2014 Australian Open Review by Tennis Now

2014 Australian Open Review

WHAT’S INSIDE LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

THROUGH THE LENS

STAN’S NEXT STEPS

ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS OF TENNIS

LI NA: CHAMPION AT LAST

FIT TO PLAY

14 LEARNING FROM A LEGEND: FRED STOLLE

26 CLOSING SHOTS

28 RANKINGS

TennisNow.com Live Scores

Instruction

Editorials

Daily Video News

Gossip

Results

Statistics

Forums

Draws

Rankings

Match Analysis

Photo Gallery

TV Listings

Player Interviews Daily Updates

2014 Australian Open Review

Blogs

Editors

Lana Maciel Blair Henley

To advertise with us ads@tennisnow.com General comments or questions media@tennisnow.com

Writers

Erik Gudris

Chris Oddo

Blair Henley

Letter from the Editor If ever we needed proof that we’re witnessing a transition of generations in tennis, this year’s Australian Open event was it. Not only did defending champions Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka bow out surprisingly early to rising new talent, but the other heavy favorites - Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer - couldn’t make the most of their opportunities either, allowing the next crop of stars to step forward for their day on the spotlight. For starters, we have a new figure in the ATP top 3, as first-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka asserted his place at No. 3 and surpassed Federer as the new Swiss No. 1. And there were plenty of fresh new faces in the women’s final rounds (see: Genie Bouchard and Dominika Cibulkova), proving that there is room at the top for anyone who wants it. No doubt, this year’s Aussie Open had a little bit of everything - drama, shocking upsets, surprise breakthroughs - and it did not disappoint. As we close the book on the first major of the season, we’re packing this issue with all the sights, stories and snapshots that highlighted the appropriately dubbed “Happy Slam.” Enjoy the issue! Looks like it’s going to be an exciting tennis season.

blair@tennisnow.com

Samir Becic

Design

Alberto Capetillo Juan Esparza

Lana Maciel Editor, Tennis Now Magazine lana@tennisnow.com

Photography

Mark Peterson/Corleve Getty Images

TennisNow

244 Fifth Ave., Ste. 200 NY, NY 10001 914-595-4211

2014 Australian Open Review

2014 Australian Open Review 6 Corleve Credit:

2014 Australian Open Review

Stanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nex t Steps by Chris Oddo

2014 Australian Open Review

The words have been repeated ad nauseam for the better part of the last two weeks: Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. Stan Wawrinka, with his magical run at the 2014 Australian Open, has embodied them to a T, catapulting himself into orbit and landing in Melbourne as a highly improbable Grand Slam champion; the first man to defeat the top two seeds at the same Grand Slam in over 20 years. But now that Wawrinka has succeeded in becoming the first man in history to defeat Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the same Grand Slam, the first Swiss man to rank ahead of Roger Federer in the rankings since 2001, and the first player since 2009 to win his maiden Grand Slam in his first Grand Slam final appearance, it’s only normal to ask the question: What can Wawrinka possibly do for an encore? Is the Big Four, for all intents and purposes, officially obliterated? Or, as the New York Times stated, has Wawrinka merely dented the Big Four, rather than cracking it? As it stands now, Wawrinka will begin the week as the No. 3 player in the world, ahead of Andy Murray, Roger Federer, David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro and Tomas Berdych, and more than likely armed with a new sense of self-belief that could take him even higher. Could it? It should stand as a recipe for further entrenchment, this selfbelief, but Wawrinka’s challenge will certainly be a tricky one as he proceeds, with all eyes upon him, into the 2014 tennis season. The Swiss constructed the perfect underdog’s philosophy over the last year, and he embraced it fully, even inking it on his arm lest he ever forget (see the quote in this article’s first paragraph, culled from Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s work), but now that he will be considered a favorite for success rather than failure, will the 28-year-old still be able to trick himself into being the underdog? Ever since Wawrinka lost a heartbreaking five-setter to Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 at last year’s Australian Open, the rugged, unkempt and surprisingly quirky Wawrinka has embraced what he perceived to be the Sisyphean struggle of day-in, day-out life on the ATP Tour, where all but one person goes home a loser at the end of each week.

