Perhaps this year will be their year to break the mold and finally add their names to the list of tennis superstardom. Having said that, some might be there already but because of inconsistency, have seen their game suffer and thus the poor results. Others might be the people who are in the brink of that one win that can change their tennis careers completely. The names do not really have to follow the seedings that have been released for the tournament. Rather, it is a random name recalling for me, of things that can possibly happen. I shall start off with the ladies first.
1. Elena Dementieva - She has vastly improved over the years. I first noticed her during the all Russian French Open tennis final between her and Anastasia Myskina. Dementieva was only 22 years old. But what struck oddly for me was the quality of tennis being played. Both women were so nervous in the match that they committed errorrs after errorrs. Myskina proved to be the better player as she controlled her nerves and finally won the tennis match. I thought Dementieva was a luck finalist at that time and won't be seeing her that much. But after she won the women's singles gold in the Olympics, beating Serena Williams in the semis and Dinara Safina in the finals, I still thought it was a fluke. But then she beats Serena again in the Sydney International Tennis semi-final match and again disposes of Safina in the finals match that made me think that Dementieva really has game! Let's see just how far she goes in the first Grand Slam of the year.
2. Ana Ivanovic- Compared to the previous year when she held the number one ranking just after Justine Henin announced her retirement prior to the start of the French Open, Ana Ivanovic then had a mediocre year afterwards. I had high hopes that her winning the French Open title shall give her the confidence to win Wimbledon too. That didn't happen. And I now think that perhaps it was the people's expectations of her for being number one added to the pressure. Of course, it doesn't help too if she suffered a number of injuries that put her out of commission. Now that she isn't ranked number one anymore and has less media exposure (unless she is caught out on a date with fellow tennis player Fernando Verdasco), perhaps she shall do well here just as she was the beaten finalist of Maria Sharapova last year.
3. Dinara Safina-Marat's younger sister seems to have more mental toughness than him. If there is one player that I am happy for because she finally is proving that she too has what it takes to succeed, its her. It's surprising to know that at 23, she has been a veteran of the women's circuit for years. And for years, she has always been known as "Marat's younger sister". In interviews, she often says that when she steps into the court, she wants to do well and create her own name, not live in the shadows of her brother who is a previous Australian Open winner. Perhaps today, Marat is now known to be "Dinara's elder brother".
Read the live tennis scores at Scorespro.com/tennis.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peri_Witny
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Giles Simon.
Every professional tennis season unofficially begins with the Australian Open. There are always a few smaller tournaments in early January to kick off a season, but only when the players take their places at the first Grand Slam of the year does the action really heat up.
The 2009 Australian Open begins on January 19, the third week of the tennis season. Heading into next year, the ATP Tour rankings show Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Nikolay Davydenko as the Top 5 players. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin Del Potro, and James Blake round out the Top 10.
Only the Top 4, however, are considered serious threats to win the upcoming Australian Open, which is staged in Melbourne, Australia at historic Melbourne Park Tennis Center. Rod Laver Arena, named for the former Australian tennis great, will be the venue for the men's title match on February 1, 2009.
Nadal recently put an end to Federer's 237-week reign as the No. 1 player in the world. The pinnacle of Nadal's journey to the elusive top spot came last season at Wimbledon, where he defeated the Swiss in a five-set classic to end Federer's run of five consecutive titles at the All-England Club. Nadal also won his fourth straight French Open crown, the Olympic gold medal in men's singles, the Masters Series event in Monte Carlo, and the Masters Series event in Hamburg. Injury concerns surrounding his knee are the only problems Nadal has to deal with heading into 2009.
Federer's 2008 campaign was not up to normal Federer standards, and it started with a loss in the semifinals of the Australian Open. Federer has three Aussie Open titles, however, and he will be looking to restore his dominance Down Under next month. He should have a good chance of winning another title, as he salvaged his 2008 season by winning the last Grand Slam of the year at the U.S. Open.
