V I E W THE ULTIMATE TENNIS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Plus : Family Circle Cup | Fitness Trends | Tennis Elbow | Events Calendar | And More! * SERENA SUPREME WHY SCOTLAND NEEDS ANDY MURRAY Justine Henin's NEW GAME PLAN 2010 RACQUETS MARIA SHARAPOVA GEARS-UP TENNIS VIEW SERENA SUPREME TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010 $4.99 US $5.99 CAN DISPLAY UNTIL MAY 18, 2010
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
VIEWTHE ULTIMATE TENNIS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
Plus: Family Circle Cup | Fitness Trends | Tennis Elbow | Events Calendar | And More!*
SERENASUPREME
WHY SCOTLAND NEEDS
ANDY MURRAY
JustineHenin'sNEW GAME PLAN
2010RACQUETS
MARIASHARAPOVAGEARS-UP
TE
NN
IS V
IEW
SE
RE
NA
SU
PR
EM
ET
EN
NIS
VIE
WM
AG
.CO
MS
PR
ING
20
10
$4.99 US $5.99 CANDISPLAY UNTIL MAY 18, 2010
Caro
line
Woz
niac
ki (D
EN) -
Aer
opro
Driv
e ra
cque
t - R
even
ge &
VS
hybr
id s
tring
s / R
afae
l Nad
al (S
PA) -
Aer
opro
Driv
e ra
cque
t -
Pro
Hurr
ican
e To
ur s
tring
/ Di
nara
Safi
na
(RUS
) - A
ero
Stor
m ra
cque
t - P
ro H
urric
ane
& VS
hyb
rid s
tring
s
THE ABSOLUTE SPINLearn all about the new AERO racquets on
NEW AERO RACQUETS
www.babolat.com
Tennis Channel will deliver an unprecedented90 hours of BNP Paribas Open action. Call your cable or satellite provider today to catch the game’s hottest stars in tennis’ hottest tournament.
www.tennischannel.com
BNP Paribas Open LIVE fromIndian Wells, California
MARCH 13 -21
M
MARC
1CH
2231
21
M BNP
MARC ariba P P
1CH as Open
-223 f
1 n LIVE from
21 from
of B 90 hoursennis Chann TTennis Channel
In In
BNP Paribas Open will deliver an u nel
ndian Wndian W
Call your n action. ecedented unpr
Ca Caellsells, W W
aliforni i aliforni
a a
.tennischawww
s hotte game’etasroelbac
of B 90 hours
annel.com
est stars in tennis’ h yadotredivorpetille
BNP Paribas Open
nament hottest toure hthctacoty
Call your n action.
t.
4 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
SPRING2010
featuresRacquet 201018 Equipment Matters20 Demo Tips22 Racquet Anatomy24 Play Like A Pro
32 Maria SharapovaMusic to our Ears
38 Team JustineEmphasis on Effort
44 Scotland TennisA Future in Doubt
48 Serena SupremeA Serving Sensation
FIRST SERVE 10 Tidbits11 Amelie Mauresmo 12 Coach Carlos Chats13 Fernando Verdasco14 ATP Spring Calendar15 Australian Open Recap16 WTA Calendar
TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE 54 Family Circle Cup
Celebration
STROKES & STRATEGY60 Distinctly Different Doubles62 Beware the Underdog
HEALTH64 Fitness | Top Trends66 Sports Med | Tennis Elbow
GAMESETMATCH74 Final Frame | Carve a New Path
REGULARS6 Feedback 8 Publisher’s Letter
departments
32
38
44
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 5
Cover and contents credit: Reuters/Landov
Subscribe TodayOrder Past Issues While Supplies Last
Contact Tennis View for detailsVisit: TennisViewMag.com
TennisViewMagazineQuality and style for the most unique reading experience.
Thank you for your ability to “handle the truth,” as Idid when I read Andre Agassi’s book, OPEN. I pitypeople like Pete Sampras, because until he readsOPEN, he will never know what was said about himin the book. Andre was forced to play tennis and heresented it; Pete Sampras, on the other hand,wasn’t forced to play the game and he grew to loveit. This is probably why Andre was, and always willbe, a more interesting person than Sampras. OPENhelped explained his roller-coaster life and I enjoyedlearning about him.
Gerry Koppe,Newington, CT
At last, someone who gets it! The only person AndreAgassi hurt by doing drugs was himself. If we want toknow why he disclosed we should ask him, not specu-late. How many other athletes have used perform-ance enhancing drugs (as opposed to what Andredid) and lied about it when accused, never mind dis-closed voluntarily? The pressure and temptation intheir world is enormous. Of course we do not condonedrug use or lying about it, but that's not the point.Agassi is a stand-up guy and there’s no hypocricy.People who criticized Agassi, as Martina Navratilovadid, should take a long look in the mirror.
Robert AkmanCalifornia
Looking at your past issues, I notice that you havenot featured Serena Williams on the cover. BeingAfrican American and a tennis professional, it con-cerns me when the number one female tennis playerof the year, female athlete of the decade, APIwoman athlete of the year, and most prize money by a female athlete does not have a place on yourcover. Is your magazine following the same statusquo or would it be considered racist? I would love tocontinue to purchase this magazine but could not ingood faith until I witness more diversity.
Hasheem Bason Sr.California
Publisher's Response: Dear Hasheem, thank you forsharing your opinion regarding racial diversity. WhileSerena Williams had not appeared on the cover ofTennis View before this issue, she and other playersof color have received fair and appropriate exposurethroughout each magazine. Please understand thatmany factors influence our cover decision – race,however, is not one of them. All the same, I hope youcontinue to read Tennis View and appreciate ourcommitment to the sport. -Teresa Thompson
feedPUBLISHER / EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Teresa Thompson
FEEDBACKEmail comments to [email protected]: FEEDBACK. Please include your name, phonenumber and email address. Letters chosen for publication may be edited for length and clarity.
TENNIS VIEW is published by:TAZ Publications, LLCPO Box 7282 Seminole, FL 33775 [USA]
Tennis View (ISSN 1937-7894) is published by TAZ Publications, LLC. Copyright2010 by TAZ Publications, LLC. Title “Tennis View” is registered US Patent andTrademark Office. The opinions expressed in Tennis View magazine are not tobe considered official expressions of TAZ Publications, LLC. TAZ Publications,LLC does not accept any responsibility for the actions of its readers. TAZPublications, LLC encourages safe participation in all sports and activities. Anyactivities described in Tennis View are exclusively undertaken at the readers’sole risk. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any material inthis publication without written permission of TAZ Publications, LLC is express-ly prohibited. Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising mat-ter. Publisher does not assume responsibility for errors, omissions, and/orchanges in advertising or editorial material.
Spring 2010 Volume 3 | Issue 1 Printed in the USA.
Follow us on
TENNISVIEWTHE ULTIMATE TENNIS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
I Can Handle the Truth
Racial Diversity
Named: "One of theHottest Magazine
Launches of 2008 ,"by Media Industry News
Subscribe TodayOrder Past Issues While Supplies Last
Contact Tennis View for detailsVisit: TennisViewMag.com
jonburdickphotography.com I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL SPORTS and understand the “sacrifice” strat-
egy very well. In softball, for instance, a batter sacrifices an out by deliberately hittinga fly ball to the outfield to advance a runner. In basketball, when the score is close inthe fourth quarter and seconds remain in the game, a player commits (or sacrifices)a foul to stop the clock and regain possession after a free throw. These are examplesof excellent strategies and fair tactics. A sport that should not adopt the sacrificestrategy, however, is league tennis. A sacrifice here, I believe, is poor sportsmanshipand a tactic that generally reflects a captain’s ego and compromised integrity.
I was recently involved in a singles match where the sacrifice strategy was used.The scenario is common: My team had a winning record, the opposing team did not.So to increase the likelihood of one win, the captain from the opposing team movedtheir strongest player from position one to position two – I play position two. Theplayer who would’ve faced me, bumped to position one – she was the sacrifice.
The opposing team celebrated a loss in position one and a win in position two. Ofthe team’s five positions, it was their only victory. Had they not used the sacrificestrategy, they likely would have lost all of the matches.
When a captain manipulates the system, I am perplexed and disillusioned.Perplexed because I can’t imagine who would enjoy playing in a profoundly unevenmatch. Disillusioned with the captain that chooses the tactic.
I’ve seen captains huddle with their team before matches and explain their masterplan that includes the sacrifice strategy. The players respond: “Good plan. Do what-ever you think is best for the team. Whatever position you want me to play is fine.”
Then, when the captain is out of earshot, the psychoanalysis begins: “Do youthink Jane is taking her captain role too seriously? This isn’t fun anymore. I’m notgoing to play next season. If I wanted to play below my level, I wouldn’t have takenlessons to improve.”
If captains were to ask players to describe their ideal match scenario: (1) an easywin; (2) a hard-fought sacrifice; or (3) fair and balanced competition, I bet the vastmajority would choose the latter. Captains who utililze the sacrifice strategy should stop worrying about where their team will place at the end of the season, andinstead, promote the spirit of competition. Win or lose, most players simply want a good match.
Sacrifice Me Not
T
PUBLISHER’S LETTER | TERESA THOMPSON
Prince’s racquets, including the new White 100, aren’t like traditional racquets. They’ve been engineered around a series of unique holes in the frame that extend the sweet spot and make the racquet more aerodynamic, generating more power. But you won’t just see a difference, you’ll feel it too. Because of the advanced engineering these racquets are deceptively powerful, with their own unique feel. All part of our 40-year history helping you hit your best shots, more often.
princetennis.com
BIGGERSWEET SPOT,MORE POWER.
IN THE
Prince’s traditional rthe frame tgenerating Because owith their oshots, more
FIRST SERVE | TIDBITS
10 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Touring pro Ekaterina Bychkova was offered a “significant amount of money” inexchange for information that could influence the outcome of matches. Andalthough the Russian didn’t accept the offer, the Tennis Integrity Unit found shecommitted an offense by failing to report the proposal to authorities. Her punish-ment was a $5000 fine and a 30 day ban from Tour competion, which fell withinthe Australian Open. Bychkova said that the Uniform Tennis Anti-CorruptionProgramme is confusing and that she was unaware she had committed an offence.John McEnroe and Svetlana Kuznetsova agreed with the Russian. Bychkova turnedpro in 2000 and has earned $658,819 in career prize money.
I GNORANCE I S NOT A
defense
MARCH5 Anna Chakvetadze [1987]19 Ivan Ljubicic [1979]26 Rennae Stubbs [1971]28 Stanislas Wawrinka [1985]30 Mario Ancic [1984]
APRIL2 David Ferrer [1982]3 Tommy Haas [1978]9 Lukas Dlouhy [1983]10 Andy Ram [1980]17 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga [1985]19 Maria Sharapova [1985] 23 Daniela Hantuchova [1983]23 Nicole Vaidisova [1989]25 Rainer Schuettler [1976]29 Bob & Mike Bryan, [1978]
MAY1 Tommy Robredo [1980]2 Ashley Harkleroad [1985]15 Andy Murray [1987]22 Jurgen Melzer [1981]22 Novak Djokovic [1987]24 Fabio Fognini [1987]
BIRTHDAY
Getty Images
CELEBRATIONS!
