Volume 5: Issue 1

TUITION: PLAY LIKE THE PROS

Wawrinka backhand Azarenka serve

TRAVEL: TRAIN IN THE SUN

Annabel Croft at Portugal’s Pine Cliffs

STRINGING MACHINES A worthwhile investment?

WIN!

WILSON PRO STAFF

WWW.TENNISHEAD.NET | APRIL 2014

THE WORLD’S BEST TENNIS M AGA ZINE

2014

RACKET REVIEWS Weapons for advanced players

STAN Wawrinka’s coming of age

ROGER FEDERER Great expectations

CZECH MATES A small nation rules the world

LI NA

MOURATOGLOU

Entertaining the world

Why statistics can be vital

HEAT STROKES How players cope in extreme conditions

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1 APR 2014 £4.50

COMPREHENSIVE RESULTS AND RANKINGS PLUS: ELINA SVITOLINA DAMIR DZUMHUR DMITRY TURSUNOV SAMPRAS V AGASSI

CONTENTS APRIL 2014

18

54 SUBSCRIBE TODAY See page 6 for details.

GALLERY 20 SNAP SHOTS Sizzling photos from the Australian Open

“Age is nothing. you can still win a Grand Slam!”

WIN

LI NA

74 BABOLAT RACKET BAG Our star letter writer wins every time

88 WILSON PRO STAFF Grigor Dimitrov's racket of choice

BIG READ 08 HAWKEYE Why 2014 could be Federer's year

13 LOCKER-ROOM Behind the scenes with Damir Dzumhur

16 INSIDE OUT StarGames CEO Jerry Solomon

18 HOT STUFF Elina Svitolina, a star is rising

34 STANISLAS WAWRINKA How Stan won the Australian Open

40 LI NA

Entertaining the world

48 CZECH MATES

Why the Czechs shine in team competition

54 GARBINE MUGURUZA Will the 20 year old win Spanish hearts?

114 ACTION REPLAY

Pete Sampras v Andre Agassi 2001 US Open epic

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40 08

114

48

96

Academy 60 Frame By Frame

Stan Wawrinka's graceful backhand

64 Vital Statistics

Patrick Mouratoglou's analysis

69 Brain Game

How to win as an underdog

70 Nutrition

Eating to win

72 Mats Merkel How players cope in extreme conditions

34 it’s just my time. I’m 28, I’m more mature, I understand better when I win and when I lose and why rinka Sta ni sla s Wa w

62

64

74 Ask tennishead Your questions answered by our experts

76 Locker Room Power

David Sammel's new book

Gear 79 Gear News How technology is revolutionising rackets

82 2014 Racket Review

Frames for advanced players

88 Pro Shop

Kit that's trending right now

90 Dmitry Tursunov

Swings his heavy weight racket

92 Stringing Machines

Are they worth the investment?

Travel 96 Tennis Tourist

76

Annabel Croft at Pine Cliffs, Portugal

Results and Rankings 100 ATP & WTA Tour

Comprehensive Results

102 Australian Open 2014

Women's singles draw

104 Australian Open 2014

Men's singles draw

106 WTA & Davis Cup

Tour action and team tennis

108 Singles world rankings

Men's and women's top 100 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 Youngest players to win a WTA title in Open era

Tracy Austin

14 years, 28 days 1977

Kathy Rinaldi

14 years, 208 days 1981

3

Jennifer Capriati 14 years, 212 days 1990

4

© RAY GIUBILO

1

2

Tracy Austin

5

Andrea Jaeger

15 years, 56 days 1997

280,003

$4,100 Damir Dzumhur’s biggest payday before taking home $67,447 at the Australian Open

9 11

Number of first-round retirements at the 2014 Australian Open Number of consecutive Aus Open semi-finals for Roger Federer

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10_Stats_v5_1[SP1].indd 10

Oldest first-time Grand Slam Title winners Andres Gimeno

Jana Novotna

34 years, 293 days (1972 French Open)

29 years, 275 days (1998 Wimbledon)

Andres Gomez

Kerry Melville

30 years, 103 days (1990 French Open)

29 years, 154 days (1977 Aus. Open)

Petr Korda

Li Na

30 years, 9 days (1998 Aus. Open)

29 years, 98 days (2011 French Open)

Francesca Schiavone

Stanislas Wawrinka

29 years, 346 days (2010 French Open)

28 years, 304 days (2014 Aus.Open)

Goran Ivanisevic

Marion Bartoli

29 years, 299 days (2001 Wimbledon)

28 years, 277 days (2013 Wimbledon)

Francesca Schiavone

80 % Bill Tilden

80 % Henri Cochet

80 % Bjorn Borg

81.8% Johan Kriek

81.8% Jean Borotra

Ross Case

Percentage of singles matches won by Martina Navratilova in her career

82.4 %

Best winning percentage in fifth sets (ATP)

86.6

2012 year-end ranking for Pablo Carreno Busta, now ATP Top 70

Mirjana Lucic

14 years, 228 days 1980

Total number of points won in the men’s singles competition at the 2014 Australian Open

654

The last time before 2014 that Great Britain won a Davis Cup tie in the USA

1903

Stats from WTA and ATP

12/2/14 11:16:12

LOCKER ROOM

DAMIR DZUMHUR

“Djokovic congratulated me and said I will play many matches at this level” DAMIR DZUMHUR

Tiebreak!

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW TENNIS...?

1

Which former world No.1 knocked out Serena Williams at this year’s Australian Open?

2

At the Australian Open, 21 year-old Damir Dzumhur reached the third round and in the process put Bosnian tennis on the map

Which sports brand did Tommy Haas sign a clothing contract with this season?

3

When did you start playing tennis? I was five years old, but my father is a tennis coach, so even when I was three, and during the war, I often went to the court.

Do you remember much about the Bosnian war of 1992-1995? No, I was too young, but people around me still remember it.

What part of Bosnia are you from? I live in Sarajevo, the capital. When I was young I could have played tennis for Croatia, but I chose to play for Bosnia. Marin Cilic, Ivan Ljubcic and Ivan Dodig are all from Bosnia but chose to leave. It is a small country, but one that has many talented people. I love my country.

Do you enjoy playing Davis Cup? Yes, I always enjoy Davis Cup. In April last year we had a tie against Moldova. I played two singles matches and doubles. I was on court for around 12 hours and I ended up in hospital after that. Unfortunately it was not enough as we did not win the tie. But I play with a full heart for my country.

Do you think your success at the Australian Open will inspire people in Bosnia to play tennis? I hope that people will come and watch our Davis Cup ties. Tennis has not been that popular but now I hope that because I have played at a high level, children who don’t know what to do will play tennis and know they too could play at the top.

Are there many tennis courts at home? No. Even today we have only one normal hard court in the whole of Sarajevo. That court was built this year.

What enabled you to get through qualifying and then to the third round? When I played through qualies, almost everybody said I had no chance. I talked to my parents and coach and I believed.

Believing in myself helped me a lot. I was very relaxed when I came on court for my first round match [against Jan Hajek] and I played my best tennis. I was a bit lucky in the second round [Ivan

Dodig retired]. The third round was tough because Tomas Berdych is one of the best players in the world.

What are your ambitions and have they changed since Australia? Before the Australian Open I had hoped to be in the top 150 in the world. Now I hope I can make the top 100.

Novak Djokovic spoke to you after your third round match. What did he say? He congratulated me and said that I will play more and more matches at this level. Novak is one of the best players in the history of the game and so his words mean a lot to me. I am proud that a player like that said these words to me. I met him once before, in Monte Carlo, when I was 16 years old. He won’t remember that, but I know his brothers very well.

