Bjorn Borg: The Beginning of the End, Pt. 2

by J.A. Allen.. For Bjorn Borg, the summer of 1980 was a time of highs and lows, of thrilling victory followed by stunning defeat.

His holding pattern persisted, as Borg, who won three consecutive doubles at the French Open and Wimbledon, lost his bid again for a chance at a calendar-year Grand Slam at the conclusion of 1980’s season in the sun.

During that sultry summer, two men met on fateful Sundays in July and in September to tighten the screw on Borg’s legacy. After 10 U.S. Opens, Borg sensed that his time to win this elusive Grand Slam was slipping away. He looked across the net at the up-and-coming John McEnroe and felt his tennis future fading.

His first awareness came during the fabulous 1980 Wimbledon final, when Borg  confronted an odd sensation—fear of losing, of surrendering his dominance. For Borg, the certainty that he would win was a constant. Luckily, he was able shake off the feeling and seal the victory in set five, capturing his fifth consecutive Wimbledon championship.

But the sinking sensation returned during the U.S. Open final of 1980, as Borg lost in five sets, 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4. Borg needed to win the Open and shake the monkey off his back. New York, however, remained foreign, bizarre, and unattainable, as Borg packed his gear and headed home after being shut out once again at the Big Apple.

He shook off the loss eventually and, even though uncharacteristically flat-footed, went on to defeat his main adversary, John McEnroe, in the final of the 1980 Stockholm Open, 6–3, 6–4.

Then in round-robin play at the year-end Masters in January of 1981, Borg faced McEnroe again. With over 19,000 fans in attendance, Borg defeated McEnroe in a deciding third-set tie-break for the second year in a row, 6–4, 6–7, 7–6 (3). Borg went on to win his second masters title by defeating Ivan Lendl, 6–4, 6–2, 6–2.

It seemed all his energy and enthusiasm were peaking in time for the 1981 French Open, where Borg would be attempting to win his fourth title in a row and his sixth overall. The clay seemed to imbue Borg with renewed power and supremacy.

“The year begins in Paris,” Borg confidently told The New York Times as the tournament got underway.

Indeed, Borg was true to form and went on to win his last Grand Slam tournament by defeating Ivan Lendl in the final, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in three and a quarter hours. It was a tough match for Borg, who was accustomed to defeating his opponents more readily on the red clay.

Borg played a masterful match against the young Czech by slowing down the pace and pestering Lendl with accurate, deep shots until he wore him down.

After playing few matches in early 1981 and losing in early rounds at most, there was much speculation about the future prospects of the talented Swede.

There was the question of his right shoulder injury. Borg said he was slowing down, playing less to rest his injured wing. But in the meantime, the rumor mill pumped out the usual: Borg was going to quit and settle down with his new wife to raise a family.

Often the buzz painted Borg as growing apathetic and lazy. Some even hinted he was growing senile. The press grew impatient for an answer.

Luckily for Borg, the weather and the draw cooperated—Paris did not sizzle during the 1981 French Open. Rain interrupted play so often that at one point Borg was ahead of most other players by two rounds. It was strange that the tennis gods held back the deluge until Borg’s matches were complete.

This allowed Borg time to recover and recoup while his shoulder mended and the Swede could work his way into the tournament.

Borg’s victory at the 1981 French Open silenced the critics and the skeptics for the time being as he prepared for another double (his fourth) by taking the Wimbledon championship for the sixth year in a row.

The 1981 Wimbledon crown allowed Borg another run at a Grand Slam. Already the crowds were looking forward to a repeat of a Borg-McEnroe battle—reflecting back to the war waged on Centre Court in 1980.

So it was on another fateful Sunday, the tennis gods pitted the two best players on the planet on Centre Court with the winner to take it all—Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe, Act Two.

It looked like business as usual in the first set. Borg planted himself behind the baseline and waited for McEnroe’s serve, as was his custom. In the fifth game, he broke McEnroe to take a 3-2 lead. It was all Borg needed. He took the first set, 6-4.

Borg continued to dominate, making life tough for the antsy American, but McEnroe held on to make it 3-3 in the second set. The two players had been on court for an hour but the match had not yet begun.

McEnroe had numerous chances to put the second set away—nine break points worth—but he failed to convert and the set went to a tie-break. It was in the tie-break that McEnroe found the power of his serve. He won it, 7-1, in the blink of an eye with Princess Grace of Monaco (Grace Kelly) watching from the Royal Box.