HitforHaitiFollowing the devastating earthquakethat struck Haiti January 12, ATP andWTA tennis stars donated their timeand money to help victims. The pre-Australian Open exhibition, Hit forHaiti, included Roger Federer, SerenaWilliams, Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters,Novak Djokovic, Sam Stosur, AndyRoddick and Lleyton Hewitt. Themakeshift event raised over $200,000. "I was following it on TV and saw
the devastation and I thought weshould do something," said Federer."It was a lot of fun. It's a great thingand I'm happy the players were also in such good spirits."In addition to the Hit for Haiti exhibition, Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic,
Sydney doubles winners, donated five per cent of their prize money; MariaSharapova contributed $10,000; Heineken Open winner John Isner andMedibank International Sydney champion Marcos Baghdatis each donated$5,000 of their prize money.“The situation in Haiti is really, really sad," said Baghdatis. "I have seen the
pictures on the news and it is just horrific. I want to send my condolences toeveryone affected by the earthquake."
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 11
AFTER DEDICATING 17 YEARS to the pro circuit,France’s Amelie Mauresmo says she lacks themotivation to continue.
“I don’t want to train anymore,” explained the30-year-old. “I had to make a decision, whichbecame evident in the last few months andweeks. When you grew older, it’s more difficult tostay at the top. It’s a bit sad, but this is the rightdecision. I was lucky enough to have an exception-al career and to experience very strong feelings onthe court.”
Mauresmo reached a world No. 1 ranking inSeptember 2004, one of the few tennis players,male or female, to have reached the top rankingwithout first winning a Grand Slam singles title.She achieved her first Grand Slam victory in 2006at the Australian Open and then later that yearcaptured the Wimbledon title. In addition to thetwo Grand Slam titles, Amelie ends her careerwith 25 tour singles titles and three doubles titles.
Retirement coach Lin Schreiber says when peo-ple are employed in the same intense professionfor an extended period of time, they may faceburn out and a desire to transition into anotherstage of life. “When was the last time you feltrefreshed, recharged and ready for a new adven-ture? If you're too fried to care, it's time to fill upyour tank and drive out of town,” says Schreiber.
Best known for her powerful one-handed back-hand and intimidating net play, Mauresmo leavesthe circuit ranked 21.
>> Justine’s Retirement >> Rejoining Justine On Tour
FIRST SERVE | EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Leslie Billman
Coach Carlos ChatsJUSTINE HENIN'S COACH, CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, sits with publisher TeresaThompson and shares his thoughts about the tour and its impact on his life.Learn more in Team Justine [p.38].
You’ve coached Justine since shewas 14. Were you shocked whenshe told you she wanted to retire?No, because I could sense a burn-out.She appeared really tired. Not onlywith playing tennis, but there were alot of things – personal, physical, thepressure of being No. 1 – that she had
to manage that weren’t easy for her. The fire wasn’t there to contin-ue, that’s why I understood and respected her decision to stop.
Did you attempt to convince her otherwise?I didn’t have any right to push her to stay. My role as a coach is to takeher decisions, not make her decisions.
You lost your job. Were you concerned?No, what happens to me afterwards is my problem, not hers.
Your professional status as the coach of the world No. 1 player changed overnight. Was that a difficult adjustment? In terms of the tour, no, because I’ve accomplished enough in life,plus I’ve traveled since I was 18 and I enjoy being home. On the otherhand, I had to relearn how to be with my family on a daily basis.That, in the beginning, was a very huge and difficult exercise. It wasscarey, but after about three months our family found balance again.
Then the family had to make another adjustment when youreturned to the tour – how did your wife, Elke, react to the news?We agreed that our relationship was strong enough for me to start anew career – a career that won’t be as long as the first one, maybethree or four years. That’s it. It helps us cope knowing that there’s arealistic end in sight.
Would you have been upset if Justine had not asked you to coach?No, I want the best for Justine. If I’m not able to continue to develop hergame and skills, then I would have decided to leave myself. Everybodyhas their limits. If I can’t help her, then I’m not interested in wasting hertime or mine.
In hindsight were you prepared to coach an eventual worldchampion, or did you grow together in your roles?We evolved together. I never knew in the beginning that she would be No.1. I feel that she taught me to be a coach, and I became better becauseof her. I needed a player to coach and a player for me to succeed.
How will you coach Justine this time around?My job today is completely different. In general, Justine calculates. Shewaits, she’s not proactive. So I try to push her to be proactive. I want herto determine what she wants and then ask me to do it. Before, I wouldsee what she needed and tell her to do it. Now, whatever she needs –food, massage, anything – it’s up to her to act. I’m helping her be proac-tive on the court and in life.
FER
NA
ND
OV
ERD
AS
CO
Floats like a butterfly -
stings like a bee
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 13
TIDBITS | FIRST SERVE
10-21 BNP Paribas OpenIndian Wells, CA [Hard] $4,500,0002009 Winner Rafael Nadal
24-4 Sony Ericsson OpenMiami, FL [Hard] $4,500,0002009 Winner Andy Murray
Serena WilliamsAmerican tennis sensation,Serena Williams, defeatedthe Belgium, Justine Henin,6-4, 3-6, 6-2. The victorygave Serena 12 Major’s titles,tying Billie Jean King’s record.“Billie Jean is a really bigmentor of mine…I feel reallyspecial that I was able to tieBillie Jean King. Because inmy heart of hearts, I've beengoing for it and I haven'tbeen able to quite achieveit,” said Williams.
WOMEN’SDOUBLES
Venus & Serena WilliamsSister duo Venus and SerenaWilliams dominated CaraBlack and Liezel Huber, 6-4,6-3, in the double’s final.Competing in singles anddoubles could proveexhausting for the Williams,but they entered the tourna-ment ready to go all the way.“I think when we sign up forthe singles and the doubleswe realize that we both havethe ability to play deep intothe tournament. We preparefor that physically and men-tally,” said Venus. “We stillfeel like we have so much wecan win and just stayfocused. We just love beingout there and we love thecompetition. More than any-thing, we really have fun.We'll smile and we enjoy it,”said Serena.
MIXEDDOUBLES
Cara Black & Leander PaesMixed doubles title winners,Leander Paes and CaraBlack, edged EkaterinaMakarova and JaroslavLevinsky, 7-5, 6-3. In prepara-tion for the final, Paes andBlack said they practicedtogether only 45 minutes.“What I really respect aboutCara as a partner is that sheis a very sensitive humanbeing. She's got intelligence.She's got hard work. I knowfor sure every time I step onthe court with her she'sgoing to put everything outthere,” said Paes. The wincompleted Black’s GrandSlam in mixed doubles.
MEN’SSINGLES
Roger FedererNo tears of frustration thisyear from Roger Federer fol-lowing the Australian Openfinal. The Swiss beat AndyMurray, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6, givingFederer 16 Grand Slam titles.“There's no secret behind it.I’m definitely a very talentedplayer (laughter). I alwaysknew I had something spe-cial, but I didn't know it waslike, you know, that crazy,” hesaid. “I definitely had to workextremely hard so I wouldpick the right shot at theright time. For instance, onthe match point I decided tohit a dropshot. You got to becrazy to do that.” The WorldNo. 1 said the new generationof tennis players makes hisgame better. “I think this hasbeen one of my finest per-formances in a long time, ormaybe forever.” TheAustralian Open title isFederer’s first Grand Slamvictory as a father.
MEN’SDOUBLES
Bob & Mike BryanDefending champions Bob andMike Bryan won the men’s double’scrown and their eighth Grand Slamtitle when they beat Daniel Nestorand Nenad Zimonjic, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.“The doubles game is getting better. Teams are improving andstrong singles players on tour arestarting to learn how to play. Weneed to continue to get better andevolve our game,” said Mike Bryan.
Down Under Recap
16 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
2-7 Monterrey OpenMonterrey, Mexico [Hard] $220,0002009 Winner Marion Bartoli
10-21 BNP Paribas OpenIndian Wells, CA [Hard] $4,500,000 2009 Winner Vera Zvonereva
24-4 Sony Ericsson OpenMiami, FL [Hard] $4,500,0002009 Winner Victoria Azarenka
5-11 Andalucia Tennis ExperienceMarbella, Spain [Clay] $220,0002009 Winner Jelena Jankovic
5-11 MPS Group ChampionshipsPonte Vedra Beach, FL [Clay] $220,000 2009 Winner Caroline Wozniacki
10-18 Family Circle CupCharleston, SC [Clay] $1,000,000 2009 Winner Sabine Lisicki
12-18 Barcelona Ladies OpenBarcelona, Spain [Clay] $220,000 2009 Winner Roberta Vinci
APRIL 10-18, 2010 | CHARLESTON, SCTo learn more visit FamilyCircleCup.comFind us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.
I ’m excited to return to the
Family Circle Cup! I know success
at this event will require incredible
focus, and I’l l arrive in Charleston
ready to battle for the trophy.
18 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Racquet2010
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 19
Living in the age of technology is thrillingto tennis players who embrace change,for every season manufacturers introduce newsticks for testing. Whether you want added spin to you stroke,
more power, greater control, or less vibration, there are racquets devel-
oped to help you achieve fantastic results. Prepare to enter the demo
process with an analytical, yet flexible mind. If you have the time,
knowledge, and money, you have the essentials for a rewarding prod-
uct testing experience. Following are suggestions to help you find the
perfect hitting partner in a racquet.
>>
20 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Racquet2010 | Demo Tips
Approach the demoprocess similar to howyou would approach find-ing the perfect spouse:pay attention to detail,compare the pros andcons, be willing to com-promise, realize qualitymay come with a pricetag, and don’t rush thecourting period – youcan’t hurry love.
soul mate search01
Every racquet manufacturertouts technology that is uniqueto their brand. Many playershave loyalty to a particularmanufacturer, but from time-to-time, you should test anoth-er brand. The comparison willeither validate your loyalty orpleasantly shock you when youfind a more suitable racquet.
open mind 02
Organize racquets before startingthe demo process in such a waythat makes sense to you. Oneexample: separate racquets by purpose. For instance, categorizeracquets based on whetherthey’re designed to create morespin, power, control, etc. Fromthat point, if you still feel the needto narrow each group further,break the groups into weight,head size and balance weight.You’ll eventually find your favoriteracquet in the categories of spin,power and control. Proceed to testand compare until you’re satisfied.
organize03
If a racquet doesn’t feelright or gives you painwhen you swing, recognizethe signs and move to testanother racquet. On theflip side, if a racquet feelsperfect from the momentyou swing, don’t over ana-lyze the reasoning. Trustyour gut-feel. You neednot fully understand whythe racquet feels wonder-ful, just be thankful youfound a perfect match.
instinct04
Let’s say you’re physically strongand generate your own power andpace, and you want a racquet thatoffers more control. If that werethe case, your player profile alignswell with the racquet of RogerFederer. However, that doesn’tnecessarily mean you shoulddump your 105 sq inch racquethead and use Roger’s 90 sq inchracquet head. Consider makingchanges in your racquet incre-mentally. Using a racquet that’sdeveloped for a more advancedplayer may thwart your learningcurve. Bottom line: be realisticwith your skill, and be patient.
be realistic05
Regardless of whether you’re abeginner or advanced player, asking your favorite club teach-ing pro to assist with racquettesting should expedite theprocess and help you under-stand the selection processmore clearly.