Berdych said after the match that you were a guy with a “pretty nice future”. I will work hard to get that nice future.

What was the reaction from people at home when you played in Australia? The whole of Bosnia did not sleep. Everyone was watching on TV. I think this is great for a small country. It’s a big thing for Bosnia. It’s like the football players who qualified for the World cup in Brazil for the first time. That was huge and this is what people compare it with.

Did you play any other sports when you were young? I played football and I still ski. In Sarajevo we are only half an hour away from the mountains.

When I was about nine a coach from the skiing federation spotted me and offered to support me as a skier. My father told him that I was already playing tennis. I was quite sad at that time because I wanted to both play tennis and ski.

What else do you do away from tennis? I like reading books, particularly autobiographies by sports people. I have just finished a book about Djokovic.

4

Which former US Open champion made a brief doubles comeback at the Australian Open, 14 years after his last Grand Slam appearance?

5

How many Grand Slam quarterfinals has Roger Federer reached to equal Jimmy Connors’ Open era record?

6

Who did Novak Djokovic appoint as coach in time for the 2014 season?

1. Ana Ivanovic; 2. Ellesse; 3. Fourth round; 4. Pat Rafter; 5. 41; 6. Boris Becker

INTERVIEW: BRIDGET MARRISON

How far did ‘lucky loser’ Stephane Robert go in the Australian Open after initially failing to qualify for the main draw?

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NEWS

QUIZ

hawkeye

hot stufF Elina Svitolina

boxing clever After reaching the third round at the Australian Open, the 19-year-old has emerged as one to watch in 2014 Words: Bridget Marrison

T

alk to Elina Svitolina and it is easy at first to be deceived by her relaxed manner.

Before long, however, you appreciate that she is an individual who thinks long and hard about the world around her and her place in it.

Take, for example, two of her major sources of inspiration, the Klitschko brothers and the Australian-born motivational speaker, Nick Vujicic. What appeals to her about Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, two of the most successful heavyweight boxers of modern times, is their personalities and role model status in Ukraine.

The Klitschkos might be obvious people for a young Ukrainian to look up to, but Vujicic is perhaps a less likely hero. He was born without arms or legs, a victim of tetra-amelia syndrome.

Despite all his physical challenges, Vujicic is now an author, a musician and motivational speaker. He lives in the United States. “I am reading his book at the moment and have watched his videos,” Svitolina said. “He’s amazing. I’ve learned a lot from him – about believing and trusting yourself, listening to your heart. I have learned a lot about myself from him.

I love him.”

Svitolina grew up in Ukraine with a brother, nine years older than her, who was a professional tennis player and is now a tennis coach. From a young age she loved to challenge her brother. “I was a bit jealous that my parents were travelling with him and I was home alone,” she said. “I was trying to work hard and get better and get some attention. I’m so competitive. I was always trying to get better than my brother. Finally, when I was 11 or 12, I was starting to make an impression.”

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She recognises that this competitive upbringing had its benefits. “I think it’s great to have this kind of family that pushed me to be competitive for the future.”

In 2010, when Svitolina was 15, she won the girls’ title at Roland Garros. She now lives in France and has a French coach, Sebastien Mattieu. She is based at the ISP Tennis Academy, where she trained during the off-season.

When she travels, Svitolina admits that she misses Ukraine. “I miss my family and my grandparents,” she said. “I miss my brother because he stays there. He is working in Kiev.”

Nevertheless, she is already beginning to reap the rewards of this sacrifice. At the beginning of this year Svitolina signed a sponsorship deal with the Ellesse clothing brand. She is aware of the brand’s heritage. “I think it’s great to be a part of the team. They have great history behind them and it’s great to represent them. They have a lot of great players, like Boris Becker and Chris Evert.”

During her run in Melbourne Svitolina beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round on one

[CV]

“I’m so competitive.

I was always trying to get better than my brotheR” Birthplace Odessa, Ukraine Date of Birth 12 September 1994 Height 5’9” Plays Right-handed WTA singles ranking 39 (2.2.14) turned pro 2010 Titles (2013) Baku, 2012/125 Pune

of the days when the temperature at Melbourne Park topped 40°C. She saw the experience as another part of her education.

The other great highlight of her career so far came last summer when she won the title in Azerbaijan. At Wimbledon she played Marion Bartoli, the eventual champion, in the first round.

She lost 6-3 7-5, but insisted: “Wimbledon was a great lesson for me. I can see I need to work harder to win the matches and against these top players you see what you need to work on.”

Svitolina is prepared to put in the effort to move up the world rankings. “You need to work really hard before matches, off the court as well as on it, and thinking about how to play against the top players is important,” she said.

She is ambitious. “I always try to put my ambitions so high that I cannot reach them, so that I always have something in front of me,” she said. “For now, maybe it will be top 10 or something like that. Then maybe even higher.”

Her tennis idols include Kim Clijsters. She likes the Belgian both as a person and as a former top player. “I really like her game and I really liked her on court,” she said. She describes herself as a defensive baseliner. “Some players say I like to be defensive rather than going for the attack, but it’s my strength.”

Off court, she loves water sports. Given that she grew up close to the Black Sea, this is hardly surprising. Her brother introduced her to wakeboarding, which she admits is a tough sport.

“It’s really painful for your hands and you need to be really strong, but I love it. I love water.”

With Svitolina’s clearly-defined role models, a new clothing contract and an ambition to succeed, her fellow teenagers on the tour will need to keep an eye on her. The relaxed Ukrainian means business. As she strives to get to the top, she will carry on drawing inspiration from others who have made it to the summit. n W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 19

hot stuff

hot stufF

GALLERY

rod laver arena, melbourne

GALLERY

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-

grand slam

CHAMPION a k n i r w a W s Sta nisla How the 28 year old from Lausanne made his way into tennis history WORDS: PAUL NEWMAN Paul Newman is Tennis Correspondent of the Independent and the Independent on Sunday

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Li Na’s success had already had a big impact on tennis in Asia, but her most recent Grand Slam victory could mean even bigger things WORDS: COURTNEY WALSH Courtney Walsh is Chief Tennis Writer of The Australian

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a

s emphatic as Li Na’s form was during the Australian Open, her success may prove to be a rare occasion when her words are remembered more than her actions. For while the Chinese star claimed a second Grand Slam title when defeating Dominika Cibulkova, it is her acceptance speech that will go down in folklore with fans around the globe, such was its humour.

Fresh from a 7-6 6-0 triumph that saw her consolidate her Top 3 status, the champion nailed as many jokes as she did forehand winners in an address that had the crowd in Rod Laver Arena demanding an encore. Not surprisingly, her husband Jiang Shan was the target of her humour, as he had been in Li Na’s two previous runs to the final in Melbourne in 2011, when she fell to Kim Clijsters, and last year when Victoria Azarenka proved too sharp.

“Okay now, my husband, you are so famous in China,” she said.

“Thanks for giving up everything to travel with me, hit with me, fix the drinks, fix the rackets. He has a lot of jobs. So thanks, you’re a nice guy. You’re lucky you found me.”

What followed is the type of reception acts featuring in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival each March can only wish for, with Li given a standing ovation and lauded online.

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CZECH 4 8 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

They have won two Davis Cups and two Fed Cups in the last three years.

How have Tomas Berdych and Co. become such great team players?