Djokovic is the defending Australian Open champion, as he captured his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne by defeating Federer in the semifinals and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a four-set final. The Serb also won the last tournament of 2008, capturing the Masters Cup trophy. That victory gives Djokovic a full head of momentum heading into 2009.
A new Grand Slam contender, Murray, joined the fray in 2008. Murray finished runner-up to Roger Federer at the U.S. Open and won back-to-back Masters Series titles in Cincinnati and Madrid. The Scot also reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
The Australian Open, however, often produces a surprise finalist. Recent runner-up finishers include Rainer Schuettler in 2003, Marcos Baghdatis in 2006, Fernando Gonzalez in 2007, and Tsonga in 2008. If only one of the top four players reaches the 2009 title match, there are several other men worth keeping an eye on to fill the other spot. Del Potro won four consecutive ATP titles in July and August and did not lose a single match in between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Simon surged into the Top 10 with a title in Indianapolis, semifinal finishes at the Masters Series Canada and the Masters Cup, and a runner-up performance in Madrid. Up-and-coming youngsters who could be ready for Grand Slam greatness also include Marin Cilic and Ernests Gulbis.
ScoresPro provides Live Score, Results real time service, Soccer Livescore and Sports Live Results all over the world... Feel free to visit ScoresPro.com for Australian Open Tennis Results.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peri_Witny
Andy Roddick
The inside out Forehand Man.
I watched Andy Roddick's match today, against Xavier Mallisse. Andy has a new coach and new trainer and has lost 15 pounds. He looks fit and seems to be running well. So how should he use his new found movement? Well, of course, he will run down more balls defensively.
But the great offensive use of better footwork is to get into position to hit the inside-out forehand. Federer does it and he has a good backhand. Rafa does it and he has a great backhand. Roddick must learn to get into position to hit inside-out forehands and cut down on the total number of backhands he has to hit. He is still thinking like a slow player, and standing fairly even up, that is, he stands in the middle of the court. He needs to stand to his backhand side, and hit forehands up to 3/4 of the way to the left sideline, daring players to hit to his forehand. A player like Roddick, and maybe you, if you have a much better forehand than backhand, needs to learn to cut the total number of backhands hit by at least 1/3.
The effectiveness of hitting a true inside-out forehand is the spin on the ball. When you hit a forehand from the center of the court to the sideline on that same side, it isn't necessarily an inside-out forehand. A true inside-out forehand is hit in such a way as to create a spin that makes the ball bounce and slide away from your opponent.
Okay, I have to get a bit technical. When you hit a typical stroke, the flight and bounce curve in the direction of the follow-through. That is, a forehand usually moves (for right handed) from right to left and a backhand tend to moves from left to right. If you hit a normal forehand up the line it will curl into the court. If you are trying to run your opponent to that side, you would prefer that the ball go the other way. That is a true inside-out forehand. In order to hit a good one, you must get into position and catch the ball early and up high, swinging your racquet like you are waving good-bye. The racket on follow through will pass in front of your face, or over your head. The motion of the racket face is in an arc from waist high on the backswing to head high on the follow through.
This will impart a spin that make the ball skid and slide away from your opponent, staying very low. If you can replace some of your backhands with vicious inside-out forehands, you are ready for the next level. You have to be willing to move more than you are used to, but the rewards are enormous,
But the great offensive use of better footwork is to get into position to hit the inside-out forehand. Federer does it and he has a good backhand. Rafa does it and he has a great backhand. Roddick must learn to get into position to hit inside-out forehands and cut down on the total number of backhands he has to hit. He is still thinking like a slow player, and standing fairly even up, that is, he stands in the middle of the court. He needs to stand to his backhand side, and hit forehands up to 3/4 of the way to the left sideline, daring players to hit to his forehand. A player like Roddick, and maybe you, if you have a much better forehand than backhand, needs to learn to cut the total number of backhands hit by at least 1/3.
The effectiveness of hitting a true inside-out forehand is the spin on the ball. When you hit a forehand from the center of the court to the sideline on that same side, it isn't necessarily an inside-out forehand. A true inside-out forehand is hit in such a way as to create a spin that makes the ball bounce and slide away from your opponent.