ONLY $6.95 PER RACQUET(INCLUDES SHIPPING BOTH WAYS)
EXO3 L INE
YOUTEK L INE GT L INE
BLX L INE
EHT
QCARTSEB
2ROFSTEUQ
HERAO1O2
.EREH
ECNIRP
ENIL3OXE
NOSLIW
ENILXLB
AEHILKETUOY
DENI
ATLOBABENILTG
22 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Racquet2010 | Anatomy
Head-light racquets tend to be used by professionals and seasoned tennisplayers because it provides bettermaneuverability and control. In theory,head-heavy racquets generally offermore power and are preferred by lessexperienced players and/or playerswho can’t generate their own power.
Head Balance
An open string pattern (16 x 18 ismore open than 18 x 20) providesgreater rebound affect, thereforemore power and spin potential.Strings tend to wear more quicklywith the open string pattern, lead-ing to breakage. Players who wantmore control tend to favor adenser closed string pattern.
String Pattern
In general, large headed racquets pro-vide more power, while small headedracquets provide more control. Headsize is measured in square inches:Midsize racquets (85-95 sq in) areoften used by seasoned players whocreate their own power and prefer aracquet that offers more control andstability; midplus (95-105 sq in) offersa balance of power and control and isoften the choice of intermediate-advanced players; oversized racquets(105-130 sq in) are often used bybeginners who benefit from a larger,more forgiving sweet spot.
Head Size
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 23
The standard grip size rangesfrom 4 to 4-5/8 inches. To deter-mine the size most suitable foryou, hold the racquet in onehand and slide your index fingerof the other hand between thetops of your fingers and the baseof your palm. Generally, if theindex finger fits snug, you havethe correct grip size. Some play-ers use a smaller grip size toincrease maneuverability andthe ability to generate spin.
Grip
Length A 27-29 inch racquet is the legal limit for tourna-ment play. The standard length is 27 inches andis used by most recreational players and pros.Although long racquets tend to compromisemaneuverability, Venus and Serena Williams,Andy Roddick, Fernando Gonzalez and MarionBartoli choose a long stick, offering them greaterleverage and power.
Weight The traditional racquet weightis 11-13 ounces. Heavy racquetsoffer greater stability, absorbmore shock with each ballstrike, and are preferred overlighter racquets for preventingor reducing elbow pain. Lighterracquets are more manuerver-able and allow the player toswing through faster.
A wider beam providesmore power by enhancingthe trampoline effect of thestrings, but it will reducethe amount of control overthe ball.
Beam Width
24 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Racquet2010 | Play Like A Pro
*The specifications of the actual racquet used by touring pros may vary slightly from what is sold to the general consumer.
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 25
DO YOU STRIVE TO OWN A POWERFUL serve as Andy Roddick and Serena Williams? Or
dream of hitting with great control as Roger Federer? Or maybe you yearn to hit flat, hard
balls as Robin Soderling? Whomever you admire, recognize their greatest asset: their racquet.
Analyze some of the tours most accomplished players and you will notice a correlation
between their hitting style and racquet choice. For instance, Andy Roddick and Serena
Williams swing a racquet that’s slightly longer than standard, which adds leverage and power
to their strokes; Roger Federer’s racquet head is noticeably small, allowing for optimum
control; and Robin Soderling chooses a stick with a closed string pattern that reduces spin.
While racquet spec variances may appear insignificant, it’s often the minute differences
that lead to profound results on the court. What touring pro do you wish to emulate? What
hitting style do you want to develop? Check the new models on the market this season to
find a great racquet. Following are a few to whet your appetite.
Weapon of Choice: Babolat AeroStorm TourNotes: Dinara has earned 10 million dollars in prize money throughouther career, and she achieved it while swinging a Babolat racquet. She
climbed to world No. 1 on April 9, 2009 and currently is No. 2.
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 98 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 16 x 20Unstrung Weight: 11.3 ozHead Balance: 6 pts HLBeam width: 21/19 mm
MSRP: $185
Style: All courtStrengths: Impeccable stroke mechanics;unpredictable shot selection; footwork;confidence; court intelligence.Recent Improvements: Inside-out drop shot;better returns to his backhand.
ROGER FEDERER
Weapon of Choice: WILSON SIX.ONE TOUR BLX Notes: Federer uses Wilson’s new BLX line, racquet technology engi-neered with Basalt fibers. “I know Wilson will always provide me withthe best racquet for my game with the latest technology. Thischange will provide me with the added feel and performance I want
to further enhance my game in 2010 and beyond,” said the Swiss.
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 90 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 16 x 19Unstrung Weight: 12.5 ozHead Balance: 9 pts HLBeam width: 17 mm
MSRP: $230
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 27
Style: Doubles specialists.Strengths: Net play; communication;tactically sound; court intelligence.
BOB & MIKE BRYAN
Weapon of Choice: Prince EXO3 Ignite Team 95 Notes: The ATP doubles champions finished 2009 ranked WorldNo. 1, the fifth time in seven years and matching Woodbridge-
Woodforde for the most year-end No. 1 finishes with five.
Weapon of Choice: HEAD YOUTEK Prestige MPNotes: Soderling swings a racquet with HEAD’s newest technologyYOUTEK. Upon high speed impacts the d3o molecules stiffen allowingfor more power and upon slow speed impacts (slices or drop shots)the d3o stays in its relaxed state allowing for better feel. Gilles Simon
and Tommy Haas use the YOUTEK Prestige MP, as well.
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 95 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 16 x 18Unstrung Weight: 10.4 ozHead Balance: 6 pts HLBeam width: 22 mm
MSRP: $200
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 98 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 18 x 20Unstrung Weight: 11.3 ozHead Balance: 7 pts HLBeam width: 21 mm
MSRP: $225
28 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Racquet2010 | Play Like A Pro
Style: BaselinerStrengths: Fastest recorded serve on the ATP at155 mph; powerful forehand; competitive spirit.Recent Improvements: Drop shot; net play;increased fitness; a variety of backhand strokesincluding down the line, volley and slice.
ANDY RODDICK
Weapon of Choice: Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GTNotes: The American tennis star began swinging Babolat racquets in 1999, thenturned pro a year later in 2000. Today, Roddick’s racquet is slightly longer than thestandard 27” length, providing him with extra leverage and power on ground strokes
and serve. Andy applies lead tape to the head for additional weight.
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 100 sq inLength: 27.5 inString Pattern: 16 x 19Unstrung Weight: 11.1 ozHead Balance: 9 pts HLBeam width: 22/26/23 mm
MSRP: $189
Style: BaselinerStrengths: Powerful backhand and fore-hand; fast and accurate serve; aggressivereturn serve; swinging volley; intimidation.Recent Improvements: Net play; additionalpower; heightened intimidation.
SERENA WILLIAMS
Weapon of Choice: Wilson K Blade Team Notes: Serena, and her sister Venus, swing the Wilson KBlade Team, a racquet that has a relatively large head sizefor a Tour player. The 104 square inches offers a generoussweet spot, and a combination of power and control. Theslightly longer racquet length provides additional power onground strokes and serve – Serena’s fastest serve was
recorded at 128 mph, the second fastest on the WTA Tour.
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 104 sq inLength: 27.25 inString Pattern: 18 x 19Unstrung Weight: 10.2 ozHead Balance: 4 pts HLBeam width: 22 mm
MSRP: $230
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 29
Style: BaselinerStrengths: Forehand; serve.
TOMAS BERDYCH
Weapon of Choice: Dunlop Aerogel 4D 2Hundred Notes: Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic, is ranked No. 2 in his country,second to Radek Stepanek. Standing six-feet-five inches, the baselinerhas recorder match wins against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal while
they were ranked No. 1 and No. 2.
Style: BaselinerStrengths: Powerful and deep strokes fromboth wings; swinging volley; intimidation; focusand determination.Recent Improvements: A service motion reducingshoulder stress.
MARIA SHARAPOVA
Weapon of Choice: PRINCE EXO3 BLACK 100 Notes:Maria Sharapova says that the new Prince EXO3 Black 100 wasdesigned with her shoulder in mind. The racquet provides comfort,without compromising power, during her service motion. Maria says,
“it’s the best racquet I’ve ever swung.”
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 95 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 18 x 20Unstrung Weight: 11.4 ozHead Balance: 7 pts HLBeam width: 20 mm
MSRP: $179
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 100 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 16 x 19Unstrung Weight: 10.8 ozHead Balance: 7 pts HLBeam width: 23/24/22 mm
MSRP: $220
30 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Racquet2010 | Play Like A Pro
Style: BaselinerStrengths: Top-spin ground strokes; forehand;determination; sportsmanship; match endurance.Recent Improvements: Net play; controlled physi-cal exertion; stroke variety.
RAFAEL NADAL
Weapon of Choice: Babolat AeroPro Drive CortexNotes: Rafa has swung Babolat since he was 8 years old and remembershis first racquet, a Pure Drive. The former world No. 1 currently swings theAeroPro Drive Cortex, which allows him to hit with greater pace and spin
while not compromising control.
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 100 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 16 x 19Unstrung Weight: 10.6 ozHead Balance: 5 pts HLBeam width: 23/26 mm
MSRP: $189
Style: All CourtStrengths: Speed; impeccable strokemechanics; court intelligence; footwork;consistent results.
Nikolay Davydenko
Weapon of Choice: Prince Ozone Tour MP Notes: Nikolay Davydenko has finished each year ranked inthe top 6 since 2006. At 5-feet 10-inches and 154 pounds,he is the smallest player in the Top 15. The Russian compen-sates for his stature with his speed, determination, and
court intelligence.
RacquetSpecifications
Head Size: 100 sq inLength: 27 inString Pattern: 18 x 20Unstrung Weight: 12.2 ozHead Balance: 6 pts HLBeam width: 18/20/18 mm
Tickets range from $15 - $35, and they won’t last long. Order yours today at www.ticketmaster.com!
Join us for this unforgettable tennis exhibition!Stadium court will rock like never before thanks to these amazing tennis legends, live music from the Blue Dogs,
and an energetic crowd! It promises to be a true celebration of our 10th tournament in Charleston.
32 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as the saying goes. So when
Maria Sharapova didn’t compete for nearly a year, fans missed her –
her six feet two inch modelesque presence, her flashy dresses, and
her competitive spirit. Even her grunt was missed. So screech to your
heart’s content, Maria, what was once considered distracting, is
music to our ears.
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 33
Music to our ears
>>
BY TERESA THOMPSON
34 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
1. Shrugs a big loss. “You have to get on with your life. You
know, there are many worse situations. There are people that
don't even know what a tennis match is in the world,” she said
after losing in the first round of the 2010 Australian Open.
2. Uses few words. “I love to compete. It drives me everyday.”
3. Matter-of-factly disagrees. “Actually, I thought I served
pretty big,” she said, when questioned about an 11 double
fault match.
Explaining the details of defeat to the press can be
agonizing – and annoying – to athletes. So when Maria was
offered a chance to answer questions about the positive
points in her life, she welcomed the opportunity. And she has
plenty of encouraging news to share: her shoulder feels fine
following last year’s surgery, and she signed a 70-million
dollar deal with Nike. But if you want to see Maria beam
with joy, ask her about her new relationship – with a racquet!
Here, the Russian explains the process of finding the perfect
partner in equipment.
FACING A ROOM OF INQUIRINGREPORTERS, MARIA SHARAPOVA:
Maria on facing Justine Henin andKim Clijsters: I think it’s great to haveKim and Justine back on tour, women’s
tennis missed them. I love playingagainst the best, and I’m excited tocompete against them real soon.
