Tennis View magazine - Fall 2009

TENNIS VIEW_FALL 09:F09 7/29/09 12:08 AM Page 3

4 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM FALL 2009

features48 ROGER FEDERER

A Special Tribute to the 15 Grand Slam World Record Holder

29 PLAYER APPRAISALA Seasonal Showcase

GREAT ACTS30 Roger Federer32 V. & S. Williams 34 Andy Roddick 36 Elena Dementieva37 Svetlana Kuznetsova37 Robin Soderling

SHORT FALLS38 Rafael Nadal40 Novak Djokovic40 Andy Murray41 Dinara Safina42 Jelena Jankovic43 James Blake43 Mardy Fish43 M. Larcher de Brito

COMEBACKS44 Maria Sharapova46 Tommy Haas46 Lleyton Hewitt

ContentsFALL 2009

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FIRST SERVE 12 Rafa and Anti-Doping13 Economic Impact14, 20 Interesting Tidbits15 Carla Suarez Navarro16 Peace of Mind18 US Open 200922 WTA Fall Schedule24 ATP Fall Schedule

GEAR & STYLE 26 Racquet Technologies

STROKES & STRATEGY56 Teach Me Return Serve58 Teach Me Topspin60 Code of Conduct

CLUB+COURT62 Powerfully Petite

8 Reasons I play

63 Match Conflict-Resolution

HEALTH65 Benefits of Walking66 Nadal's Knee Tendonitis

GAMESETMATCH72 Last Laugh 74 Final Frame

REGULARS8 Staff + Contributors10 Publisher’s Note

ADVERTISING SECTIONS67 Buyers Guide Directory

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ContentsFALL 2009

IT MATTERS

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Carole A. Poppleton is a professor of English at Maryland

Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. In her spare time

she enjoys hiking with her dog, yoga and playing tennis.

She hopes to see all of the Grand Slams played live, and

eventually advance to a 4.5 ranking. Read how ancient

Toltec wisdom may help your inner game of tennis, page 60.

4

Charly Rasheed, director of tennis at Wild Dunes Resort,

South Carolina, was recently appointed chair for the South

Carolina junior player development. Rasheed has a passion

for teaching and has introduced tennis to his sons Ian (5),

and Isaac (3). Read Topspin Forehand, page 58, where

Rasheed expresses the value of topspin in your arsenal.

4

Scott Mitchell is the head tennis professional at

Charlotte Country Club, North Carolina. He was named

2008 PTR clinician of the year, and in 2006 he and his

wife Ashley reached No. 1 in the USA husband/wife

mixed doubles. Turn to page 56 where Scott explains the

importance of Return Serve.

4

Kimberly Campbell says she’s the “tall, zany girl in the cor-

ner trying to balance in high heels.” The Newnan, Georgia

resident has published two nonfiction books and her work

has appeared in two anthologies and several magazines.

Turn to page 62 where you’ll learn of her wacky reasons

for loving tennis.

4

Kim Cashman has had a lifelong love affair with tennis. She

played college tennis and then competed on the women’s

satellite tour. She’s currently a head professional and tennis

store owner in Clearwater, Florida. When she’s not running

her business, you can find her on the courts. Turn to pages

26 and 63.

4

TENNISVIEWTHE ULTIMATE TENNIS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE2009

PUBLISHER / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Teresa Thompson

CIRCULATION / SUBSCRIPTIONSRana Mickelson, Jeanie Meyers

ART DIRECTORAntoni Pham

DESIGNMartie Lopez

SPECIAL PROJECTSLeigh Ann Baccich, Maribel Gross

INTERNRaechel Kenealy

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORSKimberly Campbell, Kim Cashman, Scott Mitchell, Carole A. Poppelton, MJ Thompson, Charly Rasheed

ART / PHOTOGRAPHYLeslie Billman, Jon Burdick, Matt Dunn, Arron Spencer

ADVERTISINGTeresa Thompson, [email protected]

BACK ISSUES, EXTRA COPIES, ARTICLE REPRINTS, EDITORIAL/ART [email protected]

[email protected]

FEEDBACKEmail comments, suggestions, or compliments to [email protected] Attn: FEEDBACK. Please include your name, phone number and email address. Letters chosenfor publication may be edited for length and clarity.

TENNIS VIEW is published by:TAZ Publications, LLCPO Box 7282 / Seminole, FL 33775

Tennis View (ISSN 1937-7894) is published quarterly (4 times a year) by TAZPublications, LLC. Copyright 2009 by TAZ Publications, LLC. Title “Tennis View”is registered US Patent and Trademark Office. The opinions expressed in TennisView magazine are not to be considered official expressions of TAZPublications, LLC. TAZ Publications, LLC does not accept any responsibility forthe actions of its readers. TAZ Publications, LLC encourages safe participationin all sports and activities. Any activities described in this magazine are exclu-sively undertaken at the readers’ sole risk. All rights reserved. Reproduction inwhole, or in part, of any material in this publication without written permissionof TAZ Publications, LLC is expressly prohibited. Publisher reserves the right toaccept or reject all advertising matter. Publisher does not assume responsibili-ty for errors, omissions, and/or changes in advertising or editorial material.

