a New York pet store.

The 34-year-old has described the grey Havanese as “a friend who’s there for you – after wins or losses - and who really cares for you.”

Toy poodle Pierre is perhaps the most pampered pooch in tennis and even made an appearance on the cover of fashion magazine L’Uomo Vogue in June 2011. Pierre, who enjoys the same gluten-free lifestyle as his master, accompanied Djokovic to Wimbledon in 2011 but had to fly home alone after an issue with customs.

3

ANDY MURRAY RUSTY AND MAGGIE MAY

Murray is a self-confessed dog lover and even stopped traffic on his way to Wimbledon last year to rescue a labradoodle near his home in Surrey. Murray and wife Kim have two border terriers, Rusty and Maggie May, who has her own Twitter account.

4

RICHARD GASQUET GANSO

6

VICTORIA AZARENKA DUKE

The Frenchman has a pet Alsatian called Ganso, named after the Brazilian footballer. German Shepherds can grow as large as 40kg, making Ganso one of the larger dogs on tour. “He really helps him to relax when he does have time with him,” Gasquet’s father Francis told L’Equipe.

While sidelined with injury in early 2014, two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka rescued stray dog Duke. “It’s a love story,” she said. “He just doesn’t leave my side when I’m in the house at home. He looks like Scooby Doo. He’s really fun and I miss him. He’s a really cool dog.”

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

6

MARIA SHARAPOVA DOLCE DE LECHE

7

SABINE LISICKI HAPPY

8

SERENA WILLIAMS JACKIE, CHIP AND LORELEI

9

ANDY RODDICK BILLIE JEAN

Sharapova, who launched her own line of sweets in 2012, clearly has a sweet tooth, naming her Pomeranian Dolce de Leche after the milk-based dessert. “If I ever love a man as much as my dog, the guy will have a real problem, because I am all over that dog,” she said in 2008.

Rarely seen without a smile on her face, Sabine Lisicki is one of the cheeriest players on tour, and even her dog is called Happy. The Yorkshire Terrier was lucky enough to get his own accreditation pass at the US Open.

Serena also has three dogs that she takes everywhere with her on tour, Jackie, Chip and Lorelei. Serena wants even more dogs than her 19 Slams, saying she’s “going to live on a farm and have 50 dogs” when she’s older.

Former world No.1 Roddick named his English bulldog Billie Jean after tennis legend Billie Jeane King. When Roddick announced his retirement in 2012, his wife Brooklyn Decker tweeted a photo of a smiling Billie Jean with the caption, ‘I know one person who’s really excited about Andy Roddick’s announcement’.

10

FERNANDO VERDASCO SLAYER

Spaniard Verdasco frequently posts photos of his dog Slayer on his Twitter feed, while in an interview with the ATP in 2011 he claimed to have six dogs: a maltese, a small jersey, a big mastiff and three dogs for hunting. In February this year, Verdasco posted a photo of a tiny black puppy, the newest arrival to the Verdasco household.

Harold © Venuseswilliams/twitter, Maggie May © MaggieMay_Hem/twitter, Pierre © PierreDjoko/twitter, Dolce © MariaSharapova/twitter, Chip © SerenaWilliams/twitter

TOP TEN

GALLERY

Tennis in Pictures

Exclusive photos from Miami and Indian Wells by Mike Frey

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ma9nifique As Rafael Nadal attempts to win the French Open for a tenth time, Paul Newman recalls his past triumphs at Roland Garros and talks to some of the players who have failed to stop him Paul Newman is the tennis corresp ondent of The Independent, Independent on Sun day and i.

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Andrea Petkovic tells Paul Newman what she likes to do when she’s travelling but not playing tennis

GLOBE 3 6 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t

TROTTING W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 3 7

[GRASS COURT PREVIEWS]

[DATES FOR YOUR DIARY] WEEK OF JUNE 8 → WTA Aegon Open Nottingham WEEK OF JUNE 15 → ATP Aegon Championships, London → WTA Aegon Classic Birmingham WEEK OF JUNE 22 → ATP Aegon Open, Nottingham → WTA Aegon International, Eastbourne → The Boodles, Stoke Park → BNP Paribas Tennis Classic, Hurlingham Club JUNE 29-JULY 12 → The Championships, Wimbledon

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[GRASS COURT PREVIEWS]

BLADE RUNNERS OUR GUIDE TO THE BRITISH GRASS SEASON

WHO, WHERE AND WHEN...