Okay, I have to get a bit technical. When you hit a typical stroke, the flight and bounce curve in the direction of the follow-through. That is, a forehand usually moves (for right handed) from right to left and a backhand tend to moves from left to right. If you hit a normal forehand up the line it will curl into the court. If you are trying to run your opponent to that side, you would prefer that the ball go the other way. That is a true inside-out forehand. In order to hit a good one, you must get into position and catch the ball early and up high, swinging your racquet like you are waving good-bye. The racket on follow through will pass in front of your face, or over your head. The motion of the racket face is in an arc from waist high on the backswing to head high on the follow through.
This will impart a spin that make the ball skid and slide away from your opponent, staying very low. If you can replace some of your backhands with vicious inside-out forehands, you are ready for the next level. You have to be willing to move more than you are used to, but the rewards are enormous,
Juan Martin Del Potro.A star of future.
Juan Martin Del Potro
The majority of the world's top 20 are aged between 21 and 25, the age at which tennis players peak. Rafael Nadal, 22 and Novak Djokovic, 21 still have their best years ahead of them, which reduces the prospects of grand slam glory for similarly aged players such as Andy Murray, Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet. Del Potro is not yet 20 and has time on his side in the bid to join the game's elite.
The Argentinian youngster has just won two ATP events in a week, following his maiden tour win at the the Mercedes open in Stuttgart with victory in the Austrian open in Kitzbuhel. Both wins were on clay and it is easy to assume that del Potro is another South American specialist on the red stuff.
He is indeed comfortable on clay having been brought up on the surface, but at 6ft 6 is more of a hard court specialist with a big serve. Players from Argentina only usually prosper at the French open but del Potro has the game to succeed at Wimbledon and the hard courts of the US and Australian opens. He achieved second round appearances at Melbourne and Wimbledon and is clearly progressing at a good enough rate to reach the latter stages next season.
Del Potro was a good junior, reaching the last eight of the 2005 French open, but was never marked for greatness at senior level like Nadal of Federer were. Three futures tournament wins in 2006 elevated him 900 places in the rankings and at 25th in the list he is now ready to add some big name scalps to that of Gasquet which he claimed in the Stuttgart final.
He is a step ahead of his peers in development and should have a window of opportunity to win majors in his mid-twenties when Nadal and Djokovic are past their best and Federer has retired. Coach Franco Davin will need to oversee more steady progress but back-to-back tour wins - a feat that only he and Nadal achieved this season - suggests consistency will not be a problem.
Those who want to follow an outsider at the US open might be interested in del Potro's progress at Flushing Meadows and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his good form and justify his ranking position. Del Potro's time is not yet but I expect him to finish his career as a grand slam winner.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Oliver
The Argentinian youngster has just won two ATP events in a week, following his maiden tour win at the the Mercedes open in Stuttgart with victory in the Austrian open in Kitzbuhel. Both wins were on clay and it is easy to assume that del Potro is another South American specialist on the red stuff.
He is indeed comfortable on clay having been brought up on the surface, but at 6ft 6 is more of a hard court specialist with a big serve. Players from Argentina only usually prosper at the French open but del Potro has the game to succeed at Wimbledon and the hard courts of the US and Australian opens. He achieved second round appearances at Melbourne and Wimbledon and is clearly progressing at a good enough rate to reach the latter stages next season.
Del Potro was a good junior, reaching the last eight of the 2005 French open, but was never marked for greatness at senior level like Nadal of Federer were. Three futures tournament wins in 2006 elevated him 900 places in the rankings and at 25th in the list he is now ready to add some big name scalps to that of Gasquet which he claimed in the Stuttgart final.
He is a step ahead of his peers in development and should have a window of opportunity to win majors in his mid-twenties when Nadal and Djokovic are past their best and Federer has retired. Coach Franco Davin will need to oversee more steady progress but back-to-back tour wins - a feat that only he and Nadal achieved this season - suggests consistency will not be a problem.
