tennishead Volume 5 Issue 5

LEARN FROM THE PROS

Petkovic serve Muguruza forehand

TRAVEL: TENNIS TOURIST

Stan Smith’s South Carolina Academy

BILLIE JEAN KING

Team tennis heads to London

WIN!

NIKE BALLISTEC ADVANTAGE TENNIS SHOES

WWW.TENNISHEAD.NET | OCTOBER 2014

THE WORLD’S BEST TENNIS M AGA ZINE EXCLUSIVE

MILOS RAONIC How two coaches help my game

SERENA CELEBRATES HER 18th SPECIAL GEAR REVIEWS Benefits of compression clothing Latest trends from the US Kit to keep you warm

EXCLUSIVE

FRENCH FLAIR

MARIN CILIC Ivanisevic makes the difference

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 OCT 2014 £4.50

Caroline Garcia

WIN!

WIMBLEDON 2014: THE OFFICIAL STORY OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

NEW HORIZONS

Asia on the march

AWARD-WINNING TOUR PHOTOS ADVICE TO CALM MATCH-DAY NERVES

PLUS: RESULTS AND RANKINGS TOMMY ROBREDO ANA KONJUH ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV

HAWKEYE

THE NUMBERS GAME [STATS]

Fascinating statistics and percentages from the 2014 US Open

FASTEST SERVE SPEEDS

MOST ACES SERVED

103

35

IN 4 MATCHES

IN 7 MATCHES

MILOS RAONIC

SERENA WILLIAMS

LONGEST RALLY COUNT

38 32

GAEL MONFILS vs ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ CHRISTINA MCHALE VS VICTORIA AZARENKA

SAM GROTH

147 MPH SABINE LISICKI

124 MPH

HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF RETURNS IN

82

91

%

(122/148)

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA

LONGEST MATCHES 4hrs 19mins

ILLYA MARCHENKO def MARCO CHIUDINELLI

4hrs 19mins

MONICA NICULESCU def YAROSLAVA SHVEDOVA

MOST DOUBLE FAULTS

GAEL MONFILS

� W W W.T E N N I S H E A D. N E T

147 MPH

TOTAL NUMBER OF HAWKEYE CHALLENGES ON ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM

KEI NISHIKORI def MILOS RAONIC

37

(2004) ANDY RODDICK

(87/96)

ROBIN HAASE

2hr 58 mins

FASTEST SERVE SPEEDS EVER

%

MEN SINGLES

28.7% CORRECT 71.3% INCORRECT

31 VICTORIA AZARENKA

(2007) SERENA WILLIAMS

WOMEN SINGLES

25.8% CORRECT 74.2% INCORRECT

129 MPH FA S T FAC T

14,100

dollars not accepted by Arthur Ashe in 1968 for winning the first US Open men’s singles title

Statistics courtesy of IBM and 2014 US Open Record Book // 2014 is the first year IBM have tracked player and ball movement on 5 US TV courts

NEWS

NEWS

Left to right: Billie Jean King, John McEnroe (top), Tim Henman (bottom), Kim Clijsters and Sabine Lisicki

“We tell them to play because we think the fans should see them at their best”

stargazing

billie jean king

Tennis Equality

Kim Clijsters and Sabine Lisicki will line up alongside John McEnroe and Tim Henman for some competitive tennis

Billie Jean King brings Mylan Team Tennis Smash Hits charity event to London

T

he 2014 US Open saw the 40th anniversary of Billie Jean King’s fourth and final US Open win. King has 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 39 Grand Slam trophies in total, but those too young to remember her playing days, may know her better as one of the most influential female athletes of all time.

During the 2014 Flushing Meadows event King was busy speaking and signing autographs. One of her more visible and less onerous tasks was to conduct the coin toss before the women’s singles final.

Talking to tennishead at Flushing Meadows about her lifelong campaign for equality, King said: “I am not just about women’s rights, I am about everyone’s rights,”she said. “Anytime you don’t use the human resources we have, the human capital in the world, and companies are starting to understand this better than anybody, it hurts your bottom line.”

King is starting a leadership programme where she talks to companies and individuals about inclusion.

British tennis fans will get the opportunity to see King at the Royal Albert Hall on December 7. The Mylan World Team Tennis Smash Hits charity event will take centre stage on the last night of the Statoil Masters.

Smash Hits is a charity event, which has raised more than $12 million for Elton John’s Aids Foundation. “What we do is a team tennis match," King explains. "Elton

“I GET CRAZY BECAUSE OUR SPORT IS SO GREAT, IT'S A GREAT LIFETIME SPORT” is the coach of one team and I 'm the coach of the other. We don't like celebrity tennis, we like the players to play.”

Players confirmed for this year are John McEnroe, Tim Henman, Kim Clijsters and Sabine Lisicki. Although it is primarily an exhibition, it will still be competitive, says King. “We are trying to raise money and we tell them to play because we think the fans should see them at their best.”

Mylan Team Tennis fits into King's belief that tennis needs to be more innovative in the way it presents itself as a sport to potential players. “How do we get 50,000 to 100,000 new kids into the game?” she asks.

“I get crazy because our sport is so great.

It’s a great lifetime sport. If I can give the gift of tennis to a child, I know they have got it for the rest of their lives.”

2015 will be the 40th anniversary of the formation of World Team Tennis. “We have never done Smash Hits outside the States,” King said. “This is the 22nd year we've done Smash Hits for the Elton John Aids Foundation. He loves tennis. He plays lots.”

Team tennis is one way in which she believes the sport can reach out and be of benefit to youngsters.