→ Once the dust has settled on Roland Garros, the best in the world will make an immediate transition into the grass season which reaches a climax at the third Grand Slam of the year at the All England Club in late June. For the first time this year, the gap between the French Open and Wimbledon will be three weeks with the Championships kicking off on Monday June 29. That change has allowed a re-jig to the men’s and women’s calendars with a few notable changes. Two men’s events - Halle and Queen’s - have been

upgraded to ATP 500 status, while the MercedesCup in Stuttgart has switched surfaces from clay to grass. The British grass season has been tweaked too with two tour events - a men’s and women’s tournament now taking place in Nottingham during separate weeks. And, as has been the case in previous years, some will choose a more relaxed setting to fine-tune their tactics on the turf at exhibition events taking place at Stoke Park and the Hurlingham Club in the run-up to Wimbledon. Get involved...

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ACADEMY

[frame-by-frame]

lisicki serve

David Sammel casts his eye over the technique of Sabine Lisicki, who boasts one of the best and biggest serves in the women's game

1

Sabine is just beginning to take her weight onto the back leg with a slight rocking motion identified by the raising of her front foot. Notice how the right wrist is already flexible – allowing the racket head to drop – and this loose wrist will be an excellent source of power.

2

The normal way to serve is to sync the right arm going backwards with the left arm putting the ball up into the air.

However, there are many servers – particularly in the women's game – who put the ball up early, with the right arm having to play catch-up.

3

Her legs are ready to launch her upwards into the serve. Notice how high the ball toss is. Essentially she serves extremely well but the high ball toss can become a problem, not only in the wind, but when a player gets nervous and has to time the upward drive to meet a falling ball.

Practice, practice, practice... → The serve and the return of serve are aguably the two most important shots in tennis, but often aren't practised enough by youngsters learning the game. It's

5 2 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

sometimes a tendency when hitting to play lots of points from the back of the court by starting the rally with a handfeed or groundstroke and, while that will

help your baseline game, it's important to work on your serve too. It's the only shot in tennis you're fully in control of – and it can win you plenty of free points.

Meet your coach: David Sammel David has more than 25 years' experience in tennis, coaching international players to career-high rankings, many of whom have represented their countries in the Davis Cup and at Olympic tennis events. David also became an official ATP coach in 2014 as recognition of his many years on tour. In addition, he regularly contributes to the UK tennis media including appearances on BBC Radio 5 Live, contributions to

The Times newspaper and Sky Sports. In early 2014, David released a sports psychology and coaching book – Locker Room Power – Building an Athlete's Mind. It provides insights, practical ideas and techniques for athletes and coaches to help them unlock the true potential of a sportsperson, enhance their performance and achieve their professional goals.

GOLDEN RULE The fifth image in this sequence illustrates why usng your height, pushing up from the legs and reaching up to the ball are such important elements when trying to hit big serves.

4

This is a classic pose. Her chest is facing upwards and her head is well up too. The racket head is dropped well behind her back and the wrist is beautifully relaxed for maximum speed and power as the arm unleashes upwards. The legs have also driven up powerfully.

5

Her eyes are watching the ball closely and she is as tall as possible as she makes contact. This picture alone is confirmation of why her serve is one of the best in the game. When she times the rest of the action to get to this point she'll be hitting a high percentage of great serves.

6

This is a textbook landing with the head up, the spine straight, the right leg in perfect counterbalance position and the landing ballet-like. Two things to notice – she has landed inside the court and her balance is so good that the foot is flat on the ground and straight.

Grip it and rip it like Lisicki → The fifth image in this wonderful sequence doesn't only show how the best servers in the game get up to the ball to make contact, but is also a good

illustration of how learning the correct grip to serve with will help you create spin and control. Because of the way Sabine is holding the racket, it allows her

to make sure it approaches the ball with the front edge of the frame leading. That means her racket can go through and across the ball.

