tennishead Volume 5 Issue 6

THE HOTTEST GEAR IN TENNIS

TENNIS TOURIST: ITALIAN JOB

Federer’s Nikes and the best of the rest

Forte Village, Sardinia tried and tested

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Glorious images from the tour

Adidas Barricades

WWW.TENNISHEAD.NET | JANUARY 2015

THE WORLD’ S B EST TENNIS M AGA ZINE

ROGER FEDERER

Collector’s Issue CELEBRATING A MAGNIFICENT SEASON

Under the influence of Edberg

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

A man for all reasons

16 pages of expert advice TO GET YOUR GAME IN SHAPE FOR 2015

JULIEN BENNETEAU

Passionate about sport

[2014]

YEAR IN REVIEW VOLUME 5 ISSUE 6 JAN 2015 £4.50

PATRICK MOURATOGLOU ON FRENCH TENNIS ZARINA DIYAS GRIGOR DIMITROV

PLUS: ANDREA PETKOVIC 2015 TOUR CALENDARS YEAR-END RANKINGS MARTINA NAVRATILOVA

a dida s s hoes s ee p70

Contents january 2015

36

16

top ten stories from 2014

Zarina Diyas

98 SUBSCRIBE TODAY See page 6 for details.

martina navratilova

94 GALLERY 20 courts on camera All the action from the end-ofyear championships

WIN

bryan brothers

68 Babolat Pure Drive Play

A £250 racket up for grabs

12

70 Adidas Barricades

Pull on a pair for the new season

Kurumi Nara

BIG READ 08 Hawkeye Novak Djokovic's domination

12 Locker Room

Japanese star Kurumi Nara

15 Tour News

Li Na’s legacy

16 Hot Stuff

Up and coming Zarina Diyas

30 Roger Federer

The Edberg influence

36 Year in Review 2014's top 10 moments

42 Julien Benneteau

A sporting mastermind

95 2015 Tour Calendars

Plan your viewing in 2015

98 Martina Navratilova

Celebrating the women’s game

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

08

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Zepp ten ni s s en soR

72

30

fEDERER AnD EDBERG

56

PAtRIck mouRAtoGLou on fREncH tEnnIs

AcADEmY 48 fRAmE BY fRAmE Grigor Dimitrov’s backhand

50 LEARn fRom tHE PRos Sara Errani serve

52 nutRItIon Seven superfoods

54 mAts mERkEL The coach as a psychologist

56 PAtRIck mouRAtoGLou On French tennis

“I tHInK WItH IDoLs or Heroes, It’s aLWays IntIMIDatInG to sPeaK to tHeM or see tHeM or sPenD tIMe WItH tHeM” berg Roger Federer �n Stefan Ed

76

54

59 BRAIn GAmE Channeling emotions

60 mAtuRInG nIcELY Playing good tennis as you age

62 Ask tEnnIsHEAD Our experts answer your questions

GEAR 65 GEAR nEWs Federer’s Nikes, sold out

68 mAXImIsInG tEcHnoLoGY Using Babolat's Pure Drive Play

70 PRo sHoP Must-have kit for 2015

71 AnDREA PEtkovIc Why the German sticks with Wilson

72 ImPRovE YouR cLuB GAmE How Zepp Tennis sensor can help

tHE coAcH As A PsYcHoLoGIst

48

tRAvEL 76 LA DoLcE vItA Forte Village, Sardinia

REsuLts AnD RAnkInGs 79 AtP AnD WtA touR Reports from around the world

92 sInGLEs WoRLD RAnkInGs End-of-year men's and women's lists

foRtE vILLAGE, sARDInIA

GRIGoR DImItRov BAckHAnD

94 DouBLEs RounD-uP Bryans end on a high W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t 5

SPOT LIGHT

HAWKEYE Bringing you the biggest views and opinions

“Looking back on the whole year, it’s been more than impressive for me, privately and professionally” NOVAK DJOKOVIC

A MAN FOR ALL REASONS

With a seventh Grand Slam title, a wedding and the birth of his first child, 2014 has been a truly memorable year for world No.1 Novak Djokovic

B

ecoming a father has not diminished Novak Djokovic’s motivation. Finishing the season as world No.1 for a third time in four years, the 27-year-old is unbeaten since the arrival of his son Stefan in October.

With a winning streak on indoor courts that stretches back more than two years, Djokovic became only the third man to win a hat-trick of titles at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. Even seven-time champion Roger Federer has never won three years in a row. Only Ilie Nastase, in 1973, and Ivan Lendl, in 1987 (the year Djokovic was born) have won three straight year-end crowns.

While the title came in unfortunate circumstances after Federer was forced to withdraw just hours before the match with a back injury, it capped another fine season for the

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

27-year-old. Finishing the year with seven trophies, including a seventh Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and four Masters 1000 crowns, Djokovic suffered just eight defeats all season.

While his 6-2 6-2 loss to eventual champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Toronto was perhaps his worst performance and a straight-sets defeat to Tommy Robredo in Cincinnati dashed his hopes of winning the only one of the nine Masters 1000 titles missing from his trophy cabinet, it will be his French Open final defeat to Rafael Nadal that stings the most.

Djokovic had beaten the Spaniard in their previous four meetings, winning eight of the nine sets they had played since the 2013 US Open final, most recently a confidence-boosting win on the clay in Rome, where Nadal was a seven-time champion. The Serb had never lost a Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic by the numbers titles

8 61 7 wins

defeats

2014

prize money

$14,250,527

428 aces 88% 43%

service games won

return points won

54-3 after winning first set 15-2 In deciding sets Shortest match

Longest match

(W 6-1 6-0 v Albert Montanes, Monte Carlo 2R)

(L 2-6 6-4 6-2 3-6 9-7 v Stan Wawrinka, Australian Open QF)

45 minutes 4 hours Total match time

128 hours 56 minutes

Above: Djokovic ended the season as world No.1 for a third time in four years

final after winning the first set, but despite taking the opener in Paris, the career Grand Slam slipped from his grasp once again as Nadal won a ninth crown at Roland Garros to deny Djokovic the only major title that still eludes him.