Credit: Corleve

“Before today, I was always saying that except Roger, Rafa, Novak, you always lose, especially every week,” said Wawrinka, after winning the title. “So, it’s not easy because tennis life, when you

2014 Australian Open Review

Credit: Corleve

lose, it’s tough to get through and to take a positive from a loss, from failing from a tournament. That’s how I see, in general, my career. I always go back to the court. I always go back to practice to try to improve myself and to give me all the chance to beat the best player in the world.” He embraced it so well, in fact, that Wawrinka seems to have adapted an almost delusional love for his failures, romanticizing them, and using them as justification of his new mantra. It may seem crazy, but what Wawrinka has done is intelligently invent the perfect environment in which he could thrive. In believing that failure was the likely outcome, and accepting this harsh reality, Wawrinka stopped worrying about the winning and the losing and instead started caring more about putting his best foot forward. “The only thing I am sure is that again I am doing the right thing on the practice court, and that’s where I can still be focused,” Wawrinka told reporters after losing his second consecutive heartbreaker to Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam, this time at the U.S. Open last September. “Because you never know if you’re gonna win the match, but you know how hard you can practice and

2014 Australian Open Review

how well you can wake up to practice harder and to try to improve your game. That’s what I’m trying every day, it’s to improve. I know that if I practice well, then I give me all the chance to have some great results.” Rather than fixate on those results, Wawrinka has fixated on the process. Under new coach Magnus Norman, the very man that turned Sweden’s Robin Soderling into a big-four party crasher in 2009, helping the big, burly Swede crack the top five after a pair of French Open finals, Wawrinka’s dedication to the reliable disappointment of life on tour in this the era of Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Murray has taken on a poetic, inspirational life of its own. People identified with Wawrinka’s struggle. His career, spent toiling in the shadows of another Swiss guy named Federer (also commonly referred to as the GOAT), was no joyride. Even last year, when he won the title in Oeiras, Portugal, absolutely obliterating David Ferrer in the final, the awards presenter wanted to know what Roger would think of his title.

Credit: Corleve

No matter. Try again. Wawrinka is too good natured to care that people see him as “the other Swiss.” He only wants, at this point in his career, to embrace his quest. He wants to try again, fail again, fail better.

big stage like in Grand Slam semifinal now. So for sure it’s a lot about confidence, especially with my game that I’m playing quite fast from the baseline, trying to always be aggressive. I take a lot of risks sometimes, so it’s important to be really fresh and relaxed in my head.”

Seems like a quirky and somewhat crazy pathos for a tennis player, but Wawrinka has consistently succeeded in one thing: He has found the secret to unlocking his vast potential. Tennis is as much psychological and spiritual as it is physical and technical, and in Wawrinka’s late-blossoming career, he has struck the perfect balance and created the ideal platform to play his most daring, passionate tennis.

In embracing failure, and half-believing that it would be the likely outcome, Wawrinka has set himself free to let everything hang out. It’s what enables him to be “fresh and relaxed” so that he can redline his aesthetically pleasing brand of power tennis. On the court, he lets his emotions show (that wasn’t always true), and he lets his game flow. He plays fearless tennis, pushing around players like Djokovic and Nadal like it was his birthright.

He may be ready and even half-expecting to fail, but he’s also become more confident than ever in his abilities under Norman’s tutelage.

Why? How?