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 53

academy

sequentials

gear

Testers’ Choice

best OVERALL

Babolat AeroPro Drive

HEAD Graphene XT Instinct Rev Pro

RRP: £190 // Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 300g // String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 32cm // Beam: 23-26mm

RRP: £145 // Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 255g // String pattern: 16x16 or 16x19 Balance: 34.5cm // Beam: 27mm-22.5mm-21mm

Yes, that’s Rafa’s racket – so what is a pro frame doing back here in club class? With many coaches now encouraging longer strokes and more extreme grips in order to load your drives with spin, the AeroPro Drive is the master frame. Engineered for aerodynamics when slashing at the ball rather than meeting it square-on, the racket actively encourages you to play with more spin, making it a solid choice for aspiring juniors and club players alike, as well as those with a more advanced game. Be warned, though – you’ll need to inject your own power into this one compared to the other rackets in this category – but you’ll be rewarded in spades.

Arguably the most versatile racket in this year’s test, the onus is on control with the Instinct Rev Pro. The HEAD breeding is obvious in the build quality, and for such a light frame the feedback is superb. Our testers played with the racket in Rev mode, the open-pattern 16x16 string pattern that can be adjusted to 16x19 by replacing the grommet strip at three and nine-o’clock positions in between restrings. If you go for the 16x16 setup, the Instinct reacted best to steady strokes rather than full-blooded swipes, which might be better suited to the denser string pattern. Open string patterns tend to offer more power and more spin.

Testers’ Choice

best VALUE

Mantis

Pacific

RRP: £120 // Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 285g // String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 32.5cm // Beam: 22.5mm-25mm-23mm

RRP: £169 // Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 288g // String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 32.2cm // Beam: 25mm-23mm-22mm

285

Mantis has been around for a few years now and has consistently produced quality frames that players warm to. For those on the lookout for a lightweight version of an advanced racket, the 285 is a solid option – and ‘solid’ was the word our testers kept coming back to after hitting with this dependable frame. With some canny weight distribution, the drop in mass is more pronounced than the drop in power while still offering good feedback around the court. The only real drawback was the lack of stability when missing the sweet spot. Long story short: if you’ve got a classic, all-court game and sound strokes, the 285 will reward you.

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

BX2 X-Fast LT

A touch longer than a standard frame at 27.25in, everything about the X-Fast Pro is a bit larger than life.

A lightweight mimic of the X-Fast Pro, it too aims to move quicker through the air thanks to its Full Acceleration Shaft Technology – hence the name, and that chunky throat section. The lighter version doesn’t plough through the ball as much as the Pro but it doesn’t exactly lack power, while retaining the access to spin thanks to that racket head speed. Rangey hitters with fuller swings will enjoy this one, while that bulky frame will give you a confidence boost on serves and overheads.

GEAR

RACKET REVIEW

Prince TeXtreme Warrior 107T

Testers’ Choice

best FOR power

RRP: £140 // Head size: 107 sq.in Unstrung weight: 280g // String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 32.5cm // Beam: 24-28mm

The Warrior has been a mainstay of the Prince line-up for decades, promising easy power and manoeuvrability from a larger, more forgiving frame suited particularly well to serve-volleyers – and the 107T is no different. Descended from the beefier Warrior 107, the 107T packs a serious punch in its own right, thanks in no small part to the introduction of super-strong TeXtreme carbon to the construction, which has strengthened the frame without making it too stiff. Shorter swingers will certainly benefit from the extra square inches and thick beam, but get it wrong going hell-for-leather and you’re likely to find the back fence rather than the baseline.

ProKennex Kinetic Q5 295 RRP: £149.95 // Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 295g // String pattern: 16x20 Balance: 32cm // Beam: 22mm

Perhaps a good bet if you drifted away from tennis because of shoulder or elbow pain but now wish to get back on court. Lateral epicondylitis – or tennis elbow – has many probable causes, among them the unwanted vibrations from your frame being transmitted up your arm. ProKennex has put the prevention of tennis elbow at the heart of its K.I. Kinetic range, making it one of the most comfortable rackets tested, while its Kinetic Moveable Mass – the corners of the frame are filled with beads – ensures good ploughthrough from a highly manoeuvrable frame.

Tecnifibre

Volkl

RRP: £144.99 // Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 280g // String pattern: 16x20 Balance: 32.5cm // Beam: 23mm

RRP: £170 // Head size: 102 sq.in Unstrung weight: 285g // String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 32.2cm // Beam: 26mm-22mm-28mm

T-Fight 280 ATP Series 2

Big on comfort, the T-Fight was one of the easiest rackets we tested in this category, making it a solid choice for those in the market for a dependable, forgiving frame.