“Roland Garros is and was and still will be one of the biggest goals that I have,” said Djokovic. “I’ll keep on trying, of course. Any Grand Slam win is another page in the history books of this sport.

“roland garros is and was and still will be one of the biggest goals that i have. any grand slam is another page in the history books” Of course, being No.1 is also one of the biggest challenges and biggest goals a player can have.

“There are a few matches here and there I wish I could have played better; maybe the Roland Garros final or the US Open semis. [But] I don’t want to go back and regret something that has already happened. I believe everything happens for a reason. So I’m here for a reason and I managed to finish the year as No. 1 for a reason.

“I just keep on looking forward. This can only make me stronger, all these experiences that I had.

I feel like I elevated the level of my game even more. That’s something that encourages me for the next season obviously to do well.”

Admittedly, 2014 does not quite match up to his record-breaking exploits in 2011, when he compiled a 41-match winning streak and won 10 titles including three Grand Slams. However for Djokovic, who married his partner Jelena Ristic after winning a second Wimbledon title in July, it was a glorious year, both on and off the court.

“Looking back on the whole year, it’s been more than impressive for me, privately and professionally,” said Djokovic, who became a father for the first time in October when Jelena gave birth to son Stefan.

“It’s a great deal of happiness knowing that what I’ve been through the entire season in order to get to where I am and finish the year as No.1.

“Right now I’m at the pinnacle of my career.

Physically, I feel very fit. I’m very motivated to keep on playing at a very high level. So as long as it’s like that, I’m going to try to use these years in front of me to fight [to be] No.1 and to fight for the biggest titles in the sport.” n W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 9

NEWS

tennis news

hawkeye

THE NUMBERS game [stats]

Significant patterns and percentages from the ATP and WTA tours Break points saved in 2014

1

david ferrer

David Ferrer

338

2

Joao Sousa

301

58% Youngest players in WTA year-end rankings

3 4 5

Roberto Bautista Agut

281

andy murray

278

Marin Cilic

264

31 Novak Djokovic winning streak on indoor courts (since November 2012)

mph

131

Fastest serve hit by Sabine Lisicki in July 2014 [new world record]

[Jan-May]

[Jun-oct]

15-9

34-10

Caroline Wozniacki

Points won by Roger Federer on second serve in 2014 (ATP leader)

Ana Konjuh

No.92 Ana Konjuh (27/12/97) No.32 Belinda Bencic (10/03/97) No.82 Donna Vekic (28/06/96) No.84 Katerina Siniakova (10/05/96) No.30 Madison Keys (17/02/1995)

Career prize money for Li Na

Caroline Wozniacki’s Win-Loss ratio

Eugenie Bouchard prize money [Before 2014]

$505,106

$16,709,074

[In 2014]

$3,220,929

212

27-67

[303 to 91]

stanislas wawrinka

Places climbed by Borna Coric in 2014

Stan Wawrinka’s record against Top-10 players [Before 2014] 28.7%

[In 2014]

8-3

72.7%

Most aces 2014 [ATP]

1185 Ivo Karlovic

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

[wta]

452

Serena Williams Stats from WTA and ATP

NEWS

NEWS

Zhuhai

“We can“xxxxxx” have some real exponential xgrowth... you need to be in these markets” stacey allaster

HONG KONG

Above: Li Na will open an academy in China Below: Fisher Girl Statue, symbol of Zhuhai

singapore

Li’s legacy

Li Na may have only just hung up her racket in October, but her legacy is already clear to see

T

he WTA continues to expand the tour schedule in Asia after announcing a new $2.15 million WTA Elite Trophy to be staged at the end of the 2015 season.

Held in Zhuhai in southern China, the 12-player event will replace the WTA Tournament of Champions and will be one of 13 WTA events to be held in the Far East next year.

The final event in the WTA calendar, held the week after the prestigious eight-player WTA Finals in Singapore, will feature women ranked No.9 through No.20 in the world as well as one wildcard.

Played in a round-robin format, the winners of the four groups will progress to the semi-finals, while six doubles teams will compete in two round-robin groups with the winners advancing to the final.

The introduction of Zhuhai follows the first edition of the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open in October 2014, a WTA Premier event held in Li’s home city. The inaugural

event at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center provided a fitting tribute to Li, who used the arrival of elite tennis to her home city as the opportunity to announce her retirement from the sport.

The two-time Grand Slam champion, a torchbearer for Asian tennis, will

“Forty per cent of the world's population lives within a seven-hour radius of Singapore” continue to blaze a trail for the sport after announcing plans to open the Li Na Tennis Academy, providing scholarships for future generations of Chinese tennis stars.

The introduction of Zhuhai in the calendar takes the total of Chinese events to five; the Shenzhen Open held every

January, the Guangzhou International Women’s Open, Wuhan, as well as the Premier Mandatory China Open in Beijing, one of the biggest tournaments in the WTA season.