The match was all tied up, one set each.

The third set was anybody’s to call. For the first part of it, Borg was perfect, error-free, and composed. Inevitably, however, he failed to win the big points when he needed to. Even when McEnroe double-faulted, losing the fourth game, and Borg held serve to go up 4-1, he could not take the set.

McEnroe held his serve then came back to break Borg in the seventh game. It was the first of 11 break opportunities that McEnroe won. The next crucial game required 12 points, with McEnroe squeaking by, even after double-faulting twice.

Borg held to go up 5-4. That is when the insanity began. In the 10th game, a ball that landed on the baseline was called good, then overruled by umpire Bob Jenkins. It allowed Borg to go up 40-15 on McEnroe’s serve—giving him a chance to take the set.

The crowd silenced waiting for the volatile McEnroe to explode. Normally, the sky would be filled with expletives after such a move by the umpire. Instead, McEnroe bent over standing at the baseline, shaking his head, breathing deeply.

Then he fired two aces at Borg, who stood watching them ricochet past. That brought the game back to deuce. McEnroe lived to fight off another set point—then took the game when Borg sent a forehand into the net.

Later, McEnroe admitted “I didn’t erupt because it takes too much out of you to play Borg.” He also admitted that he restrained his reaction because of his respect for the man across the net—the Borg man.

They went to a third-set tie-break, which McEnroe took, 7-4. The left-handed serve was giving Borg nightmares as he often stood near the doubles alley trying to return. Borg was now 0-3 in Wimbledon final tie-breaks, his losses all to McEnroe.

Up two sets to one, McEnroe was determined not to allow Borg back into the match. He wanted no repeat of 1980. Finally, McEnroe had seized control of the match, serving extremely well, and Borg was no longer sure that he would defeat the brash young American.

Borg had two break points in the third game, but could convert neither. In all of his 15 break point chances in the match, Borg only converted twice.

Both contestants managed to hang onto his serve until the 10th game, where Borg, trailing 5-4, finally lost a match at Wimbledon as McEnroe broke his serve by sending a volley down the line and out of Borg’s reach.

The crowd applauded politely. They had, of course, backed Borg to win his sixth championship. Even Borg said “No one can win forever.”

His fear had come home to roost. McEnroe was the new champion and the new No. 1 player. But the rivalry was not over—not quite yet. The two would meet once again in the finals of New York for the last time…

Stay tuned for the conclusion in Pt. 3. (Click here to read Pt. 1.)

Mechanics vs Mechanics: Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, Rafa Transtions Better

by Long John Silver… Congratulations, felis-tes-tio-nes to Rio de Janeiro!

So, now that AM has discussed the similarities between Rafael Nadal’s and Andy Murray’s games, I am going to get to the crux of the very difference in their games.

Both games are constructed based on defense, but it is not this that wins them slams or would potentially win slams.

At the fundamental level, their games are intrinsically different. Rafael is your offensive baseliner and M-Andy is your vintage ‘fourth generation’ (Wilander, Chang, Hewitt, M-Andy) counter-puncher. The evolution of the game is similar to that of an i-pod.

The succeeding generation of products are still true to their fundamental functionality (play music to the satisfaction of a music addict’s expected level of precision) but they always have additional features and are in a way, more adept to the current market’s requirements (i-shuffle and i-nano, I have a Prussian blue i-shuffle and I love it).

The crux of the difference between them lies in what we call as ‘Transition’. Nadal can transition from defense to offense quite seamlessly, and much better than Murray. That’s what has brought him six slams, and will potentially continue to bring him more.

The problem with M-Andy’s game is that very lack of transition. It’s not easy chiseling a defense based game to an offensive one, because innately your mindset is tuned to defend. When you are in trouble, the true colors always come out—and when your survival in a slam semi is at stake when the opponent is painting lines…you go back to what you are most comfortable with.

Nadal, with time, has willed himself to change that very mindset—and its one of the hardest things to do. That is what helped him conquer the coveted lawns of London, and to a lower extent OZ.

For some reason M-Andy still has to tell himself (or scowl at himself in the middle of the match) to attack more, or utter his famous ‘hit…don’t chip’ phrase. He still finds it hard to transition to offense when it’s needed most, very hard. That’s partially understandable, because even though he is No. 3, his game still is developing when compared to Nadal.