Tecnifibre’s Dynacore technology boosts the stability in this lightweight version of the pro racket, while the head-light balance will appeal to those who spend a good amount of time at the net. That 16x20 string pattern makes spin easy to come by without sacrificing control.

One of our testers suggested it would make a fine coaches’ frame, as he could have stayed on court with it for hours without tiring, which speaks volumes for its arm-friendly performance.

Super G V1 Midplus

Volkl is not a name regularly seen on the ATP and WTA tours as you might expect, and for the life of us we cannot figure out why. The German manufacturer consistently produces well-built, well-balanced rackets that tend to sit among our testers’ favourites year on year, and the V1 is no exception. The true benefit of the build quality is the enhanced Volkl feel, enhanced by the handle’s intrinsic Biosensor vibration dampener, while the Optispot paintjob is also a training tool, helping you keep the ball in the chunky cross-hairs of the sweet spot. For those after feedback – both visual and sensory – we’d point you towards the V1.

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results [April 13, 2015]

wta rankings RANKING

1

PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM Made her first appearance at Indian Wells in 14 years, beating an in-form Bacsinszky before withdrawing from SFs with knee injury. Went on to win eighth Miami Open title, beating Lisicki and Halep in three sets before defeating Suarez Navarro in final.

Serena WIlliams

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

This year: $3,777,399 Career to date: $67,278,178 Career-high ranking: 1 (08/07/02) Career titles: 66 Last title: Miami Open, WTA Premier, Miami, USA, March 2015

2

maria sharapova

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

This year: $1,635,285 Career to date: $34,170,487 Career-high ranking: 1 (22/08/05) Career titles: 34 Last title: Brisbane International, WTA Premier, Brisbane, Australia, January 2015

Reached SFs on Acapulco debut but was forced to withdraw with a stomach virus. Beat Azarenka in Indian Wells 3R but fell in next match to defending champion Pennetta before suffering shock defeat to Russian world No.97 Gavrilova in Miami 2R.

3

simona halep

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

This year: $1,980,291 Career to date: $8,539,699 Career-high ranking: 2 (11/08/14) Career titles: 11 Last title: BNP Paribas Open, WTA Premier, Indian Wells, USA, March 2015

Climbed back to No.3 after losing just one WTA match in February and March, winning two Premier titles in Dubai (d.

Karolina Pliskova in final) and Indian Wells (d. Jankovic in final) before falling to Serena Williams in Miami SFs.

4

petra kvitova

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

This year: $284,052 Career to date: $17,386,510 Career-high ranking: 2 (31/10/11) Career titles: 15 Last title: Sydney International, WTA Premier, Sydney, Australia, January 2015

Suffered back-to-back defeats to Suarez Navarro in Dubai (3R) and Doha (QFs) before withdrawing from Indian Wells and Miami with exhaustion. "I am doing everything to restore my energy levels for a return to action," said the Czech.

5

Caroline Wozniacki

denmark Born: 11/07/90 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 5ft 10in Weight: 139 lbs

This year: $346,216 Career to date: $19,669,081 Career-high ranking: 1 (11/10/10) Career titles: 23 Last title: BMW Malaysian Open, WTA International, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 2015

Reached SFs in Dubai (l. to Halep) and QFs in Doha (l. to Azarenka) before winning title in Kuala Lumpur (d. Dulgheru in final). However, struggled on American hard courts, falling in Indian Wells 3R (l. to Bencic) and Miami 4R (l to Venus Williams).

6

ana ivanovic

serbia Born: 06/11/1987 Lives: Bern, Switzerland Height: 6ft Weight: 152 lbs

This year: $260,571 Career to date: $13,355,827 Career-high ranking: 1 (09/06/2008) Career titles: 15 Last title: Toray Pan Pacific Open, WTA International, Tokyo, Japan, September 2014

The Serb struggled for form in February and March, losing to an in-form Karolina Pliskova in Dubai 3R before suffering back-to-back defeats to Garcia in Monterrey SFs and Indian Wells 3R. Did not fare much better in Miami, falling in 3R to Lisicki.