Recently named “China’s most liveable city”, Zhuhai is located on the southern coast of China close to Hong Kong and Macau. After opening an office in Beijing in 2008, the WTA has developed a close partnership with the Chinese government and Asian tennis federations to increase corporate sponsorship and fanbase. In 2014, 17 WTA tournaments took place in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Forty per cent of the world’s population lives within a seven-hour radius of [Singapore], which is really quite amazing,” said Stacey Allaster, WTA chief executive on the expansion of Asian tennis. “We think about the growth, this is where we can have some real exponential growth. But you’ve got to be in these markets.” n W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 15

GALLERY

bnp paribas wta finals, singapore

THE SWEDE AND THE SWISS 3 0 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t

With the Davis Cup added to the list of honours won by Roger Federer, Paul Newman reects on a remarkable comeback year for the Swiss and assesses the impact that Stefan Edberg has had on the latest chapter of a unique career Paul Newman is tennis correspondent of The Independent, The Independent on Sunday and i

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t 3 1

2014

That was

the year that was Paul Newman picks his 10 most memorable moments of the year

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

[one] [two]

Li brings the house down in Melbourne → Tennis will miss Li Na, who announced her retirement in September after failing to recover from a knee injury. The first Asian Grand Slam singles champion was especially loved at the Australian Open, where her post-match interviews lit up the tournament like an evening barbecue on the beach at St Kilda.

There could have been no more fitting place for the 31-year-old Chinese to win her second Grand Slam title. She took the chance at the trophy ceremony to thank her agent, Max Eisenbud, and her husband, Jiang Shan, whom she had publicly teased in the past about his snoring and their credit card.

“Max, my agent,” Li said. “He made me rich.

Thanks a lot.”

Turning to the long-suffering Jiang, Li said: “Thanks to my husband, now so famous in China.

He’s my hitting partner, fixes the drinks, fixes the rackets. You do a lot of jobs. Thanks a lot. You are a nice guy. You were lucky to find me.”

Wawrinka emerges from Federer’s shadow → From the first month, when he won his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, through to the season’s conclusion at the Davis Cup final, it was a momentous year for Stan Wawrinka.

The 29-year-old from Lausanne finally emerged from the shadow of Roger Federer, which was one of the reasons why victory over his friend and fellow Swiss in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters was particularly special.

Federer had played in three previous Monte Carlo finals, losing to Rafael Nadal on each occasion, and was determined to secure one of the few jewels missing from his crown. He had lost to Wawrinka only once in their previous 14 meetings.

The two friends had lunch together before the final before Wawrinka lost the first set, edged a tight tie-break in the second and won the third 6-2.

“It’s always special to play Roger,” he said afterwards. “We know it’s always a strange match, especially being in the final here. He’s my best friend on the tour. We respect each other so much.”

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

A sporting mastermind 4 2 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

“Twenty years ago I could have been the (French) No. 1 with this ranking... but it is good for the Davis Cup team” Julien Benneteau

Julien Benneteau is a walking encyclopedia of sport who would love to use his knowledge in the next phase of his career.

He’s pretty good on the court too Words: Bridget Marrison

ACADEMY

[frame-by-frame]

dimitrov slice backhand Resident tennishead coach David Sammel gets to grips with the slice backhand of one of the most talented athletes on the ATP tour

1

Grigor has positioned himself behind the oncoming ball, with his knees bent. He is ready to step into the shot, transferring his weight through the execution of the stroke. His balance is perfect and his eyes are clearly fixed on the approaching ball.

2

His technique is slightly unusual in that his racket stays a little further from his body than expected with his wrist cocked above his head. His racket creates a flat 'wall' effect, whereas most players position their racket in more of a 'karate chop' position.

3

You can see with this kind of downward force how much spin he is going to impart on the ball. This ball has bounced slightly above waist level yet you will see in the next picture how close to the floor his racket has actually gone through the 'brush down' element of the stroke.

Develop slice to keep your opponent guessing → Experts and commentators often refer to the 'variation' and its importance in a player's game, and the slice backhand is a good example of how to

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

introduce just that. In an age when many players club topspin or flat backhands from corner to corner, a little bit of slice can keep your opponent guessing. Using

slice changes the pace of the rally, and also the height of your opponent's contact point – forcing them to adjust midway through an exchange.

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 As the third image in this sequence illustrates perfectly, it is crucial that the contact point is out in front of the body. Good, early preparation is the key to this, and if it is achieved it will help players get their bodyweight behind the ball. It will also aid accuracy as late contact on the ball may push the ball wide of the target.

4

Not only has the racket brushed down, it has also cut across the inside of the ball imparting not only backspin but sidespin as well. When the ball bounces it will stay low AND move from right to left.

The left arm is acting as a perfect counterbalance to the right arm.

5

This fifth image illustrates one of those rare and beautiful sights in tennis where you see the right and left arm perfectly counterbalanced. The wrist is still cocked, virtually unmoved from beginning to end, and his body has been held perfectly side-on.

6

This image is impressive too, as Grigor reaches full extension with both arms. He has a lot of strength and here he shows his tremendous flexibility in the shoulders as well. All players should note how well he has kept his body side-on throughout execution.

Combine aggression and discipline → As Grigor begins to come out of the shot you can see the aggression with which it has been hit as his bodyweight is starting to push forwards behind the

ball. Although his hips and shoulders have opened slightly, his discipline is still strong enough to prevent them from quickly moving parallel to the baseline.

His head and eyes have only moved in sync with the slight opening of the shoulders. Top players keep their heads still throughout to maintain balance.

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academy

sequentials

ACADEMY

[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. Visit www.puresportsmed.com

The food of champions We pick out seven super foods that will help you go further on court Words: SARAH BROWN

I

ntense training puts many stresses and strains on the body so it’s important to use the right fuel for energy production and recovery. A balanced diet will help maintain your energy levels and ensure good joint health and support your immune system. They might not make you

as flexible as Novak Djokovic or help you serve like Serena Williams, but whether they’re high in complex carbohydrates for energy or packed with nutrients to keep those winter illnesses at bay, here are a few items that you might think about adding to your weekly shopping list.