Fall 2009 Volume 2 | Issue 3 Printed in the USA.

fall contributors


1


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TENNIS VIEW_FALL 09_1-963183217.e$S:F09 7/30/09 7:48 AM Page 9

Founder/Publisher

[email protected]

PUBLISHER | TERESA THOMPSON

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[Special Note] I wish tocongratulate Roger Federer forhis fabulous record breakingaccomplishment of 15 GrandSlam titles. Readers pleaseenjoy the photo collage pres-entation highlighting some of Rogers greatest careermoments [p.48]. In addition,I extend good wishes to Rogerand Mirka for the birth oftheir twin daughters CharleneRiva and Myla Rose, born July 23. Roger says it was thegreatest day of their lives.

L-R: Liezel Huber, Serena Williams, Cara Black and Venus Williams, following the Wimbledon semis.

Boundaries andInnovations

T

Statement: The No. 1 ranked singles’ player and doubles’ team are expected to wintournaments.**Disclaimer: This is true except when the No. 1 player or team faces Venus and/orSerena Williams, especially in a Grand Slam event.

Case in Point: Cara Black and Liezel HuberCara Black and Liezel Huber are entirely committed to doubles andhave reigned at the top for two years. Ironically, their biggest threat isnot the No. 2 team, but the No. 10 team, Venus and Serena, who playdoubles sporadically. Regardless of Black and Huber’s top ranking andexperience, they were dealt a shocking blow by the Williams in thesemis at Wimbledon. The No. 1 team was pummeled, 6-1, 6-2.

Case in Point: Dinara Safina As the No. 1 singles’ player, Dinara Safina wins about 70-percent of hermatches, and she anticipates winning her first Grand Slam when thetime is right. Her championship chances would improve if she couldavoid a Williams’ encounter. She has defeated Serena only once inseven tries, and only once in four attempts against Venus. As we recall,Safina most recently lost to Venus in the semis at Wimbledon, 6-1, 6-0.

The sisters appear to have a renewed desire to control the league,and even though they are two of the oldest women on tour (Venus, 29,and Serena, 28) they plan to play a lot longer. I hope so. Not because I enjoy watching lop-sided 50-minute matches, but in addition to witnessing amazing shots, I look forward to see how the loser respondsto their next opposition.

During this age of Venus and Serena supremacy, Dinara Safina, CaraBlack, Liezel Huber, and other WTA players may not accomplish all oftheir career goals. I bet, however, that they will realize their potentialand learn plenty about themselves. I believe that somewhere in therankings is a player who finds that breaking the roadblocks set by theWilliams is essential to accomplishing their dreams. During strugglingtimes, necessity is the mother of invention.

TENNIS VIEW_FALL 09_1-963183217.e$S:F09 7/30/09 7:43 AM Page 10

Andy Roddick9th Annual

Charity Weekend

Saturday December 12, 2009Dinner Dance Gala

6:30 pm

Polo Club Boca Raton

Ticket Price: $250

Sunday December 13, 2009Tennis Exhibition1:00 pm (Kid’s Zone starts 11:30 am)

Boca Pointe Country Club

Ticket Prices:Courtside: $100Canopy: $75Reserved: $50Bleacher: $25

Sponsored by:

* Children under 12 free with

paid adult admission in

reserved and bleacher seat-

ing only

**$5 service fee per ticket

To purchase tickets and for more info, contact the Andy Roddick Foundation at 561.620.9449

or visit www.andyroddick.com

Proceeds bene!t local children’s charities including: Sun-Sentinel Children’s Fund, Habitat for

Humanity, Boys Town, Back to Basics Angel Fund, Here’s Help, Inc., Florence Fuller, Kids in Distress,

Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center and A Safe Haven for Newborns.

Tickets on SaleMonday, September 14 at 10am

Invited Guests: Venus and Serena Williams, Justin Gimelstob, Shahar Peer, Brenda Schultz-McCarthy

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FIRST SERVE | TIDBITS

Wants Freedom I'll go back to Mallorca, and who will know where I’llbe or if I have access to the Internet to send e-mails tomy family? Now, if they knock at my door in Mallorcaand I’m not there, they're going to give me a warning.It’s not fair.

Wants PrivacyI was in Madrid with my friends on my only free evening.Then my mother called and said the guys were at myhouse for this anti-doping control. I don't know if, fromthe legal point of view, this is correct. That is, for themto know where you are every single moment of your life.It's wrong. It's a high price to pay to play tennis.

Supports Richard GasquetRichard Gasquet is a good friend of mine, and I dis-cussed this with him. He's most certainly not takingcocaine. You know what the world is like today. Whenyou go to a party, if you kiss a girl who has takencocaine, anything can happen. That's the reality, andthis can destroy your life or your career.

Seeks A CompromiseThe vast majority of players are against the Anti-DopingRule. I don't have the impression that it's good to put somuch pressure on us. They harass us. The ITF should dosomething about it, or come up with another solutionfor us to play tennis in a more tranquil way. I’m the firstone who wants the sport totally clean; it’s just not nicethat they’re at your room at 8 o’clock in the morning.

>>

Rafa’s View on Anti-Doping “I WANT MORE OF A NORMAL LIFE,” says Andy Murray. Roger Federer adds, “It’s not fun for anyone.” Fernando Gonzalez insists tennis players are clean and have nothing to fear. These sentiments are in response to the Anti-Doping Rule that requires players to inform drug-testers of their whereabouts for a period of one hour every day, weekends included. Rafael Nadal dis-agrees with the system and is upset that his friend, Richard Gasquet of France, was suspendedfrom tennis after testing positive for cocaine earlier this year. Nadal says the Anti-Doping Ruleis unfair and he wants the International Tennis Federation to make changes.