Those who want to follow an outsider at the US open might be interested in del Potro's progress at Flushing Meadows and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his good form and justify his ranking position. Del Potro's time is not yet but I expect him to finish his career as a grand slam winner.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Oliver
Andy Murray
This No.3 Tennis player is From British.
For many, particularly the BBC, the biggest sporting highlight of the year begins next week on the grass courts of Wimbledon, the most famous tennis tournament in the world. As usual, we have just the one Briton who has any chance at all of winning and if Andy Murray can remain scratch free, then on ability alone, he has at least an outside chance of doing so at some point in the near future.
There is no doubt that Murray is one of the best players in the world, he has worked hard over the last few years to earn that position, but he has yet to set Wimbledon alight in the same way as Tim Henman. At present he cannot rely on the Wimbledon support, and until he does, then winning this Tournament is going to be extremely difficult for him. Andy should work hard this year to win over the crowd, something he can only do by having a good run in the Tournament and by reaching the Centre Court at least once in the latter stages. He should also try very hard in the PR stakes to unequivocally confirm that he has no Anti-English agenda. The perception with many English is that he has, and while this perception may be the result of poor media reporting and establishment shenanigans, Andy will need to eradicate it conclusively if he wants cheers as opposed to jeers in the future.
The problem Andy might face is the problem presented by the predominantly English tennis establishment in this Country. They secretly wish that Andy was English or that someone English with his talent, male or female, would come along and replace him; until that happens, they are stuck with a Scotsman. An instance of this occurred recently when Andrew Castle, the former mediocre tennis player stated on the BBC that Henman Hill must remain Henman Hill and not become Murray Hill or Murray Field! This should be a warning for Murray about the thinking of some of the media and the establishment. He would do well to remember that at this time of year, there is nowhere more English in England than Wimbledon
If for any reason, spurious or otherwise, Andy failed to unite the Wimbledon crowd he could always resort to generating his own support. A good, professional PR campaign in Glasgow should do the trick. The Scots love to support themselves against the English and in Murray they have a Scottish World Class sportsman to get behind who is up against it in England. They would not need a second invitation!
It would be a truly wondrous sight to see them come to the Wimbledon Centre Court in their coach loads, dressed in their tartan and tam o shanters, with their ginger wigs, blowing their bagpipes and singing Flower of Scotland at the top of their voices each time Murray entered the arena. 3000 Scots folk inside the Centre Court would be more like a homecoming for Andy, surely with that level of support plus his own grass court ability, winning the tournament sometime soon would be inevitable.
If it did happen then undoubtedly Andy would be defending his title the following year from the renamed Andrew Murray Centre Court at the Wimbledon Championship. Andy Murray would also be a firm favourite in the US Open Tennis betting should he win at Wimbledon.
Rod Rowley is a tennis and golf journalist who has worked for many large UK media publications. Interests include almost every sport and in particular betting on them.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Rowley
~Sayyid~^_^
For many, particularly the BBC, the biggest sporting highlight of the year begins next week on the grass courts of Wimbledon, the most famous tennis tournament in the world. As usual, we have just the one Briton who has any chance at all of winning and if Andy Murray can remain scratch free, then on ability alone, he has at least an outside chance of doing so at some point in the near future.
There is no doubt that Murray is one of the best players in the world, he has worked hard over the last few years to earn that position, but he has yet to set Wimbledon alight in the same way as Tim Henman. At present he cannot rely on the Wimbledon support, and until he does, then winning this Tournament is going to be extremely difficult for him. Andy should work hard this year to win over the crowd, something he can only do by having a good run in the Tournament and by reaching the Centre Court at least once in the latter stages. He should also try very hard in the PR stakes to unequivocally confirm that he has no Anti-English agenda. The perception with many English is that he has, and while this perception may be the result of poor media reporting and establishment shenanigans, Andy will need to eradicate it conclusively if he wants cheers as opposed to jeers in the future.