Sweet potato

Coconut oil

Chia Seeds

→ This root vegetable is only distantly

related to the white potato. It’s packed with complex carbohydrates (low GI) for energy, fibre and nutrients including beta-carotene (which converts to Vitamin A), B5, B6, manganese and potassium. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and immune booster, and manganese is also an important component of healthy immune function. Together these will help you to recover post-exercise and dodge winter illnesses that may impede your training schedule.

→ Coconut oil is a medium-chain

triglyceride. Unlike other saturated fats it metabolises differently in the body, being converted in the liver directly to energy. It is therefore often used by athletes as an energy booster for training purposes. It doesn’t come with the downside of other saturated fats either, because it doesn’t get stored in the body as fat. In fact, studies suggest that it can actually help with weight loss, particularly stomach fat.

→ Getting adequate omega-3 can be a

›› Bake them like you would a white potato, cut them into chips or wedges and oven bake, mash them or add to stews, soups or even make sweet potato muffins as a snack food.

›› Should be used as the cooking fat of choice, as it is stable at high temperatures (as opposed to olive oil).

›› Get them into your diet by sprinkling them into your breakfast cereal or salads, or add into smoothies, mix with yoghurt or bake into homemade granola bars.

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

challenge for vegetarians. But a super plant source of these fatty acids comes in the form of Chia seeds. These small but potent South American seeds combine 55% omega-3 with 18% omega-6 and 6% omega-9. They pack a powerful punch with 18% of the RDA for calcium, 11g of fibre and 4g of protein per 28g serving. This makes them a great addition from an anti-inflammatory, recovery and digestive health viewpoint.

They are also reported to boost energy and support healthy cholesterol levels.

Blueberries → Berries generally are a great source of antioxidants, but

blueberries have gained fans everywhere due to their high anthocyanin, phospherous and vitamin K count. Not only do they help support immune response, research also shows that they are anti-inflammatory and have a positive effect on markers for heart disease. The darker the berry, the higher the antioxidant count, hence the interest in this fruit.

›› They’re versatile and easy to incorporate into the diet – add them to smoothies, porridge or cereal, snack on them from the pot, or mix into plain yoghurt – the list is endless.

Oily Fish → Essential fatty acids are, as the name suggests, vital for our

wellbeing and needed for numerous functions in the body. They include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which cannot be made by the body, and must therefore be consumed in our diet. A key source for omega-3 is oily fish: salmon, mackerel, trout, pilchards, and sardines. Including these in your weekly diet will help to manage the post-exercise inflammation and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) created by intense exercise, as well as providing around 25g of good quality protein per serving (for a typical salmon fillet). ›› Aim to eat two or three servings of oily fish a week. As well as oven-baking fillets, try tinned pilchards or sardines. If you eat the bones in these smaller fish you’ll increase your calcium intake too.

Beetroot → Beetroot is recognised for its ability to increase blood flow, helping to sustain physical activity. It contains folic acid, which helps production of red blood cells that transport oxygen around the body. It is also rich in potassium and nitrates. The potassium can help to replace electrolytes lost through sweat, while the nitrates are understood to promote blood flow, aid muscle contraction and influence glucose and calcium balance. Studies have shown that consumption of beetroot can improve performance in athletes, specifically endurance. ›› Beetroot can be eaten raw in salads, added to smoothies or juices, or it can be oven baked and served alongside other vegetables.

Chocolate milk → The recovery drink of choice for many athletes is good old chocolate milk. Its combined protein and carbohydrate content makes it the ideal recovery fuel post-training, helping to replenish muscle glycogen stores, aid muscle synthesis, and replace fluids more effectively than many post-exercise sports drinks. The added benefit is that calcium is also included. This is important to support your bone health and it also plays a role in muscle function because calcium controls muscle contraction. It has been found to be particularly effective for those involved in sports where a quick recovery turnaround is needed. ›› Commercially-produced chocolate milk can have additives so making your own is best. Mix 200ml of skimmed milk with chocolate drink powder to taste.

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academy

nutrition

EXPERT INSIGHT

PROSHOP WWW.PRODIRECTTENNIS.COM

Pro-Direct is one of the UK’s leading online tennis stores and every month they give us an insight into which items of kit we’ll be seeing the best players in the world using in 2015

MUST HAVE! HEAD SPEED GRAPHENE XT SPEED MP £158

HEAD has given its Speed range of rackets a complete overhaul with a striking new design and updated technology. GRAPHENE XT makes the centre of the racket 30% stronger and offers enhanced weight distribution, perfect manoeuvrability and a faster swing. The Speed will be used by Novak Djokovic during 2015 and will suit versatile players of all levels.

Discovered in 2004, Graphene consists of a single two-dimensional layer of carbon atoms. This material has a breaking strength 200 times greater than steel, which makes it the ultimate substance for racket frames. For the first time this technology allows an optimal redistribution of weight in HEAD rackets.

Through the use of Graphene in the shaft, the weight in the middle part of the racket can be reduced. Instead, weight can be shifted from the racket shaft to more functionally relevant areas in the tip and grip. And that means easy power when you need it the most.

“GRAPHENE XT MAKES THE RACKET 30% STRONGER AND HELPS WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION” ADIDAS BARRICADE 2015 If you feel like your feet could benefit from one of the freshest shoe designs in the game – a shoe that even boasts its own chassis – fire up the nearest device and enter our competition To enter go to www.tennishead.net/win

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

BABOLAT PURE DRIVE

WILSON PRO STAFF 95 S

£145

£153

→ The 2015 Pure Drive has been updated to enable players to excel on faster surfaces, with more responsive balls and against more powerful players. Ideal for punchers who hit the ball at the top of the bounce, as well as all that, the new model also boasts greater feel.