Hopefully it will develop faster. His game is very fine tuned, but not fine tuned enough to win day in and day out against first strike players. Look at the track record: F-VED in OZ, Gonzo in Paris, R-Andy in London, Cilic in NY. There is a pattern, and that pattern will stop when he transitions better.

That’s the crux: Rafael and M-Andy have games predicated on rock solid defense, but Nadal transitions to offense better.

Juan Martin del Potro On Top of ‘Tennis Power Rankings’

by J.A. Allen… After the U.S. Open and the Davis Cup in September, tennis has been pretty quiet, which usually happens after the concluding Grand Slam of the season. Therefore, not much substantial change takes place in the Power Rankings this time around, but a couple of new faces emerge while a few old ones faded away.

The Top 10

1. Juan Martin del Potro  (652 points)

Last four tournaments: U.S. Open [Winner], Canada Masters [Final], Washington [Winner], Wimbledon [R64]

After stunning the world by defeating the seemingly unconquerable Roger Federer in the finals at the U.S. Open, del Potro returns to play this week as the No. 1 seed in the Rakuten Japan Open. He may be a bit rusty after laying off for a month, but he will be helped by a depleted field in Tokyo, as Roger Federer and Andy Murray both withdrew with injuries.

The world of expectation and scrutiny will fall hard upon the young Argentine after his win in New York. He needs to do well in Tokyo to keep the press from questioning his ability—just ask Novak Djokovic.

ATP Ranking: 5. Last Power Ranking: 1

2. Roger Federer (646 points)

Last four tournaments: U.S.Open [Finalist], Cincinnati Masters [Winner], Canada Masters [Quarterfinalist], Wimbledon [Winner]

Like del Potro, his opponent in the U.S. Open, Federer has not picked up a tennis racket except to help Switzerland stay in the World Group during play in September. He has pulled out of the Rakuten Japan Open in Tokyo as well as the Masters Series event in Shanghai later this month.

He cites a bad back and other ailments, mainly reiterating his need for rest. Federer won two of the four Slam tournaments this year and will be hoping to strengthen his body for another run in 2010. Federer has already qualified for the year-end Masters tournament to be held in London this year.

Maybe fans will see Federer again in November in Basel or Paris. They certainly hope so.

ATP Ranking: 1. Last Power Ranking: 2

3. Novak Djokovic (333 points)

Last four tournaments: U.S. Open [Semifinalist], Cincinnati Masters [Finalist], Canada Masters [Quarterfinalist], Wimbledon [Quarterfinalist]

Hardcourt play enabled Djokovic to get back on track as he rose through the seedings all the way to the semifinals of the U.S. Open. He seemed to put his game back together again after faltering for most of the year. After a month layoff, the young Serb should extend his superior play on the indoor hardcouts.

He is the No. 2 seed at the China Open, with Rafael Nadal seeded No. 1. The field, however, is loaded with power players. It will be a good test of Djokovic’s resolve and strength.

The Serb still seeks his first Master’s shield of the season and that may occur at the Masters Series in Shanghai. The China Open will serve as a great tuneup for Djokovic.

ATP Ranking: 4. Last Power Ranking: 3

4. Nikolay Davydenko (319 points)

Last four tournaments: Malaysian Open [Winner], U.S. Open [R 16], New Haven [Quarterfinalist], Cincinnati Masters [R 16].

Davydenko earned his victory at the Malaysian Open by defeating some real heavyweights. He faced Taylor Dent, Gael Monfils, Robin Soderling, and Fernando Verdasco, defeating them all on his way to the championship. This win propelled him over the top and into the Power Rankings at the No. 4 spot.

Davydenko has been out of the Power Rankings for some time. This is usually the time of year the Russian excels—as the tour moves indoors. Davydenko will be seeded No. 4 at the China Open.

ATP Ranking: 8. Last Power Ranking: NR

5. Gilles Simon (315 points)

Last four tournaments: Thailand Open [Winner], U.S. Open [R32], Cincinnati Masters [Quarterfinalist], Canada Masters [R 16].

The determined and dapper Frenchman finally won a tournament this year after nabbing the trophy in the Thailand Open, defeating Viktor Troicki in the final. It was a satisfying win after being down so much of the year. Simon retains his top 10 ATP ranking with the win.