“I have more confidence in myself,” said Wawrinka after defeating Tomas Berdych to reach his first career Grand Slam final. “I know that when I go on court I can beat almost everybody, even in the

Perhaps it is because Wawrinka, unlike the top-ranked players, feels that he has nothing to lose. “I didn’t expect to make the final,” Wawrinka said after defeating Tomas Berdych for the fourth straight time in Melbourne. “I didn’t

2014 Australian Open Review

Credit: Corleve come here like thinking, ‘Oh, maybe it will be amazing to make final.’ For me, I was really far from that. For me was something different level. As I always say, I always try to improve, I always try to win every match, I always go on court to try to beat my opponent, and that’s what I did during all the tournament here.” In the final, before Rafael Nadal suffered his back injury, it was Wawrinka who dictated play in the match. Against a player who had defeated him 12 straight times and in 26 straight sets, Wawrinka’s game had clarity and gusto, no nerves apparent. No matter what you make of Nadal’s lack of presence in the latter half of the final, what Wawrinka achieved in that first set and break, and in finishing the 13-time Grand Slam champion was remarkable. A string of heartbreaking losses and a life spent playing secondfiddle to the ATP’s alpha dogs is the cruel fate that has led to the abandoned dreams of many a tennis player. In Wawrinka’s case, the heartbreak and cruelty were the impetus that springboarded him into becoming a Grand Slam champion, whether he planned to or not. There is the saying that life is not about what happens to you but rather how you respond to what happens to you. In embracing all

2014 Australian Open Review

the futility of sharing an era with tennis’ Big Four, Wawrinka has constructed the perfect response, and garnered a well-deserved moment in the sun as a result. Now the question looms, how will Wawrinka respond to success? As a Grand Slam champion, can he still embrace the art of failing better, or will he need to make a trip to the library this week, in search of a quote that will spark his next great triumph?

“I know that when I go on court I can beat almost everybody.” -Stan Wawrinka

$80 RETAIL VALUE

SPIN. POWER. FEEL. * with purchase of any 2013-14 Biomimetic racket | LIMITED TIME OFFER

SEE PARTICIPATING DEALER FOR DETAILS 2014 Australian Open Review

2014 Australian Open Review

HAMPION AT LAST by Erik Gudris

Tennis Player. Pioneer. Comedienne. Li Na has been called many things throughout her career. But now she can add one more title to the list Australian Open champion. “I finally got my hands around her,” said a happy and relieved Li Na, grabbing hold of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after winning the Australian Open title. That piece of coveted Grand Slam hardware had eluded the popular Chinese star in two previous trips to the final. The third time turned out to be a charm, but if it wasn’t for a change of heart last summer, Li might not have competed Down Under at all. The former French Open champion found herself criticized by Chinese media after she lost earlier than expected at the 2013 French Open. Unhappy with her game, Li surprised her coach Carlos Rodriguez by telling him just before Wimbledon that she wanted to quit. His response? Quitting is fine. But do it for the right reasons. With that bit of advice, Li decide to press on. “Life always has a challenge; you just have to face [it],” Li Na said of her decision. That return to confidence proved itself in the last half of 2013, which culminated in her appearance at the WTA’s year-end finals in Istanbul. The improved results stemmed largely from Li’s willingness to change up her aggressive, baseline style of play. That meant adding the serve and volley combination to her repertoire. While she admits it was difficult at first, the change in tactics first suggested by Rodriguez is now a welcome one. “You are on the tour so many years, everybody knows what exactly [how] you play on the court,” she said. “Of course, if I didn’t change, I can [stay] in the top 10, top 20, but I cannot be the best in the world. So I really want to push myself to change a little bit, to see.” Li’s ability to adjust fundamental parts of her game at the age of 31 is also evident in her serve. Once considered a weak spot, it is now a potent weapon. “Of course, beginning was tough because I have to forget the old thing that maybe I used for 20 years,” she said. “Of course, first couple days or first week is terrible for me because I always think

Credit: Corleve 2014 Australian Open Review

about the new one or old one. I think now at least I try to change something. “ Before the start of the tournament, Li was asked about her goals for the new season. She stressed that being healthy and enjoying her tennis were what she most looked forward to. But now having won her second major title and closing in on a career-high ranking of No. 2, that outlook is more focused – it includes winning more Grand Slam titles.