→ Designed to be the ultimate ‘attacker’ racket, the new Wilson Pro Staff line is suited to a variety of aggressive players. With classic Pro Staff performance combined with Spin Effect Technology, it has a 16x15 string pattern that generates increased spin and a heavier ball.

HEAD DJOKOVIC 12R MONSTERCOMBI

WILSON FEDERER ELITE 12 PACK RACKET BAG

£76

£90

→ Used by Novak Djokovic during 2015, this features a backpack carry system and comes with three main compartments, including one with Climate Control Technology, in addition to an integrated shoe compartment and two outside accessory pockets.

→ Used by Roger Federer, the Wilson Federer Elite 12 Pack Racket Bag has three main compartments with space for 12 rackets, and enough pockets for valuables and accessories. The bag is also equipped with Thermoguard to protect your frames against extreme temperatures and humidity.

ADIDAS BARRICADE 2015

NIKE WOMEN’S ZOOM VAPOR 9.5 TOUR

£105 → Worn by Andy Murray, the adidas Barricade 2015 has a fresh new look and an innovative Ballistic Mesh upper bonded with a TPU overlay that makes it lighter, softer and more breathable than previous models.

The result is better stability, greater comfort and improved flexibility.

£90 → Worn by Maria Sharapova, this features a Dynamic Fit system and a textile in the upper for lightweight breathability and style. The Nike Zoom unit in the heel offers super responsive cushioning, while a TPU footframe aids stability during turns.

gear [ME AND MY RACKET]

Andrea Petkovic Wilson Six.One 95L

The German has sworn by her trusty Pro Staff since her junior days – and she’s smashed a few as well…

Interview: Michael Beattie

Apparently you are very particular about your rackets – you grip them and stencil your own strings, right?

I have always done that. I’m kind of superstitious – I’m not totally obsessed with my rackets, though the grip I like to do in a certain way. For me, it’s part of my process of getting into the match, getting my gear ready. Everything has to be perfect – the feel of the racket, the look of the strings. It’s part of my mental preparation.

What strings do you use?

I have gut in the mains, and Luxilon Alu Rough in the crosses – the tension varies depending on the conditions.

You don’t use a vibration dampener?

No, I don’t. First, I don’t believe in them! And second, I don’t like the sound that it makes.

I want to be able to feel the ball on my racket and to feel the vibration. It feels dead to me, and I want to feel the liveliness of the ball.

How many rackets do you bring to a tournament?

I always carry five or six, depending where it is. I string two or three rackets the day before, and I always keep one in reserve that I string the day of the match.

Temperatures can change a lot, even in the space of a day, and you have to be ready to adjust – obviously when it’s hot, I go up with my string tension.

Have you always been a Wilson player?

Actually, I’ve never played with another racket than the one I play with today.

Whenever I visit Wilson they always laugh at me, because I never, ever change. I’ve never even tried another brand. I’ve always been with Wilson and I probably always

“I’ve never played with another racket – whenever I visit Wilson they always laugh at me, because I never, ever change” will, because I feel comfortable with them.

I’m very particular about my gear and I don’t want to mess anything up – so I’m sticking with them!

A lot has happened in racket technology in recent years. Do you follow the trends?

I do, yeah. I actually tried Wilson’s Spin Effect racket and I really liked it. I was thinking hard about switching to the new frame, but I didn’t have a tonne of control when it was very hot outside. Right before the season started I wasn’t sure, so I stuck with my old racket. But I was really close.

Do you remember your first racket?

It was a Wilson too, all red. I don’t remember who played with it, but I loved it – I kept it for years, even after I should have replaced it. It was totally destroyed, but I kept playing the hell out of it! Now? I don’t know where it is…

Wilson recently revealed the new paint-job for Roger Federer’s new racket.

If they could do a custom paint-job for you, what would you ask for?

I actually really like the all-black or all-white versions, they look really cool – although an all-white racket is really distracting, because you see the racket

constantly in the corner of your eye. When you hit the ball you don’t usually pay any attention to the racket, but when it’s all-white you can’t help but see it.

Anna Lena Groenefeld once had these rackets, all-white, and she kept complaining about it. I said, ‘How bad can it be? Give me the racket,’ and I hit a few balls. It was so distracting! Maybe she put the bug in my head, I don’t know.

So maybe not white. But a sophisticated all-black look? Yeah, that would be sleek.

Are you a racket smasher?

I get between 12 and 16 rackets a year from Wilson. How many survive? I don’t want to say! n [Tech specs]

Wilson Six.One 95L head size length unstrung weight string pattern cross section

95 square inches 27 inches 289 grammes 16 x 18 21mm

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

results

2014 Year-End WTA Rankings

RANKING

1

PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM

Lost first match on return to action after US Open as she fell to Alize Cornet for a third time in 2014 in Wuhan. Withdrew from Beijing QFs with a knee injury before ending 2014 on a high with her fifth victory at the WTA Finals in Singapore (d. Halep).

Serena WIlliams

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

This year: $9,317,298 Career to date: $63,500,779 Career-high ranking: 1 (08/07/02) Career titles: 64 Last title: WTA Finals, Singapore, October 2014

2

maria sharapova

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

This year: $5,839,357 Career to date: $32,535,202 Career-high ranking: 1 (22/08/05) Career titles: 33 Last title: China Open, WTA Premier, Beijing, China, October 2014

Suffered shock defeat to Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky in Wuhan 3R but bounced back to win China Open (d. Kvitova in final). Ended the season at world No.2 despite failing to reach semi-finals at WTA Finals, winning just one match.