WORDS: PAUL NEWMAN

Š RAY GIUBILO

mates W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 49

The Spanish have an enviable reputation when it comes to producing world-class players in the men’s game. Have they now found a woman who can follow in the footsteps of Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez?

WORDS: Bridget Marrison

W

hen Carlos Moya selects Spain’s Davis Cup team he must feel like a child invited to pick from a luxury box of chocolates.

Even if the Turkish delights and the caramel hearts have gone, the orange truffle and the fudge cream look just as tasty. When you have four or more men ranked in the world’s top 20 and eight or more in the top 50, it doesn’t seem to matter quite so much when the likes of Rafa Nadal or David Ferrer aren’t available.

Conchita Martinez, Moya’s Fed Cup counterpart, must look at his options with envy. At the start of this year Carla Suarez Navarro was the only Spanish woman in the world’s top 50. For all the country’s rich heritage in women’s tennis, highlighted by the achievements of Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Martinez herself, it is many years since a female Spanish player emerged to capture the country’s imagination.

At last, however, that may be changing. In Garbine Muguruza, who was born in Venezuela but competes under a Spanish flag, the country has a player with huge potential.

“In Spain we have so many boys,” Muguruza said.

“The Spanish are not so interested in the girls as we are not running the world like Rafa. We have good girls, but not like the boys.”

Muguruza, who has a Venezuelan mother and Spanish father, moved to Barcelona, where she now lives and trains, when she was six. Like many Spanish juniors she played most of her tennis in Spain and did not compete often on the ITF junior circuit.

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Her rise up the rankings over the last two years has shown what an outstanding talent she is. She rose to No.35 in the world rankings, just 19 places behind Suarez Navarro, after her exploits at the Australian Open, where she beat Caroline Wozniacki before losing in the fourth round to Agnieszka Radwanska.

Before heading to Melbourne Muguruza had claimed the first WTA title of her career in Hobart.

“I cannot believe after all I had been through that I won my second tournament of the year,” said Muguruza, who had been sidelined for the second half of 2013 following surgery on her right ankle.

Before the operation, Muguruza’s talent had been evident when she reached the second round at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.

She also made the fourth round at Indian Wells and Miami. At the start of July, however, she underwent surgery to repair a fracture in her right ankle.

Months of rehabilitation followed. Her commitment to returning to fitness can be seen in a YouTube video in which she is hitting balls while sat in a chair.

“I worked hard while I was out injured,” she said. ”I practised all day. It gave me time to improve.”

Muguruza has two older brothers, Asier and Igor, who inspired her to play, though both have since given up the game. “I started playing because they were playing,” Muguruza said. “I think that helped me because all of my family was into tennis. My mum loves tennis and my father is crazy about it.”

At 6ft tall and with an athletic frame, Muguruza is built for modern tennis. “My brothers are tall, like

She’s got all the goods.

She has a great head on her shoulders Martina Navratilova

ACADEMY

[frame-by-frame]

stan wawrinka’s backhand Who better to demonstrate how to rip a single-handed backhand than the new Australian Open champion? David Sammel analyses his stroke

1

Stan is preparing to hit his famous backhand. Notice the width of his stance and how his shoulders are rotated at this point in line with his hips.

2

Here he has completed a full takeback, with his right shoulder rotated slightly further than the hips and his weight now firmly moving on to his front leg.

3

This shows the beginning of the acceleration forward into the ball.

Notice how still his head is and how firmly fixed his eyes are on the ball.

Mix things up by perfecting your slice → A consistent and powerful topspin backhand is essential in the modern game but young players should also appreciate the importance of learning a

6 0 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

sliced backhand too. All the top players now possess the ability to hit under the ball which can be particularly effective on certain surfaces. Slicing the ball is

also a good way of mixing up the pace of your shots. It forces your opponent to make contact in a more difficult position and helps improve your drop shot too.

Meet your coach: David Sammel David has more than 25 years of 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 BBC Radio 5 Live, The Times 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. For more information see page 76 or visit www.lockerroompower.com

GOLDEN RULE This sequence of photos demonstrate one of the great keys to a good backhand. Notice how Stan's shoulders and hips are still half-turned on contact. The sheer speed of the racket head imparted by the rotating hips as he executes will pull the shoulders open and help him create power as he hits through the ball.

4

The fact that the racket head directly after contact is above the ball shows that the racket was coming from below the ball from low to high.

5

Stan's acceleration of the racket and the arm is so powerful that it looks like he has been flinging a frisbee or a boomerang at the ball.

6

Perfect counterbalance is shown here with the left arm mirroring the right. Notice that the wrist has turned the racket over the ball.

The importance of balance and post-impact recovery → Once Stan has made contact, although the power of his upward acceleration pushes his weight back onto his left leg, he is strong enough to hold the weight

central and prevent the upper body from falling back off the ball. As he finishes the stroke, he is now able to relax and allow his weight to move towards the

playing position for the next shot. Notice that in every single picture his head is extremely still, one of the great keys to playing effective tennis.

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academy

stanislas wawrinka

ACADEMY

“I’ve always believed that if you give your player a great briefing before a match you multiply their chances of success” PATRICK MOURATOGLOU

biography

© P Mouratoglou

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.

vital statistics How doing your homework can make the difference on court Words: patrick mouratoglou

W

hen you are a coach I believe it’s important to be flexible and open to new ideas. In tennis there is much we can learn from other sports. I’m a big football fan and I love watching Jose Mourinho’s teams. In my opinion he’s the best football coach ever. When his players go out on the pitch nothing is lacking in their preparation. Mourinho will have told each of them about their own team’s strategy and what they can expect from the opposition – both as a team and as individuals. If you’re a Chelsea defender, for example, you will know everything about the forwards you will be facing: the runs they like to make, the foot they prefer to shoot with, their special skills. Baseball is another sport in which the best coaches apply a scientific approach. I was fascinated by the film “Moneyball”, in which the

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Oakland A’s recruit a winning team on the basis of some clever number-crunching by a smart Yaleeducated economist.

Tennis has been very late in coming to this particular party, but I’ve been working on the “Moneyball” and Mourinho principles for many years now. I believe there is a huge amount we can learn through statistical and video analysis of tennis matches. Many coaches are still working in much the same way as their predecessors did 50 years ago, but times are changing. There are some technology companies developing sophisticated systems which could transform the way we coach. It’s now possible to teach a computer to watch a match in the way that you would watch it, so that it will give you the exact statistical feedback that you’re looking for.

© JUERGEN HASENKOPF

The Frenchman keeps a close eye on world No.1 Serena Williams

“i have been working on the 'moneyball' and mourinho principles for many years now” When I started out as a coach I knew that I needed to gather as much information as possible about my players and their opponents. I’ve always believed that if you give your player a great briefing before a match you multiply their chances of success. Of course I’ve always had my own opinions, but I think it’s important that you back up those opinions with hard facts. If you ask 10 different coaches what they have seen during a match you might get 10 different answers. You put a lot of emotion into a match when you are watching your own player, which means you can have your own perception of reality. If you’re going to try to change something in your player’s game that’s a huge responsibility. You need to be able to show statistics that confirm what you’re saying is right.

My goal is to reach conclusions which are based on facts, not emotions. A figure is a figure.

Ever since I started coaching I have compiled my own statistics. I have people who assist me now, but in my early days I did it all myself. I created my own templates for the statistics I wanted to look at and filled them in myself during matches. During a match I fill in 15 boxes, though I would like to fill in 100. You want to look at different things for different players, so you want to change the statistical analysis for each player. Of course everything goes on computers these days, but that wasn’t the case when I started out.