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Rafael Nadal

speaks



Caroline Wozniacki No, the down economyhasn’t affected me in par-ticular. I still can spend theway I want to spend, butyou can see people aroundwhose lives have changed.And I was looking to buy ahome and I saw all thehouses for sale, you know,bank owned homes – somany families and compa-nies have problems rightnow. I’m sure it will turnaround – sooner or later.

Marion BartoliI’ve always been aware of theeconomy. Even though moneyisn’t a problem, I see all aroundme the tough times people arehaving. I’ve never spent money oncrazy things that I didn’t need. I’vealways been careful with mymoney and I try to have a normallife and not make it obvious howmuch money I have.

Vera Zvonareva Being tennis players, wealways spend a lot on

traveling, coaching andstuff, and I think it’s toughfor everyone, but the bet-ter you play, better livingyou will make. I’m sureeveryone feels it, the

sponsorships in general,any sport, and tennis is

not an exception.Everyone feels a little bitof a slowdown, and we

tennis players are human,too. We feel it as well.

Patty Schnyder It's affecting so many people; we(tennis players) should be happywe still have a job with the oppor-

tunity to earn good money.

Dominika Cibulkova I have definitely noticed it, Ithink everyone has. The USdollar is very low right now.Even for us, prize money attournaments is much lower

than what it used to be. I think everyone is affected

in some way.

Economic Impact

FALL 2009 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 13

TIDBITS | FIRST SERVE




HOW ARE YOU AND TIGERWOODS SIMILAR?Roger Federer: Success, I guess. We've

been at the top for a very long time. When

you talk about golf, you talk about Tiger ;

when you talk about tennis, you talk about

me. Our mindset and approach are similar.

We're very driven. We try to not only just

play well, but we try to dominate.

Before hitting tennisballs, Maria Sharapovaalways warms hershoulder up first bythrowing a football.

“It looks like he's [RafaelNadal] actually a little bit tired

to me. Even though he haswon easily in his first tworounds, it doesn't look like

he's fresh enough. Maybe hewas playing too much. I thinkit's going to be a tough chal-

lenge for him to win this time,actually,” said the Russian,

who forecast Nadal’s RolandGarros fate correctly.

ANA REORGANIZESAna Ivanovic, struggling to regain the form that earned

her top status, was reduced to simplifying her goals. “My

goal is to just try and enjoy the match. I wasn't really

looking for any outcome or looking too much into the

tournament. I just wanted to enjoy,” Ivanovic said when

asked about her goals as the defending champion of

Roland Garros. Ivanovic lost in the fourth round to

Victoria Azarenka and said she was proud of her efforts.

After the match, the Serbian slipped out of the top ten

rankings and later fired her coach Craig Kardon.

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COURT COMMANDO: I'm a controlfreak. I love controlling. You know, I'mused to that. That's how I was taught to play.

OFF-COURT QUIRK: I'm a little bitobsessive. But I think every tennisplayer – every athlete – is eitherobsessive or compulsive or something,because you can't get this good with-out some kind of a little idiosyncrasy.

GREAT QUOTE: I live my life. I don'twant to play a role in it.

Have you played Venus in anyother game or sport and who won?I'm terrible at ping pong. I hit too hardand the court's too small.

Why is Venus so slow to adoptthings like Twitter and Facebook? She's really artsy and into smart thingslike learning languages and gettingdegrees. I'm into Twitter. We're quitedifferent.

Venus on Venus

Serena on Venus

IS ELENA DEMENTIEVACLAIRVOYANT?



You appear shy. How would your closestfriends and family describe you? They would say that I’m a very calm person whenI’m not on the courts. I’m quite introverted, but little by little I’m becoming more open.

Most children learn to hit a backhandwith two hands. Did you? Even when I was very small, the first time I hit a backhand I did it with one hand. Since I hadthe strength to use it, my coach didn’t try tochange it. I never thought of changing.

Under what circumstances is a one-handed backhand advantageous? When I’m either running for a ball or whenI’m finding it hard to reach a ball, one handis easier to make the shot. With higher ballstwo hands would be better than one.

Describe the difficulty of playing atop 10 player. When I play with a top ranked player, the bigthing that I notice is the rhythm of the ball – ithas more power. And top players play the impor-tant points very well!

Your rankings have steadily climbed. Are you on target with your goals? My ranking has gone up quite rapidly but I’m not surprised,because I have worked hard for it. For now I would like to keepit going. I would like for tennis to continue to be my job for along time. And I hope to enjoy playing as much in the futureas I do now.

navarroQuietly BreakingObscurity

Season-ending Singles Rankings

AT-A-GLANCEBorn: Sept 3, 1988Country: SpainResidence: Barcelona, SpainHeight: 5’4” Weight: 137Turned Pro: 2003Current ranking: 33Plays: Right; one-handed backhandWEAPON: Cross-court backhand

- Teresa Thompson

CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO is quiet, composed, petite andhas a whaling one-handed backhand. She is often com-pared to Justin Henin. “Justine was one of my idols when I was a young player. It's really nice to be compared to herbecause she was a great No. 1,” says Suarez Navarro. It’stime to get to know Spain’s rising star.