The Frenchman, seeded No. 3 in the China Open, is in the same half of the draw as the No. 1 seed Juan Martin del Potro. Simon continues to battle for the opportunity to play in the season ending Masters Tournament in London. He has a long way to go to get there but the victory in Thailand helps.

ATP Ranking: 10. Last Power Ranking: NR

6. Andy Murray (303 points)

Last four tournaments: U.S. Open [R16], Cincinnati Masters [Semifinalist], Canada Masters [Winner], Wimbledon [Semifinalist]

Murray’s wrist is still causing him major problems. Like Federer, Murray has pulled out of the Japan Open in hopes that his wrist injury will subside and he can return to play at full strength. The injury began at the U.S. Open and he aggravated it again during the Davis Cup tie with Poland.

The wrist may recover, but it will probably be day-to-day before the physicians clear Murray to play.

ATP Ranking: 3. Last Power Ranking: 5

7. Fernando Verdasco (292 points)

Last four tournaments: Malaysian Open [Finalist], U.S. Open [Quarterfinalist], New Haven [Winner], Cincinnati Masters [R64]

Like many of the other top players, Verdasco is battling injury. His is an abdominal tear—like that suffered by his countryman, Nadal. These constant injuries are a reminder to tennis organizers that the schedule they have created and imposed does vast damage to players, who often play days and weeks at a time without adequate rest and revitalization.

Verdasco’s return was almost triumphant—he made it all the way to the Malaysian Open Finals but came up short against Davydenko in Kuala Lumpur. Nonetheless, the result is promising. Verdasco will be seeded No. 5 at the upcoming China Open.

ATP Ranking: 9. Last Power Ranking: 6

8. Rafael Nadal (276 points)

Last four tournaments: U.S. Open [Semifinalist], Cincinnati Masters [Semifinalist], Canada Masters [Quarterfinalist], Roland Garros [R16]

Rafael Nadal has been fighting injuries for over a year. His attempts to come back have been impeded by the lingering effects of his abdominal tear. The Spaniard will be returning to action this week at the China Open, where he is seeded No. 1.

His first match back is against wild card entry Marcos Baghdatis—not the best draw for Nadal returning to action.

At this point, we will just wait and see who regains his form first and can claim his rightful place back at the top.

ATP Ranking: 2. Last Power Ranking: 4

9. Gael Monfils (217 points)

Last four tournaments: Malaysian Open [Quarterfinalist], Open De Moselle [Winner] U.S. Open [R16], Cincinnati Masters [R64]

The Frenchman with the most potential and the least discipline has powered his way into the rankings after winning the tournament in Metz, France. Monfils is seeded No. 4 at the Japan Open this week. Should the seedings stand, Monfils would meet fellow countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semifinals.

The question remains—how long can Monfils maintain his high-end style of play?

ATP Ranking: 13. Last Power Ranking: NR

10. Fernando Gonzalez (195 points)

Last four tournaments: Malaysian Open [Semifinalist], U.S. Open [Quarterfinalist], Cincinnati Masters [R64], Canada Masters [R16]

Fernando Gonzalez made it all the way to the semifinals of the Malaysian Open, where he lost to Fernando Verdasco, 6-4, 7-5. He was playing well until the Spaniard ended his run. Gonzo is seeded seventh at the China Open this week—on the same side of the draw with top-seeded Nadal.

Hopefully a good run at the China Open will keep him in the Power Rankings next time.

ATP Ranking: 12. Last Power Ranking: 7

Outside Looking In

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (194 points)

Last four tournaments: Thailand Open [Quarterfinalist], U.S. Open [R16], Cincinnati Masters [R32], Canada Masters [Semifinalist]

Like all the great athletes playing the game today, Tsonga has extraordinary potential but lacks the discipline needed to make it to the top of the game. Until he develops some consistency, he will continue to show flashes of brilliance but be unable to capitalize on his amazing abilities.

He has a Masters title at Paris to defend in November.

Robin Soderling (193 points)

Last four tournaments: Malaysian Open [Semifinalist], U.S. Open [Quarterfinalist], Cincinnati Masters [R64], Washington [Quarterfinalist]

Robin Soderling made it to the semifinals of Malaysian Open and faced Davydenko, who defeated him by a 1-6, 7-6, 6-3 score. At the China Open this week, the Swede will be seeded No. 6 and would face Djokovic if he made it to the semifinals.