“I find kids who grow up with tournament tennis only and didn’t do other team sports are not as well adjusted," said King. "They are much more self-centred and they are not as good a team player.”

In the US, Mylan Team Tennis is aimed at recreational players, as well as professionals. It has a unique format. Each team comprises two men, two women and a coach. Team matches consist of five sets – one set each of men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

For the record, in the Smash Hits Charity event, Team Elton currently leads the series 11-10, having defeated Team Billie in Orlando in 2013. tennishead was talking to Billie Jean King courtesy of Time Warner Cable at this year’s US Open.

To find out more about Mylan Team Tennis go to www.wtt.com W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 13

GALLERY

“what can i say? i wasn’t myself...”  novak djokovic

“there was nothing i would’ve done differently”  roger federer

“i didn’t think i’d win a slam this year serena williams

3 0 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

30-34_Raonic_v5_5[SP](1).indd 30

18/9/14 09:23:40

two Good

Milos Raonic never used to believe in the idea of dual coaches but Ivan Ljubicic and Riccardo Piatti have changed all that. In an exclusive interview the Canadian talks about the dynamics of his team words: paul newman Paul Newman is tennis correspondent of The Independent, The Independent on Sunday and i

f

or a man who did not believe in the value of having two coaches, Milos Raonic is quite a contradiction. Since Ivan Ljubicic and Riccardo Piatti joined forces to coach the 23-year-old Canadian earlier this year, he has hardly looked back. A year crowned by his first appearance in a Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon is likely to end with his debut in the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic may have struck greater blows for the next generation with their performances at the US Open, but many observers still regard the bigserving Raonic as the man most likely to enjoy consistent success at the highest level.

Raonic is as strong a character as his 6ft 5in and 15 stone frame might suggest, but he agrees that having the right team around him is crucial. He is the first to pay credit to his coaches, as well as to other members of his entourage, and to admit that

until recently he would not have contemplated joining those players for whom having a twoperson coaching team has become as fashionable as cling-tight shirts or multi-coloured kinesio tape.

For Raonic the crucial difference with Ljubicic and Piatti is that they speak with the same voice. Piatti, a 55-year-old Italian, was Ljubicic’s coach throughout the 35-year-old Croatian’s career.

“For most of my time I’ve been very opposed to the idea of two coaches,” Raonic said. “But knowing that I can have two voices delivering the same message changed my thinking. I know that in a lot of ways Riccardo is like a second father to Ivan. He took care of him for 17 years, personally as well as tennis-wise. I knew those two guys had spent a lot of time together and there would never be a conflict of egos or a problem with mixed messages.”

Raonic came to prominence under the guidance of the Spanish coach, Galo Blanco, but decided last year that it was time for a new direction.

rAOnIc Is ThE FIrsT TO pAy crEdIT TO hIs cOAchEs, As wELL As OThEr mEmBErs OF hIs EnTOurAgE W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t 3 1

30-34_Raonic_v5_5[SP](1).indd 31

18/9/14 09:23:41

Caroline Garcia

Singled out as a future world No.1 by Andy Murray when she was just 17, the Frenchwoman believes she is finally ready to live up to the hype WORDS: jo carter

C

aroline Garcia burst onto the radars of many fans three years ago, when as a wildcard ranked No.188 in the world, she was on the verge of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in French Open history.

Leading Maria Sharapova 6-3 4-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier, Garcia’s raw power and athleticism had the Russian on the ropes.

Sharapova went on to win the next 11 games for a 3-6 6-4 6-0 victory, but Andy Murray had seen enough from the French teenager to be impressed.

“The girl Sharapova is playing is going to be No.1 in the world one day,” Murray remarked on Twitter.

“What a player, you heard it here first.”

“It is always nice to be recognised by someone like Andy who is an amazing player,” reflects Garcia,

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

three years on, having established herself in the world’s top 50. “I was very happy and also very surprised but I think three years ago I was not ready for what happened to me. Everyone was expecting too much. I was too young in my head and my game was not ready.”

It took Garcia another 16 months before she won her next main draw match on the WTA tour.

“It took me a long time to improve, to grow,” explains Garcia, who failed to win a single match between September 2013 and the start of February, losing 10 matches on the bounce. “But I think now I am ready. I am doing it my way and at my speed, always trying to improve and go higher and higher.”

Garcia, who turns 21 on October 16, will have plenty to celebrate. After a shaky start, 2014 has

“I am doing it my way and at my speed, always trying to improve and go higher”

With players like Li Na and Kei Nishikori challenging for the biggest honours and events in Asia dominating the tours, tennis looks more and more to the East

K e i nis hiK or i, j a pa n

l e a nde r pa e s , indi a

WORDS: PAUL NEWMAN

4 0 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t

asian

l i n a , c hin a

peng shuai, china

zheng jie, china

M a h e s h B h u paT h i , i n d i a

sUCCess

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t 41

ACADEMY

[frame-by-frame]

petkovic serve

Resident coaching advisor Dave Sammel analyses the slightly unorthodox serving style of German star Andrea Petkovic

1

After an orthodox start to the motion, Petkovic then moves into an unorthodox position here where her right arm is raised higher and straighter than most players with the racket head facing the ground before being taken back.

2

Andrea is going to explode up off an almost full squat. This is unusual as players don't usually get down this low to drive upwards. This is not a classic bow shape with the shoulders sitting very flat.

The arms have a lovely symmetry.

3

As the racket goes to drop behind her back, Petkovic demonstrates an amazing pre-stretch of the chest muscle which is powerful and brought about because she does not actually rotate the shoulders that much (see box).