613358 289

16950 ‘09

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PROFILE | FIRST SERVE


FIRST SERVE | HAWK-EYE

Peace of Mind

What the pros say...

Serena Williams

I don't mind it.Sometimes it suckswhen you knowyour ball is out andthey challenge it.But other than that,I don't really use ittoo much unless I'msure I’m right.

UNLIKE FOOTBALL, WHERE LONG delays follow instant replay, ten-nis utilizes Hawk-Eye technology that provides instant gratificationand allows for continuous play. In its infancy, Hawk-Eye wasn’tembraced by every player, but after more than three years ofcalling shots “in” or “out,” the system is widely accepted andoften preferred.

HAWK-EYE FACTOIDS• Official debut: March 23, 2006, Sony Ericsson Open, Miami.• Men challenge twice as often as the ladies.• Challenge success of women: 36% • Challenge success of men: 35% • Instant replay appeals that overrule original call: 30%

57% Challenge Success

Novak Djokovic

It's not that I haveeyes of the falcon orsomething, but I'vebeen quite success-ful with Hawk-Eye.Some players likethe system, somedon't. But I'm onthe side of the play-ers who really likeHawk-Eye. I think itbrings entertain-ment for fans, andit's interesting. Onthe other side, itgives players achance to overrulethe first call, which

is good.


Roger Federer

It's helped me andnot helped me.That's why I stillbelieve it's unneces-sary. And it's onlyon center court. I don't even know ifit's on grandstand.But all the othermatches, poor guys,they don't havechallenge systems.Ask them whetherthey think theycould use the challenge system on Court 8.


Rafael Nadal

Sometimes I ask for Hawk-Eye.

I don't know why –maybe to relax a lit-tle bit. Sometimes I am wrong andmake a mistake,and other times I think the machineis not exactly okay.


SvetlanaKuznetsova

I’m disappointedwhen they don’toffer Hawk-Eye.Sometimes I go onthe court and I’mlike, damn, noHawk-Eye linecalling. But

I think I have a veryhigh percentage of making my ownHawk-Eye calls. Sowhen I’m like 80%sure of a call I askfor it, maybe 70%.Some players useHawk-Eye just for no reason.


Andy Murray

Players don't challenge thinkingthe ball is definitelyin. A lot of times atthe end of sets,match points, or in tie breaks guyswill challenge ballsthat they normallywouldn't do. If yougive a player onechallenge a set andtheir life dependedon it, I think theywould be very goodat the calls a lot of times.


BY M.J. THOMPSON

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THE 2008 US OPEN was the biggest and most successful US Open in its 40-year history. Revenue, attendance, website traffic, and concession sales hitall-time highs, fueling added excitement for this year's Slam as organizersprepare for a bigger extravaganza. The United States has the most

singles champions-Men's Singles: 85 titles by 26 men.

Women's Singles: 89 titles by 36 women

Richard Sears, Bill Larned, and BillTilden are tied for the most men'ssingles titles with seven (7).

Molla B. Mallory won the US Open 8times, the most of any woman.

The US Open is the only major to beplayed on three different surfaces:grass, clay, and hard.

Jimmy Connors is the only player to have won the US Open on allthree surfaces.

Arthur Ashe Stadium is the biggesttennis stadium in the world. It seats23,200 spectators.

The only major to play outdoormatches at night under lights.

The only major to have final-settiebreakers - the others play the finalset until one player wins by two games.

It was the first major to implementthe instant-replay review system,Hawk-Eye, in 2006.

Martina Navratilova played in 21 con-secutive US Opens, from 1973 to1993. Her rival, Chris Evert, played in19 consecutive US Opens, from 1971to 1989. -Compiled by Raechel Kenealy

USOpen2009A Big Act to Follow


US OPEN FACTS

"The record-setting 2008 US Open wasthe ultimate convergence of sports,celebrity, business and entertainment,"said Arlen Kantarian, CEO Pro Tennis,USTA. "We are extremely appreciativeof our fans coming out in record num-bers, particularly in the midst of a chal-lenging economy."

Showcasing the ATP and WTA's topplayers, the Grand Slam remains thehighest-attended annual sportingevent in the world - more than 720,000fans packed the park. For the first time,Arthur Ashe Stadium celebrated arecord 99 percent of capacity in 2008.

This year, American favorites AndyRoddick and Serena Williams areexpected to give their competition trou-ble, as both are enjoying great momen-tum following fantastic performances atWimbledon. As recalled, Roddick facedRoger Federer in the final and played athrilling five-sets before narrowly losing.Serena beat her sister Venus in the finaland then the duo played together andwon the trophy in doubles.

With a Roddick-Williams American starline-up, the 2009 US Open has a goodchance to match last year's outstandingattendance records. Let the parties begin.


peachytan.comytapeach an.com


“Once you step on the

court it doesn't matter

who you're playing, you

want to win. But once you

step off the court you're

friends again. the loser

always wants a few hours

to themselves. if you break

your friendships with all the

girls you lose to you won't

have any friends left

because you can't win

every match. it's important

to let go.”