The sort of statistics that are available to everyone today – stats like first-serve percentages and break points converted – are better than nothing, but in my opinion they are just one per cent of what it is possible to produce. Take serving statistics as an example. We might know the percentage of points won on first serve, but are they won after 20-shot rallies or three-shot rallies?

I like to measure the efficiency of first serves and second serves. Efficiency can be measured by the quality of the opponent’s return. Of course, I’m interested in the percentage of points won on the first or second serve, but I also like to look at the kind of ball you have to deal with after your opponent has returned serve.

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academy

MOURATOGLOU

ACADEMY Breakdown of a balanced meal

biography Sarah Brown is principal of Good Food Works Nutritional Therapy www.goodfoodworks.co.uk. She has a particular interest in functional sports nutrition and digestive health, and provides personal consultations, coaching clients to reach their health goals by optimising their nutritional choices. She works in clinic at Pure Sports Medicine in south-west London. www.puresportsmed.com

fat

carbs

30%

40%

protein 30%

Getting the balance righT Eating the right food at the right time can help you get the most out of your body on court Words: SARAH BROWN

R

emember when you ran out of energy during a match? Or when you couldn’t work out why you felt sluggish during training? Getting nutrition right is essential to peak performance in any sport, but especially in tennis where endurance, power and mental agility must be maintained for a sustained period. With a match potentially lasting over three hours, understanding how food works as fuel is essential. However, it’s not just about what you eat on match day, but all year round.

We’re all familiar with the need for carbohydrates, protein and fat in a well-balanced diet. Carbohydrates provide the energy needed for a long training session or match. These can be categorised as either high Glycaemic index (high GI) or low GI. High GI foods release their sugar quickly, giving you a quick burst of energy. Processed foods and refined carbohydrates fit into this category – white bread, white rice and pasta, and chocolate. Their effect is typically instant but unsustained and you’ll need another source of energy again soon. Low GI foods, such as oats, brown rice and wholegrain pasta, vegetables, nuts and seeds, lean meat and fish, give a slow, steady release of sugar meaning your energy level will be stable for longer.

As a tennis player, you need both high and low GI foods – but at the right time. Your everyday ‘maintenance’ diet should be full of low GI foods, but you should look for high GI food sources immediately before and during your match. Remember how players used to snack on bananas before energy drinks came

“Getting nutritIon right is essential to peak performance in any sport, BUT especially IN tennis”

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along? Bananas are a high GI fruit that give a nice burst of energy during the change of ends. The other benefit of having a high GI snack is that the sugar helps to keep your brain sharp and focused when you need it to be.

However, if you choose high GI foods when you don’t need a sudden energy spike, it can not only leave you feeling fatigued, but it may also affect your mood, and lead to cravings for junk food.

And then there’s protein. Not only can protein help modulate the release of energy from food, nudging your food choice to a lower GI, but it’s also the building block for muscles. Protein is broken down to form amino acids, which have specific roles in the metabolism of tissue including the growth, development and repair of muscle. We need to make sure our diet delivers proteins containing nine essential amino acids, which can then build the remaining 11 if needed. Lean white meat and fish provide complete proteins so if you eat meat your diet should contain all that you need, but vegetarian or vegan tennis players need to make sure that they’re eating a good range of plant proteins to include all nine of the essential proteins.

Don't make the mistake of trying to avoid all fats in your diet. We need essential fats as an energy source and to help correct the inflammatory balance in the body. When the body is in 'repair' mode after intensive exercise, part of the recovery process is inflammation. However, this needs to be controlled by eating the correct dietary fats: Omega-3, found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, as well as nuts and seeds.

This balance can be helped by avoiding saturated fats, found in pastries, cakes and biscuits, and transfats, typically found in fried foods. n

academy

nutrition

Eat your way to victory Breakfast → Don’t skip this meal - studies have found that a good breakfast helps with cognitive function, as well as providing a good balance to your blood sugar. Combine a low GI carbohydrate with a protein for the best nutrient intake: plain oat porridge with some blueberries topped with nuts and seeds, or rye toast with poached eggs will give you a good start.

Before a match

ensuring that meals are low GI and balanced with carbs, protein and fat, ideally in a 40:30:30 ratio. → Don’t forget to increase your calorific intake on match day. You can burn off between 443-649 calories per hour, so you’ll need to eat accordingly to avoid fatigue setting in. → Try to eat two to three hours before you play. Choose a high carbohydrate, low fat meal and avoid fibre in order to prevent digestive discomfort during play. This is the right time to choose a high GI carbohydrate.

During a match

© JUERGEN HASENKOPF

→ Eat regularly throughout the day,

“If you eat a pizza, you will play like a pizza!”

Former doubles world No.1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion Liezel Huber reveals her nutrition secrets

→ Keep hydrated with a combination of water and a sports drink, which may also contain some glucose to keep energy high. Carbohydraterich snacks such as a muesli bar can help stamina and focus. The longer a match, the more important this is.

After a match

→ To aid post-match recovery aim to have a 50-100g carbohydrate snack around 30-45 minutes after finishing.

This could be a sports drink, two or three pieces of fruit, a bread roll, or two muesli bars.

later

→ Your next meal should return to a low GI programme, and you should avoid sports drinks to help balance your blood sugar, maintain your energy and weight and avoid sugar overload.

People tell you that what you put into your body is what you take out, so we say, if you eat a pizza, you will play like a pizza. Whether it’s the night before or the day of a match, or even the week leading up to a tournament, if you are eating French fries you are probably going to get that out of the match.

It’s important to have a balanced diet.

When I am at a tournament I tend to eat more carbohydrates – I don’t want to short change myself and I am scared if I don’t eat enough I will only have half a tank. I eat the same kinds of food all year round but at tournaments I will eat more.

“I couldn’t tell you if I ate 2,000 or 3,000 calories a day because I believe the best guideline is how you feel. When you feel sluggish it’s probably because of something you ate so you know that it was a bad choice. It’s just about using common

sense and choosing nutritious food that will give you the most energy.

I’m a coelic so I have to avoid foods containing wheat and flour. I played for many years not realising I had an allergy, feeling bloated and uncomfortable and getting stomach cramps on court. When I cut gluten out of my diet I felt better instantly. On court I drink electrolyte drinks.

If you choose to drink sports drinks, I recommend diluting them and adding a little salt to help with rehydration. I eat bananas to give me energy – bananas are high on the low GI scale. Some people say they don’t help you right away, but they work for me.

After a match I have a USANA Nutrimeal shake.

Sometimes you come off court and you don’t feel like eating so I always have the bottle in my locker with the powder already in it so I just add water.

They’re gluten-free so I always have one in my bag.

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 7 1

gear 2014 advanced r acket re vieW

Tried and TesTed In the first instalment of our three-part review of the best rackets on the shelves this year, we step on court with the frames aimed at advanced players Racket photogRaphy: RichaRd washbRooke

E

ach year we divide the rackets we test into three categories: advanced, intermediate and improver. And with good reason – finding the right racket can be the difference between an endless summer spent on court and begrudgingly dragging yourself along to that fixed four you could do without. Tempting as it may be to pick up Andy Murray’s racket – which is among the frames tested – first ask yourself: do I have the game to get the best out of this racket?

Advanced frames reward sound technique and punish off-centre strikes.

Typically at the heavier, 300g-plus end of the scale, these rackets are built with good club players in mind – players fit and capable enough to generate power and racket head speed themselves and who are looking for a racket which offers good touch around the court or boosts their spin potential.