7

eugenie Bouchard

canada Born: 25/02/1994 Lives: Montreal, Canada Height: 5ft 10in Weight: 134 lbs

This year: $378,273 Career to date: $4,104,308 Career-high ranking: 5 (20/10/14) Career titles: 1 Last title: Nurnberger Versicherungs Cup, WTA International, Nurnberg, Germany, May 2014

Bouchard lost three straight matches for the third time in 12 months. After 2R defeat in Antwerp (l. to Barthel) she fell to No.85 Tsurenko in Indian Wells 4R before opening defeats in Miami (l. to world No.113 Maria) and Charleston (l to Davis).

8

ekaterina makarova

Russia Born: 07/06/88 Lives: Moscow, Russia Height: 5ft 11in Weight: 143 lbs

This year: $929,711 Career to date: $7,669,322 Career-high ranking: 8 (06/04/15) Career titles: 2 Last title: PTT Thailand Open, WTA International, Pattaya City, Thailand, February 2014

Climbed to career-high No.8 despite mixed form following run in Melbourne. Reached Dubai QFs (l. to Halep) but fell in Doha 2R (l. to Safarova). Lost in Indian Wells 3R (l. to Bacsinszky) and Miami 4R (l. to Petkovic). On clay, lost to Begu in Charleston 3R.

9

agnieszka radwanska

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

This year: $310,466 Career to date: $17,675,886 Career-high ranking: 2 (09/07/12) Career titles: 14 Last title: Rogers Cup, WTA Premier, Montreal, Canada, August 2014

Went 9-8 in first 3 months of 2015, losing to Muguruza in Dubai and Doha QFs to Venus Williams.

Beaten by Watson in Indian Wells 3R before falling to eventual runner-up Suarez Navarro in Miami 4R. Reached Katowice SFs in front of home fans (l. to Giorgi).

10

carla suarez navarro

spain Born: 03/10/88 Lives: Barcelona, Spain Height: 5ft 4in Weight: 137 lbs

This year: $824,282 Career to date: $5,077,510 Career-high ranking: 10 (06/04/15) Career titles: 1 Last title: Portugal Open, WTA International, Oeiras, Portugal, May 2014

Enjoyed superb run of form to break top 10 for first time.

Reached Antwerp final (l. to Petkovic), Dubai QFs (l. to Muguruza) and Doha SFs (l. to Safarova). Reached QFs in Indian Wells (l. to Halep) before run to Miami final (l. to Serena).

Points: 9,981

Points: 7,890

Points: 7,571

Points: 6,060

Points: 4,675

Points: 4,200

Points: 4,122

Points: 3,420

Points: 3,385

Points: 3,335

down 2

9 4 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 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

Andrea Petkovic (GER) Karolina Pliskova (CZE) Lucie Safarova (CZE) Angelique Kerber (GER) Sara Errani (ITA) Venus Williams (USA) Madison Keys (USA) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) Sabine Lisicki (GER) Garbine Muguruza (ESP) Peng Shuai (CHN) Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) Barbora Strycova (CZE) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) Samantha Stosur (AUS) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) Elina Svitolina (UKR) Alize Cornet (FRA) Caroline Garcia (FRA) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) Zarina Diyas (KAZ) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) Belinda Bencic (SUI) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) Camila Giorgi (ITA) Coco Vandeweghe (USA) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) Sloane Stephens (USA) Mona Barthel (GER) Heather Watson (GBR) Roberta Vinci (ITA) Madison Brengle (USA) Casey Dellacqua (AUS) Alison Riske (USA) Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) Johanna Larsson (SWE) Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) Kaia Kanepi (EST) Monica Puig (PUR) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) Kurumi Nara (JPN) Karin Knapp (ITA) Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) Lauren Davis (USA) Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) Tereza Smitkova (CZE) Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) Monica Niculescu (ROU) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) Julia Goerges (GER) Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) Christina McHale (USA) Polona Hercog (SLO) Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) Elena Vesnina (RUS) Lucie Hradecka (CZE) Carina Witthoeft (GER) Zheng Saisai (CHN) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) Katerina Siniakova (CZE) Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) Annika Beck (GER) Shelby Rogers (USA) Daria Gavrilova (RUS) Zhang Shuai (CHN) Marina Erakovic (NZL) Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) Klara Koukalova (CZE) Alison van Uytvanck (BEL) Kiki Bertens (NED) Timea Babos (HUN) Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) Pauline Parmentier (FRA) Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) Irina Falconi (USA) Tatjana Maria (GER) Denisa Allertova (CZE) Stefanie Voegele (SUI) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) Wang Qiang (CHN) Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) Ana Konjuh (CRO) Magda Linette (POL) Nicole Gibbs (USA)