Getty Images
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 35
Every player, from recreational to touring pro,dreams of finding that one perfect racquet.How did you find yours? I’ve been with Prince since I was 9 years old. Notonly do I have a very special relationship with them so does my Team. Whenever I’m looking toadd something new to my game and my fatherand coach think the racquet can help, they speakwith Prince engineers. Their development team is amazing; they know my game and help me push to the next level. To be 100 percent honest, I try not to get very involved in the racquet selectionprocess. I leave this up to my Team – they knowwhat I need.
Was it love at first swing?When I play test, I like the racquet to feel goodfrom the moment I pick it up. I can tell with thefirst few swings if it has a chance. I was trying several frames when I first picked up the new EXO3 Black and I knew it was right on the very first ball. This is hands down the best racquet Ihave ever used.
The differences between racquets appearvery small – one might be head balanced one-point heavier, another one has a beamwidth a fraction of a milimeter smaller. Doyou notice these differences when you demo?Yeah, I do. The changes may be hard to describe,but I know them when I swing the racquet. TheEXO3 feels similar to the past EXO3 SpeedportBlack, but with something extra.
Finding the Perfect Partner
>>
•••
36 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Maria Sharpova’s love of tennis was tested whenshe took a break from competition to rehabilitateher shoulder. During the 9-month interruption in2009, Maria developed a new skill – patience.Prior to surgery, patience wasn’t necessary for theshooting star who achieved success seeminglyeasy. At 14, she was the youngest female to reachthe final of the Junior Australian Open; she wonher first Grand Slam, Wimbledon 2004, at 17; andtitles at the 2006 US Open and 2008 AustralianOpen followed.
Maria returned to the Tour in May 2009, rankedoutside of the top 100. She grinded throughmatches and ended the year ranked in the Top20. Despite the sound comeback, her game – herserve, in particular – was not in perfect form atthe Australian Open. Her service motion hadglitches and cost her important points, contribut-ing to a loss in the first round to Maria Kirilenko.Sharapova says that “there's still a lot toimprove” and that she doesn’t blame her servefor lost matches. She’s happy with her progressand will work to improve on consistency.
“You know, it’s just a bad day. A bad day's notgoing to stop me from doing what I love. I'm stillgonna go back on the court and work hard andperform. I'll be back here on a Saturday of thesecond week, so you'll watch.”
Patience.A l e a r n e d s k i l l .
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 37
MARIA’S 2010 GOALS:My main goal is to
stay healthy.
You connected with your racquet rather suddenly. Since technology is constantlyevolving, isn’t it possible that today’s perfectpartner in equipment may be out-dated andreplaced as early as next year?I remember when I was younger playing with theThunder Light, then the Hornet, and then with O-Technology. You know, they all felt right in myhand at the time… until Prince delivered the nextgreat racquet advancement. They’ve done a greatjob putting the best technology in my hands atevery stage of my career. I don’t know what they’lldevelop next year, but right now my racquet feelsperfect in my hand, and that’s what counts.
Is it true that your racquet actually helps yourshoulder injury?Yeah, I feel like Prince really built this EXO3
Speedport Black with my shoulder in mind. I want-ed the same power that I always got, but I neededmore comfort and control. It’s the most comfort-able racquet I’ve ever used, and I actually even getmore power with this racquet, too.
Okay, for all of us recreational players whotest racquets without the help of a coach anddevelopment team, what advice can you offerto help streamline our selection process?I think a recreational player should play test racquets with a teaching pro – maybe take a lesson while you try the racquets. The teaching pro can help find you the best racquet.
And, lastly, would you describe the relation-ship with your racquet purely physical, or doyou ever talk to it before, during, or after aperformance?No, I can’t say I talk to my racquet – but, I also cansay that I never throw my racquets either!
Getty Images
continued...
T
38 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
t e a m justineAs Justine Henin and HER team embark on a sec-ond career, they approach competition with a
mature twist: an emphasis on effort,not results.
Leslie Billman
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 39
t e a m justine
40 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
t e a m justine
Leslie Billman
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 41
t e a m justine
When Justine Henin realizedthat she wanted to return to thepro circuit, she made it clear toher long-time coach and mentor,Carlos Rodriguez, that shewouldn’t do it alone. “She told me that the only way she could
go back on the tour would be if I joined her,”says Rodriguez. “I never imagined thatJustine would say it’s time to come back. Iwas really surprised, I promise you. It wasvery strange.” Justine’s competitive fire started burning
after watching Roger Federer win the title atRoland Garros last year. The French Openvictory was his first in Paris, a feat that com-pleted a Grand Slam. Henin’s situation issimilar to Federers, but it’s a Wimbledontitle that’s missing from her resume. Hermain purpose for returning to competition,she says, is to win in England. When sheinformed Carlos of her desire he reacted withmixed emotions.“I was excited in the beginning, but when
the excitement wore off I saw all of the workthat had to be done and the sacrifices Iwould have to make to go back on tour. Itwould entail finding life-balance again withmy wife and children.”Henin convinced Rodriguez that she had
renewed motivation and that returning tocompetition would be worth his time.“I told her that I don’t have a problem com-
mitting one-hundred percent as a coach ifshe’s willing to commit one-hundred percentas a tennis player. I didn’t want us to onlygive fifty percent. We had to do it right.” Rodriguez is making adjustments to
Justine’s style and teaching a differentapproach to the game. Although Henin wasranked No. 1 in the world when she retiredin May 2008, he says that the field of topten women is stronger today than two yearsago. He wants Justine, 27, to preserve her
body by keeping points shorter, so he’sinstructing her to play aggressively and dic-tate the offense. After 14 years as Justine’scoach, Rodriguez says she trusts his vision. “I try things she’d never imagine, difficult
situations that aren’t easy and that requireadaptations. We keep things fresh by findingways to evolve as a player, a coach, and as ateam. We’re always growing and looking todo things differently and to continue toenjoy the process.”Rodriguez’s role as a coach has changed
dramatically to include teaching Justine les-sons that she can use off of the court, too.He says it’s not known how long they willtour this time around, but that he will culti-vate Justine’s growth as a player and as aperson for the duration.
Building Blocks
After Rodriguez committed to coachHenin, the duo worked to assemble a team.To help prepare Justine for competition,they turned to one of their favorite hittingpartners: Florida-based, high performanceteaching pro, DeVante Lindsey. Henin’sdesire to return to competition caughtRodriguez offguard but Lindsey, on theother hand, says Justine’s comback wasinevitable.
DeVante Lindsey
>>
42 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
st e a m justine
“I think Justine can reclaim the No. 1ranking and add to her collection of Slams.I’m excited to help her reach her goals in anyway that I can.”Henin, Rodriguez and Lindsey recently
reunited at the Sixth Sense Tennis Academy,located at Mission Inn Resort and Club nearOrlando, Florida. Lindsey and Heninexchanged ground strokes while Rodriguezstood courtside and provided Henin withinstruction between points. Lindsey saysthat a typical day as Henin’s hitting partner
included two hours of general drills in themorning, two hours of point-oriented drillsin the afternoon, and an occasional practiceset to end the day. “Our matches are usually close, but I tend
to come out on the winning side. I thinkJustine may have won twice in the four yearswe’ve worked together. But this is what theywant – they want tough practice matches. IfJustine were beating me all of the time thenI’d start to worry that I’m not doing my job.”
Henin stands nearly 5 feet 6 inches andweighs 130 pounds, four inches shorter andten pounds lighter than the average top ten ranked WTA player. Employing Lindseyprovides Henin realistic match play – he’s 6 feet one inch, weighs 180 pounds, andoffers a variety of serves up to 120 miles per hour. Lindsey says that one elementHenin is working to polish is her openstance forehand. He says if she were torefine that stroke it would help her battlethe tour goliaths.“Modern tennis has a great emphasis on
power. If Justine can improve her openstance forehand she’ll generate more powerand pace to her strokes and be a greaterthreat on tour. Justine is a perfectionist –she’ll put in the work to get the desiredresults,” says Lindsey.Justine’s team is committed to training
and preparing the former world No. 1 for a rewarding comeback. Their ultimate victory is a win at Wimbledon, but howeverimportant the title, Rodriguez says compe-tition is unpredictable, so he puts greateremphasis on Henin’s effort rather than her results. “I can’t predict the future to know what’s
going to happen or how well she’ll do,” saysRodriguez, “but I will tell you that her effort and determination will be extraordi-nary. I expect something special fromJustine.” – Teresa Thompson
“ “Justine is aperfectionist–she’ll put in the work toget the desired results.-Lindsey
T
Leslie Billman
s
44 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 45
a f u t u r e i n d o u b t
S c o t l a n d
While America sees an increase in tennis participation, other coun-tries aren’t as fortunate. Paul Allam, a native Scot and tennis coachliving in the United States, says Scotland tennis is in trouble.
“Tennis only ranks 17 in terms of participation and popularity inScotland. We have about 30,000 registered tennis members of clubs,which include adults and juniors. Only one-percent of the five mil-lion people play tennis. As a very patriotic Scot, I feel helpless aboutthe current issues hindering the development of tennis in Scotland,”says Allam. He adds that the time to push for change is now, consid-ering Andy Murray’s success is spiking interest nationwide.
>>
46 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Tennis View: Why is tennis strugglingin Scotland?Paul Allam: For starters, the inclementweather and lack of courts make itimpossible to promote tennis as a yearround sport. There are 6 indoor tenniscenters in Scotland available to the pub-lic, which equates to 32 courts. There’sanother 57 indoor courts at commercialclubs. If we are to grow the game weneed more outdoor courts in parks andschools, but we also need indoor courtsin all of the big towns.
Has Andy Murray’s success raised theawareness of tennis in Scotland?Yes, a huge amount. He’s one of theworld’s best players and he’s constantlyon television and in the press. Andyappeals to the kids because he’s still veryyoung himself. There will never be a bet-ter time for the country to capitalize onthis opportunity to promote the sportthan right now.
Is Tennis Scotland (the governingbody) jumping on this opportunity?Unfortunately, this is a very amateurorganization. Despite having about 12 fulltime staff, it doesn’t appear to havestrong leadership or a sense of direction.Consequently, minimal progress has beenmade in the past three or four years.
When Tennis Scotland recognizes agifted junior is it able to provide ade-quate coaching?We have a few dedicated high perform-ance level coaches, but the level of coach-ing is generally mediocre. Many clubsdon’t have coaches because they areunable to offer full-time work due to thelack of indoor courts. And many coacheswork in isolation and struggle to improvetheir levels. They often get disillusionedwith the lack of support.
Andy moved to Spain when he was 15to train at Sanchez Academy. Was hismove necessary for success?Yes, to continue to improve he needed acompetitive environment with qualitysparring partners and like-minded, dedi-cated players. He needed to be a smallfish in a big pond. In Britain it’s too easyto be a big fish in a small pond, which can lead to negativity and defensive attitudes in many players.
Spain also has better weather to playoutdoors year round – and has anabundance of clay courts?Moving to Spain allowed Andy to betterprepare for the men’s circuit. Because ofScotland’s weather, training was almostentirely indoors. And currently, there’s oneclay court venue in Scotland, located atthe Craiglockhart Tennis Centre inEdinburgh. This club has eight clay courts.Our kids play on artificial grass which isone of the worst training surfaces avail-able but is probably the best surface forour small clubs as you can play throughthe rain.