The problem Andy might face is the problem presented by the predominantly English tennis establishment in this Country. They secretly wish that Andy was English or that someone English with his talent, male or female, would come along and replace him; until that happens, they are stuck with a Scotsman. An instance of this occurred recently when Andrew Castle, the former mediocre tennis player stated on the BBC that Henman Hill must remain Henman Hill and not become Murray Hill or Murray Field! This should be a warning for Murray about the thinking of some of the media and the establishment. He would do well to remember that at this time of year, there is nowhere more English in England than Wimbledon
If for any reason, spurious or otherwise, Andy failed to unite the Wimbledon crowd he could always resort to generating his own support. A good, professional PR campaign in Glasgow should do the trick. The Scots love to support themselves against the English and in Murray they have a Scottish World Class sportsman to get behind who is up against it in England. They would not need a second invitation!
It would be a truly wondrous sight to see them come to the Wimbledon Centre Court in their coach loads, dressed in their tartan and tam o shanters, with their ginger wigs, blowing their bagpipes and singing Flower of Scotland at the top of their voices each time Murray entered the arena. 3000 Scots folk inside the Centre Court would be more like a homecoming for Andy, surely with that level of support plus his own grass court ability, winning the tournament sometime soon would be inevitable.
If it did happen then undoubtedly Andy would be defending his title the following year from the renamed Andrew Murray Centre Court at the Wimbledon Championship. Andy Murray would also be a firm favourite in the US Open Tennis betting should he win at Wimbledon.
Rod Rowley is a tennis and golf journalist who has worked for many large UK media publications. Interests include almost every sport and in particular betting on them.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Rowley
~Sayyid~^_^
A shining Women Tennis Player
There are many female tennis stars around the world who have won the hearts of millions of people. The list is simply never ending, but still you can spot few female tennis players that have left special mark on the game. The history of tennis is not clear but the major grand slam events gave birth to famous female tennis stars.
The female players were included in prestigious Wimbledon in 1884. But the start of 20th century was the real period when female tennis stars began to leave their impact on the game. The four grand slam tournaments Australian open, French open, Wimbledon, and U.S. open allowed many women to prove their talent in tennis. American female tennis stars Elisabeth Moore and Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman won many U.S. championship titles in early part of 20th century. Molla Mallory created history by winning eight titles from 1915. Suzanne Lenglen of France and Helen Wills Moody of the United States were the rising female tennis stars, and Moody created records by winning eight Wimbledon titles, seven U.S. championship titles, and four French championship titles.
The dominant female tennis stars in 1940s included Pauline Betz who won four U.S. championships and Louise Brough who won four Wimbledon titles. Maureen Connolly dominated tennis by winning the grand slam in 1953. Althea Gibson won both U.S. and Wimbledon titles in 1957 to become the first black woman player in history of tennis. The female tennis stars in 1960s included Maria Bueno from Brazil, Margaret Smith Court from England, and Billie Jean King from the United States.
The start of 1970 gave birth to one of the real legend in female tennis stars. Martina Navratilova from Czech Republic ruled the tennis world from 1970-1990. The only player to compete with Martina was the American Chris Evert who managed to won seven French opens and six U.S. opens in her entire career. The games between these two female tennis stars were the most intense games in history of women tennis. Martina Navratilova, a left-handed player was declared as the greatest tennis player of all times. She won 18 grand slam single titles, 31 grand slam womens doubles titles, and 10 grand slam mixed doubles titles.
Martina was unstoppable until the arrival of another legend Steffi Graf. Steffi, from West Germany is still considered to be the one of the hottest female tennis stars of all time. Steffi Graf ruled hearts of millions of people around the world by winning 22 grand slam titles. She also won a gold medal in 1988 Olympics and became the first tennis player to hold No.1 spot for a record of 377 weeks. Many other great female tennis stars such as Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain, were over-shadowed by this great legend, Steffi Graf. The injury in 1992 allowed Monica Seles to enter the exciting world of tennis. Monica Seles from America also managed to won nine grand slam titles in her entire career.