Soderling’s fortunes have vastly improved, but he still has not made it into the ATP Top 10. Continued success may find the Swede there if his run on hardcourts continues.

Bjorn Borg: The Beginning of the End, Part 1

by J.A. Allen… “My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories.”
— Bjorn Borg

Former world No. 1 and Swedish teen sensation Bjorn Borg brought fame, fortune, and much-needed publicity to tennis in the mid-’70s, when he began to play. His long blond hair, smoldering good looks, and rock-star status elevated tennis in the hearts of teenage girls, if not the media corps.

There was a rhythm, a dance in his cat-like movements along the baseline as he swayed back and forth, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, tensed, ready to pounce as his opponent hit the ball over the net—like a cat playing with a mouse.

Borg understood the necessity of being in shape, of being as strong at the end of matches as you were at the beginning. This athleticism allowed him to dictate matches and gave him five Wimbledon championships and six French Open titles, often won back-to-back. Borg was the author of the modern game built on talent but bolstered by strength and endurance.

His reign on these natural surfaces highlighted his strengths: his speed, his endurance, and his reaction time. His arsenal included a wicked two-handed backhand with heavy topspin that aided his accuracy, as well as an underrated serve.

Perhaps his greatest attribute was his coolness under pressure. Because of his unflappable concentration, Borg was nicknamed the “Ice Man,” or “Ice Borg.” He never let anything or anyone take him out of his game.

On Wimbledon grass and Roland Garros clay Borg seemed invincible, but Borg had an Achilles’ heel: a game that fell flat-footed in New York at the U.S. Open. Bjorn Borg was a finalist in New York four times, but he never won there.

U.S. Open 1975 - Semifinal
U.S. Open 1976 - Finalist
U.S. Open 1978 - Finalist
U.S. Open 1979 - Quarterfinal
U.S. Open 1980 - Finalist
U.S. Open 1981 - Finalist

Why was this the case? What was it about the U.S. Open that stopped Borg dead in his tracks?

In 1976, a teenage Borg played Jimmy Connors in the finals of the U.S. Open, which was then played on clay. Borg lost in four sets, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-4. It was the loss of the third-set tiebreaker that turned the tide against Borg and gave Connors the incentive to slam the door on the youthful Swede.

In 1978, Connors once again found himself across the net from the ice man Borg in the finals of the U.S. Open. But this time Borg was totally outmatched and Connors shut out the lights early, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. By now, the Open was being played on hardcourts.

Between 1978-1980 the Swede reigned supreme and won three back-to-back doubles at the French Open and Wimbledon, paving the way for a sweep—a calendar year Slam.

All Borg needed was to succeed at the U.S. Open and then journey down under to capture the Australian Open, which was then played in December instead of January.

In 1980, the Swede faced another loud-mouthed American, this time it was the up-and-coming John McEnroe—the same McEnroe who had taken him to five sets at Wimbledon earlier that summer.

It was widely known that Borg was not fond of New York and the U.S. Open tournament. New York was as far from the staid grounds of Wimbledon as a tennis traditionalist can get. The fans were noisy and boisterous. Then too, the Open was played on hardcourts…not Borg’s favorite.

The tournament officials scheduled night matches for the fans and for a television audience in prime time. Borg did not like night matches. As a tennis purist, Borg felt tennis should only be played during daylight hours. Actually, he had a hard time seeing the ball as well at night.

In fact, he felt jinxed every time he played in New York—which probably explains why he never won because he had lost in his head before he began, even though he struggled through to make four finals.

For a Borg fan, the U.S. Open of 1980 was a living nightmare. In the quarterfinals Borg met Roscoe Tanner, who defeated him in 1979 during this very round. At Flushing Meadows, Tanner had faith in his ability to defeat Borg.

In ‘79, of course, they played under the lights. This year’s match was in broad daylight and Borg managed to win 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in five tough sets.

Borg’s next opponent in the semis was Johan Kriek—one of the craziest players on the court, according to Lesley Visser of The Boston Globe. Borg should have beaten Kriek without too much difficulty. Instead, he lost the first two sets and was down, 4-6, 4-6, before coming on to win the last three sets, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.