2014 Australian Open Review

“Of course, it is very easy to say I want to win another one,” Li said just after beating Dominika Cibulkova in the final. “But I think if you are a tennis athlete, you have to know how much working has to be done to win the Grand Slam. So, of course, if I want to win another one or two, I have to go back to working even more tough than before…otherwise no chance.” When asked if she would like to try and win all four Grand Slams during her career, Li simply said, “That would be the best.”

“Life always has a challenge; you just have to face it.” -Li Na

Credit: Corleve

While Li is applauded for her outstanding results on court, she remains a popular player because of so much more. Many see her as a pioneer for having stood up to the Chinese Tennis Federation, asking for a larger share of her prize money and more control over her career. And then there is her famous sense of humor that perhaps many fans look forward to even more so than her tennis. That was clearly the case during her hilarious Australian Open acceptance speech where she thanked her almost-as-famous husband Dennis and then added, “Lucky you met me.”

“If he said, ‘Enough,’ I think we will divorce,” Li said with a laugh about what her husband thinks of her regular punch lines about him. “Actually, I didn’t feel I was very funny when I speak. I was feeling this is normal, it is the way I have to thank the team. But after [I] finish, they say, ‘Oh, we love your speech!’ I say, ‘Okay, maybe I make the funny.’” Li felt it was good to share her humor with the Australian crowd that has supported her for many years. “You know, why not? Everyone be happy for every day. Of course, I think especially in this tournament I can feel the crowd stay behind me to support me.” When asked at her final press conference what the Chinese letters on her t-shirt said, she replied, “My heart has no limits.” For a woman who considered retirement just over six months ago, 2014 already has the potential to become “The Year of Li.”

2014 Australian Open Review

Fred Stolle Learning From a Legend by Blair Henley Fred Stolle is a bona fide legend around the grounds of the Australian Open along with his Aussie mates Tony Roche, John Newcombe and Rod Laver. The two-time Grand Slam singles champion and 17-time Grand Slam doubles champion has more than earned his bronze bust in the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame just outside of Rod Laver Arena. He’s stayed close to the game since his retirement in 1976, commentating or, as he says with a smile, “BS-ing,” about the game he loves. Now 75, Stolle has a lifetime of tennis knowledge under his belt. He shared some of it with Tennis Now in Melbourne. What are your thoughts on the performance of the Australian players this year? Casey [Dellacqua] has done well. She’s made a comeback and changed her life around. She’s a new parent now. She’s the only Aussie left standing. Sam [Stosur] doesn’t seem to be able to get it together down here. Thanasi Kokkinakis, Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson are the three boys that will go to France with the Davis Cup team. I think they have a monkey off their back now that Bernard Tomic can’t play [with his injury]. He can’t get selected, so that’s an opportunity.

2014 Australian Open Review

Do you think it’s a good thing that Tomic isn’t in the running? They aren’t going to beat France anyway. That’s a chance to give the young guns a go. The attitude of someone like Tomic or [Marinko] Matosevic is not what Captain Rafter would like to see. I know it’s not what Coach Roche would like to see. Have you spent any time with Tomic? Yes. He’s a very nice fellow. I think he’ll be top 20 or top 10 if he gets his act together, but as Mark Philippoussis said in the paper, it’s all very well being told you’re going to be great, but you’ve got to be out there and put the numbers on the board. So far he hasn’t. Do you think Tomic can rehabilitate his image? That part of it is tough here in Australia. Once you get that moniker out here, it’s tough to get rid of it. The only guy that ever didn’t want to play Davis Cup for Australia was Philippoussis. The crowd came down on him like a ton of bricks. Someone that doesn’t want to represent Australia down here is not wanted. There was a time last

year where Bernard won a tournament, and he thought he was bigger than Pat Rafter. Rafter has a little better image here in Australia.

players today have to deal with? If you go out and have a beer, everyone knows about it.