Do your own thing – it might just work → Andrea Petkovic's individual service technique is a good example of how sometimes sticking to an action that might seem a bit unusual sometimes

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

works. Her right arm goes back into a funky position during the early stages of the motion and she doesn't achieve much shoulder rotation either. Lastly,

look at the leg kick in image 6. Not exactly textbook, but the German has proved herself on the world's biggest stages. Can't be that bad...

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 A consistent ball toss should never be underestimated and is a key factor in producing a reliable first and second serve. If your ball toss is erratic and wayward it's almost impossible to make contact with the ball in the right position on a consistent basis. It's easy to practise, so master the technique and watch your serve improve.

4

Considering there are elements that are unusual, there's perfect extension, her head is held high, her legs are off the ground and her left hand is tucked in nicely.

An unorthodox start has produced a pretty standard hitting position.

5

This is a great picture showing the end of the wrist pronation after contact. It is here that we notice the legs almost parallel to each other – most servers at this point will have the right leg beginning to kick back to counter balance.

6

Andrea's leg kicks towards the right meaning she will have a tendency to fall left which could effect her consistency.

I suspect that her serve – while powerful due to pre-stretch, a loose wrist and leg drive – is somewhat temperamental.

Strong body – big serve → The German WTA star is truly a player of her generation with a physique honed and toned through hundreds and hundreds of hours of gym work. Hard

work pays off though and it's easy to see how her strong body has helped create power in the modern game. Look how low her knee bend is – thanks to

powerful quads – which help her create power and get up to the ball and her chest muscles also help create extra momentum and pop on the serve.

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

academy

sequentials

ACADEMY

[biography] Mats Merkel has worked with the likes of Andy Murray, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Caroline Wozniacki as part of the adidas Player Development Programme. Here he offers a regular insight into life on tour

“Communication is the most important part of a wellfunctioning structure” mats merkel

Far left: Gunter Bresnik now coaches Dominic Thiem

Amelie Mauresmo and Andy Murray

L-R: Mats Merkel, Severin Luthi, Dominic Thiem, Roger Federer, Stefan Edberg

safety in numbers Entourages containing two or more coaches can work well.

Just ask Andy Murray or Roger Federer

Words: Mats Merkel

I

see myself as a hybrid coach. I don’t work as a full-time coach with one player but instead I have the opportunity to work with a number of great players, both male and female.

One of the biggest challenges for me is joining a team and working alongside the player’s full-time coach. It can be tough, but for me, communication is the most important part of a well-functioning structure.

I believe that having multiple coaches can be an advantage for any player – but the most important part of having a big team with various personnel is making sure all parties are working together.

When Andy Murray brought Ivan Lendl on board a few years ago, or when Roger Federer hired Stefan Edberg, they both still had their teams in the background.

Federer still had Severin Luthi and his physio, Stephane Vivier, Jez Green and Dani Vallverdu are a core part of Murray’s entourage, not forgetting his mum of course.

So how does it work? Novak Djokovic has Marian Vajda and Boris Becker; Federer has Edberg and Luthi. Not every former Grand Slam champion makes a good coach but I do believe there is 5 6 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

something that these big names bring to the table. Marian and Severin are great coaches but they might not have that experience of playing on the biggest stages – it could be an extra one per cent that a player is missing. You can see how Lendl helped Andy win his first Grand Slam title while Edberg has made a big difference to Roger’s game.

Murray initially hired Amelie Mauresmo for this summer's grass-court season. I think a trial period is important, not just for the player but for the team as a whole. If you have all these people around you and you bring in a new member without any consultation it can cause friction.

Ultimately it is what is best for the player but if the structure is not right or the team is not happy that will reflect in the player’s performance. If a player’s box is divided, the player feels it and in the long term the relationship is bound to break.

Adidas set up its player development programme in 2005 to offer coaching and mentoring support to players, especially the young players with little experience of life on tour. With a team of experienced individuals like Andre Agassi’s former coach, Darren Cahill, and strength and

conditioning coach Gil Reyes, we offer a wealth of experience.

I was once asked to go on court and work with a player and his team, but the team members didn't know anything about it.

That was very awkward because the last thing I wanted to do was to undermine an existing structure.

The adidas programme works in a complementary way. We try to help the already-existing team maximise their player’s potential. I would never try and jeopardise the position of another coach.

In that particular case I had a chat with the coach afterwards and it was OK in the end.

Coaching is all about exchanging ideas so I don’t believe the head coach should be the only one determining coaching strategies. He should also be prepared to take on board ideas from the rest of the team. Maybe in national federations or big academies there can be one person who sets the coaching philosophy, like Nick Bollettieri does with the IMG academy.

It is important that there is not much difference between what two coaches are saying, so the team must discuss ideas to ensure they are on the same page. If there is something I want to change, I will always

Players talking about coaching dynamics…

Djokovic on becker

“Ultimately it is what is best for the player but if the structure is not right or the team is not happy that will reflect in the player’s performance” discuss it with the team before taking it to the player.

One coach I have worked closely with is Gunter Bresnik, who used to coach Boris Becker and now works with Ernests Gulbis and Dominic Thiem. I initially started working with them through the adidas programme but have since done some private work with Dominic. Communication between Gunter and I has been good from the start. We respect each other’s positions.

Gunter has worked with Dominic since he was a young boy but he cannot travel with him all the time so he needed to find somebody he could trust. That’s where I came in. You can see that Dominic feels quite comfortable with the team that he has around him. He started the year outside the top 100 and now he is the youngest player in the top 50, which is a big reward for the hard work he has put in.

I was with Dominic in Madrid, where he beat Stan Wawrinka. Even though Gunter wasn’t there he was still very much involved. We spoke every day. I called Gunter before and after every match and we would often text during a match.