3

simona halep

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

This year: $4,519,763 Career to date: $6,559,408 Career-high ranking: 2 (11/08/14) Career titles: 8 Last title: Bucharest Open, WTA International, Bucharest, Romania, July 2014

Bounced back from losing Wuhan opener (l. Muguruza) to reach Beijing QFs (l. to Ivanovic) and ended season in impressive form, thrashing Serena in RR stages of WTA Finals before falling to world No.1 in Singapore final.

4

petra kvitova

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

This year: $5,203,236 Career to date: $17,102,458 Career-high ranking: 2 (31/10/11) Career titles: 14 Last title: Wuhan Open, WTA Premier, Wuhan, China, September 2014

Bounced back from shock US Open 3R defeat to Krunic to win inaugural Wuhan Open (d.

Bouchard in final). Reached final in Beijing (l. to Sharapova) but won just one RR match in Singapore. Helped Czechs win third Fed Cup title in four years.

5

ana ivanovic

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

This year: $2,317,649 Career to date: $13,095,256 Career-high ranking: 1 (09/06/2008) Career titles: 15 Last title: Toray Pan Pacific Open, WTA International, Birmingham, UK, June 2014

Won title in Tokyo - her fourth trophy of 2014 (d. Wozniacki).

Fell to Pavlyuchenkova in Wuhan 1R to but bounced back with a run to SFs in Beijing (l. to Sharapova. Ended 2014 with 58 match wins -more than any other player - and a return to top five.

6

agnieszka radwaNska

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

This year: $3,195,411 Career to date: $17,365,420 Career-high ranking: 2 (09/07/12) Career titles: 14 Last title: Rogers Cup, WTA Premier, Montreal, Canada, August 2014

Struggled for results in Asia in autumn, falling in 2R in both Wuhan (l. to Garcia) and Beijing (l. to Vinci). However, despite losing to Wozniacki and Sharapova at RR stage, she finished second in White Group before falling in SFs (l. to Halep).

7

eugenie Bouchard

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

This year: $3,220,929 Career to date: $3,726,035 Career-high ranking: 5 (20/10/14) Career titles: 1 Last title: Nurnberger Versicherungs Cup, WTA International, Nurnberg, Germany, May 2014

Reached final in Wuhan (l. Kvitova) but fell in Beijing opener (l. to Lisicki). Broke into WTA top 5 for first time as she made her debut at WTA Finals in Singapore, but failed to win a set as she fell to Halep, Ivanovic and Williams in Singapore RR matches.

8

caroline wozniacki

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

This year: $3,372,350 Career to date: $19,322,865 Career-high ranking: 1 (11/10/10) Career titles: 22 Last title: Istanbul Cup, WTA International, Istanbul, Turkey, July 2014

Enjoyed good run of form following US Open, reaching final in Tokyo (l. to Ivanovic) and SFs in Wuhan (l. to Bouchard). Bounced back from Beijing 2R defeat (l. to Stosur) to win White Group at WTA Finals, going 3-0 in RR before SF defeat to Williams.

9

angelique Kerber

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

This year: $1,862,585 Career to date: $7,287,122 Career-high ranking: 5 (22/10/12) Career titles: 3 Last title: Generali Ladies Linz, WTA International, Linz, Austria, October 2013

Solid run in Asia, reaching Tokyo SFs, where she lost to eventual champion Ivanovic and QFs in Wuhan (l. to Svitolina). Fell in Beijing 3R (l. to Kuznetsova) before losing key rubber to Kvitova as Czechs lifted Fed Cup for third time in four years.

10

dominika cibulkova

slovakia Born: 06/05/89 Lives: Bratislava, Slovakia Height: 5ft 3in Weight: 121 lbs

This year: $1,998,734 Career to date: $6,262,980 Career-high ranking: 10 (31/03/14) Career titles: 4 Last title: Abierto Mexicano Telcel, WTA International, Acapulco, Mexico, February 2014

Struggled for results after US Open 1R exit, losing 1R matches in Wuhan (l. to Keys), Linz (l. to Friedsam) and Moscow (l. to Diatchenko). Finished 2014 in Sofia and ended year in top 10 after newly-retired Li was removed from rankings.

Points: 8,485

Points: 7,050

Points: 6,292

Points: 5,966

Points: 4,820

Points: 4,810

Points: 4,715

Points: 4,625

Points: 3,480

Points: 3,052

down 2

92 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

Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) Andrea Petkovic (GER) Sara Errani (ITA) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) Lucie Safarova (CZE) Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) Venus Williams (USA) Alize Cornet (FRA) Garbine Muguruza (ESP) Peng Shuai (CHN) Samantha Stosur (AUS) Karolina Pliskova (CZE) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) Sabine Lisicki (GER) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) Elina Svitolina (UKR) Casey Dellacqua (AUS) Madison Keys (USA) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) Belinda Bencic (SUI) Zarina Diyas (KAZ) Camila Giorgi (ITA) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) Sloane Stephens (USA) Caroline Garcia (FRA) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) Coco Vandeweghe (USA) Klara Koukalova (CZE) Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) Mona Barthel (GER) Alison Riske (USA) Kurumi Nara (JPN) Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) Monica Niculescu (ROU) Roberta Vinci (ITA) Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) Heather Watson (GBR) Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) Kaia Kanepi (EST) Christina McHale (USA) Annika Beck (GER) Karin Knapp (ITA) Lauren Davis (USA) Jana Cepelova (SVK) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) Petra Cetkovska (CZE) Monica Puig (PUR) Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) Zhang Shuai (CHN) Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) Elena Vesnina (RUS) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) Kiki Bertens (NED) Tereza Smitkova (CZE) Johanna Larsson (SWE) Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) Shelby Rogers (USA) Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) Julia Goerges (GER) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) Marina Erakovic (NZL) Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) Stefanie Voegele (SUI) Pauline Parmentier (FRA) Donna Vekic (CRO) Alexandra Dulgheru (ROM) Katerina Siniakova (CZE) Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) Zheng Jie (CHN) Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) Ana Konjuh (CRO) Sorana Cirstea (ROU) Madison Brengle (USA) Nicole Gibbs (USA) Polona Hercog (SLO) Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) Timea Babos (HUN) Zheng Saisai (CHN) An-Sophie Mestach (BEL)

RANKING

1

2014 Year-End ATP Rankings PERSONAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

FORM

11-100 RANKINGS

Lifted trophy in Beijing (d.