Do most elite juniors follow in Andy’sfootsteps and leave Scotland?Yes, the good ones tend to move toEngland or overseas. Our talent pool ispretty limited due to the small number ofyoungsters playing the game. While oursystem works pretty well with a few kidsaged 8 –14, due to our inferior trainingenvironment we’re not able to take themto the next level.
Who – Tennis Scotland or the family – ultimately funds the move and training?More often than not, it doesn’t happen.Scotland does not exist as a nation intennis terms so Tennis Scotland’s activityrelies on its funds from the LTA (the governing body of tennis in Great Britain)and Sportscotland but doesn’t have a big enough budget to support the training nor does the family.Unfortunately, it can be a waste of good talent.
How can Scotland cater to theyounger generation and grow tennis?It’s vital for Tennis Scotland to develop aclearly defined plan to build more indoorcourts, school courts, park courts andensure better quality outdoor courts atclubs, including relevant player develop-ment surfaces like decoturf and clay. Andwe need a full-time center to train playersand develop coaches.
Will Tennis Scotland implementthese changes? Currently, they don’t have a proposal.There’s an urgent need for a strong, ambi-tious leader who knows the game andwho can devise a five to ten year strategyand ensure it’s carried through. We have achance to build tennis into a major sportand provide opportunities for our youth tofollow in Andy Murray’s footsteps and beour next generation of world class tennisplayers. We must ensure that chance isnot missed.
q+a
Many clubs don’t have coaches because they are unable to offerfull-time work due to the lack ofindoor courts.
T
THERIGHTCALLA TENNIS VIEW GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONAny celebration is the perfect time to give Tennis View magazine subscriptions and past issues. Birthdays, holidays, team captainrecognition, a big win, a disappointing loss. You name it, if the person enjoys tennis, then Tennis View is sure to be a winner!
Subscriptions
1 year $16.992 year $25.99
Past Issues $8.99per issue includes S/H(Deliveries within the US. While supplies last)
USPS: TAZ Publications LLC, PO Box 7282, Seminole, FL 33775
1 2 3 4
Canadian and Foreign orders extra. Log onto www.tennisviewmag.com for details. Tennis View publishes quarterly.
Spring 2008 Fall 2008
Winter 2008 Spring 2009
Summer 2009 Fall 2009
Winter 2009 Spring 2010
accomplishmentsSerena Williams
Age: 28Singles: 12
Doubles: 11Mixed Doubles: 2
Notes: She ties Billie Jean King forsixth place on the career list for
Grand Slam single's titles. MargaretCourt’s record stands at 24.
48 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
SERENA WILLIAMS dominates the WTA Tour with power. At will sherips forehands, backhands, overhead smashes, and swinging volleys. But,according to those who know her game best, circuit rivals, Serena deliversher most fierce stroke standing behind the baseline when she is serving.“She's a strong girl. She has very powerful shots. You don't see many
girls serving 200 kilometers [125 miles per hour] in the third set,” saidVictoria Azarenka, after a third-set loss to the World No. 1 at theAustralian Open.“When Serena wants to win a point, she just hits an ace... I think I have
to practice much, much more on my serve,” said Li Na of China.Veteran Sam Stosur is impressed with Serena’s powerful serve and vari-
ety. “When she's on, she's able to hit it within ten centimeters of whateverline she wants. When she's got that trajectory and it’s so close to the lines,it's not easy to return… I can't see too many players being able to stop her.”
SERENASUPREME
A SERVING SENSATION ALTERS THE LANDSCAPE OF THE WOMEN’S PRO CIRCUIT.
BY SCOTT MITCHELL USPTA P1
>>
Reuters/Landov
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 49
50 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
At the Australian Open, Serena Williams used her wideslice serve into the deuce court to open the court andreceived easy points with aces up the middle. The newfive-time Australian Open champion predominatelyuses a continental grip while serving, and you should,as well. This grip style allows her to add spin to herserves, which adds more control to her stroke. Whenattempting to hit more of a flat serve, she sometimesadjusts her grip between eastern and continental. As arecreational player, if you have not used the continen-tal grip, it could [and often] take you time to perfect,but it is well worth the early frustrations.
CONTINENTALGRIP
As Serena takes back her racquet and tosses the ball she bends her knees deep to help propel her body intothe ball. For advanced players, this is an important linkto the kinetic chain of the entire service motion.Recreational players should not attempt to bend theknees before or during the tossing motion. The kneebend takes place once the tossing arm is fully extendedand the ball is reaching its apex. At this point, bend theknees and push upward and forward to meet the ballhigher above the ground. As you begin to add the kneebend, toss the ball slightly higher than usual and morein front of the body towards the net.
BALLTOSS
1. FEARLESS.Serena isn’t afraid to go for a big servewhen needed. When she was down twobreak points in the third set of theAustralian Open final she served her wayout of trouble and put the balance ofmomentum back in her court. Serving forthe match against Justine Henin, she hadconfidence in her serving target and thecourage to swing at full speed. “It was definitely a tough match mentally andphysically. I felt like we both were out theretrying to kind of prove something. I thinkwe both did at the end of the day,” saidSerena after her victory.
2. IMPOSING DISPOSITION.Opponents feel Serena’s determinationand her attitude and body language senda strong message to her opponent. Forinstance, Victoria Azarenka met Serena inthe quarterfinals where Azarenka wonthe first set 6-4 and then had a strong 4-0 lead in the second. Azarenka ulti-mately let the match slip away. Azarenkawas asked if she was surprised thatSerena came back from behind to win thematch. “Not really. I know she's gonnafight until the last point. She started play-ing unbelievable, I think, from 4 Love inthe second set. ”
3. PATTERN OF SUCCESS.Serena has proven over time that she canwin when a match turns challenging.Serena hasn’t lost a match when she takesa first set lead. That 40-0 record turns intoa “Monster in the Mind” of her opponents.After winning the first set against JustineHenin in the Australian Open final, Serenalost the second set, but entered the thirdset with a successful frame-of-mind. “I justdefinitely stayed positive. I had so manychances in the second that I didn't capital-ize on. So in the third, I knew I would havechances again just to capitalize on that onechance in that one moment,” said Serena.The greatest champions hate to lose morethan they enjoy winning.
The serve is arguably the most important stroke in the game and Serenaholds the record for the fastest in the businesses, 128 miles per hour.She uses it to not only put the ball into play, but to dictate play. Sheforces the receiver to either return from their weak side or move theopponent out of position. As Serena has proven, owning a strong servecan be the foundation for winning in tennis. The serve is as important to the recreational player’s game as it is to
the pros. If you want to build a stronger foundation to your game thatresults in more match victories, then emulate the best in women’s tennis – Serena. Here are key elements to get you started.
3 points ofacknowledgement
BYKEN DEHART USPTA MASTER PRO
>>
BETWEEN THE EARS
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 51
Reuters/Landov
52 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
An important characteristic of all greatservers is that they fully extend up and outto reach the ball at contact. With all thelinks to our chain intact, Serena propelsherself up and out towards the ball and her target. She completely extends and allowsfor maximum power and control for one ofthe all time great servers.
REACH UPAND OUT
FOLLOWTHROUGH
Lastly, we should consider the followthrough. With an abundance of energy andpower in her serve, Serena completes theswing with a follow through that contin-ues across her body. The follow throughallows the racquet to travel at a high rateof speed up and into the ball andTHROUGH the point of contact. The rac-quet head does not slow after the point ofcontact. Many recreational players, in com-parison, tend to decelerate after ball con-tact. A racquet that travels at a high rateof speed from start to finish will havemore control and velocity than the onethat slows following the point of contact.
As Serena rotates her shoulders and tosses theball her tossing arm is fully extended towardsthe ball above her head. This is important andis an element of the serve that all great play-ers possess. Most recreational players don’textend the tossing arm upward enough andthe result is an inconsistent toss.
TOSSING ARM
The next element is common place with pros:the racquet arm lags behind the tossing arm. Itis still very much a fluid motion but the racquetlags just enough to keep the momentum con-tinuous without slowing the racquet or hitchingthe swing. The racquet arm is also loose as itswings up and out towards the ball. It is freelyswinging through the swing path as opposed to“musceling” the ball and forcing power. Thesmooth, relaxed swing allows the power tobuild and provides a much more forceful serve.The racquet lag, although an advanced motionand challenging for some players, is a beneficialmotion when performed correctly.
RACQUET LAG
The next key element of her serve is her shoulderrotation. Serena has a great shoulder turn that“corks” her upper body to allow for a greater rota-tion up and into the ball. Accomplish this by keep-ing your racquet close to your body in the racquettakeback, or backswing. As the racquet travelsbackwards rotate from your core, which forces thebig shoulder rotation and the storing of energy.
SHOULDERROTATION
T
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 53
Reuters/Landov
54 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
A P R I L 1 0 - 1 8 , 2 0 1 0
+++
Jennifer Capriati (USA)Jennifer reachedher first FamilyCircle Cup final in1990 against ten-nis legend MartinaNavratilova. Shelost that match 6-2, 6-4, but setnumerous tourna-ment records thatstill stand todayincluding youngestfinalist (14 years, 9 days). Elevenyears later, shereached her sec-ond Family CircleCup final when shemet MartinaHingis. Stretchedto three sets,Jennifer prevailed6-0, 4-6, 6-4.
+++Iva Majoli (CRO)Two unseededplayers met in thefinal, marking thefirst time in the history of the WTATour that a Tier Ifinal was decidedbetween twounseeded players.Iva Majoli, rankedNo. 58 in the world,edged PattySchnyder 7-6(5),6-4 and becamethe first unseededplayer to win theFamily Circle Cup singles championship.
+++Justine Henin (BEL)Justine’s 2003 victory over worldNo. 1 SerenaWilliams shockedthe sports worldand was the startof a year thatwould bringJustine to the topin women’s tennis.
+++Venus Williams (USA)When Venus wonthe 2004 FamilyCircle Cup title,she ended a 14-month titledrought andclaimed her 30thcareer SonyEricsson WTA tourtitle. When shedefeated two-time championConchita Martinezin the finals (2-6,6-2, 6-1), shebecame one ofonly four womento have won theFamily Circle Cupin her debutappearance.
01 02 03 04
PASTCHARLESTON
WINNERS
THE fAMILY CIRCLE CUP
TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE | FAMILY CIRCLE CUP
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 55
Tenth Yea r Ann ive r s a r y
A P R I L 1 0 - 1 8 , 2 0 1 0
Celebrating its tenth year in Charleston, South Carolina, the Family Circle Cup Sony Ericsson
WTA Tour event prepares an extrarodinary 2010 festival. Visitors will witness some of the
tours finest players, including Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki,
Victoria Azarenka, and Melanie Oudin, vie for the title and a chance to make history. Nine
days of competition combined with off-court entertainment make Daniel Island a premiere
destination April 10-18.
+++Justine Henin (BEL)In capturing the2005 Family Circle Cup title(defeating ElenaDementieva 7-5, 6-4 in thefinal), Heninbecame the fourthlowest-ranked TierI winner at No. 43.She followed her2005 Charlestonwin with a perfectclay court seasonincluding victoriesat Warsaw, Berlin,and Roland Garros.