Borg had not lost a five-set match since 1976, winning 14 in a row. In the meantime, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe were slugging out their own five-set match, which McEnroe won by a 6-4, 5-7, 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 score.

In the finals, Borg was on track to be the first man in 11 years to win a Grand Slam—if he could win his match against McEnroe and then capture the Australian Open in December. If McEnroe won, he would be the first man to win back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 20 years. There was much at stake in the 1980 U.S. Open final.

Borg should have won the first set, serving twice for it at 5-4 and 6-5. He lost both, as well as the set at 6-7.  In fact, the coolest competitor in tennis lost his temper when, at 2-2 in the tiebreaker, McEnroe served an ace that Borg felt was long.

He lost his concentration and awoke to find himself down another set at 1-6. Borg said that he didn’t know what happened—all of a sudden he had no feeling for the ball.

Borg fans faced a grim situation, however, when it appeared that Borg would go down in straight sets to McEnroe. He was not playing with his usual calm and unruffled demeanor. He was disastrously close to losing the third set when he rallied to take it 7-6, and the fourth set 7-5.

There was relief in the fact Borg hung in there, arriving at a fifth set. It was well known that Borg did not lose five-set matches; after all, he had not lost a five-set match since 1976.

But this was neither Wimbledon nor Roland Garros. This was the U.S. Open, where McEnroe reigned and Borg faltered. So it was that here in the fifth set where Borg usually prevailed, he stumbled and lost to McEnroe, 6-4.

When Borg lost, it didn’t sink in right away. That was because it was so hard to accept. There must be more, his fans kept thinking, because otherwise—he had lost and McEnroe had won. They felt numb.

It was a devastating loss because Borg fought all the way back and then succumbed to McEnroe, who seemed to be assured he would win. Borg lacked a similar conviction because this was the U.S. Open.

Borg was finished for 1980, at least as far as the majors were concerned. He would not go on to play in Australia in December because he was only interested in winning the Grand Slam, and losing the U.S. Open in 1980 meant Australia was irrelevant.

For most male tennis professionals in 1980, Australia was generally regarded as unimportant. It was not a highly regarded Slam when compared to Wimbledon, the French Open, or the U.S. Open. Today, of course, that is no longer true.

It is fair to say that players like Connors, Borg, and McEnroe—who generally skipped the Australian—might have a much higher total of Slam victories had they bothered to make the trip down under.

Borg would play more tournaments in the fall of 1980 and even win the Masters in January 1981. There were stirrings of a new threat on the horizon named Ivan Lendl. But for the majority of his fans living in the United States, tennis would not begin again until May of 1981, when it was time to start the French Open Championships.

Little did his fans—or the tennis world—suspect that 1981 would mark the end of the road for Bjorn Borg. 1980 foreshadowed the ultimate demise of the Ice Man.

Stay tuned for Pt. 2 of Bjorn Borg: The Beginning of the End.

Day Five: It’s Not the Same U.S. Open Anymore…

by J.A. Allen… The top-seeded women continue to fall while the top-seeded men rise to the occasion. Will Ferrell is in attendance…

Results: Day Session—Women

(1) Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-1

Seeded No. 10, the hot, hot lady from Italy cooled off the Canadian Aleksandra Wozniack, 6-1, 6-1. The Italian Pennetta is making quite a name for herself this summer! Her results have been very impressive.

Pennetta next meets Russian Vera Zvonareva in the fourth round.

(2) Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-2

One of the mighty U.S. faded on day five. Alas, Vania King could not make it two in a row. She had taken out Australian Samantha Stosur, seeded 15th, in the first round, but the American could not withstand the power of Daniela Hantuchova.

The Slovakian, seeded No. 22, is a long, thin and graceful player. Hantuchova will face No. 2 seed Serena Williams in the next round.

(3) Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5

Second seed Serena Williams faced Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, taking the first set at 6-3. It appeared to be business as usual. In the second set, however, the Spaniard broke the American twice, serving to go up, 3-1.

Serena did not take this lightly and broke back. The American found herself in a position to level the second set at 3-3 if she could hold onto her serve. She did just that. Martinez-Sanchez held on to go up, 4-3.

The serve-and-volleyer proved to be a major hurdle for Williams. They battled, staying on serve with Martinez-Sanchez going up 5-4 in set No. 2. Serena then leveled the set at 5-5.