The 21st century was regarded as a new beginning in female tennis stars. The quality of play was raised and many hot tennis beauties entered the world of tennis. You can now easily enjoy the true combination of beautiful game and beautiful girls. The competition became tough and not a single player was allowed to stay on the No.1 spot for long time. Martina Hingis from Switzerland, Maria Sharapova from Russia, Daniela Hantuchova from Slovakia, Elena Dementieva from Russia, Anna Kournikova, Jelena Dokic, Jennifer Capriati, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Sania Mirza from India, Maria Kirilenko, Anastasia Myskina, etc. and above all the black beauties William sisters Serena and Venus are the most beautiful and eligible female tennis stars in history of tennis.
Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Female Tennis Stars, please visit My Tennis Now for current articles and discussions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candis_Reade
Novac Djokovic
The second hard fought final of the year and Roger Federer this time succumbed at the Canadian Open to an inspired Djokovic. The irony of the match is that Roger the final "king", the best big points player and tiebreaker leader was beaten in all departments. Does this mean anything for the US Open 2007? Nothing, zero, nada!
Roger can come out of this defeat however painful and dismantle Novak on a 5 set match at the US Open. Will he?
Hard to tell, but one thing I am sure, the young wolfs, Novak Djokovic, David Murray, Richard Gasquet and Marcus Bagdahtis are no longer just showing their teeth at the pack leader, but inflicting rather serious wounds on him and little by little undermining his supremacy. At the moment Djokovic is proving to be the most perseverant and with the highest rate of success as he so superbly demonstrated today.
There were three elements among several of Djokovic's armour that impressed me:
· The hability to read Roger's mind (just like Dr. Spock in the Starship Enterprise!) to the point of toying around with the idea and execution of two drop-shots to bring Roger unwantedly to the net and to counter Roger's retrieval with feather measured lobs over a scrambling Federer who run them both down to no avail.
· The uncanny consistency he showed throughout the match, barring a few moments in the second set where there were some sloppy unforced errors, which I think it were tactically in order to recover from the follies of the first set and take charge on the third set, which he did.
· The correct use of the down the line winner or "go for broke down the line" when pulled out wide of the court. This earned Djokovic three crucial points that in many ways demoralized and surprised a Roger Federer that often is the benefactor of his opponents cross court poor play right into his racket.
Novak showed us plenty more things well done but so did Roger, which lead to a very hard fought match, highlighting that these two young men have tremendous heart and in the end it was hard to see either of them lose.
What is in this match for you?
- Be like Dr. Spock read your opponent's mind and anticipate his moves.
- Stay focused, believe in yourself from beginning to end.
- Be consistent, keep your unforced errors to a minimum.
- Go for broke when needed and use your forehand to dictate inside the court.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sergio_Cruz
~Sayyid~^_^
Roger Federer,Former No.1 Player
Roger Federer is the most “watchable” champion the game has known. His game is moulded on the Rod Laver and Pete Sampras model, but Federer has taken it to a new level. Quite simply he is superb in all elements of the game:-
• His strokes are technically flawless
• He is able to tactically impose his strengths on his opponents weakness’
• He is physically in tremendous shape, moving beautifully around court and suffering few
injuries, and
• He displays mental strength (especially recently) which has overwhelmed several adversaries in recent tight matches.
His execution of the all round game has resulted in him claiming 12 grand slam trophies and reached 10 consecutive grand slam finals (at end of 2007).
It was not always this way:-
“I remember when my game was still up in the air, on any given day I could play very well. But on off days I would be very vulnerable.”
This statement summed up Federer’s early career and also the problems facing players wishing to emulate his style. Federer has so many strokes and strategies that during his first years on tour he hadn’t mastered his game. The more decisions a player has to make, the more mistakes they can make.
This was best reflected in Federer’s early exchanges with Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt. Hewitt was a number 1 at age 19 and at one point held a 7 – 1 career record against Roger although they were both the same age. Hewitt is a fierce counter puncher and really relied on a few patterns and strokes to wear down his opponent, a style that was easier to master than Federer’s.