My mobile phone is my best friend when I am travelling. I will often exchange

thoughts via text or email during a match with a player’s coach or parent if needed.

I’ve even received calls during a changeover.

I started working with Caroline Wozniacki at the beginning of 2009. From the beginning it was crucial to communicate with her father because he is the one that travels year in, year out, with Caroline. He knows her best. It was really important that Piotr knew that I was not a threat and that the only thing I was trying to do was to help him and Caroline to make the best of her career.

I was there when she got to the US Open final in 2009. Piotr and I spoke a lot about tactics. We evaluated Caroline’s game and analysed her opponents. He was very knowledgeable and had worked a lot with Caroline on court but I was able to suggest some tactical ideas and patterns. I was able to help him understand the dynamics of the game. He could tap into my experience and filter what he thought was best for Caroline.

As a coach you must be open to suggestions and ready to adjust. You have to be a team player. It’s no coincidence that the best players have a good team behind them. n

→ “Obviously because of the difference in character and approach, we’re different people and it took some time to get that understanding going and the right chemistry. It wasn’t part of the schedule for Marian [Vajda] to be in Rome but I considered that tournament to be a turning point in my relationship with Boris...

We won that tournament the three of us and it was a time when I started feeling much closer to Boris and understood what message he’s trying to convey to me.”

Federer on edberg → “Stefan is clearly a piece of the puzzle, so is my fitness coach, so is Severin [Luthi], and everybody around me.

They make it possible for me to wake up every morning motivated, healthy, fit, and eager to play. It’s clearly also a team effort to a degree.”

Raonic on ljubicic → “The biggest doubt I had first of all when I started with two coaches is dealing with two people and not being sure if there might be any kind of confusion because you’re hearing things from two people.

But knowing how close Ivan [Ljubicic] and Riccardo [Piatti] were through their time, I hear things, but I always hear one message. We have the exact same goal. We spoke about exactly how and what I need to do to achieve that goal, how I need to play if I want to become what I strive to be.”

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academy

mats merkel

gear ne w a dida s desig n

Dressed to the nines The claws are gone but lateral support remains the key component of the new-look adidas Barricades

KIT BITS

→ We consider ourselves eagle-eyed observers of the tennis shoe trade for spotting a brand new pair of adidas Barricades in action at the US Open.

Worn by Mikhail Youzhny during his firstround defeat by Nick Kyrgios, the shoe is a departure from the original Barricade concept with the trademark claw elements – the lateral support unit that typically runs next to the knuckle of the small toe on each foot – replaced by a support band around the mid foot.

With the Barricade chassis support and stability further back in the shoe, the forefoot has more freedom to move and flex to boost responsiveness, all while maintaining iconic Barricade comfort and durability. adidas insiders introduced tennishead to the shoe in New York, where it became clear that it was not just the support structure that has been reconfigured – check out the seriously cool Miami and Berlin-inspired designs set to hit the courts next year.

The Barricade is set for general release in January 2015, but keep an eye on the feet of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic over the coming months and you may get another sneak preview…

“I’m sweating a lot so my shirt is heavy, and when it moves it disturbs me – that’s why I put the t-shirt in the shorts.” Jo-Wilfried Tsonga explains his new tucked-in look this summer…

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

Winning by a HEAD Marin Cilic’s US Open victory ensures the Austrian manufacturer claims three of the eight Grand Slam titles → For two weeks, they didn’t shave. Every morning, they ate breakfast alone. They didn’t watch Teletubbies, but Marin Cilic proved to be every bit as superstitious as Goran Ivanisevic en route to his maiden Grand Slam victory at the US Open. It was hard not to draw parallels between the pair throughout Cilic’s incredible run to the title in New York. The serving. The Monday final, mirroring Ivanisevic’s delayed victory at Wimbledon in 2001.

They even used different versions of the same racket; Ivanisevic won Wimbledon with a HEAD iPrestige Mid, and13 years on Cilic blasted his way to victory in New York with HEAD’s Graphene Prestige Midplus. The only thing missing was Goran’s string of obliterated frames – something HEAD are no doubt happy about!

CIlic’s US Open victory brought HEAD out on top at the Grand Slams in 2014. Of the eight singles champions at this year’s majors, three – Cilic, Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic and French Open winner Maria Sharapova – play with HEAD rackets.

Wilson players claimed two titles, thanks to Serena Williams’ sixth US Open victory and Petra Kvitova’s second Wimbledon crown, while Babolat claimed two – Rafael Nadal dominating once more at the French Open and Li Na collecting the Australian Open title. Stan Wawrinka, with his fresh-out-of-the-box Yonex, won the men’s title in Melbourne.

As if proof were needed that there is the right racket for everyone out there, all eight Grand Slam singles champions played with different models in 2014.