–Caroline Wozniacki


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MISERY LOVES COMPANYFrench Open losses for Serena Williams

and Rafael Nadal made the calendar year

Grand Slam impossible for the two

Australian Open winners. “Honestly, I'm

glad I didn't go down alone, you know. We

both went down together,” said Williams.

SEPTEMBER1st, Gael Monfils, 1986

7th, Jamea Jackson, 1986

17th, Tomas Berdych, 1985

20th, Feliciano Lopez, 1981

27th, Serena Williams, 1980

OCTOBER2nd, Marion Bartoli, 1984

7th, Robby Ginepri, 1982

7th, Sam Querrey, 1987

15th, Elena Dementieva, 1981

18th, Martina Navratilova, 1956

NOVEMBER6th, Ana Ivanovic, 1987

22nd, Billie Jean King, 1943

25th, Guillermo Canas, 1977

27th, Rodek Stepanek, 1978

CELEBRATIONS

FelicianoLopez turns 28

Birthday

Q: Rafa, we know you love thepink shirt, but being supersti-tious, will you ever wear itagain since you lost at RolandGarros sporting pink?A: I am not superstitious and Ichange the color of the shirtsevery few tournaments. That hasnothing to do with the defeat. Ifit did, then I should have lostthe first match, no?

“When you're No. 1 in the world,for some reason people don't likeyou anymore. It's amazing howsociety works. I think peoplealways love the underdog, and theone that comes back from behind,or the one that's not expected towin. I'm probably that person.” –Maria Sharapova

Rethink Pink?


NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.Starts July 15, 2009 at 9:00:00 AM Central Time (CT) and ends September 30, 2009 at 11:59:59PM CT. Must be a legal resident of one of the 50 United States, or Washington, D.C., 18 years of age or older. Enter at www.PlayTennis.com/million.

To enter for free, choose the “I do not intend to purchase a racket” option from the drop-down menu in the registration process on the Sweepstakeswebsite. Prizes (21): one (1) trip for two (2) to New York, NY for a 3-day, 2-night stay, and the opportunity to serve one (1) ball for $1,000,000 (payable

as a 40-year annuity); twenty (20) prize packs each including $500 of tennis equipment. Total ARV of prizes: $1,020,000. For complete details, including theOfficial Rules, and full prize details, go to www.PlayTennis.com/million. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Tennis Industry Association, Hilton Head Island, SC.

Buy a new tennis racket from your favorite retailer or pro shopJuly 15 – September 30, 2009.

Go to PlayTennis.com/millionRegister your new racket and

you could WIN a chance toserve for $1,000,000.(USD).

Over $10,000 in other prizes.

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Free entry available, details below.

© Tennis Industry Association Copyright 2009.



2/17/2009 2:47:58 PM

US Open Aug 31-Sept 13Flushing Meadows, New York Surface: Outdor HardPrize Money: TBA (2000 pts) usopen.org 2008 Winner: Serena Williams

Guangzhou Int’l Women’s Open September 14-20Guangzhou, ChinaSurface: Outdor HardPrize Money: $222,000 (280 pts)sports.21.cn.com 2008 Winner: Vera Zvonareva

Bell Challenge September 14-20Quebec City, CanadaSurface: Indoor CarpetPrize Money: $222,000 (280 pts)challengebell.com 2008 Winner: Nadia Petrova

Hansol Korea Open September 21-27Seoul, KoreaSurface: Outdor HardPrize Money: $222,000 (280 pts)hansolopn.com 2008 Winner: Maria Kirilenko

Tashkent Open September 21-27Tashkent, UzbekistanSurface: Outdor HardPrize Money: $222,000 (280 pts)tashentopen.uz 2008 Winner: Sorana Cirstea

Toray Pan Pacific Open Sept 25-Oct 3Tokyo, JapanSurface: Outdor HardPrize Money: $2,000,000 (470 pts)toray-ppo.coljp 2008 Winner: Dinara Safina

China Open October 2-11Beijing, ChinaSurface: Outdoor HardPrize Money: $4,500,000 (470 pts)chinaopen.com 2008 Winner: Jelena Jankovic

Generali Ladies Linz October 12-18Linz, AustriaSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: $222,000 (280 pts)generali-ladies.at 2008 Winner: Ana Ivanovic

HP Open October 12-18Osaka, JapanSurface: Outdoor HardPrize Money: $222,000 (280 pts)hp-open.com 2008 Winner: Caroline Wozniacki

Int’l Tennis Tournament-Kremlin Cup October 17-25Moscow, RussiaSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: $1,000,000 (470 pts)kremlincup.ru 2008 Winner: Jelena Jankovic

BGL Luxembourg Open October 19-25Luxembourg, LuxembourgSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: $222,000 (280 pts)bgl-bnp-paribas-open.lu 2008 Winner: Elena Dementieva

Sony-Ericsson Championships-Doha Oct 27-Nov 1Doha, QatarSurface: Outdoor HardPrize Money: $4,500,000sonyericsson-championships.com 2008 winner: Venus Williams

Commonwealth Bank Tournament of ChampionsNovember 4-8Bali, IndonesiaSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: $600,000commbanktennis.com *NEW EVENT IN 2009