At deuce No. 8 in game 11, Martinez-Sanchez double-faulted, losing her serve. Serena served for the match at 6-5. She won the set at 7-5 and moved on to the next round, where she faces Hantuchova.

(4) Francesca Schiavone 4-6, 6-2, 6-2

Victoria Azarenka had a break of serve against Francesca Schiavone in the opener. That was enough to allow her to secure that first set, 6-4.

Azarenka continued the pressure by breaking Schiavone in the first game of set two. But the Italian broke right back to level it at 1-1. They seesawed back and forth. Schiavone finally broke and held the break to go up 4-2, eventually taking the second set with another break at 6-2.

Schiavone broke Azarenka’s serve immediately in the third set. The Italian played a very smart match against the No. 8 seed, with the lady from Belarus growing increasingly agitated.

Azarenka lost the third set in a stunning upset with Schiavone taking the match, causing the No. 8 seed to throw her racket down in total disgust. The crowd booed her—but the feisty Azarenka hates to lose! Another upset of the women’s top-seeded players. Schiavone will next face Na Li of China.

(5) Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-4

The two Russians met on unlucky court No. 13. But it did prove to be a lucky day for Vera Zvonareva seeded number seven who faced Elena Vesnina and ripped through the first set 6-2.

The second set was a bit more of a struggle but Zvonereva held on to win the match, 6-2, 6-4. Zvonereva will meet the rejuvenated Italian Flavia Pennetta in the fourth round.

(6) Na Li 6-4, 6-2

The Chinese Li, seeded No. 18, met Russian Maria Kirilenko in the third round. Li took the first set, 6-4, and then took the second set, 6-2. It was all over quickly. Li will next face the Italian Schiavone, who upset Azarenka earlier on the day.

Results: Night Session—Women

(7) Kim Clijsters 6-0, 6-2

Clijsters ran through her opponent fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens. She will next face Venus Williams in the fourth round.

(8) Venus Williams 6-2, 7-5

Williams seeded No. 3 met and defeated Magdalena Rybarikova in straight sets. Even with her heavily taped upper thigh, Venus won convincingly and will next face Kim Clijsters in the fourth round.

Results: Day Session—Men

(1) Marin Cilic 4-6, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-0

Meanwhile U.S. interloper Jesse Levine made life miserable for the leaner looking Marin Cilic, the No. 16 seed, going up two sets to love at 6-4, 6-2. Then reality set in and Cilic ran away with set No. 3—taking it at love.

Levine fought hard but Cilic took the fourth set, 6-3. They moved on to a fifth set.  Unfortunately for the American, his day was done after the first two sets. Cilic won the fifth set, 6-0, and the American was on his way home—wondering what happened! Cilic next faces Denis Istomin.

(2) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5, 6-3, 6-4

Tsonga, seeded seventh, had a relatively easy time dispatching Jarkko Nieminen, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Nieminen was just returning after surgery on his wrist. What was interesting were Jimmy Connors’ comments regarding the multi-talented Tsonga.

Connors remarked that sometimes you can have too much talent.

When you have too much talent, you do not work as hard because the mechanics come too easily. When you do not work at tennis every day, you are not fit—not mentally or physically as fit as those guys who dedicate themselves to their art.

Such truth coming so early in the day from Jimbo! You see it reflected in Tsonga—who is often hurt, as is another French wild man—Gael Monfils. Talent, it seems, is not all it takes to make it to the top. Nobody ever made more of his talent than Jimbo! Tsonga meets fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

(3) Juan Martin del Potro 7-6, 6-3, 6-3

Del Potro, seeded sixth, started off slowly, suffering a break of serve; the Argentine quickly found his way back into the match with Jurgen Melzer, though, as his serve sizzled.

Melzer contended, but del Potro took the first set, 7-6, after seizing the tie-break. With a break of serve in the second set, Juan del Potro took it, 6-3. In the third set, Melzer fought hard but lost his serve and eventually the set, at 6-3. The match went to del Potro, who next faces Daniel Koellerer.

(4) Juan Carlos Ferrero 1-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

Ferrero (24) lost the first two sets of his match, but came back to win the third set, 6-4, against Philipp Petzschner of Germany. Ferrero also took the fourth set, 6-2.