Twelve straight losses later and Hewitt is conceding he needs to become a more all round player to compete with the world’s best again. The all round style may not deliver immediate results – learning (and teaching) it will be frustrating. It is worth putting in the hard work to achieve an all round game that will allow players to play with creativity and the variety to win in different conditions, on a variety of court surfaces and against diverse opponents.
The key elements of Federer’s all round game include:-
• The ripping inside out forehand is the most damaging stroke in Federer’s repertoire.
• Federer hits a closed stance forehand when transitioning through the mid court. This is in direct contrast to Roddick who likes to hit the inside out open stance shot – resulting in poor positioning for the volley.
• The backhand is hit with tremendous variety; heavy topspin cross court, flat and deep down the line and biting slice.
• Beautifully disguised serve, which creates effectiveness on both 1st and 2nd serve. The additional option of serve and volley is available to Federer when he chooses.
• Superb volley technique and the touch to execute drop and angled volleys to win the point.
• Federer’s moves swiftly with balance and grace. His mechanically sound movement and
stroke technique mean he is rarely injured and out of the game.
• Outwardly he is calm and composed – although we have seen he is fiercely competitive and motivated to take his place amongst the game’s greats.
• Federer has an adaptable game plan that he can change to suit each opponent and he can change tactics mid match if the situation arises.
Developing a Federer or a Henin is difficult. Observing junior tournaments the world over it seems modern coaching is producing more and more one dimensional players. These players are very comfortable around 1 metre behind the baseline hammering the most devastating forehands and backhands imaginable. Unfortunately this is the only way they know to play the game and if they cannot win overpowering their opponent from the baseline they have no viable alternative.
Emerging young players who have been taught on clay courts are increasingly demonstrating the variety needed to make it at the top level. They can hit heavy topspin, change of pace, loop and drop shots, angles, slice and a sound volley. Additionally these players are coming into pro tennis with tremendous fitness and mental strength.
For coaches in the US and Australia where hard and synthetic courts are more common – consider Progressive Tennis. Progressive tennis has many different names in many different countries. Essentially what it entails is the use of modified equipment when teaching developing players.
How does progressive tennis help teach an all court game?
• Using a modified ball which doesn’t bounce so high allows young players to develop more moderate grips (semi western), which are then easier to change for volleys or slice.
• Using modified balls which don’t bounce so high allow young players to move forwards, take the ball early and attack the net effectively.
• Using a smaller, lighter racquet allows the young player to develop effective mechanics on strokes, including racquet speed, rather than compensating for a difficult to handle senior model.
• Using a modified court (ie. shorter baseline) allows the young player to move to the net – and have a chance to cover the lobs of their opponent.
The modifications of progressive tennis can apply to young players up to the age of 10 – but can be implemented for all ages to help even adults who are new to the game. Significantly Federer’s home country Switzerland implements a progressive tennis program, as do successful tennis federations in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The system can make the game easier and more enjoyable for beginners; or lay the foundations for a future champion to play the all round game.
Can developing players hope to emulate the mastery Federer has over so many aspects of the game? No! Coaches can, however, invest the time in developing an all round player and athlete. While it will take a long time and may never be mastered, it will challenge the student and keep the learning process enjoyable. The burnout in developing players learning a one dimensional baseline game is alarming, especially the girls. Give young players the chance to copy the Federer style, if not achieve his spectacular results.
I found this articles about Roger Federer.
The author :Rufus Keown
~Sayyid~^_^
Wimbledon
Hey there.Im here wanna talk about wimbledon.I am admiring Djokovic.He is very elegent and he is very powerful.He has make Roger Federer Smash the racket.Nadal is on top of the table.He has so good Stamina.He have beat Roger federer many time.Roger Federer has the record of 14 Grand Slams same as Pit Samprass,United State tennis Player.The most powerful service is from Stonga.He had a 250Km/h.That is a car speed.I will stop here.And Bye..
~sayyid~^_^
~sayyid~^_^
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