SonyEricssonWTAtour.com


2:47:58 PMTENNIS VIEW_FALL 09:F09 7/29/09 12:14 AM Page 23

US Open Aug 31-Sept 13Flushing Meadows, New York Surface: Outdoor HardPrize Money: TBA (2000 pts) usopen.org 2008 Winner: Roger Federer

Open de Moselle September 21-28Metz, FranceSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: TBA (250 pts) opendemosell.com 2008 Winner: Dmitry Tursunov

BCR Open Romania September 21-28Bucharest, RomaniaSurface: ClayPrize Money: TBA (250 pts) bcropenromania.ro 2008 Winner: Gilles Simon

Thailand Open Sept 26-Oct 4Bangkok, ThailandSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: $608,500 (250 pts) thailandopen.org 2008 Winner: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

AIG Japan Open TennisChampionships October 5-11Tokyo, JapanSurface: Outdoor HardPrize Money: $1,226,500 (500 pts) aigopen.jp 2008 Winner: Tomas Berdych

China Open October 5-11Beijing, ChinaSurface: Outdoor HardPrize Money: $3,337,000 (500 pts) chinaopen.com 2008 Winner: Andy Roddick

Shanghai ATP World Tour-Masters 1000 October 11-18Shanghai, ChinaSurface: Outdoor HardPrize Money: $5,250,000 (1000 pts) jussevent.com NEW EVENT

IF Stockholm Open October 17-25Stockholm, SwedenSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: TBA (250 pts) Ifstockholmopen.se 2008 Winner: David Nalbandian

Int’l Tennis Tournament-Kremlin CupOctober 19-25Moscow, RussiaSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: $1,080,500 (250 pts) kremlincup.ru 2008 Winner: Igor Kunitsyn

Bank Austria Tennis Trophy Oct 26-Nov 2Vienna, AustriaSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: TBA (250 pts) bankaustria-tennistrophy.at 2008 Winner: Philipp Petzschner

Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon Oct 26-Nov 2 Lyon, FranceSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: TBA (250 pts) gptennislyon.com 2008 Winner: Robin Soderling

St. Petersburg Open Oct 25-Nov 1St. Petersburg, RussiaSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: $750,000 (250 pts) spbopen.ru 2008 Winner: Andy Murray

Davidoff Swiss Indoors Basel November 2-9Basel, SwitzerlandSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: TBA (500 pts) davidoffswissindoors.ch 2008 Winner: Roger Federer

Valencia Open 500 November 2-9Valencia, SpainSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: TBA (500 pts) valenciaopen500.com 2008 Winner: David Ferrer

BNP Paribas Masters November 8-16Paris, FranceSurface: Indoor HardPrize Money: TBA (1000 pts) bnpparibasmasters.org 2008 Winner: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals November 22-29London, EnglandSurface: Indoor Hardbarclaysatpworldtourfinals.com 2008 Winner: Novak Djokovic

ATPWorldTour.com



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T TENNIS VIEW_FALL 09:F09 7/29/09 12:22 AM Page 25

GEAR & STYLE | EQUIPMENT

“IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT,” is oftenthe mentality of too many tennis playerswhen they consider buying a new racquet.If you’re closed-minded, you’re missingout on the technological advancementsthat may enhance your game.

The main objective of tennis racquetcompanies is to research technologiesand develop a better racquet. As aresult, new frames are introduced on an ongoing basis with game-improvingtechnologies and superior materials andconstruction. Will one of these new rac-quets be “the one” that will magicallytransform your game? Maybe.

Before searching for a new racquet youmust first evaluate your game and deter-mine what areas need improvements – perhaps you want more topspin, more control, better touch, or more power? Nowyou’re ready to sift through racquets lookingfor ones that match your criteria. You’ll want tohit the court and play-test to help narrow yourselection. This process can be fun and educational,but, at the same time, be time consuming and frus-trating. Be patient and keep testing. If you try enoughracquets eventually you will find your “soul mate” of tennis frames.

Control vs. PowerWant more power and depth with yourstroke? Try a larger-headed frame withlighter weights and bigger beams. Doyou already generate your own powerand you’re looking for more control?Go for a smaller-headed frame withthinner beams.

Lead Tape:You can change the weight and/orbalance of your tennis racquet byadding lead tape in certain places.Most certified racquet techniciansaare trained in racquet customiza-tion, but if you want to give it a try,here is a guideline.

To increase head weight, add the lead tape directly at the 12 o’clock position.

To increase the torsional stability of the racquet, add the lead tape to the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock posi-tion. This will reduce the “twisting”motion on off-center hits.

To make the racquet more headlight, add the lead tape inside thebutt cap or under the grip.

Say, Yes! To microfiber fabric socksCotton socks are terrible for your feet. Even thoughcotton is a natural fabric, it absorbs moisture whichthen gets stuck in your shoes causing blisters. Mosthigh performance socks are made from a microfiberfabric with moisture wicking characteristics. Thisallows the moisture to get pulled away from yourfoot and circulate to keep you dry and cool. Ifyou’re still using cotton socks, give the new socktechnology a try and you’ll be happy you did.

Head Tape:Using head-protection tapecan drastically improve thelife of your tennis racquet.For only a few dollars theuse of the tape will not onlyreduce the wear on theplastic bumper guard, but itwill also reduce the chanceof small cracks in theexposed graphite. Also,most bumper guards can bereplaced for a nominal feeby your racquet stringer.