+++
Nadia Petrova (RUS)Nadia experi-enced her firstTier I victorywhen she beatPatty Schnyderin three sets andcollected$196,900, thelargest purse inthe history of theevent. Thechampionshipmarked Nadia’sthird SonyEricsson WTATour singles titleof 2006, and hersecond consecu-tive clay courttournament win,completing asweep of theAmerican claycourt series.
+++
Jelena Jankovic (SRB)Jelena’s semifinalmatch againstVenus Williams, infront of the secondlargest crowd inFamily Circle Cuphistory, was one ofthe highest qualityFCC matches. TheTier I Family CircleCup championshipvictory notched thethird and mostimpressive Tourtitle of Jankovic’scareer. Followingthis win she rosefrom World No. 9 toa new career highof World No. 7 androde this winningstreak to a careerhigh of World No. 3later in the year.
+++
Serena Williams (USA)Serena Williamscaptured the 35thAnniversary FamilyCircle Cup title,defeating VeraZvonareva in threedramatic sets. En route to this his-toric final, Serenafaced her toughesttest of the tourna-ment when shemet MariaSharapova in theQuarterfinals.Charleston’s dailypaper, the Post &Courier, dubbed the match:"Charleston'sEvent of theDecade - the singlegreatest sportingevent in Charlestonhistory."
+++
Sabine Lisicki (GER)Before 2009 thelowest-rankedplayer to win theFamily Circle Cupwas Iva Majoli in2002 at No. 58. So at No.63, Lisickiwasn't expectedto outlast thestars. Then shebeat Venus. Lisicki,19, matched theAmerican’s serveand groundstroketo pull off herbiggest career win,6-4 7-6(5). In thefinal, Lisicki metCaroline Wozniackiand edged theDane 6-2, 6-4. This win markedLisicki’s first WTAcareer title.
05 06 07 08 09
>>
56 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
StarsF E A T U R E D T E N N I S
Bringing beauty and backhands to the stadiumis Anna Kournikova, who, at 14, became theyoungest player to win a Fed Cup match. In 1997,The Russian became the second woman in theOpen era, after Chris Evert, to reach theWimbledon semifinals in her career debut. Shewould ultimately reach a career high ranking No.8 in singles and No. 1 in doubles. Anna notched a5-4 record at the Family Circle Cup, reaching thefinals opposite 1999 champion Martina Hingis.When the 28-year-old Miami resident isn’t play-ing tennis exhibitions, she enjoys modeling andcharity work.
TENNIS. AMPLIFIED.
Anna Kournikova
For tickets or more info, call 800.677.2293or visit familycirclecup.com.
+++
TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE | FAMILY CIRCLE CUP
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 57
In celebration of the Family Circle Cup’s tenth year in Charleston, a session has been added
Saturday night, April 17. Game, Set, Rock! Tennis. Amplified will showcase John McEnroe,
Jim Courier, Anna Kournikova, along with a guest tennis star, competing in singles and
mixed doubles exhibitions. Spectators will enjoy the sounds of Charleston’s favorite coun-
try and bluegrass group, The Blue Dogs, entertaining throughout the event.
John McEnroe burst onto the international tennis scene prior tobecoming a student at Stanford University. In 1977, he reached theWimbledon semifinals and then turned pro the following yearafter just one year in college. McEnroe played on U.S. Davis Cupteams a record 13 years, contributing to five cup titles (1978, ‘79,‘81, ‘82, ‘92); he finished four consecutive years as the No. 1 playerin the world (1981-84), becoming the youngest man to achievethe top ranking. The American lefty notched 155 career titles (77singles, 78 doubles) and won 17 Grand Slam titles (seven singles,10 doubles). Since 2005, McEnroe has enjoyed great successful onthe Outback Champions Series. He is one of the most recognizabletennis stars of the Open era, appreciated not only for his tennistalents, but for his entertainment value.
Jim Courier dominated the men’s professional tenniscircuit in the early 1990s. Best known for his grit, deter-mination and a punishing inside-out forehand, Courierwas the first in his class of American champions, whichincludes Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, to hold theNo. 1 world ranking. He captured four Grand Slam titles– two in France, two in Australia and in 2005, theAmerican was inducted into the International TennisHall of Fame. Today, in addition to operating and com-peting on the Champions Series, the 39-year-oldchampion works as a TV commentator and enjoysmusic and golf.
JohnMcEnroe Jim Courier+++ +++
>>
58 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
+++Saturday I 10th Opening DayFeaturing a climbing wall, inflatable obstacle courses, music and more. Free for children under 12, adult price $10. Ticket allows unlimited access to all activities.
+++Tuesday I 13th The Post & Courier’s Girls Night OutThe coolest chicks in town gather for an evening of fun and tennis. Tickets for this promotion are half price for women.
+++Tuesday I 13th Winning in Double Luncheon (11am-12:30pm) Join Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles players. $45 ticket includes lunch, strategy presentation, Q&A, autograph session and more. Reservationsrequired.
+++Wednesday I 14thUSTA Member Appreciation Day (1:30-3pm)A private member reception in the Family CircleHospitality Tent. Members enjoy a $10 discount on allsession tickets Monday, April 12 - Wednesday, April 14.
+++Wednesday I 14th Mohawk Carpeting’s Family Night Kids 16 and younger enjoy free admission whenaccompanied by an adult (adult tickets $10 each).Special activities 4:00-7:00, followed by tennis.
+++Thursday I 15th Center for Women Luncheon (Noon-2pm) Spend a Day Session in the Family Circle Sky Suitewith a catered lunch. Enjoy a luncheon buffet, officialtournament program, and parking pass. $65Members/$75 Non-Members.
+++Friday & Saturday I 15th & 17thGreat American Bake SaleShare Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale®
presented by Domino® Sugar and C&H® mobilizesAmericans to end childhood hunger by holding bakesales in their communities.
+++Saturday I 17th (7pm)GAME, SET, ROCK! TENNIS. AMPLIFIED.John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Anna Kournikova, andanother guest tennis star will compete in singles andmixed doubles exhibitions, while Charleston’s favoritecountry and bluegrass group, The Blue Dogs, performlive on stage.
+++EVERYDAY:Match Point Market A unique shopping where fans break from on-courtaction to purchase jewelry, crafts, fine clothing, spaproducts, and other treasures.
+++EVERYDAY:Happy Hours & Night MatchesEnjoy daily drink specials and entertainment 5-7 pm at the Island House Bar on the Grand Lawn.
Family Circle CupApril 10-18, 2010
Location: Family Circle Tennis Center
161 Seven Farms DriveDaniel Island �
Charleston, SC �29492Team Packages:
800.677.2293www.familycirclecup.com
TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE | FAMILY CIRCLE CUP
T
EVENT CALENDAR+ON-SITE ACTIVITIES
Call 888.343.7922 or visit wilddunes.com to learn more about our special tennis offers.
Wild Dunes is consistently ranked as one of TENNIS Magazine’s top resorts.
Our stadium court, 17 Har-Tru courts and fi rst class instructors make
Wild Dunes the perfect choice for groups of any size, or for a rejuvenating
couples getaway. Our courts are paces away from the beach, and a short drive
from historic downtown Charleston.
when you’ve reached yours, it might be time to getaway to the beach.
60 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
STROKES & STRATEGY | MIXED DOUBLES
SINGLES AND DOUBLES TENNIS MAY BE THE MOST COMMON of the leagues, but mixeddoubles – where the team consists of a man and a woman – is perhaps the most unique. At the recreational level, players enjoy mixed doubles for the opportunity to compete andsocialize with the opposite sex. But considering that the pros don’t receive ranking pointsto play mixed, what would motivate them to participate? I asked three accomplished play-ers to shed light on the subject: Liezel Huber, Justin Gimelstob and Murphy Jensen.Liezel Huber is currently ranked No. 1 in women’s doubles with partner Cara Black.
She’s won Wimbledon, Australian Open and the US Open women’s doubles, as well as theFrench Open mixed doubles with Bob Bryan. Justin Gimelstob won 13 doubles titles andthe mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and French Open with Venus Williams.Murphy Jensen won the French Open doubles title with his brother Luke.The pros said that they play mixed to improve their game, break up the monotony of
tournament life and to make extra money. During the course of the season, there areonly a few tournaments – the Grand Slams, for instance – where the men and womenpros play at the same location at the same time. So when the opportunity to play mixedpresents itself, most of the best players do.
Distinctly Different Doubles
ASKTHEPROS>>
WHAT IS THE APPEAL OF PLAYINGMIXED DOUBLES?
WHAT ARE ITS GREATEST CHALLENGES?
WHAT MAKES FOR A GREAT TEAM?
Liezel: The speed. It's a challenge getting ballswhacked at you at a pace you don't see everyday. Mixed sharpens me up for regular doublesduring the grand Slams.
Liezel: For the female, there's definitely morepressure to make a higher percentage of firstserves. Also, I try to be better than the other female on court. It's a challenge to keep the ballaway from the male, but if you want to win, thenthat’s what you do.
Liezel: A strong female and an evenstronger male.
Justin: Because there aren’t points associatedwith playing mixed, the ultimate goal is to wintitles. It’s a chance to play a little more andwork on things in your game like serve and vol-ley and return of serve that can help you in yoursingles and doubles.
Justin: You always want to exploit youropponent’s weakness and pick on that. Thereare different formations in mixed and themale has to be more aggressive through themiddle of the court. The male has to be thedominant player.
Justin: It’s key to have good communication,comfort with your partner and complemen-tary styles of play. Venus had a great serveand return and power was key in her game.It’s tough for another player to measure up to Venus. It’s like having Christie Brinkley orCindi Crawford for your first girlfriend.
Murphy: The variety of play and the differentstrategies. Playing with a girl is totally differentto playing with a guy. I have to be a lot morepatient and the girl has to be a lot more patientwith me, too.
Murphy: Finding a partner that comple-ments my game. I want a girl who has greatreturns and very consistent.
Murphy: Getting along. They dont call it“mixed troubles” for nothing. Both playersbetter respect each others games or therewill be fireworks!
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 61
BY SCOTT MITCHELL USPTA P1
WHAT MAKES FOR A GREAT TEAM?
WHAT’S YOUR GREATESTMIXED DOUBLES MEMORY?
WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU OFFER TOSOMEONE CONSIDERING PLAYINGRECREATIONAL MIXED?
Liezel: A strong female and an evenstronger male.
Liezel: Jamie Murray and I played on cen-ter court at Wimbledon a few times andthat was awesome having the entire crowdpulling for you. Most recently, Bob Bryanand I won the French Open in 2009.
Liezel: To the females, don't be afraid to get hit.It's only a ball. Yell 'yours' a lot. To the guys: compliment your partner – we like it!
Justin: It’s key to have good communication,comfort with your partner and complemen-tary styles of play. Venus had a great serveand return and power was key in her game.It’s tough for another player to measure up to Venus. It’s like having Christie Brinkley orCindi Crawford for your first girlfriend.
Justin: Winning the Australian Open withVenus and then turning around and win-ning the French right off the bat. I was inawe of how Venus handled the men’sserves so well, moving into the court andtaking it early.
Justin: Have an aggressive mind set right off thebat. You have to look for the middle ball and beall over the net as much as possible.
Murphy: Getting along. They dont call it“mixed troubles” for nothing. Both playersbetter respect each others games or therewill be fireworks!
Murphy: Playing with Mary Pierce at theUS Open where I wore a microphone dur-ing the match. The TV viewer could heareverything we talked about and it wasntall about tennis or strategy. We talkedabout favorite foods and favorite moviesbetween points. I thought Mary was cute.