Berdych in final) and enjoyed run to SFs in Shanghai (l. to Federer). Returned to action after wife Jelena gave birth to son Stefan, extending indoor unbeaten streak to 31 matches with titles in Paris and London.

novak djokovic

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

This year: $14,250,527 Career to date: $72,403,908 Career-high ranking: 1 (04/07/11) Career titles: 48 Last title: ATP World Tour Finals, London, UK, November 2014

2

roger rafael nadal federer

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

This year: year:$9,343,988 $5,714,859 Career to todate: date:$88,611,538 $55,776,687 Career-high Career-highranking: ranking:11 (02/02/04) (18/08/08) Career titles: titles:82 57 Last title: title:Swiss FrenchIndoors, Open, Grand Slam, ATP 500, Basel,June Switzerland Paris, France, 2013 October 2014

Became first man to win the Went onthe 14-match winning same Grand Slamintournament streak, winning Shanghai (d. eight times Simon) andwhen Baselhe(d.defeated Goffin).

David Ferrer French Open final Lost in ParisinQFs to Raonic but sailed final but to claiminto his London 12th major title.

W/D withhis back Ended Suffered firstinjury.

1R defeat in a 2014when on a high with Slam he lost toDavis SteveCup Darcis victory overday France. on opening at Wimbledon.

3

Rafael nadal

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

This year: $6,736,843 Career to date: $71,379,236 Career-high ranking: 1 (18/08/08) Career titles: 64 Last title: French Open, Grand Slam, Paris, France, June 2014

Returned to action from a wrist injury in Beijing, where he fell in 3R to Martin Klizan. Played through pain of appendicitis in Shanghai (l. to Verdasco in 3R) and fell in Basel 3R (l. to Coric).

Missed Paris and London to have appendix removed.

4

Stan Wawrinka

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

This year: $5,582,116 Career to date: $14,399,798 Career-high ranking: 3 (27/01/14) Career titles: 7 Last title: Monte-Carlo Masters, ATP Masters 1000, Monte Carlo, Monaco, April 2014

Lost 3 straight matches in Tokyo 1R (l. to Ito), Shanghai 2R (l. to Simon) and Basel 1R (l. to Kukushkin). After 2R Paris exit (l. to Anderson), bounced back to reach London SFs (l. to Federer) before teaming up with Federer to win Davis Cup for Switzerland.

5

KEI Nishikori

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

This year: $4,431,363 Career to date: $8,026,263 Career-high ranking: 5 (03/11/14) Career titles: 7 Last title: Japan Open, ATP 500, Tokyo, Japan, October 2014

Won back-to-back titles in Kuala Lumpur (d. Benneteau) and Tokyo (d. Raonic). Fell in Shanghai opener (l. to Sock) before run to SFs in Paris (l. to Djokovic). Reached SFs on London debut, beating Murray in RR before defeat to Djokovic.

6

andy Murray

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

This year: $3,904,822 Career to date: $34,190,085 Career-high ranking: 2 (17/08/09) Career titles: 31 Last title: Valencia Open, ATP 500, Valencia, Spain, October 2014

Won in Shenzhen (d. Robredo) his first trophy since July 2013.

Reached Beijing SFs (l. to Djokovic) and Shanghai 3R (l. to Ferrer) but won titles in Vienna (d. Ferrer) and Valencia (d.

Robredo). Ended 2014 with 6-0 6-1 defeat to Federer in London.

7

tomas berdych

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

This year: $3,899,534 Career to date: $20,049,468 Career-high ranking: 5 (19/08/13) Career titles: 10 Last title: If Stockholm Open, ATP 250, Stockholm, Sweden, October 2014

Reached final in Beijing (l. to Djokovic) and Shanghai QFs (l. to Simon). Won 10th career title in Stockholm (d. Dimitrov in final) but suffered 1R Valencia exit (l. to Andujar). Reached Paris SFs (l. to Raonic) and won just 1 RR match in London (vs Cilic).

8

milos raonic

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

This year: $3,494,480 Career to date: $7,232,669 Career-high ranking: 6 (07/07/14) Career titles: 6 Last title: Citi Open, ATP World Tour 500, Washington DC, USA, August 2014

Missed out on Tokyo title (l. to Nishikori). Suffered consecutive losses in Shanghai (l. to Monaco) and Moscow (l. to Berankis) and reached Basel QFs (l. to Goffin).

Runner-up in Paris (l. to Djokovic) but W/D injured from London after 2 RR defeats.

9

marin Cilic

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

This year: $4,879,359 Career to date: $11,316,754 Career-high ranking: 8 (13/10/14) Career titles: 13 Last title: Kremlin Cup, ATP 250, Moscow, Russia, October 2014

Fell in Beijing QFs (l. to Murray) and lost to Karlovic in Shanghai 1R. Won his first title as a Grand Slam champion with victory in Moscow (d. Bautista Agut in final). Skipped Paris with arm injury and lost all 3 RR matches on his debut in London.

10

David ferrer

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

This year: $2,809,026 Career to date: $24,733,109 Career-high ranking: 3 (08/07/2013) Career titles: 21 Last title: Copa Claro, ATP 250, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 2014

Lost in Shenzhen 2R to Troicki and Tokyo 1R (l.to Granollers).