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CONTENTS

Great Acts 30-37

Roger FedererVenus & Serena WilliamsAndy RoddickElena DementievaSvetlana KuznetsovaRobin Soderling

Short Falls 38-43

Rafael NadalNovak DjokovicAndy MurrayDinara SafinaJelena JankovicJames BlakeMardy FishMichelle Larcher de Brito

Comebacks 44-46

Maria SharapovaTommy HaasLleyton Hewitt

BY TERESA THOMPSON Grand Slam heaven. That’s how tennis fansdescribe summer 2009. There were veteranrevivals, mental meltdowns and extraordinaryfeats. And no one will soon forget the injuries, the grunting and unexpected defeats. It was aseason Martina Navratilova and John McEnroecalled as one of the best, which included twowomen named Williams, a Swiss, and Andy fromthe mid-west. Inside these pages you’ll relivesome of the best moments and look forward tothe final Slam of the year at the US Open.

player>>



“I know how much the record meant to him and he knows how

much the record means to me,” Federer said. “In a way, I still feel

like we share it, just because he was such a wonderful champion.”

Following Wimbledon the new rankings showed Roger had

resumed the No. 1 spot. The consummate perfectionist had spent

10 agonizing months at No. 2 – the majority of ATP No. 1 record

holders recover the top spot within one month of losing it. When

Federer reclaimed No. 1 he did it without facing his arch rival, Nadal.

That scenario stirred debate regarding the validity of his success.

“Roger needs to buy [Robin] Soderling some champagne for

getting Nadal out of the way,” said John McEnroe, after Soderling’s

surprise win at Roland Garros.

However, sports psychologist Adam Naylor said Federer earned

the titles fair and square: “Critics that suggest Federer had an easy

path to the finals fail to appreciate the level of performance of an

elite athlete.”

Federer’s ultimate French Open goal was to face Nadal in the

finals. “That’s just the way it goes. It’s not the mistake of the one

who wins at the end. You never know how [Nadal] would have

played – he had the injury. Tennis moves very quickly, you know.”

“I'm happy at least that I became No. 1 in the world by winning

the tournament, not just by him [Nadal] not playing at all, or by me

playing decent or someone else playing decent and getting to No. 1.

That's not the way it's supposed to be. You’re supposed to win big

matches and big tournaments to get back No. 1,” said Federer.

Nadal is a close second in the rankings. If his tendonitis of the

knees improves and he returns to schedule, he will wrestle Roger

for position. Remember, Nadal’s record against Federer is good. He

beats him two-thirds of the time. Incidentally, when they have met

on hard courts their record is even. That may soon change if they

meet in Flushing Meadows.

The Swiss will bring calm confidence through the hard court sea-

son and continue to build on his staggering successes.

No Finish Line

Rederer

roger

Roger Federer is on top of the world. Back-to-back wins at Roland Garros and

Wimbledon gave the Swiss 15 Grand Slam singles titles, bumping him beyond Pete

Sampras’ record, an achievement that Sampras expected to stand for decades.

PAGreatActs



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Little sisters have a knack for stealing the spotlight from

their siblings, as fans witnessed during the Wimbledon final

with the Williams’ sisters.

Venus attempted to win her sixth Wimbledon title, but

little sister Serena snatched the crown with a 7-6(3), 6-2

defeat. The win brought Serena’s Grand Slam singles titles

tally to 11 – Venus holds seven.

Serena said that her game plan was to move Venus (who

played with a heavily strapped knee) side-to-side. Venus

assured her fans and the media that her injury didn’t affect

the outcome.

Following their singles match, the sisters met Australian’s

Rennae Stubbs and Samantha Stosur in the doubles’ final.

Throughout the tournament, the Williams’ echoed a theme:

stay focused.

“We were really serious and never wanted to underesti-

mate anyone, no matter if we were far ahead or not. We

really wanted to win the title,” said Serena. The American’s

prevailed, 7-6(4), 6-4.

“One out of two’s not bad,” said Venus.

Hard court season may play havoc on Venus’ aching knee,

but one would imagine that Serena will pick up the slack at

the US Open. Serena says she brings her best game to the

Slams and always enters a tournament expecting to win.

And who are we to doubt her?

Double Trouble

William

s

venus & sere

na

Is there anything that the William sisters can’t achieve? Not only do they dominate the

WTA Tour, but they also dabble in fashion, writing, modeling and theatre. And in

between the commotion, they spend quality time with their pet dogs and regularly send

Tweets to their fans. Venus and Serena took a two-week break from their extracurric-

ular activities, swung their racquets at Wimbledon, and made tennis headlines.

PAGreatActs



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Throughout Wimbledon Roddick remained emotionally steady

and physically sound. His energy was channeled into a simple

task: Fight one battle at a time.

“I’m just trying to stay the course, to go about my business,”

said Roddick.

One-by-one Roddick’s rivals fell – Jeremy Chardy, Igor Kunitsyn,

Jurgen Melzer, Tomas Berdych, Lleyton Hewitt, and Andy Murray.

“That’s the most complete, intelligent match I’ve ever seen

Andy Roddick play,” said television commentator Mary Carillo fol-

lowing his semifinal’s encounter with Murray.