RANKINGS

emirates ATP Rankings RANKING

1

PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM

11-100 RANKINGS

Lost just two matches in first three months of 2015, reaching Dubai final (l. to Federer) before making history with victory at Indian Wells (d. Federer in final) and Miami (d. Murray in final) as the first player to win back-to-back titles three times.

novak djokovic

serbia Born: 22/05/87 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 6ft 2in Weight: 176 lbs

This year: $4,606,160 Career to date: $77,028,088 Career-high ranking: 1 (04/07/11) Career titles: 51 Last title: Miami Open, ATP Masters 1000, Miami, USA, March 2015

2

roger rafael nadal federer

switzerland Spain Born: 03/06/86 08/08/81 Lives: Manacor, Mallorca, Bottmingen, Spain Switzerland Height: 6ft Height: 6ft1in 1in Weight: 188 Weight: 187lbs lbs

This year: year:$1,104,496 $5,714,859 Career to todate: date:$89,725,160 $55,776,687 Career-high Career-highranking: ranking:11 (02/02/04) (18/08/08) Career titles: titles:84 57 Last title: Duty Free title:Dubai French Open, Grand Slam, Championships, ATP2013 500, Dubai, UAE, Paris, France, June February 2015

Became the first to season win the Won second titleman of the same Grand Slam tournament in Dubai, beating world No.1 eight times he defeated Djokovic inwhen straight sets in the David in French OpenOpen final final. Ferrer Avenged Australian defeat Indian Wells, to claimtohisSeppi 12thinmajor title. where hehis reached finalinbut Suffered first 1Rthe defeat a lost to Djokovic.

Slam when he lostSkipped to SteveMiami Darcis foropening secondday timeatinWimbledon. three years. on

3

andy murray

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

This year: $2,026,492 Career to date: $36,226,273 Career-high ranking: 2 (17/08/09) Career titles: 31 Last title: Valencia Open, ATP 500, Valencia, Spain, October 2014

Suffered shock defeat to Borna Coric in Dubai QFs but bounced back to reach SFs in Indian Wells and Miami final, losing to Djokovic on both occasions.

Opted to skip Monte Carlo Masters following his marriage to Kim Sears on April 11.

4

kei nishikori

japan Born: 29/12/89 Lives: Bradenton, Florida, USA Height: 5ft 10in Weight: 163 lbs

This year: $734,682 Career to date: $8,764,631 Career-high ranking: 4 (02/03/15) Career titles: 8 Last title: Memphis Open, ATP 250, Memphis, USA February 2015

Reached the final in Acapulco, where he lost to David Ferrer, to climb into top four for the first time. Beat rival Milos Raonic during Davis Cup duty but fell to Feliciano Lopez in Indian Wells 4R before losing in straight sets to John Isner in Miami QFs.

5

rafael Nadal

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

This year: $598,532 Career to date: $72,029,623 Career-high ranking: 1 (18/08/08) Career titles: 65 Last title: Argentina Open, ATP 250, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 2015

Bounced back from shock SF defeat to Fognini in Rio de Janeiro to win Buenos Aires title. Beat good friend Monaco in final - his first trophy since Roland Garros. Reached Indian Wells QFs (l. to Raonic) and fell to Verdasco in Miami 3R.

6

milos raonic

CANADA Born: 27/12/90 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 6ft 5in Weight: 216 lbs

This year: $698,591 Career to date: $8,018,431 Career-high ranking: 6 (07/07/14) Career titles: 6 Last title: Citi Open, ATP 500, Washington, USA, August 2014

Recovered from surprise 2R defeat to Bolelli in Marseille to reach Indian Wells last four, claiming first career win against Nadal in QFs before falling to Federer. In battle of big servers, lost in three tiebreak sets to American Isner in Miami 4R.