Murphy: Pick a great partner and play a lot of setstogether and NEVER blame each other. You wintogether and lose together. End of story.
62 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
STROKES & STRATEGY | BETWEEN THE EARS
YOU ADVANCED TO THE TOP OF THE RANKINGS BY WINNING CONSISTENTLY, so should playing a lower seed in a tournament concern you? If Roger Federer’s loss to Juan Martin Del Potro at the 2009 US Open is any indication, yes.
Never underestimate the power of the underdog.Time and again, a lower seed ends a competitionlifting the trophy while fans and the top seed areleft scratching their heads in disbelief. Losing to alower seeded player happens at every level ofplay, even to world No. 1 Roger Federer.
After Rafael Nadal lost at last year’s RolandGarros Roger Federer was the instant favorite towin the title. “You come out and you always haveguys going after you, like Tommy Haas today, likeSoderling yesterday. I think it only gives themextra motivation knowing that you’re the guy tobeat or they have nothing to lose, because if theylose, it’s a normal result. If they win, it’s anincredible achievement,” said Federer.
The Swiss says inexperienced players are risky.“I think everybody who’s young and up and com-ing is dangerous for the top players just becausethey’re fearless. Especially because they usuallylike the big matches, center court, you name it, anight session against the top guys. This is whereit’s most dangerous for us. That’s why it’s notalways an advantage to be the top guy like I’vebeen for so many years,” said Federer.
Sports psychologists say that underdogs tendto perform their best against a stronger player.
“Pressure is in the eye of the beholder. As withmost competitive situations, the key is to not getcaught up in the potential result of the match.Focus on playing tennis,” says mental trainingcoach, Adam Naylor, Ed.D.
Federer draws from experience to beat oppo-nents and said consistency is most important.“With age you are able to motivate and stay calmover a longer period of time. I remember when Iwas coming up I had great wins, but when Ireached the quarterfinals and semifinals stage Iwas already so exhausted from the pressure andfrom just being around pros and playing them.With the emotions running through me I was doneby the quarters or semifinals,” said Federer.
Roger said that he eventually learned how toconserve energy. “You don’t have to go crazyafter every point. That’s what I used to do. I’deither get angry after every shot or I’d get happyafter every shot. I lost a lot of energy like thiswhen I was younger.”
Competition and pressure co-exist. If a topseed remains calm and confident in their abili-ties, says Naylor, then sustaining their top spotand hoisting trophies will be the norm. – staff
reminders: 01Don’t underestimatethe abilities of thelower seed.
02Stay focused untilthe last point ofthe match.
03Remain calmand confident inyour skills.
Beware the Underdog
Sports psy-chologistssay that
underdogstend to per-form theirbest againsta strongerplayer.
T
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 63
Leslie Billman
64 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
COST-EFFECTIVEGROUP TRAINING:Individuals will scale backon one-to-one personaltraining sessions and participate in small-grouptraining sessions to savemoney.
01trends no.
TIME-EFFICIENTWORKOUTS: Boot-campstyle workouts and circuittraining burn a lot of calo-ries, improve muscular andcardiovascular fitness andappeal to people with abusy schedule looking fora higher-intensity workout.
02trends no.
EXERGAMING: Fitnessclubs will integrate fitness-based video games such asNintendo’s Wii Sports, WiiFit and Dancetown intotheir programming.
03trends no.
HEALTH | FITNESS
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 65
FUNCTIONAL TRAININGWORKOUTS: Functionaltraining workouts willincrease in variety, includ-ing popular suspensiontraining tools such as TRX.The portability and time-efficiency appeal to people looking to stayfit at home, the office, thegym or while traveling.
04trends no.
PROFESSIONALCREDENTIALS: Healthand fitness clubs are recog-nizing the need for, and theimportance of, hiring train-ers who hold high-quality,reputable professional cre-dentials. NCCA-accreditedfitness certification is fastbecoming the recognizedstamp of approval for cre-dentialing quality in the fit-ness industry.
05trends no.
SPECIALTY EXERCISECLASSES: Ethnic dance,hooping, pole dancing andZumba will remain popu-lar due in part to the con-tinued success of showslike Dancing with the Starsand So You Think You CanDance. Additionally, moregyms will offer uniquegroup exercise programsand mind-body activities.
06trends no.
FITNESS TRAININGTOOLS: Technology con-tinues to infiltrate the fitness world. More exer-cises will use tracking andonline training andscheduling tools to gaugetheir progress. Mobileapplications will bring fitness on-the-gothrough iPhone applica-tions and other down-loadable programming.
07trends no.
top fitness trendsTIGHTER BUDGETS AND LESS FREE time impact how weexercise. According to the American Council on Exercise,among many fitness trends in the upcoming year, peoplewill look for workouts offering greater results in a shorterworkout period.
Tennis ElbowAre you predisposed?
Tennis elbow is a degenerative condition of the tendons
that are responsible for anchoring the muscles which
extend or lift the wrist and hand. Patients who experi-
ence tennis elbow often complain of a severe burning
pain on the outside part of the elbow. In most cases,
the pain starts mildly and gradually worsens over
weeks or months.
Researchers found that in some individuals the ten-
dons are attached in a place that causes them to rub
against the bone during tennis or similar activities. The
result is tennis elbow (also known as lateral epicondyli-
tis). “The placement of the tendon simply makes some
elbows more susceptible to the tennis elbow,” says
Robert E. Bunata, MD, a fellow of the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and primary author
of the study. “It’s just how some people are built, so
there may not be much they can do to prevent tennis
elbow, other than avoiding activities that could cause
the condition. However, this study may be a step toward
identifying the best treatment options.”
The researchers found a wide range of variation in
the size and shape of the bone and of the muscle and
tendon attachments. But there was evidence that in a
certain group of elbows, rubbing of tendon on bone was
unavoidable; those are the patients who might be most
susceptible to developing tennis elbow. The doctors
hope that further studies will help clarify which
elbows are at the greatest risk.
THE CONDITION OCCURS MAINLY IN PEOPLE AGE 30 TO 50 and affects as many as half of athletes who play racquet sports.
However, it can also develop as a result of other activities that require people to use their arms in repetitive back-and-forth
motions, such as fencing, painting, or raking. According to research, tennis elbow may be unavoidable for some people.
Nonsurgical treatments for tennis elbow are successful for 85 percent of patients and may include: ice, braces or splints,
anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections, and stretching exercises. Understanding the cause of tennis
elbow may help doctors determine who needs surgery, and how their operating procedures can obtain better results.
66 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
HEALTH | SPORTS MEDICINE
American Orthopaedic Society For Sports MedicineAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic SurgeonsWe keep you well connected.
If you’re over 35, your bones and joints aren’t what they used to be. And exercising only on week-ends puts them at great risk of injury. The good news is, you can reduce that risk by exercising at least30 minutes every day. If necessary, you can split this into 10- or 15-minute segments. As always,stretch and warm-up for several minutes before any exercise session, and wear appropriate shoes andsafety gear. To learn more, call 1-800-824-BONES, visit www.aaos.org, or visit www.sportsmed.org.
What’s your body’s greatest weakness?
PHONE & SHOWROOM HOURSMON.-FRI. 9-5 • SAT. 9-3:30
FREE CATALOG AVAILABLE FAX 410-687-7311
9220 PULASKI HIGHWAY • BALTIMORE, MD 21220
TOURNAMENT 401 .............. 739.95
ACCESSORIESUNMATCHED — SERVICE • DEPENDABILITY • QUALITY • SELECTION • PRICING — FOR 30 YEARS
WIRELESS REMOTE:ELITE 2................................ 1697.00ELITE 3................................ 1947.00ELITE GRAND SLAM IV ..... 2348.00ELITE GRAND SLAM V ...... 2648.00
ADIDASBARRICADE: 6-RACQUET ........................49.95 TOUR RACQUET BACK PK .36.95 TOUR 3-RACQUET .............32.95 TOUR 6-RACQUET .............49.95SACK PACKS.......................... CALLSTRIKER MEDIUM DUFFLE .. 27.95STRIKER LARGE DUFFLE ..... 35.95
2648.00......VSLAM GRAND ELITE 2348.00.....IVSLAM GRAND ELITE 1947.00................................3ELITE 1697.00................................2ELITE
RADICAL:74.95.IMONSTERCOMBLE PRESTIGE 47.95.........ACKPBACK LE PRESTIGE 59.95................................TENNIS54.95.....................SUPERCOMBI49.95.................................COMBI39.95........PROOR ACK PPACK BACK
EXTREME:79.95........COMBIMONSTER SE 74.95..............COMBIMONSTER 64.95.................................COMBI49.95........................ACKPPACKBACK
62.95..POST-SCORTCOURTENNIS39.95.....KEEPERSCORE T COURCOURT TENNIS
139.95......7’X NET—9’ REBOUND MISCELLANEOUS
21.95..YONLONLYBASKET T TIDI-COUR37.95...BASKET& Y TRATRAY T TIDI-COUR15.95....ABLE)TTABLE)(PORSQUEEGENIE 74.95......................(36”)SQUEEGE 25.95...ROLLERNTEMREPLACE48.95...................YERDRDRYERT COURCOURT
TEAM:TOUR 29.95.........................TRIPLETEAM 9.95.....COVERRACQUET SINGLE
46.95........TRIPLE09 A ARAPOVARAPOVA HS62.95.......ACK6-P6-PACK09 A ARAPOVARAPOVA HS29.95........TRIPLE—GREENY RALLRALLY 34.95.....3)OLDS H(ACK PPACK BACK
:YELLOW/ RED / CLUB—BLUE 84.95.........................12-RACKET79.95...........................9-RACKET74.95...........................6-RACKET59.95........................ACKPPACKBACK
� ONLY AT HOLABIRD �SHIPPED WITHIN 24 HOURS, MON.-FRI.