Stan Wawrinka

Li Na

Australian Open champion Yonex VCore Tour G 330

Australian Open champion Babolat Pure Drive

Head size: 97 sq.in Unstrung weight: 330g String pattern: 16x20 Balance: 32.1cm Beam: 20.5mm

Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 299g String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 33.0cm Beam: 23.5mm-26mm-22.5mm

Rafael Nadal

Maria Sharapova

French Open champion Babolat AeroPro Drive

French Open champion HEAD Graphene Instinct MP

Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 305g String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 33.0cm Beam: 23mm-26mm-24mm

Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 296g String pattern: 16x19 Balance: 33.4cm Beam: 23mm-24.5mm-22.5mm

Novak Djokovic

Petra Kvitova

Wimbledon champion HEAD Graphene Speed Pro

Wimbledon champion Wilson Steam 96

Head size: 100 sq.in Unstrung weight: 315g String pattern: 18x20 Balance: 32.4cm Beam: 22.5mm-21.5mm taper

Head size: 96 sq.in Unstrung weight: 299g String pattern: 16x20 Balance: 34.3cm Beam: 22.5mm

Marin Cilic

Serena Williams

US Open champion HEAD Graphene Prestige Midplus

US Open champion Wilson Blade 104

Head size: 98 sq.in Unstrung weight: 316g String pattern: 18x20 Balance: 32.4cm Beam: 21mm

Head size: 104 sq.in Unstrung weight: 288g String pattern: 18x19 Balance: 32.7cm Beam: 22.5mm

[ME AND MY RACKET]

Alexandr Dolgopolov wilson pro staff 95s

The swashbuckling star from Ukraine has been a loyal ambassador for Wilson for his entire professional career. But best not to delve too deeply into his racket bag. interview: Jo Carter

Do you remember the first racket you ever played with?

I started playing tennis at three years old so I have no idea what I played with. As a kid I played with a Fischer racket, then I changed to HEAD and then eventually I came to Wilson when I was 16 or 17. My whole professional career I have played with Wilson, with the same racket.

This season your racket has the new Spin Effect Technology. How is that working out for you?

I tried it last year. I liked it so it was a nice adjustment for me. It is quite similar to my old racket but a little bit better. It is as stiff as the other one but I get a little more spin and power. I think all of my game improves – it is a little bit better in every area.

And is control more important for you than power?

Yes. I like the strings quite strong so power is not a problem when I hit the ball hard. It is a problem to control it well so that is important for me.

What strings do you use?

I use Luxilon 4G for the main and natural gut for the cross. I string them mostly around 27-28kg but sometimes I adjust depending on the conditions.

How many rackets do you take on court with you?

On court usually I am comfortable with six rackets, depending on what surface I play.

If it’s clay I will string four to six rackets, if it’s grass I will string fewer because they 6 8 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

“i’m quite lazy unpacking my bag so sometimes i find empty bottles or towels from earlier tournaments” wear out slower. Mostly I come to a tournament with six to eight rackets but lately I have taken more. If you break one or two you need to ask them to send more straight away and it’s complicated, so it’s easier to take more. If you break one or two you still have enough.

Have you ever lost a racket?

Yes a few times, especially when my coach or my father took the racket, and they used to put it down somewhere.

I used to put all my rackets in my bag but the racket they left sometimes stayed on the court. After that happened a few times I told them they had to put it back in the bag so now it hasn’t happened for a while.

What do you do with your old rackets?

I don’t have old rackets. If they break I get new ones, but I don’t change rackets unless they break.

You are quite a cool character on the court. Have you ever smashed a racket?

Only once or twice in my life I have hit my racket full power because I really wanted

to break it. Sometimes you don’t intend to smash it but it breaks. If I hear my racket is broken then I might smash it because it is broken anyway!

Is there anything unusual you keep in your racket bag?

No, just a big mess! I am quite lazy unpacking it so sometimes I find empty bottles or towels from tournaments a month ago! n [Tech specs]

Wilson Pro Staff 95S head size length unstrung weight string pattern cross section