In reference to Tomic’s now infamous lap dance photos, your countryman John Newcombe said, “You can hit nightclubs. It depends when you hit them.”

We didn’t even have press conferences in those days. The only time we had a press conference was if you got to the semifinals or finals of the US Open and the Australian. When we finished [our matches], we used to go see the press boys in the bar. You’d go and have a few beers with the boys at the bar and that way, you sorted out who you could trust and who you couldn’t. If you had a few and you told someone something in confidence [and then saw it in print], that guy didn’t get too many stories anymore. We replenished our electrolytes with a couple of beers and that’s the way it was (laughs).

Exactly. Well, Newk would know very much about that (smiling). How do you think you would have fared in this era of the game? It’s totally different. We didn’t know anything about nutrition and stretching. Travel was totally different. You didn’t have any money; you didn’t have any entourage; you didn’t have people telling you what to do. The difference then is the support we had from our families. It’s totally different than the support we have today. Most of the families today screw things up. They are living vicariously through their kids. I read these newspaper articles saying somebody that’s in the top 100 making $200,000 a year is struggling. Struggling, my… The only real expense they have is transportation because everywhere else, in the Grand Slams, they get per diem [money]. At all the other ATP tournaments, everything is picked up. If they want a coach and they want a shrink and they want a masseuse, that’s their responsibility, but don’t tell me they are struggling. But what about living with the tabloids and the paparazzi that

Andy Murray has lost in three finals at the Australian Open. You, too, have had some experience with that. I played five Grand Slam finals before I won one. Ivan Lendl, he lost two finals at Wimbledon, and I lost three in a row. I get on very well with Lendl. He’s nearly an Australian because he’s sarcastic. And most Australians, as you know, are sarcastic in a fun way. I told him after the second Wimbledon final to quit bitching and complaining and come and see me after he had lost three in a row (laughs). You have a bust of yourself in the courtyard here at Melbourne Park. Is that indication that you’ve made it in life? When you get a bust? They clean it up every year. They wipe the pigeon stuff off the top of it when they do the rounds (laughs). It’s a great honor to be involved.

2014 Australian Open Review

playing is concerned, those boys that are playing doubles can’t get into singles because they aren’t good enough. When you look at the tour today, is there something that amazes you compared to your generation, whether it’s the athleticism or the… No, the athleticism has been there forever and so has the fitness. It’s a different type of fitness. These guys may be called fitter than we were, but as far as playing three out of five sets all the time, they are nowhere near it. And they are only playing singles! When they play doubles, they play two sets and a tiebreaker, that’s not a test. If they play for three weeks in a month, they think they are tired! We didn’t have any folks to train us and tell us the mental side of the game. You wonder how Rod Laver ever won Grand Slams because he didn’t have help from anybody. We rarely went to the gym. We did it on the tennis court with two-on-one drills. We trained a lot harder on the court those days than these guys do these days. You played until you were 38 years old. If you had Federer’s career, do you think you would have played for that long? Yes, definitely. Why not? Even today, the old boys are coming back, and it’s great to see. You see Lendl, Edberg, Becker, and Chang coming back all to help these players. They can’t do much for them except give them a little tweak here and a tweak there. I’m sure Edberg is going to work on Federer’s volleying skills because Federer is looking for somebody to help him win another Grand Slam. To do that, he’s going to need to improve his volley, and I know Edberg is going to get him to bend down and get behind the flight of the ball more. Which pairing surprises you the most? Becker - Djokovic surprises me the most. That can be either great or that could be a disaster (laughs). We’ll see.