7

david ferrer

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

This year: $1,168,667 Career to date: $25,920,161 Career-high ranking: 3 (08/07/2013) Career titles: 24 Last title: Abierto Mexicano Telcel ATP 250, Acapulco, Mexico, February 2015

Enjoyed impressive three months of the year, winning titles in Rio de Janeiro (d in Fognini in final) and Acapulco (d.

Nishikori in final) to add to Doha crown. Fell in Indian Wells 3R to Tomic but reached Miami QFs, where he lost to Djokovic.

8

tomas berdych

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

This year: $1,259,708 Career to date: $21,309,176 Career-high ranking: 5 (19/08/13) Career titles: 10 Last title: If Stockholm Open, ATP 250, Stockholm, Sweden, October 2014

Solid performances from the Czech, losing only to top 10 opponents in early 2015.

Reached Dubai SFs (l. to Djokovic) before falling to Federer in Indian Wells QFs. Reached fifth SF in six events in Miami, where he lost to Murray.

9

stan wawrinka

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

This year: $1,080,640 Career to date: $15,487,444 Career-high ranking: 3 (27/01/14) Career titles: 9 Last title: ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, ATP 500, Rotterdam, Netherlands, February 2015

Struggled for form after winning ninth career title in Rotterdam, losing to Stakhovsky in Marseille QFs before defeat to world No.104 Haase in Indian Wells 2R. Suffered a similar fate in Miami, losing to Mannarino in 3R.

10

marin Cilic

croatia Born: 28/09/88 Lives: Monte Carlo, Monaco Height: 6ft 6in Weight: 180 lbs

This year: $17,100 Career to date: $11,333,854 Career-high ranking: 8 (13/10/14) Career titles: 13 Last title: Kremlin Cup, ATP 250, Moscow, Russia, October 2014

Made comeback in Indian Wells after recovering from a right shoulder injury. Lost to Monaco before pulling out of Miami with the same problem. "It's the longest period in my career that I haven’t played any tennis," said Cilic.

Points: 13,205

Points: 8,895 6,860

Points: 6,060

Points: 5,280

Points: 5,255

Points: 5,070

Points: 4,670

Points: 4,510

Points: 4,405

Points: 3,360

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

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) Feliciano Lopez (ESP) Gilles Simon (FRA) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) Kevin Anderson (RSA) Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) Ernests Gulbis (LAT) Gael Monfils (FRA) John Isner (USA) Tommy Robredo (ESP) David Goffin (BEL) Ivo Karlovic (CRO) Pablo Cuevas (URU) Leonardo Mayer (ARG) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) Bernard Tomic (AUS) Richard Gasquet (FRA) Fabio Fognini (ITA) Martin Klizan (SVK) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Lukas Rosol (CZE) Santiago Giraldo (COL) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) Nick Kyrgios (AUS) Jeremy Chardy (FRA) Jack Sock (USA) Viktor Troicki (SRB) Andreas Seppi (ITA) Julien Benneteau (FRA) Fernando Verdasco (ESP) Sam Querrey (USA) Juan Monaco (ARG) Gilles Muller (LUX) Dominic Thiem (AUT) Benjamin Becker (GER) Jiri Vesely (CZE) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) Donald Young (USA) Simone Bolelli (ITA) Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) Steve Johnson (USA) Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) Borna Coric (CRO) Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) Joao Sousa (POR) Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) Vasek Pospisil (CAN) Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) Pablo Andujar (ESP) Marcel Granollers (ESP) Diego Schwartzman (ARG) Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Denis Istomin (UZB) Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) Tim Smycek (USA) Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) Steve Darcis (BEL) Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) Joao Souza (BRA) Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) Blaz Kavcic (SLO) Jurgen Melzer (AUT) Marinko Matosevic (AUS) Ricardas Berankis (LTU) Dusan Lajovic (SRB) James Duckworth (AUS) Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) Sam Groth (AUS) Damir Dzumhur (BIH) Go Soeda (JPN) Robin Haase (NED) Federico Delbonis (ARG) Malek Jaziri (TUN) Benoit Paire (FRA) Lukas Lacko (SVK) Filip Krajinovic (SRB) Dudi Sela (ISR) Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) Marsel Ilhan (TUR) Aljaz Bedene (GBR) Ivan Dodig (CRO) Tatsuma Ito (JPN) Ruben Bemelmans (BEL) Nicolas Almagro (ESP)

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 95

results

[april 13, 2015]

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