95 square inches 27 inches 313 grammes 16 x 15 18mm

results

us open 2014, Men’s Singles ROUND ONE Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) 6-1 6-2 6-4 Diego Schwartzman (ARG) Gilles Muller (LUX) P Mathieu (FRA) 6-7(7) 7-5 7-6(6) 6-7(5) 6-1 Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) Sam Querrey (USA) 6-2 4-6 6-4 4-6 6-3 Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) (28) 6-4 6-2 6-2 Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) (22) 6-2 7-6(3) 6-3 Facundo Bagnis (ARG) (Q) Michael Llodra (FRA) (WC) 6-4 6-3 7-5 Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 2-6 3-6 6-3 6-3 7-5 Marcos Giron (USA) (WC) John Isner (USA) (13) 7-6(5) 6-2 7-6(2) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) (9) 6-3 4-6 7-6(2) 6-1 Juan Monaco (ARG) James McGee (IRL) (Q) Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) 4-6 6-2 6-1 7-6(3) Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 6-3 4-6 6-2 7-6(0) Andreas Beck (GER) (Q) Benoit Paire (FRA) 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4 4-6 6-4 Julien Benneteau (FRA) (24) F Verdasco (ESP) (31) 6-3 3-6 7-5 1-6 6-4 Blaz Rola (SLO) Bradley Klahn (USA) Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) 6-4 4-6 6-3 7-5 Matthias Bachinger (GER) (Q) 6-3 6-2 6-2 Radek Stepanek (CZE) Robin Haase (NED) Andy Murray (GBR) (8) 6-3 7-6(6) 1-6 7-5 Stan Wawrinka (SUI)(3) 6-2 7-6(6) 7-6(3) Jiri Vesely (CZE) Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 7-6(4) 6-4 6-1 Nicholas Mahut (FRA) Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 7-5 6-4 6-4 Donald Young (USA) Alejandro Falla (COL) Jeremy Chardy (FRA) (30) 6-7(5) 6-2 7-5 6-4 Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) (21) Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 7-5 7-6(4) 2-6 7-6(1) Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-3 6-1 6-4 Simone Bolelli (ITA) 2-6 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 Vasek Pospisil (CAN) Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) Tommy Robredo (ESP) (16) 6-4 6-3 6-4 Kei Nishikori (JPN) (10) 6-2 6-4 6-2 Wayne Odesnik (USA) (WC) Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-4 3-6 6-1 RET Jack Sock (USA) Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-4 6-3 7-6(2) Tobias Kamke (GER) Albert Montanes (ESP) Leonardo Mayer (ARG) (23) 6-2 3-0 RET Lukas Rosol (CZE) (29) Borna Coric (CRO) (Q) 6-4 6-1 6-2 Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2 Igor Sijsling (NED) Peter Gojowczyk (GER) (Q) 6-2 6-4 6-2 Benjamin Becker (GER) Taro Daniel (JPN) (Q) Milos Raonic (5) 6-3 6-2 7-6(1) Tomas Berdych (CZE) (6) 6-3 6-4 6-3 Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) Steve Darcis (BEL) (Q) Martin Klizan (SVK) 3-6 2-6 7-6(5) 7-5 6-4 Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) A Kudryavtsev (RUS)(Q) 2-6 7-6(6) 3-6 6-3 6-4 Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 6-3 1-6 7-6(6) 6-3 Santiago Giraldo (COL) (27) F Lopez (ESP)(19) 1-6 7-5 2-6 6-4 1-1 RET Ivan Dodig (CRO) Steve Johnson (USA) Tatsuma Ito (JPN) (Q) 6-2 3-6 5-7 4-1 RET Lukas Lacko (SVK) Dominic Thiem (AUT) 6-3 6-3 6-2 Kenny De Schepper (FRA) Ernests Gulbis (LAT) (11) 6-1 6-4 6-2 Marin Cilic (CRO) (14) 6-3 3-1 RET Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) I Marchenko (UKR) (Q) 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(13) 7-6(4) Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) (Q) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) 6-3 7-5 5-7 7-5 Dusan Lajovic (SRB) Pablo Cuevas (URU) K Anderson (RSA) (18) 6-3 6-7(3) 4-6 6-2 7-6(1) Gilles Simon (FRA) (26) 6-3 6-4 6-2 Albot Radu (MDA) (Q) Noah Rubin (USA) (WC) Federico Delbonis (ARG) 6-4 6-3 6-0 Bernard Tomic (AUS) (WC) 7-6(2) 6-4 7-6(3) Dustin Brown (GER) Damir Dzumhur (BIH) David Ferrer (ESP) (4) 6-1 6-2 2-6 6-2 Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) (7) 6-2 7-6(4) 6-2 Ryan Harrison (USA) (WC) Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Dudi Sela (ISR) 1-6 6-3 6-2 7-5 Niels Desein (BEL) (Q) David Goffin (BEL) 6-1 6-3 6-3 Frank Dancevic (CAN) Joao Sousa (POR) (32) 7-6(6) 3-6 6-2 4-6 7-6(2) Gael Monfils (FRA) (20) 6-4 6-2 6-4 Jared Donaldson (USA) (WC) Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) 6-4 6-4 7-5 Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) (Q) Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 6-1 6-2 2-1 RET Denis Istomin (UZB) Richard Gasquet (FRA) (12) 7-5 7-6(5) 6-4 Fabio Fognini (ITA) (15) 6-4 6-4 6-2 Andrey Golubev (KAZ) Pere Riba (ESP) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-2 Filip Krajinovic (SRB) (Q) Tim Smyczek (USA) (WC) 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-6(5) Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) R Bautista Agut (ESP)(17) 5-7 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 6-1 Ivo Karlovic (CRO) (25) 6-4 6-4 3-6 6-4 Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Juergen Melzer (AUT) Marcel Granollers (ESP) 7-6(1) 6-3 6-2 Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) Sam Groth (AUS) 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 Marinko Matosevic (AUS) Roger Federer (SUI) (2) 6-3 6-4 7-6(4)

ROUND two

ROUND three

ROUND four

quarter-finals

semi-finals

Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) 6-1 6-3 6-0 Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) Sam Querrey (USA) 6-3 6-4 6-4 G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) (28) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) (22) 6-2 RET Michael Llodra (FRA)(WC) Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) John Isner (USA) (13) 7-6(5) 6-4 6-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) (9) 6-3 6-4 6-4 Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 6-1 6-4 3-6 6-3 Benoit Paire (FRA) Fernando Verdasco (ESP) (31) Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) 6-3 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 Matthias Bachinger (GER) (Q) Andy Murray (GBR) (8) 6-3 6-3 6-4 Stan Wawrinka (SUI) (3) 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6(1) Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 6-2 7-6(6) 6-3 Jeremy Chardy (FRA) (30) Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 6-4 7-6(2) 6-4 Andreas Seppi (ITA) Simone Bolelli (ITA) Tommy Robredo (ESP) (16) 5-7 6-7(5) 6-4 6-3 6-2 Kei Nishikori (JPN) (10) 6-4 6-1 RET Pablo Andujar (ESP) Matthew Ebden (AUS) Leonardo Mayer (ARG) (23) 6-1 6-3 6-4 Borna Coric (CRO) (Q) Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) 7-6(2) 4-6 6-4 6-2 Peter Gojowczyk (GER) (Q) Milos Raonic (CAN) (5) 7-6(5) 5-7 6-4 7-6(3) Tomas Berdych (CZE) (6) 6-3 4-6 6-2 3-6 6-3 Martin Klizan (SVK) Alexander Kudryavtsev (RUS) (Q) Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 6-1 6-4 7-6(4) Feliciano Lopez (ESP) (19) 6-4 3-6 6-4 7-6(4) Tatsuma Ito (JPN) (Q) Dominic Thiem (AUT) 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-3 Ernests Gulbis (LAT) (11) Marin Cilic (CRO) (14) 7-6(2) 6-2 6-4 Illya Marchenko (UKR) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) Kevin Anderson (RSA) (18) 6-7(6) 6-2 6-1 6-3 Gilles Simon (FRA) (26) 6-4 3-6 7-5 6-1 Federico Delbonis (ARG) Bernard Tomic (AUS) (WC) David Ferrer (ESP) (4) W/O Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) (7) 6-1 6-2 6-2 Dudi Sela (ISR) David Goffin (BEL) 6-4 6-2 6-0 Joao Sousa (POR) (32) Gael Monfils (FRA) (20) 7-5 6-3 6-2 Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) Richard Gasquet (FRA) (12) 7-6(4) 6-3 6-3 Fabio Fognini (ITA) (15) Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 6-3 6-4 6-1 Tim Smyczek (USA) (WC) Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) (17) 6-3 6-2 6-1 Ivo Karlovic (CRO) (25) Marcel Granollers (ESP) 7-6(6) 6-7(3) 7-6(5) 3-6 6-4 Sam Groth (AUS) Roger Federer (SUI) (2) 6-4 6-4 6-4

Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) 6-3 6-2 6-2 Sam Querrey (USA)

Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) 6-1 7-5 6-4 Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) (22)

Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) 7-6(1) 6-7(1) 6-2 6-4 Andy Murray (GBR) (8)

Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) Kei Nishikori (JPN) (10) 6-4 1-6 7-6(4) 6-3

P Kohlschreiber (GER) (22) 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(2) 7-6(4) John Isner (USA) (13)

Djokovic reached the US Open quarter-finals for an eighth straight year with a dominant victory against Kohlschreiber.

"It's great that I have been playing some really high qualify tennis so far," he said.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) (9) 6-4 6-4 6-4 Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) (9) Andy Murray (GBR) (8) 7-5 7-5 6-4

Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) Andy Murray (GBR) (8) 6-1 7-5 4-6 6-2

Murray avenged his recent defeat to Tsonga in Toronto to claim his first win against a top 10 opponent since July 2013. "I don't feel like I'm that far away from playing my best tennis," said the No.8 seed.

Djokovic booked his place in the US Open semi-finals for an eighth consecutive year with victory over Murray.

The top seed found himself in the midst of an almighty battle for two-and-a-half sets before Murray's fitness betrayed him. "I don't feel particularly proud right now, I feel disappointed," said Murray. "But I think there was some good tennis. Hopefully I can buld on that." Djokovic said: "It's always a battle. It's never finished even if you are break or double break up."

Stan Wawrinka (SUI) (3) W/O Blaz Kavcic (SLO)

Stan Wawrinka (SUI) (3) 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) 6-2 Tommy Robredo (ESP) (16)

Stan Wawrinka (SUI) (3) Kei Nishikori (JPN) (10) 3-6 7-5 7-6(7) 6-7(5) 6-4

Nishikori became the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final with a shock victory against world No.1 Djokovic. The top seed was bidding to reach his fifth consecutive US Open final but a high error count proved costly in sweltering conditions at Flushing Meadows. Nishikori had spent more than three and a 1/2 hours longer on court than Djokovic but showed little sign of fatigue as he matched the Serb blow for blow from the baseline.

"Coach Michael Chang has been helping me a lot, he is the reason I'm here," said Nishikori. "I feel the support from Japan, even on the TV."

Nick Kyrgios (AUS) Tommy Robredo (ESP) (16) 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3

Wawrinka survived cramp as he battled to victory against Robredo. "That's why I'm normally so strong, because I know I have a few lives," said Wawrinka, who landed on a spectator after chasing a ball.

Kei Nishikori (JPN) 10) 6-4 6-2 6-3 Leonardo Mayer (ARG) (23)

Kei Nishikori (JPN) (10) 4-6 7-6(4) 6-7(6) 7-5 6-4 Milos Raonic (CAN) (5)

Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) Milos Raonic (CAN) (5) 7-6(5) 7-6(5) 7-6(3)

Nishikori came from behind to claim a gruelling victory over Raonic on Arthur Ashe. When he finally sealed victory after four hours, 19 minutes, it was 2:26am -equalling the latest finish to a US Open match.

Less than 48 hours after his late-night five-set epic against Raonic, Nishikori claimed another epic win, overcoming Wawrinka to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final. Serving to stay in the match at 5-4, Wawrinka hit a double fault which handed the No.10 seed two match points, netting a forehand on the second to seal his fate.

"I started a little bit tight," admitted Nishikori. "But my body was OK. I don't know how I finished, but I'm very happy."

Tomas Berdych (CZE) (6) 6-3 6-2 6-4 Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS)

Tomas Berdych (CZE) (6) 6-1 6-2 6-4 Dominic Thiem (AUT)

Tomas Berdych (CZE) (6) Marin Cilic (CRO) (14) 6-2 6-4 7-6(4)

Marin Cilic (CRO) (14) 6-3 6-4 6-4 Roger Federer (SUI) (2)

Feliciano Lopez (ESP) (19) Dominic Thiem (AUT) 6-4 6-2 6-3

Berdych made light work of the unseeded Austrian with victory in 98 minutes. Thiem had seven break points but could not convert as his run in New York came to an end on the eve of his 21st birthday.

Marin Cilic (CRO) (14) 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 Kevin Anderson (RSA) (18)

Marin Cilic (CRO) (14) 5-7 7-6(3) 6-4 3-6 6-3 Gilles Simon (FRA) (26) Cilic survived a 4hr13m baseline battle to reach the US Open quarter-finals for a third time. The Croatian had never beaten Simon in four previous encounters but eventually prevailed in five gruelling sets.

Cilic fired 19 aces past Berdych to reach the semi-finals of the US Open for the first time. The Croatian, who missed last year's tournament while serving a drugs ban, reached his first Grand Slam semi-final in more than four years. "It was a truly amazing day for me," said Cilic, who twice recovered from a break down in the third set. "I've had some tough times over the last couple of years and I'm really happy that things are working out."