Reached Shanghai QFs (l. to Djokovic) but lost to Murray in Vienna final and Valencia SFs. Reached Paris QFs (l. to Nishikori) and played 1 RR match as alternate in London.

Points: 11,360

Points: 9,775 6,860

Points: 6,835

Points: 5,370

Points: 5,025

Points: 4,675

Points: 4,600

Points: 4,440

Points: 4,150

Points: 4,045

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) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) Ernests Gulbis (LAT) Feliciano Lopez (ESP) Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) Kevin Anderson (RSA) Tommy Robredo (ESP) Gael Monfils (FRA) John Isner (USA) Fabio Fognini (ITA) Gilles Simon (FRA) David Goffin (BEL) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) Julien Benneteau (FRA) Richard Gasquet (FRA) Ivo Karlovic (CRO) Leonardo Mayer (ARG) Jeremy Chardy (FRA) Pablo Cuevas (URU) Lukas Rosol (CZE) Santiago Giraldo (COL) Fernando Verdasco (ESP) Martin Klizan (SVK) Sam Querrey (USA) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) Steve Johnson (USA) Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) Dominic Thiem (AUT) Benjamin Becker (GER) Pablo Andujar (ESP) Jack Sock (USA) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Andreas Seppi (ITA) Marcel Granollers (ESP) Gilles Muller (LUX) Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) Denis Istomin (UZB) Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) Nick Kyrgios (AUS) Vasek Pospisil (CAN) Joao Sousa (POR) Simone Bolelli (ITA) Bernard Tomic (AUS) Donald Young (USA) Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) Federico Delbonis (ARG) Diego Schwartzman (ARG) Juan Monaco (ARG) Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) Jiri Vesely (CZE) Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) Radek Stepanek (CZE) Dusan Lajovic (SRB) Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) Nicolas Almagro (ESP) Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Andrey Golubev (KAZ) Marinko Matosevic (AUS) Malek Jaziri (TUN) Tommy Haas (GER) Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) Peter Gojowczyk (GER) Blaz Rola (SLO) Sam Groth (AUS) Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) Robin Haase (NED) Igor Sijsling (NED) Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) Ricardas Berankis (LTU) Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) Alejandro Falla (COL) Dustin Brown (GER) Joao Souza (BRA) Borna Coric (CRO) Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) Tatsuma Ito (JPN) Lukas Lacko (SVK) Ivan Dodig (CRO) Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) Tobias Kamke (GER) Dudi Sela (ISR) Go Soeda (JPN)

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

results

RANKINGS

© BT SPORT

“IT’S A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR WOMEN’S TENNIS BECAUSE THE NEW GENERATION IS STARTING TO CATCH UP BUT THE OLDER GENERATION IS STILL HERE” MARTINA NAVRATILOVA

[RISING STARS OF THE WTA]

THE L A ST WORD

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA

With the old guard still standing strong, and a new generation emerging, Martina Navratilova believes women’s tennis is in an exciting transition period

T

ennis history is classified not by decades but by eras, often defined by the characters and their rivalries, such as that of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who played each other an astonishing 80 times between 1973 and 1988 and won 18 Grand Slam singles titles each.

Having just joined Evert and Navratilova on 18 Grand Slams, the Serena Williams era will also go down in history, but while former rivals Martina Hingis and Justine Henin have called time on their singles careers, a new generation of potential future Grand Slam champions is emerging and Navratilova, whose own career spanned four decades, believes the sport is in transition.

“It’s a very exciting time for women’s tennis because the new generation is starting to catch up but the older generation is still here with Serena Williams and

9 8 W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T

Maria Sharapova still in the game, going strong,” Navratilova told tennishead.

Simona Halep and Eugenie Bouchard have led the charge in 2014, reaching their first major finals – Halep at Roland Garros and Bouchard at Wimbledon – and breaking into the top 10, but there have also been breakthroughs for the likes of Caroline Garcia, Garbine Muguruza and Belinda Bencic.

Garcia, now 21, won her first title in Bogota in April and has broken into the world’s top 40, while Muguruza, who also turned 21 in October, won in Auckland at the start of the year and upset world No.1 Serena Williams at Roland Garros to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final. Bencic, 17, who is coached by Hingis’ mother Melanie Molitor, became the youngest player to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam since Hingis herself in 1997 when she beat Angelique Kerber

and Jelena Jankovic to reach the last eight at the US Open and is the youngest player in the top 50.

“Bencic has a great head on her shoulders and has had great coaching from both her father and Martina’s mum, Melanie,” said Navratilova, who now works as a commentator for BT Sport.

“Muguruza played unbelievable tennis against Serena at the French Open and backed it up by winning a few more matches and got to the quarter-finals, but really kind of fizzled out for the rest of the year and hasn’t really lived up to that performance but she is a very poised young woman.

“Garcia seems to be the best athlete of them and we’ll see how her game comes together but she has started making her mark this year. I like Aleksandra Krunic too; she made her mark at the US Open, beating [Petra] Kvitova. I was like, ‘How could Petra lose to this girl, I’ve never heard of her?’ Then I saw her play and, wow, she’s good – another new talent, a great athlete.

“We have a pretty good crop of youngsters coming up and it probably won’t be long before they’re in the top 10.”

Navratilova, who reached the French Open fourth round on her Grand Slam debut in 1973 aged 16, believes that the breakthroughs for Halep and Bouchard over the last two seasons have provided inspiration for younger players coming through behind them.

“It shows it can be done,” she said.

“We haven’t seen that for a while now, someone breaking through like that so it’s great that we’ve had one every year, we’ll see what next year brings.” tennishead was talking to Martina Navratilova courtesy of BT Sport, which shows 21 exclusively live WTA events on BT Sport each year