PRODUCT WARRANTIES
TENNISBALLS
ALL BALLS YELLOW3 PER CAN UNLESSOTHERWISE NOTED
#1 WEB SITE www.holabirdsports.com OVER 5000 ITEMS
NEVER A RESTOCKING FEE
WILSON
VOLKL
PRINCE
BABOLAT
YONEX
DUNLOP
PRO KENNEX
ADIDAS NEW BALANCE
ASICS—GEL
WILSON
PRINCE
K-SWISS
BABOLAT
DRIVE LADY ......................... 70.00* PROPULSE 2—MEN .......... 109.00* PROPULSE 2—LADIES ..... 104.00 PURE ALL COURT 3-MEN .. 49.95 TEAM ALL CT REVERSE-M 89.00* TEAM ALL COURT 4—M .... 89.00 TEAM CLAY COURT 4—M .. 89.00 * TEAM LADY 3 ...................... 85.00
ALL RACQUET PRICES INCLUDE STRINGING—AVAILABLE UNSTRUNG UPON REQUEST
MEN’S* 547 ...................D.......... 4E ... 44.95* 548 ...................D.......... 4E ... 54.95* 654 ...................D.......... 4E ... 53.95* 655 ...................D.. EE .. 4E ... CALL* 803 ............. B ..D.. EE .. 4E ... CALL 900 ...................D.. EE .......... CALL 1004 BLACK ....D.. EE .. 4E ... 89.95 1004 WHITE ....D.. EE .. 4E ... 95.95
LADIES’* 654 ..................... B .D ........... 49.95* 655 ............. AA .. B .D ........... CALL* 782 ..................... B .D ........... 59.95* 803 ............. AA .. B .D EE .... CALL 900 ..................... B .D ........... CALL 1004 COLORS AA .. B .D ........... 95.95
YOUTEK: PRESTIGE—MID/MID+ .... 199.95 PRESTIGE PRO ................ 199.95 RADICAL—MID+/OVER .... 189.95 RADICAL PRO .................. 189.95 RADICAL LITE .................. 179.95 SPEED—MID+ .................. 199.95 SPEED ELITE OR LITE ..... 189.95 SPEED PRO ...................... 199.95TI RADICAL ELITE.................. 39.95TI S5 COMFORT ZONE ......... 59.95TI S6 ........................................ 64.95
KINETIC: IONIC 5 OR 5 PSE............ 149.00 IONIC 5X ........................... 149.00 IONIC 10............................ 139.00 IONIC 15 OR 15 PSE........ 149.00 IONIC 20 OR 20 PSE........ 159.00 IONIC 30............................ 179.00
KINETIC: PRO 5G OR 7G ................. 119.00 PRO 15G ........................... 109.95 SQ LIMITED ...................... 199.00 TYPE C—93 REDONDO ... 119.00 TYPE C—98 REDONDO ... 129.00BLACK ACE—93 OR 98....... 149.00
NEW BLX SERIES: CIRRUS ONE—118 ........... 269.00 CORAL WAVE—105 .......... 149.00 KHAMSIN FIVE—108 ........ 229.00 PRO OPEN—100 .............. 179.00 PRO TEAM FX—103......... 179.00 PRO TOUR—96 ................ 179.00 SIX-ONE—95 (16X18) ....... 199.00 SIX-ONE—95 (18X20) ....... 199.00 SIX-ONE LITE—102 .......... 179.00 SIX-ONE TEAM—95 ......... 199.00 SIX-ONE TOUR—90 ......... 199.00 SURGE—100 ..................... 169.00 TIDAL WAVE—105 ............ 149.00 TOUR—95 ......................... 189.00FEDERER—110 ...................... 27.95H1 OUTER EDGE—135 ........ 104.95HYPER HAMMER 4.3—110 ... 84.95HYPER SLEDGE HAM 2.0 ... 114.95K BLADE-98 OR TEAM-104 199.00K BLADE TOUR—93 ............ 199.00K BOLD—100 ......................... 99.00K COURT—100 ....................... 79.95K THREE FX—115 ................ 249.00K FIERCE FX—105 ............... 129.00K FOUR FX—107 ................. 229.00K FORCE HYBRID—105 ........ 69.95K OBRA TEAM FX—100 ...... 199.00K OBRA TOUR—100 ............ 189.00K PRO STAFF—88 ............... 199.00K SIX-ONE—95 (16X18) ........ 149.00K SIX-ONE—95 (18X20) ....... 149.00K SIX-ONE TEAM—95 ......... 129.00K SIX-ONE TOUR—90 ......... 149.00K STING—105 ........................ 74.95K STRIKE—103 ...................... 79.95K TOUR—95 ......................... 119.00K TOUR TEAM FX—102 ...... 189.00K ZEN TEAM FX—103 ......... 179.00nCODE n3—113 ..................... 89.95nCODE nPRO OPEN-100 ....... 89.95nCODE nTOUR—95 ............... 69.95nCODE nTOUR TWO—95 ...... 79.95U.S. OPEN—103 ..................... 35.95
20101, Y 15-MA15-MAY FEB. SHOEST BABOLABABOLAT AIR PPAIR ANDRACQUET T BABOLABABOLAT
KCAPPAK CABBLUC2010
249.00.............................TDLLTD112 Y 179.00+/ GTTOURSTORMPURE129.00.....+/ TOUR STORM PURE 179.00GTTD LLTD / GTSTORMPURE129.00TDLLTDSTORM / STORM PURE 189.00+RODDICKGT DRIVE PURE 189.00..RODDICKGT DRIVE PURE 185.00.LITE/ -107 GTGT-107 DRIVEPURE185.00.......+GT / GT DRIVE PURE 159.00.+/ RODDICK DRIVE PURE 159.00...+/ TEX CORCORTEX DRIVE PURE
149.00.......98OR ACE—93 BLACK 129.00...REDONDOC—98 TYPE 119.00...REDONDO—93 CTYPE199.00......................LIMITEDSQ 109.95...........................15GPRO 119.00.................7GOR 5G PRO
129.00.......................2010—109XS 119.00.......................2010—102XS 109.00..................105OR XS—102 239.00.............STDOR RSG 118 Y 229.00.............STDOR RSG 112 Y 249.00.............................TDLLTD112 Y
TEAM * TEAM TEAM * TEAM PURE PROPULSE * PROPULSE * DRIVE
DEFIER * CLASSICCLASSICAPPROACH—MEN
RESOLUTION * GAME * ENCOURAGE—MEN* DEDICA* CHALLENGER
ECPRIN
K-SWISS
T
85.00......................3LADY TEAM 89.00 ..4—MT COURCOURT Y CLACLAY TEAM 89.00....4—MT COURCOURT ALL TEAM 89.00REVERSE-MCT ALL TEAM 49.95..3-MENT COURALL
PRICES!T GREAGREAT FOR CALL YONEX• TRETORN• REEBOK
117.98. YELLOW / 2-TONEALLSBKET 72 CUB
19.75.....OXESB4 K—CA3-P3-PARO-X:CMITRETORN
41.98....ALLSBKET 48 CUB13.98.................. OF 18GAAGB
PENN
39.95....ACTIMPIMPACTTRANCE WILSON 48.95..........VISIONTOUR WILSON 26.95...4CT AGE ANTADVADVANTWILSON 47.95...............655BALANCE 55.95........TRAULULTRARAPTOR LOTTO 39.95...........2OPTIMUM K-SWISS 59.95...........PROPRESTIGE HEAD 49.95...REVERSETEAM T BABOLABABOLAT 49.00....4CT ALL TEAM T BABOLABABOLAT 59.95........2PROPULSE T BABOLABABOLAT 47.95..2RESOLUTION GEL ASICS CALL.................3TIRAND ADIDAS CALL5-COLORSBARRICADE ADIDAS
ANS 32.98C12 Y/INDOORLALAY/INDOORC
ALLSBPRESSURELESS TENNIS
PRICES!YONEX
117.98
19.75
34.95..................OX OF 48B16.50.................. OF 18GAB
WILSON
41.9813.98
59.98.... OF 60 2-TONEGABGAMMA
39.98.....ALLSBKET 48 CUB11.98................... OF 18GAB
DUNLOP
Visit www.TennisViewMag.com and clickon subscriptions, then go to Past Issues.
Shop MidwestSports.com for the latest apparel from Nike, Adidas, Lacoste, Fila, Tail, and more.
O F F I C I A L O N L I N E P A R T N E R O F N I K E , A D I D A S A N D L A C O S T E
HT
OLAICIFFO
OTTSETAATLE
RENTRAPENILNO
ORAEGRUO
ADIDA,EKINFO
ENILNO
ETSOCALDNASA
HTADIDA
OTTSETAATLESA
ORAEGRUOKIN
.ENILNOEK
L
ETSOCAL
ropStsewdiMpohS
ppatsetalehtrfomoc.str
,sadidA,keiNmorffrlerap
omdna,liaTTa,aliF,etsocaL
.ero
3-337-OO8
5O33 wedim@ofni
moc.stropstswe
72 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
Only serious inquiries, please.Email [email protected] for details and virtual tour.
Fractional Ownership - smart, safe and economical.
GREAT LOCATION:•10-minutes from #1 rated ski resort, Deer Valley, Utah.•Minutes from the Provo River and World class fly fishing.•Enjoy hiking, golf, tennis, horseback riding, biking, boating, and more.•35-minutes from Salt Lake International Airport. •20 min. to Historic Park City Ski resort •Less than one hour to many other ski resorts in Utah.
buys one-third ownership and 17+ weeks a year to live your dream life.
Two families to join us in fractional ownership of our exclusive Midway, Utah vacation cabin. Enjoy million-dollar views for a fraction of the price.
CABIN IS COMPLETELY FURNISHED AND INCLUDES USE OF CAR.
BUYERSGUIDE
SPRING 2010 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM 73
Gear, Equipment & More
Carve a New PathBY PAUL J. MEYER
YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE AS AN ADULT – negative or postive – is best understood by reflectingon your past. Understanding the impact of past experiences will help carve a new path.
4 STEPS TO CHANGE COURSE1. Change Your ThoughtsBe aware of negative thoughts. At the moment yourecognize a destructive thought – I can’t do it, I’mafraid, I’m a loser, etc. – stop! Then tell yourself theopposite – I can do it, I’m brave, I’m a winner, etc.Start each day proactively by preparing to tell your-self new positive thoughts. If you fill your mindwith positive thoughts, it’ll be easier to block thenegative intruders.
2. Change Your Speech Pattern How often do you use negative words to describeyourself, or put yourself down? Once is too often.To break this habit, write a list of positive words ona piece of paper that you’ll turn to when you’retempted to say something defeating. Good exam-ples include: I am smart; I am healthy; I am confi-dent. Practice saying your new words and use themoften. Words you use during a tennis match mightbe different from the words you’d use at home orat work. Make separate lists that are realistic andappropriate for each situation.
3. Change Your BehaviorDecide to take a different course of action in afamiliar situation. For instance, if you’re tempted toprocrastinate on an assignment, determine tobreak the cycle and progress immediately toaccomplish the task. Sometimes intervening at thebehavior level is easiest when attempting tochange your course.
4. Don’t Give UpBe patient. Allow yourself adequate time to devel-op new thought patterns and attitudes. Your cur-rent attitudes are habits that didn’t develop yester-day, so learning new attitudes will take time, too. Ifyou are determined, nothing can stand in your way.Never give up.
I wanted to change the world. But Ihave found that the only thing onecan be sure of changing is oneself. -English novelist, Aldous Huxley, 1894-1963 ”
Childhood MemoriesAre your memories of childhood enjoyable or painful?How you answered the question correlates to yourbehavior as an adult, for what is experienced during thefirst seven years of life influences us most. If your child-hood was primarily enjoyable, you’ll tend to have a posi-tive attitude in adulthood; if your childhood was painful,you’ll tend to be negative. People with a positive mindsetsee life full of opportunities and believe they’re capable,creative and successful. People with a negative mindset,on the other hand, see life full of obstacles and live withdoubt, fear and low expectations. While we can’t changethe past, we can shape an enjoyable future.
Commit to ChangeAlbert Einstein once said: “The definition of insanity isdoing the same thing over and over again and expectingdifferent results.” So, if you recognize that a negativeattitude or behavior has thwarted your ability to achievehappiness or success and you want a different outcome,you must commit to change. To break a cycle of negativi-ty, it’s essential to realize that thoughts influence words,and words influence actions. Here are four steps to helpyou chang your course in life and carve a new path.
“
T
74 TENNISVIEWMAG.COM SPRING 2010
GAMESETMATCH | FINAL FRAME
Solutions Insurance Group1120 Pinellas Bayway S., Unit 106
Tierra Verde, FL 33715(727) 216-9661
www.solutionsinsurancecorp.com
Property, Commercial/Business, Flood, Auto,Marine, Health, Life, Bonds, and Annuities.