Recently John McEnroe said that professional doubles is a waste of time; that guys are only playing because they aren’t good enough to survive on the singles tour. Having won 10 Grand Slam doubles titles and seven in mixed, what are your thoughts on that? That’s pretty much on target. I wouldn’t say it’s a waste of time, but the guys that are playing doubles can’t play singles. They can’t get into the singles draw. I like the Bryan brothers. I think they have done a great deal for tennis. But as far as doubles champions are concerned, I don’t think the Bryan brothers would get two games a set off McEnroe and Fleming. But you can only beat who’s out there and that’s the argument. The top singles players don’t play doubles. The sport is doing well as far as the prize money, but as far as the

2014 Australian Open Review

The team that is perfect for one another is Lendl and Murray. They are both sarcastic human beings, and they are both very funny guys. Ivan, I saw him the other day. The first thing he said was, “If you want a dirty joke, I got one over here.” We still have that camaraderie with the older guys. We’re all proud of them. Any chance you’ll go back to coaching? No. I’ve reached the stage where I’m 75 years of age, I’ve done alright in life. I now do the things that I want to do. I don’t have to go to any more official cocktail parties, and I don’t have to look for a job. I don’t want another job. I’m happy doing what I’m doing. When [broadcasting] is finished, I’ll be disappointed, but I’ll have said, “Hey, it’s been pretty good.”

ORDER TODAY, SHIPS TODAY FREE SHIPPING & FREE RETURNS! Orders Over $75. Exclusions apply.

GET A TENNIS TEE STARTING AT $2.99

with any purchase (Reg. $15)

NEW TENNIS SH0ES F0R 2014!

Men’s Nike Lunar Ballistec $165

Men’s adidas cc adizero feather III $114.95

Men’s Asics Gel-Solution Speed 2 $119.95

Men’s Babolat Propulse 4 All Court $119.95

Women’s Nike Lunar Ballistec $165

Women’s adidas cc adizero Tempaia III $109.95

Women’s Asics Gel-Solution Speed 2 $119.95

Women’s Babolat Propule 4 All Court $119.95

Shop complete selection of Tennis Shoes, Running Shoes and more at TennisExpress.com

NEW! 2014 RACQUETS

Pure Drive Play Connected Racquet $399

Pure Strike Tour $195 18x20 $189 100 $185

Play connected to record your game, improve your skills, compare your performance, challenge your friends and check your tennis pulse. Learn more at

Pure Control/Tour $179

YouTek Graphene Prestige Pro/MP/ S/Rev Pro $199.95

Pro Staff 90/95/100L $209 95S/100LS $219

TennisExpress.com/play

SECURE PAYMENT METHODS

800.833.6615 or 713.435.4800

Shop TennisExpress.com 2014 Australian Open Review

THRO TH LEN

The 2014 Australian Open Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a look at the event Tennis Now photogra

2014 Australian Open Review

OUGH HE NS

n was full of life and color. t through the eyes of our apher, Mark Peterson.

2014 Australian Open Preview

23 2014 2014 Australian Australian Open Open Review Preview Credit: Corleve

2014 Australian Open Review

Essen t i al N u t rien ts of Tennis by Samir Becic Samir Becic is the founder of the Health Fitness Revolution, and was named “No. 1 Fitness Trainer in the World” four times, as well as 22 times in Texas.

When you’re preparing for a tennis match, you’re probably practicing your serve, hitting hundreds of groundstrokes and playing out points in order to be ready for the big day. In other words, you’re making sure the mechanics are all in place so you can execute that crosscourt winner, or fire an ace up the “T” on match point. But what about internally? Are you eating the right foods to make sure your body, your brain and your muscles can do what you’ve been training them to do? A balanced diet for tennis players is essential, and ideally should include: carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, minerals and vitamins, and water or fluids. It is also ideal to eat fresh food rather than the readymade and processed food. Below are a few specific foods and vitamins that can help fine tune your game.