We’ve sub-divided the rackets by playing style, giving you an idea of which racket might best suit your game. Whether you’re an aggressive player looking to end points early, a counterpuncher happy to soak up everything your opponent can throw at you or a classic all-court player prepared to mix your game up, there’s a good chance we’ve tested a racket that’s right for you.

8 2 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t

Am I ready for an advanced racket?

Just as you shouldn’t buy a Ferrari the day you pass your driving test, you should wait until your game is good enough to get the most out of an advanced frame before buying one. And if you think you are ready, always try before you buy – most specialist tennis outlets run demo schemes to give you the chance to trial a frame before you part with your hard-earned cash. And remember: the best racket you can buy is the one that you enjoy playing with.

RACKET REVIEW

[REVIEW GROUP 1]

You don’t give up a single point without a fight.

You dig deep, chase down every ball and want a racket with a large face that generates plenty of spin to keep youself in the rally. You’re a counterpuncher. Try these rackets for size.

Testers’ Choice

best FOR spin

Tecnifibre T Flash 300 ATP

GeaR

Counter balanCe HEAD Graphene Radical Pro RRP: £184.99 // Head size: 98 sq.in // Unstrung weight: 310g String pattern: 16x19 // Balance: 31.5cm // Beam: 18mm

→ Whether you’re a counterpuncher, striker or all-court player, if you’re in the market for a new racket we’d recommend taking the Radical out for a play-test. Originally designed with Andre Agassi in mind, HEAD has gone back to the drawing board with Andy Murray’s signature stick and given a baseline classic some added beef, thanks in no small part to the addition of super-strong Graphene into the construction. The result is a highly manoeuvrable frame with fantastic feel that is both stable and powerful. It didn’t prove to be as potent as the Prestige but baseliners will enjoy the option to mix up placement and power and keep their opponents guessing. A revolutionary racket.

RRP: £164.99 // Head size: 100 sq.in // Unstrung weight: 300g String pattern: 16x19 // Balance: 32cm // Beam: 24mm

→ Tecnifibre bill the T-Flash as the ideal racket for aggressive players but our panel found themselves praising its all-round versatility, particularly from the back court. The larger head and chunky frame were instantly forgotten as the T-Flash proved to be highly responsive, super-manoeuvrable and loaded with spin potential.

There’s plenty of power on offer, too, making this the standout candidate for a performance junior’s first full-size frame. As the coaches on our panel noted, the T-Flash actively encourages you to hit ‘modern’ spin-laden groundstrokes with confidence, which can only be a good thing for player development. Throw in the added action on the ball when serving and you’ve got something pretty special in your hands.

“YOu SHOulD WAIT unTIl YOuR GAME IS GOOD EnOuGH TO GET THE MOST OuT OF An ADvAncED FRAME BEFORE BuYInG OnE”

Dunlop Biomimetic F4.0 Tour RRP: £199 // Head size: 100 sq.in // Unstrung weight: 310g String pattern: 16x19 // Balance: 32-4cm // Beam: 23-24-23.5mm

→ Evolution is the name of the game in Dunlop’s second round of Biomimetic frames, and the new F4.0 – which replaces the Biomimetic 400 – remains primed for players with longer swing patterns from the baseline. Our testers found themselves taking a little while to adjust to the balance of the frame but once they had zoned in the F4.0 proved to be a spin-friendly racket with plenty of feel.

Be warned, though – it’s not the most forgiving of frames. The racket had a tendency to wobble on impact when missing the sweet spot, leading to unpredictable drops in power. You need to find the centre of the stringbed consistently to unleash its full potential.

OuR testeR s

FOUR tEStERS tOOk tO tHE cOURt FOR tHE adVancEd RackEt tESt alISOn taylOR Head coach , Westside Tennis Club in Wimbledon A hugely accomplished player herself, Alison coaches players of all ages and abilities. She is sponsored by Prince.

tHOmaS HOlland Westside club player Thomas has honed his servevolley technique to become a dangerous doubles specialist. He has sworn by the HEAD iPrestige for over a decade.

JO kIRBy Westside’s resident racket technician

mIcHaEl BEattIE Tennishead gear editor and a club player

Through his stringing work, playing and coaching duties at the club, he has experience with a wide range of rackets.

His game is built around his flat forehand and single-handed backhand. Admits he is in the market for a new racket!

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t 8 3

gear

String theory in practice

“My coach told me not to rush.

Stringing looks quite simple, but there are a lot of small things you need to get right.”

Louis Newman

Thinking of buying your own stringing machine, but not sure what you’re letting yourself in for? Perhaps these stories will answer your questions Interviews: Michael Beattie

The player Louis Newman, aged 15, started breaking strings so regularly that restringing his own rackets made perfect sense I play for about 14 or 15 hours a week and I break a string every four or five hours. We were spending £30 a week on stringing and the machine cost £380, so it will have paid for itself in a few months.

Someone helped me the first time I used the machine. It took me about two hours to string one racket. It was difficult to start off 92 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

with. I had a fair idea about how to string – I’d watched a coach do it and he explained as he went along – so I thought I would be OK. However, there was still quite a bit to learn.

I’m finding it a lot easier now that I’ve got used to it. However, I’ve cut the string too short a couple of times and on another occasion I undid the wrong clamp after I had done half of the mains and so I had to start all over again.

The very first racket I restrung was finished in a rush because it was getting late.

Unfortunately I hadn’t tied the knot properly and the next morning I discovered that the

tension had gone, so I had to cut out the strings and start again. That was the worst experience I’ve had with the machine. Each racket since then I’ve got quicker, by around 10 minutes. After my first 10 rackets I was down to around 45 minutes.

My coach told me not to rush. Stringing looks quite simple, but there are a lot of small things you need to get right. If you make one slip-up you may have to start the whole process again. The first few rackets I did were not quite as nicely strung as I was used to – the tension was not as even – but now I’d say they’re 99 per cent there.

The pARENT

Left: Table Top Stringing Machines are an affordable option for players.

For Louis’ mum, Patricia, investing in a machine means no more late-night dashes to find a stringer It was Louis who wanted a machine so we bought it for him for Christmas. A few of his friends were getting them and he was starting to break strings two or three times a week. It was getting to be a real pain, driving around trying to find someone to string it – and he always needed them back immediately. Restrings are expensive.

Sometimes we were paying £15 even when we were providing our own string.

“It’s certainly saving us a lot of money and saving me a lot of time” We had a few teething problems with the machine, but it all seems to be going OK now. He is using the rackets he has been stringing. It took a few weeks before he got the hang of it and he was a bit frustrated at first. It takes longer than you think. You need a lot of time at the beginning.

It’s certainly saving us a lot of money and saving me a lot of time. Before, he would say: ‘I need this racket tomorrow for a tournament on Saturday.’ And if people aren’t prepared to do it overnight, that’s just no good for us. Some stores take a week to get a racket back to you. This is much more convenient.

It does take a lot of time out of Louis’ schedule when he should be doing homework, but he’s getting faster. In the summer holidays hopefully he’ll be stringing rackets for his friends and earning a bit of money!

Louis uses a manual crank machine.

A spring-loaded screw sets the desired tension and the crank is turned until the desired tension, at which point the machine locks the string in place

The club man Jo Kirby is meticulous when it comes to recommending and refitting the right strings - whatever a player’s level My machine cost about £1,000. You can get them for £500, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that. And of course you can go up to £10,000 for an electronic Babolat or Prince machine.

It’s a drop-weight machine. The weight is always the same, the distance it drops stays the same and gravity is always gravity. Nothing can change the tension you can put on from a mechanical point of view.