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) (7) 0-6 6-3 6-4 6-1 David Goffin (BEL)

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) (7) Gael Monfils (FRA) (20) 7-5 7-6(6) 7-5

Gael Monfils (FRA) (20) Roger Federer (SUI) (2) 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-5 6-2

Cilic was unstoppable as he stunned five-time champion Federer in straight sets. The Croatian's first serve was all but unplayable throughout the one-hour 45 minute contest but it was the Cilic return that truly undid the Swiss. Cilic broke early in the first two sets and fought back from an early Federer break in the third before booking his place in the final in style, firing three aces and a backhand winner to serve out victory to love.

"Amazing day for me," said Cilic. "To be able to play like this I never dreamed of. I think this was the best performance of my career."

Gael Monfils (FRA) (20) 6-4 6-2 6-2 Richard Gasquet (FRA) (12)

Monfils was at his mercurial best as he upset Dimitrov in three sets to claim his first win on Arthur Ashe. The Frenchman lost his cool during the second set, but recovered to seal the victory.

Adrian Mannarino (FRA) R Bautista Agut (ESP) (17) 7-5 6-2 6-3

R Bautista Agut (ESP) (17) Roger Federer (SUI) (2) 6-4 6-3 6-2

Marcel Granollers (ESP) Roger Federer (SUI) (2) 4-6 6-1 6-1 6-1

Federer needed less than two hours to book his place in the quarter-finals for a 10th time with victory over the Spanish No.17 seed. "It was difficult and we definitely had to adjust to the wind," said the Swiss.

Federer pulled off his first Grand Slam comeback from match point down to reach the US Open semi-finals for the first time since 2011.

Federer, who at one stage trailed by two sets to love, saw off two match points in the fourth set before running away with the fifth in front of a rapturous crowd on Arthur Ashe. "The margins are so slim at that point that it's not really in your control anymore," said Federer on surviving match points. "Today I definitely got lucky, obviously."

9 0 W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET

Gilles Simon (FRA) (26) 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-3 David Ferrer (ESP) (4)

Kei Nishikori

Roger Federer

us open

GRAND SLAM

US OPEN “This is just the peak of the world” marin cilic

Ekaterina Makarova capped a fine US Open campaign with a doubles title alongside Russian compatriot Elena Vesnina, as the pair recovered from a set down to beat Flavia Pennetta and former world No.1 Martina Hingis. Makarova reached her first major singles semi-final in New York, and was able to put the disappointment of her straightsets defeat to Serena Williams behind her with a 2-6 6-3 6-2 win in the doubles.

"It was so amazing," said Makarova, who also won the 2013 French Open women's doubles title with Vesnina. "I'm just so happy, it was a great two weeks for me."

"It was an incredible journey," said Hingis, after her first Grand Slam final since 2002.

In the men's doubles final, world No.1 pair Bob and Mike Bryan lifted their fifth US Open doubles trophy and 100th title as a team. The American twins defeated Spain's Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 6-3 6-4 to claim

us open new york, usa

cilic wins maiden grand slam with fairytale run in new york marin cilic bt kei nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-3

P

icking up where he left off against Roger Federer in the semi-finals, Marin Cilic outgunned Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-3 to claim his maiden Grand Slam title. In the first major final featuring two debutants since the 2005 French Open, Cilic showed no signs of nerves as he blazed to victory in an hour and 54 minutes.

Cilic joins coach Goran Ivanisevic as Croatia's second male Grand Slam singles champion. Both claimed their titles on a Monday; Ivanisevic's 2001 Wimbledon win was delayed by rain, Cilic's by an experimental schedule.

"Now none of the Croatians can lose at the final on Monday," said Cilic.

It certainly looked that way. Early on in the showdown, it became clear that Cilic was striking the ball with greater venom, moving with greater conviction and constructing points with greater accuracy. Nishikori, finally playing like a man with too many miles on the clock and unable to pick up the free points Cilic was gathering on serve, simply could not match up.

Makarova and Vesnina deny Hingis and Pennetta

With the Arthur Ashe Stadium barely at half-capacity as the final began shortly before 5.15pm, Nishikori briefly held a break point in the opening game, but that was as good as it got. Cilic went on to claim 19 of his next 20 points on serve, breaking Nishikori in the sixth game to decide the opener.

Nishikori had dealt with the bigserving Milos Raonic in the fourth round, but Cilic proved to be a different prospect. Rock solid on serve, the Croatian's return proved to be just as effective as he helped himself to two further breaks in the second set.

Another early break in the third left Cilic firmly in command as he held his nerve to wrap up victory, falling to the ground before joining Ivanisevic and his team in the crowd.

"It seems completely unreal to be called Grand Slam champion." he said.

"I was dreaming about this all my life, and suddenly last four, five days everything started to change, with my tennis especially. It means everything.

So this is just the peak of the world."

“i was having flashbacks to my whole career” bob bryan

their 16th Grand Slam title together and their first since Wimbledon 2013. "I was having flashbacks to my whole career towards the end of that match," Bob Bryan said. "It was wild. I was thinking juniors, college."

Top seeds Sania Mirza and Bruno Soares were the first champions crowned at the US Open as they claimed a 6-1 2-6 11-9 victory over unseeded pair Abigail Spears and Santiago Gonzalez. "I keep getting the right partners, I guess," said Soares, who won the 2012 mixed doubles title with Makarova.

ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina

W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. NET 9 1

results

Men’s, ladieS AND MIXED DOUBLES

final

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