Choline Tomatoes, egg yolks and potatoes are all high in choline, a member of the vitamin B family. It feeds your brain’s neurotransmitters and has been proven to improve reaction times. Vitamin A Since it helps to make new white blood cells, your body is going to need these to fight off infection and recover from the intense workouts. Vitamin A also helps in fixing any micro tears in your muscles.

Foods with Zinc Studies have shown that 20 mg of zinc a day can improve hand-eye coordination. Find it in oysters, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, sunflower seeds, animal proteins, beans, nuts and almonds.

Carrots Promote healthy eyesight, which is important during a match.

DMAE Feed your brain something named dimethylaminoethanol, which is found in certain fish. This brain food is a neurotransmitter, which helps messages move across your nerves and brain. DMAE deals with the process required for remembering tactics and techniques. Good natural sources of DMAE are salmon, sardines and anchovies.

Vitamin C Found in high amounts in peppers and citrus fruits to aid muscle repair.

2014 Australian Open Review

Fit to Play by Lana Maciel

2014 Australian Open Review

As tennis players, we spend hours on court practicing our shots and honing our technique, whether it’s hitting against a partner, a backboard or a ball machine. It’s obviously one of the most important keys to improving our game. But there’s another aspect that’s just as important. No matter how sharp your strokes, building one’s fitness off court can help take your game to another level. Keeping a daily or weekly fitness routine can put a few extra mph’s on your serve, help you track down that short drop shot, or stave off fatigue in a long rally. In particular, power and explosiveness are two areas that should be the focus of a tennis workout. As Roger Federer pointed out during this year’s Australian Open, movement was a major factor in his elevated level of play, pointing to the importance of maintaining quickness to avoid losing a step to your opponents. The following workout is designed to help target tennis-specific muscles and build a body fit for tennis. The activities mentioned are the same as what some of the pros do when they hit the gym, so if your goal is to be as fit as Andy Murray or Agnieszka Radwanska, you might consider giving it a try. The number of reps and sets given here are only a recommendation, so you should tailor the workout to your physical ability. Remember to always start with a five-minute warm-up.

Set 1 Sprint 25 yards. Immediately after, perform six medicine ball slams: hold a soft medicine ball with both hands above your head, push

upward on the balls of your feet and quickly throw the ball straight down on the ground in front of you, bending at the knees and hips during the slam. Repeat the combination for 2-3 sets.

Set 2 Setting up about 8-10 short cones or hurdles in a straight line, do a side shuffle over the hurdles as fast as you can. Once you reach the end, hold your stance for two seconds on the outside leg (with a slight bend in the knee) and repeat by pushing off the outside leg and going back in the opposite direction. Complete two rounds going in each direction. Immediately after, stand sideways about 4-5 feet from a wall and, in a motion that mimics the torso rotation of a groundstroke, toss a soft medicine ball against a wall repeatedly, making sure that you load and release the ball quickly once you catch it off the wall. Do five throws on each side. Rest for two minutes and repeat the activities for 2-3 sets.

Set 3 Using a box about two feet tall, step up with one leg and bring the back knee up high, then step down and quickly repeat the movement, keeping one foot on the box the entire time. The key here is quick, explosive steps. Step up 10 times on each leg. Then, perform 10 pushups. Rest for two minutes and repeat the combination for 2-3 sets.

Physical ailments seem to habitually plague Rafael Nadal when he visits Melbourne. And a tweak in his back during the final added to the drama.

28Corleve2014 Australian Open Review Credit:

2014 Australian Open Review

19-year-old Canadian Genie Bouchard hit a career first when she stormed past No. 14 seed Ana Ivanovic to reach the semifinals in Melbourne. But her remarkable run was stopped by eventual champion Li Na.

30Corleve2014 Australian Open Review Credit:

2014 Australian Open Review

Serena Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quest to claim her 18th major was cut short by Ana Ivanovic in the quarters. She later revealed she was hampered by a back injury and considered pulling out of the tournament. 32

2014 Australian Open Review

No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic engaged in yet another five-set classic against Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, but unlike last year, the Serb couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold off the resurgent Swiss, and he lost his chance to defend his title.