If you’re going to get a restring, always go to the same person. In a shop, you could have three stringers working there, depending on the day of the week.

They’ll all operate slightly differently.

You’re better off picking one and waiting the extra day or two to get your racket back. I pride myself on doing the same thing every time.

If you’re stringing for other people, the first thing you do is check the frame. Flag up any problems with the racket or the grommet strip beforehand to cover yourself. Then ask what type of string and what tension are required. If someone says medium, look at the recommended tension range and split the difference. That’s OK as a starting point.

At home I’ve got around 40 different types of string. Reels aren’t cheap, so the next thing you have to get good at is cutting to the right length. If you’re clever with your measuring, you might get 17 or 18 rackets out of a 200m reel.

If you’re not, it’s 16 or even fewer. You could be throwing away £12 worth of string by not measuring correctly.

Get it right and there’s an extra £12 to be made.

Say you make £15 per racket and you’ve spent £1,500 on the machine.

You have to string 100 rackets to break even, or 150 if you’re buying stock as well.

Over a year I string about 750 rackets. I have a record of every racket I have ever strung – more than 4,000 in seven years. I’ve built a database for every one – a record of how people have had their racket strung in the past, their string patterns and when they’ve paid – so I can predict when I’m going to be busy or not. In a good week I average 18 rackets, but there have been times when I’ve done 28. Last year I did 104 rackets in one month. If I take 20 minutes for a racket that’s an hour every day.

If each racket I string brings in £10, that’s £7,500 of income. But I’ve had to spend around £4,500 on stock, so my profit for the year is £3,000. That’s good to know for when I put in my tax return!

I’ve never advertised myself as a stringer. It’s not a business for me. I do it as a service to the members. I don’t claim to be the best stringer in the world, but I’m good. I’m also good value, reliable and convenient. That’s my USP. One of the nicest bits of the job is getting to check out the new rackets.

When most regular players buy a new racket they give it to me before they’ve even hit a ball with it. I get asked for advice on rackets all the time.

It’s said that a set of strings should last no longer than 50 hours of play.

That’s basically a year if you play for one hour each week. I believe you should have you racket restrung at least once a year, to counteract the slackening that occurs over a cold winter.

I encourage people to buy their own reels – especially those ‘exotic’ strings I rarely get asked for. It’s better for them, because they have their own string and can take it to tournaments.

It’s also better for me because I’m not lumped with expensive stock that is rarely requested.

I ask some of the coaches at our club to demo strings for me for free. I demo them myself but I like to know what other people think as well. That way, when someone comes to me looking for more power I will know a string that has worked for a few players, not just me.

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 93

gear

Stringing machines

gear

The master David Munt started out stringing his own rackets. Now he works for Babolat and strings for top players at the Slams Back in 2000 my coach taught me to string because he was sick of stringing my rackets. I didn’t buy a stringing machine to start off with. I used one at my local club for my own rackets, then for my coach’s rackets, and then for a few other people.

I went with one of the other coaches on a one-day basic stringing course. I wanted to make sure that what I was doing was right because I’d never been taught formally. It kicked on from there. I became head stringer at the club while I was still coaching, but things really took off when I quit coaching to join Babolat. That’s when I knew I was taking it seriously. I had contacts with the tournament stringers and took the Master Racket Technician course.

To be a Master Technician you sit a written test to examine the advice you would give, for example, to someone who has tennis elbow. Then there’s the practical test.

They ask you to string two rackets to be as identical as possible inside a certain time period.

Stringing at a Grand Slam is hard work, especially the first Sunday and Monday.

Players want rackets that not only look the same but play the same. For example they’ll want the knots in the same place. Players want to walk on court with their rackets in top shape. Psychologically, it’s important.

Bigger tournaments try to keep stringers assigned to the same players. That way there’s less margin for error. Even using the same machine can be important.

9 4 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

“Players want to walk on court with their rackets in top shape.

Psychologically, it’s important” At the French Open I had two identical rackets from different players, asking for the same string. One player had hers strung at 44lb and the other at 64lb. How can two players using the same equipment want them configured so differently? It’s vital that the right racket gets back to the right player.

Those two would have noticed!

More than speed, it’s consistency you want when you’re stringing. You need to make sure that every racket you string is the same. It might take you 45 minutes to an hour, but if you can do every racket the same it’s better than someone who can do a racket in 15 minutes - but each of theirs comes out differently.

One word of caution. You can save and make money stringing with your own machine, but if you’re a player travelling to tournaments, without your own machine, you’ll still be paying for your rackets to be strung on the road.

You can make a living as a stringer, but it’s hard work. My job at Babolat means I gain a lot more access to top machines like the Racket Diagnostic Center and access to

more detail on string technology. It’s out there if you hunt for it, but I have it to hand as part of my job.

If you want to get into stringing I would advise getting some sort of training, though you don’t need to spend money every year without good reason. You just need to know how to avoid breaking someone’s racket!

Instead of the Master Racket Technician course, you can train as a certified stringer.

It’s a more basic course but it makes sure that you’re stringing the racket correctly, that you’re not putting unnecessary strain on the frame, and you’re not going to wear out the string prematurely by the way you string the crosses. You only do that course once. The MRT has to be renewed annually and you won’t want to keep paying €100 for membership each year if you’re not turning a good profit. Then there is the European Racket Stringing Association, which runs the Master Stringer course. I’m involved with the UK branch of the ERSA, so I’m a trainer now as well.

Find out more about ERSA courses at www.ersa-stringers.co.uk

results [february 10, 2014]

wta rankings RANKING

1

PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM Picked up 58th career title as she defeated Sharapova and Azarenka to defend title in Brisbane. Clocked record 61 match wins at Australian Open but fell in fourth round for second time in three years with defeat to Ana Ivanovic.

Serena WIlliams

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

This year: $316,353 Career to date: $54,499,834 Career-high ranking: 1 (08/07/02) Career titles: 58 Last title: Brisbane International, WTA Premier, Brisbane, Australia, January 2014

2

victoria azarenka

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

This year: $344,255 Career to date: $23,698,697 Career-high ranking: 1 (30/01/12) Career titles: 17 Last title: Western & Southern Open, WTA Premier, Cincinnati, USA, August 2013

Started season in promising fashion as she reached final in Brisbane on season debut (l. to Williams). As defending Australian Open champion won opening four matches in straight sets but fell in QFs to No.5 seed Radwanska.

3

li na

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

This year: $2,460,485 Career to date: $15,759,674 Career-high ranking: 3 (28/10/13) Career titles: 9 Last title: Australian Open, Grand Slam, Melbourne, Australia, January 2014

Unbeaten start to 2014 as Li defended title in Shenzhen before winning second Grand Slam at Australian Open (d.

Cibulkova). In third final appearance in Melbourne became oldest female winner of Australian Open title.

4

agnieszka radwanska

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

This year: $488,431 Career to date: $14,658,440 Career-high ranking: 2 (09/07/12) Career titles: 13 Last title: Korea Open, WTA International, Seoul, Korea, September 2013

Lost opening match of 2014 season in Sydney 2R (l. to Mattek-Sands) but enjoyed best ever result at Australian Open, defeating two-time defending champion Azarenka in QF before falling in SF (l. to Cibulkova).