England was stunned. Murray’s loss ended their dream of a

British Wimbledon champion. But then, as Roddick fell to one

knee on Centre Court and fought back tears, their applause grew

louder and louder. At that moment, the crowd experienced clo-

sure with Murray and adopted the Andy from America.

Roddick then turned his focus to his toughest Tour opponent:

Roger Federer. “You don't go back to a Wimbledon final by acci-

dent,” said Roddick. “It certainly is a process. And it's probably

been a longer process than I would have liked.”

His renewed commitment to tennis had led him to hire a differ-

ent coach, train harder and improve his fitness. Still, after 4 hours

and 16 minutes and the longest fifth set in major final history,

Federer edged Roddick, 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(5), 3-6, 16-14.

Fan’s cheered for Federer’s record 15 Grand Slam title win and

supported Roddick for making the accomplishment difficult.

“I’ve had a lot of short comings throughout my career, trying

hard is not one of them,” said Roddick.

He has upset Federer twice in his career – both victories were

on a hard court surface. Expect Roddick in combat zone come

September in New York.

Tennis Soldier

Roddick

andy

It appears that last year’s off-season was more like military boot camp for Andy Roddick

than a holiday break. He rang in the New Year with a fresh crew cut, chiseled physique

and poised to destroy. Despite the obvious changes to his physical appearance, there

was something curiously different with Andy. It was understood later at Wimbledon

2009: Roddick had morphed into a mature, purpose-driven man.

PAGreatActs



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Laborious TennisElena Dementieva accomplished what few WTA players have– she forced Serena Williams to work hard for her money.

"It was really, really tough," Williams said after the 2 hourand 49 minute Wimbledon match.

Dementieva said she played her best grass court matchagainst Serena, but the American prevailed, 7-6, 5-7, 6-8.

“She was serving very well today. I wasn't sure if it wasSerena or Andy Roddick on the other side, 125 all the time.

I really enjoy this kind of match when you have to pushyourself very hard and try to play an extra ball, an extra point.To play against the best players in the world makes it inter-esting for me,” said Dementieva.

Land

ov.c

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ele

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Dementieva

PAGreatActs


An Unforgettable MatchRobin Soderling beat Rafael Nadal. In France. On Clay.

“I know how he can play, how dangerous he can be. I didn'tplay my best tennis. When one player is bad, they must lose,”said Nadal.

The loss ended Nadal’s French Open winning streak of 31matches, a record spanning four years. It was the underdog’sgreatest moment in tennis.

“I made what was supposed to be impossible, to beat Nadalon clay in the best of five sets, so I will remember that for along time,” said the Swede after his 6-2, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 victory.

He advanced to the final where he met Roger Federer. TheSwiss won, 6-1, 7-6, 6-4.

Afterwards, Soderling said he looked forward to a rematchand joked, “No one beats me 11 times in a row.”

However, when they met in the fourth round at Wimbledon,Federer prevailed again.

Soderling was asked what sport, if any, other than tennis, hecould dominate Federer.

“I think I could beat him in a marathon – easy. I think I'mstronger than him,” he said smiling.

robin

Soderling

Growing Trophy CollectionA Roland Garros title ended Svetlana Kuznetsova’s five-year Grand Slam drought. The 24-year-old beat fellowRussian, Dinara Safina, in 75-minutes, 6-4, 6-2. Her lastsingles’ title at a Major was in 2004.

“This is big. It didn't happen just by luck. To have twoGrand Slam trophies – that’s big,” said Kuznetsova.

The victory was extra special, she said, because her idoland confidante, Roger Federer, won in Paris, too.

“I was very happy for Svetlana that she was able to win.Russian tennis has been incredibly strong over the last fewyears. I always said I liked her game,” said Federer.

Kuznetsova said she couldn’t ask for anything morefrom the sport of tennis.

svetlana

Kuznetsova



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The King of Clay was expected to win his fifth straight RolandGarros title until the unimaginable happened. He lost.

Robin Soderling beat Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, 6-2, 6-7,6-4, 7-6. In search of an explanation for the profound upset,Nadal was drilled: “Was it the wind? Are you sick? Did you ade-quately prepare?”

An agitated Nadal replied: “Stop it. Stop it. Had I played mybest level against Soderling, maybe the results would have beendifferent. But he played a very good level of tennis and I didn'tplay well, so the results are what they are.”

Meanwhile, Soderling of Sweden, celebrated the biggestmoment of his career. “I didn't want him to make me run. I tried tobe the one to make him run.”

As it turned out, forcing Nadal to scamper may have beenSoderling's smartest scheme. After the tournament, Nadalannounced that he had been diagnosed with tendonitis of theknees. The painful and debilitating condition played a role in hisFrench Open defeat, and then forced the Spaniard to cancelWimbledon.

Due to circumstances arguably out of his control, Rafa makesthe Short Falls list.

Summer Limp

The former World No. 1 is neither gone nor forgotten, but merely taking a necessary break

from competition says orthopaedic surgeon Timothy Hosea. “The tendonitis finally pro-

gressed to the point where he couldn’t take it anymore…Nadal needs to let time and the

healing process take their course.” Nadal resumed training in late July with hopes of par-

taking in the hard court season. Beware fellow ATP, the twitchy Spaniard is rejuvenated

and would be expected to unleash the beast on Center Court. Vamos Rafa!

PAShortFalls

Nadal

rafael


Tennis View magazine - Fall 2009

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