34Corleve2014 Australian Open Review Credit:

2014 Australian Open Review

Credit: Corleve

Slovakiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dominika Cibulkova produced an impressive performance at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Australian Open. She rolled past four seeded players en route to the final, including No. 3 Maria Sharapova and No. 5 Agnieszka Radwanska.

2014 Australian Open Review

38Corleve2014 Australian Open Review Credit:

Roger Federer displayed some of the best tennis weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen in a while from the Swiss, reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open and giving fans a highly anticipated 33rd installment of the Federer vs. Nadal saga.

2014 Australian Open Review

40Corleve2014 Australian Open Review Credit:

The dynamic Italian duo of Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani defended their womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doubles title with a comeback win over third-seeded Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina at the Australian Open.

2014 Australian Open Review

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga brought back the fire that propelled him to the Australian Open final in 2008. But it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough to produce a repeat performance, as he bowed out to Federer in the fourth round.

2014 Australian Open Review

Even with a blister ailing him, Rafael Nadal tore through the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field in Melbourne, but his run ended in the final against Stan Wawrinka.

2014 Australian Open Review 44 Credit: Corleve

2014 Australian Open Review

2014 Australian Open Review 46 Credit: Corleve

In her third trip to the final in Melbourne, Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Li Na finally came out the victor, defeating Dominika Cibulkova to claim her second Grand Slam title.

2014 Australian Open Review

A smiling Stan Wawrinka faced a horde of reporters following his unlikely title run at the Australian Open. The Swiss will need to adjust to the increase in media attention just as much as the title of Grand Slam champion.

2014 Australian Open Review 48 Credit: Corleve

2014 Australian Open Review

RANKINGS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Nadal, Rafael Djokovic, Novak Wawrinka, Stanislas Del Potro, Juan Martin Ferrer, David Murray, Andy Berdych, Tomas Federer, Roger Gasquet, Richard Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried Raonic, Milos Haas, Tommy Isner, John Youzhny, Mikhail Fognini, Fabio Robredo, Tommy Almagro, Nicolas Nishikori, Kei Dimitrov, Grigor Simon, Gilles Janowicz, Jerzy Anderson, Kevin Gulbis, Ernests Paire, Benoit Pospisil, Vasek

ESP SRB SUI ARG ESP GBR CZE SUI FRA FRA CAN GER USA RUS ITA ESP ESP JPN BUL FRA POL RSA LAT FRA CAN

14,330 10,620 5,710 5,370 5,280 4,720 4,540 4,355 3,050 2,885 2,770 2,435 2,320 2,145 2,100 1,980 1,930 1,915 1,810 1,700 1,615 1,580 1,443 1,380 1,359

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Williams, Serena Azarenka, Victoria Li, Na Radwanska, Agnieszka Sharapova, Maria Kvitova, Petra Errani, Sara Jankovic, Jelena Kerber, Angelique Halep, Simona Wozniacki, Caroline Ivanovic, Ana Cibulkova, Dominika Vinci, Roberta Lisicki, Sabine Suarez Navarro, Carla Stosur, Samantha Stephens, Sloane Bouchard, Eugenie Kirilenko, Maria Flipkens, Kirsten Pennetta, Flavia Cirstea, Sorana Kanepi, Kaia Cornet, Alize

USA BLR CHI POL RUS CZE ITA SRB DEU ROM DNK SRB SVK ITA DEU ESP AUS USA CAN RUS BEL ITA ROM EST FRA

13,000 6,581 6,570 5,750 5,416 4,745 4,440 4,310 4,030 3,760 3,370 3,160 3,056 3,020 2,980 2,745 2,705 2,415 2,369 2,325 2,255 2,165 2,020 1,932 1,870

2014 Australian Open Review

2014 Australian Open Review 2014 Australian Open Review