5

maria Sharapova

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

This year: $210,331 Career to date: $26,906,176 Career-high ranking: 1 (22/08/05) Career titles: 29 Last title: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, WTA Premier, Stuttgart, Germany, April 2013

Reached Brisbane SF (l. to Williams) but suffered shock Australian Open 4R defeat to Cibulkova. Lost to eventual champion Pavlyuchenkova in Paris SF. Short break from tennis for TV role at Winter Olympics in native Sochi

6

petra kvitova

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

This year: $61,980 Career to date: $11,961,202 Career-high ranking: 2 (31/10/11) Career titles: 11 Last title: Toray Pan Pacific Open, WTA Premier, Tokyo, Japan, September 2013

Reached SF in Sydney (l. to eventual champion Pironkova) but made shock 1R Australian Open exit with defeat to world No.88 Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand. Forced to pull out of WTA Premier event in Paris with respiratory illness.

7

sara errani

italy Born:29/04/1987 Lives: Bologna, Italy Height: 5ft 4in Weight: 132 lbs

This year: $358,395 Career to date: $8,211,657 Career-high ranking: 5 (20/05/13) Career titles: 7 Last title: Abierto Mexicano Telcel, WTA International, Acapulco, Mexico, March 2013

Lost in Shenzhen 2R to local wildcard Zheng Saisal but reached Sydney QF (l. to champion Pironkova). Fell in Australian Open 1R (l. to Julia Goerges). Bounced back immediately with run to final in Paris (l. to Pavlyuchenkova)

8

jelena jankovic

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

This year: $192,466 Career to date: $15,520,541 Career-high ranking: 1 (11/08/08) Career titles: 13 Last title: Copa Claro Colsanitas, WTA International, Bogota, Colombia, February 2013

Made impressive run in Brisbane, defeating Kerber to reach SF (l. to Azarenka) but fell in Sydney 1R (l. to Makarova).

Defeated three Japanese opponents to reach Australian Open 4R but was defeated by No.11 seed Halep.

9

Angelique Kerber

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

This year: $223,923 Career to date: $5,648,460 Career-high ranking: 5 (22/10/12) Career titles: 3 Last title: Generali Ladies Linz, WTA International, Linz, Austria, October 2013

Made solid start to 2014 season, reaching Brisbane QF (l. to Jankovic). Went 3-6 in finals following defeat to Pironkova in Sydney final.

Reached Australian Open 4R (l. to Pennetta). Fell in Paris QF (l. to Pavlyuchenkova).

10

simona halep

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

This year: $258,542 Career to date: $2,298,187 Career-high ranking: 10 (27/01/2014) Career titles: 6 Last title: WTA Tournament of Champions, Sofia, Bulgaria, October 2013

Mixed results in opening weeks of 2014 season - lost in Sydney 1R (l. to Madison Keys) but reached first Grand Slam QF at Australian Open (l. to Cibulkova) to break into Top 10 for the first time. Fell in Paris 1R (l. to Mladenovic).

Points: 13,000

Points: 6,581

Points: 6,570

Points: 5,750

Points: 5,600

Points: 4,745

Points: 4,425

Points: 4,310

Points: 4,030

Points: 3,760

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 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

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) Roberta Vinci (ITA) Sabine Lisicki (GER) Samantha Stosur (AUS) Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) Sloane Stephens (USA) Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova(RUS) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) Alize Cornet (FRA) Sorana Cirstea (ROU) Kaia Kanepi (EST) Lucie Safarova (CZE) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) Jamie Hampton (USA) Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) Elena Vesnina (RUS) Klara Zakopalova (CZE) Garbine Muguruza (ESP) Andrea Petkovic (GER) Madison Keys (USA) Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) Elina Svitolina (UKR) Karin Knapp (ITA) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) Peng Shuai (CHN) Urszula Radwanska (POL) Alison Riske (USA) Stefanie Voegele (SUI) Venus Williams (USA) Zhang Shuai (CHN) Marina Erakovic (NZL) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) Karolina Pliskova (CZE) Monica Niculescu (ROU) Annika Beck (GER) Zheng Jie (CHN) Laura Robson (GBR) Monica Puig (PUR) Paula Ormaechea (ARG) Alexandra Cadantu (ROU) Christina McHale (USA) Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) Mona Barthel (GER) Kurumi Nara (JPN) Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) Polona Hercog (SLO) Lauren Davis (USA) Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) Vania King (USA) Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP) Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) Ayumi Morita (JPN) Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) Caroline Garcia (FRA) Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) Casey Dellacqua (AUS) Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) Jana Cepelova (SVK) Timea Babos (HUN) Camila Giorgi (ITA) Johanna Larsson (SWE) Shahar Peer (ISR) Virginie Razzano (FRA) Julia Goerges (GER) Dinah Pfizenmaier (GER) Julia Glushko (ISR) Mandy Minella (LUX) Teliana Pereira (BRA) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) Romina Oprandi (SUI) Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) Estrella Cabeza Candela (ESP) Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) Olga Govortsova (BLR) Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) Nadia Petrova (RUS)

RANKINGS

emirates ATP Rankings RANKING

1

PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM

11-100 RANKINGS

Claimed his first ever title in opening week of season with victory in Doha (d. Monfils).

After missing 2013 Australian Open, beat Federer in SF but lost to Wawrinka in final. Missed Spain's Davis Cup loss to Germany in Frankfurt.

rafael nadal

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

This year: $1,385,092 Career to date: $66,017,855 Career-high ranking: 1 (18/08/08) Career titles: 61 Last title: Qatar Exxon Mobil Open, ATP 250, Doha, Qatar, January 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: $242,811 $5,714,859 Career to date: $58,377,256 $55,776,687 Career-high ranking: 1 (18/08/08) (04/07/11) Career titles: 41 57 Last title: ATP French World Open, TourGrand Finals, Slam, Paris, France, London, UK, November June 2013 2013

Became man tofourth win the Started the bid first for record same Grand Slam tournament straight Australian Open title eight times when he defeated in ominous fashion, winning David Ferrer in French Open final first four matches in straight but thrilling five-set tosets, claim hislost 12th major title.

QF to Wawrinka.

Missed Suffered his first 1R defeat in a Serbia's Cup to Slam whenDavis he lost todefeat Steve Darcis Switzerland in at Novi Sad. on opening day Wimbledon.

3

stanislas Wawrinka

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

This year: $2,456,685 Career to date: $11,219,806 Career-high ranking: 3 (27/01/14) Career titles: 6 Last title: Australian Open, Grand Slam, Melbourne, Australia, January 2014

After impressive 2013 season, started 2014 in similar vein, defending title in Chennai before winning maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne. Became first player since Sergi Bruguera in 1993 to beat No.1 and No.2 seeds at a major.

4

juan Martin del Potro

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

This year: $127,005 Career to date: $15,274,394 Career-high ranking: 4 (11/01/10) Career titles: 18 Last title: Sydney International, ATP 250, Sydney, Australia, January 2014

Started year with victory in Sydney (d. Tomic in final) but suffered shock 2R exit at Australian Open with defeat to world No.62 Roberto Bautista Agut. Climbed back into top four despite falling in 2R for second successive major.

5

david Ferrer

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

This year: $284,406 Career to date: $22,202,448 Career-high ranking: 3 (08/07/13) Career titles: 20 Last title: Copa Claro, ATP 250, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 2013

Suffered shock 2R defeat in Doha (l. to Brands) before failing to defend Auckland title with SF exit (l. to Lu). Reached Australian Open QFs for fourth straight year (l. to Berdych).

Missed Spain's Davis Cup defeat to Germany.

6

Andy murray

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

This year: $265,791 Career to date: $30,537,634 Career-high ranking: 2 (17/08/2009) Career titles: 28 Last title: Wimbledon, Grand Slam, London, UK, July 2013

On return to action following back surgery in September 2013, fell in Doha 2R (l. to F Mayer) but reached Australian Open QF (l. to Federer). Won 2 rubbers to help Great Britain beat USA and reach Davis Cup QFs for first time since 1986.

7

tomas berdych

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

This year: $526,522 Career to date: $16,631,921 Career-high ranking: 5 (19/08/13) Career titles: 8 Last title: If Stockholm Open, ATP World Tour 250, Stockholm, Sweden, October 2012

Fell in Doha 1R (l. to Karlovic) but reached Australian Open SFs. Has now reached semi-finals of all four Grand Slams. Won his two singles rubbers to help defending champions Czech Rep beat Netherlands in Davis Cup.

8

roger Federer

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

This year: $532,382 Career to date: $79,750,797 Career-high ranking: 1 (02/02/04)) Career titles: 77 Last title: Gerry Weber Open, ATP 250, Halle, Germany, June 2013

Reached final on Brisbane debut (l. to Hewitt). Sailed through first four Australian Open matches and defeated Murray in QF to reach 11th successive SF in Melbourne (l. to Nadal).

Helped Swiss beat Serbia to reach Davis Cup QFs.

9

richard gasquet

france Born: 18/06/86 Lives: Neuchatel, Switzerland Height: 6ft 1in Weight: 165 lbs

This year: $140,402 Career to date: $10,162,315 Career-high ranking: 7 (09/07/07) Career titles: 10 Last title: Kremlin Cup, ATP World Tour 250, Moscow, Russia, October 2013

Fell in Doha 2R (l. to Monfils) and in Australian Open 3R (l. to Robredo). Defeated Nick Kyrgios to help France thrash Australia 5-0 in Davis Cup. Failed to defend Montpellier title, losing in final to fellow Frenchman Monfils.

10

jo-wilfried tsonga

france Born: 17/04/85 Lives: Gingins, Switzerland Height: 6ft 2in Weight: 200 lbs

This year: $121,405 Career to date: $12,552,280 Career-high ranking: 5 (27/02/12) Career titles: 10 Last title: Open 13, ATP World Tour 250, Marseille, France, February 2013

Did not play competitive tournament in lead up to Australian Open, where he lost in straight sets to Roger Federer in 4R. Defeated Lleyton Hewitt as France beat Australia to reach Davis Cup QFs for fifth successive year.

Points: 14,330

Points: 10,580 6,860

Points: 5,710

Points: 5,370

Points: 5,280

Points: 4,795

Points: 4,540

Points: 4,355

Points: 2,950

Points: 2,885

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

Milos Raonic (CAN) Tommy Haas (GER) John Isner (USA) Fabio Fognini (ITA) Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) Kei Nishikori (JPN) Tommy Robredo (ESP) Nicolas Almagro (ESP) Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) Gilles Simon (FRA) Kevin Anderson (RSA) Gael Monfils (FRA) Ernests Gulbis (LAT) Vasek Pospisil (CAN) Feliciano Lopez (ESP) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) Benoit Paire (FRA) Florian Mayer (GER) Andreas Seppi (ITA) Fernando Verdasco (ESP) Ivan Dodig (CRO) Marcel Granollers (ESP) Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Marin Cilic (CRO) Jurgen Melzer (AUT) Julien Benneteau (FRA) Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) Denis Istomin (UZB) Juan Monaco (ARG) Pablo Andujar (ESP) Nicolas Mahut (FRA) Jeremy Chardy (FRA) Robin Haase (NED) Radek Stepanek (CZE) Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Joao Sousa (POR) Lukas Rosol (CZE) RobertoBautista Agut (ESP) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) Marinko Matosevic (AUS) Sam Querrey (USA) Santiago Giraldo (COL) Leonardo Mayer (ARG) Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) Albert Montanes (ESP) Matthew Ebden (AUS) Federico Delbonis (ARG) Igor Sijsling (NED) Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) Bradley Klahn (USA) Bernard Tomic (AUS) Daniel Brands (GER) Dudi Sela (ISR) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) Alejandro Falla (COL) Victor Hanescu (ROU) Lukasz Kubot (POL) Michal Przysiezny (POL) Filippo Volandri (ITA) Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) Donald Young (USA) Ivo Karlovic (CRO) Jiri Vesely (CZE) Kenny De Schepper (FRA) Andrey Golubev (KAZ) Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) Jack Sock (USA) Tobias Kamke (GER) Stephane Robert (FRA) Benjamin Becker (GER) Martin Klizan (SVK) Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) Jesse Huta Galung (NED) Albert Ramos (ESP) Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) Julian Reister (GER) Viktor Troicki (SRB) Alex Bogomolov Jr (RUS) Dustin Brown (GER) Michael Russell (USA) Dusan Lajovic (SRB) Somdev Devvarman (IND)

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results

[february 10, 2014]

“Two great players playing great at the same time.

That doesn’t happen often” PETE SAMPRAS

[US Open quarter-final]

September 5 2001

Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, who meet in London on March 3 as part of World Tennis Day, contested five Grand Slam finals. One of their most memorable encounters, however, came in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.

Words: lee goodall

I

t might seem a little strange to choose a quarter-final meeting as the highlight of the rivalry Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras thrilled sports fans with, particularly when the two American legends contested five Grand Slam finals.

While the significance of those major title deciders cannot be contested (for the record, Sampras won four of them), often great sport is a result of two of the world’s best producing their highest level on the same court on the same night. And that’s what happened on the second Wednesday of the 2001 US Open.

To add greater historical significance to the occasion, the meeting came just six days before New York’s twin towers disappeared in the terrorist attacks that shocked the world on September 11 that year.

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

Those involved in the US Open in 2001 remember the buzz around the venue that day as Sampras, then 30, and Agassi, a year older, prepared to headline one of Flushing Meadows’ famous night sessions. With both players approaching the final stages of their distinguished careers, many sensed it might be one of their last meetings. It proved to be the 32nd of 34 matches the two former world No.1s contested.

With 20 major titles between them at that stage, even fellow players were sensing it would be a special night. Andy Roddick practised early that day so he could watch the match on TV and Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin both spoke to the press about the influence Sampras and Agassi had on their careers as juniors.

With Sampras all in white and Agassi

dressed head to toe in black, they didn’t disappoint. Playing the kind of tennis rarely seen nowadays, the two went toe to toe in a battle that was almost a perfect contrast in styles. Sampras served and volleyed behind even many of his second serves that night. Agassi locked onto his returns and laser-like groundstrokes from the back of the court.

After dropping the first set on a tiebreak, Sampras won the next three shootouts to prevail 6-7(7) 7-6(2) 7-6(2) 7-6(5) in a match without a single break of serve. “You’ve got to do more than hold your serve, I guess, huh?” Agassi joked afterwards.

“Two great players playing great at the same time,” was Sampras’ summary. “That doesn’t often happen.” Later he also admitted the standing ovation the New York crowd gave the two men before the fourth tie-break was a significant moment in his career. It almost moved him to tears.

“That was the first time I was ever affected by a crowd to the point where it got me out of a match mentally,” he told the New York Times years afterwards.

Take a minute to find it on YouTube – it’s quite something.

Although folklore has it that Agassi whispered “win the thing” into Sampras’ ear when they shook hands after just over three-and-a-half hours on court, he fell at the final hurdle to the inspired young Aussie Hewitt. Perhaps a more significant result in the history books of tennis, but not a patch on the quality and drama of that Wednesday night in the Big Apple.

For more information about World Tennis Day visit www.worldtennisday.com

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