The fifth was a real contest—unlike the the Cilic vs. Levine final set. Ferrero fought back from being down a break to even the fifth at 4-4. Then he broke Petzschner to go up 5-4, serving for the set—which he did successfully.

Like Cilic, Ferrero came back to win the last three sets, taking the match in five.  Ferrero will meet Gilles Simon in the next round.

(5) Julian Benneteau 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0

Benneteau won the first set, 6-1, then lost the second set to Victor Troicki (30), 3-6; the Frenchman came back and won the third set, again at 6-1, finally closing it out at 6-0 to win in four sets.

So far on day five, two Frenchmen have moved on. Benneteau must face fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round.

(6) Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2

No. 17 Berdych faced Horatio Zeballos in a second-round contest. Berdych took the first set, 6-3. It looked to be a easy day for the Czech. Looks, however, can be deceiving.

The second set went to a tie-break which the Czech lost. In the third the players remained dead even—with Berdych finally taking the set in another tie-break. Berdych was up two sets to one as they headed for the fourth set.

Berdych broke the Argentine’s serve a couple of times to go up 4-1. He finally captured the final set 6-2. He will next face Fernando Gonzalez.

(7) Denis Istomin 2-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6

Istomin played a hotly contested match with Nicolas Lapentti that went the distance—five sets with a final tie-break in the fifth to determine the winner. Istomin held on to win this marathon match and he will meet Marin Cilic in the next round.

(8) Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

Another Frenchman, Gilles Simon, appearing on Court 11 seeded No. 9, faced Brazilian Thomas Bellucci. Simon is not enjoying quite the splash he did last summer. He broke Bellucci to go up 2-0 in the opening set, eventually going up 3-0.

But Bellucci broke back and evened things up. Simon regained momentum and took the first set, 6-3. Soon after, Simon won the second set, 6-2. In the third set, Simon and Bellucci stayed on serve and were even at 3-3.

Eventually the baby-faced Frenchman won the match, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. He will face Juan Carlos Ferrero in the third round.

(9) Nicolas Almagro 6-7, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

American Robby Ginepri met Nicolas Almagro (32) on Louis Armstrong in a second round contest. They stayed on serve through the first set—with Ginepri taking the tie-break to go up 7-6.  Almagro fought back and took the second set 6-2.

In a tightly fought contest, Almagro took the third set, 6-3, with Ginepri coming back to win the fourth, 6-4. This match went to a fifth set with the crowd backing the American.

Eventually, Almagro hung on to win in the fifth, 6-4. He next faces Rafael Nadal in the third round.

(10) Daniel Koellerer 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4

Koellerer met and defeated Pablo Cuevas in the second round to set up a meeting with Juan Martin del Potro in the next round.

(11) Andy Murray 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2

Much as expected, Andy Murray was not severely challenged by Paul Capdeville, running away with the first set, 6-2. But Capdeville came back and broke Murray in the second set to go up 4-1. In a surprising result, Capdeville took the second set 6-3.

The No. 2 seed seemed to take a respite from the match in the second set and camped out behind the baseline. After returning to the game, Murray raced through the third set, 6-0, and then took the fourth and final set, 6-2. He will next meet Cilic in the third round. It gets interesting from this point forward as the seeds begin to meet.

(12) Fernando Gonzalez 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4

Gonzalez met another of the legion of talented Frenchmen Josselin Ouanna. The Chilean seeded No. 11 took the first set 6-4.

The second set played even with the Frenchman taking it in a tie-break. But Gonzalez bounced back and won the next two sets. Gonzalez will next meet Tomas Berdych.

(13) Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-5, 6-3

Meanwhile, another Frenchman, 13th-seeded Gael Monfils, faced Andreas Beck from Germany taking the first set 6-3. Monfils broke the German’s serve early in the second set, going up 3-1.

Eventually Monfils won in straight sets. He will look forward to playing Jose Acasuso.

(14) Taylor Dent 6-4, 5-7, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6

Dent, the American, shot out to a 3-0 lead against Navarro on the Grand Slam Court.  But Navarro fought back to level it at 3-3. After another break of serve, Dent took the first set. Then it settled into a battle royale!

It was a thrilling match for the American to win with the crowd in full vocal support.  Dent’s next opponent is Andy Murray.

(15) Jose Acasuso 6-3, 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2

David Ferrer, seeded No. 18, met Jose Acasuso in a hard-fought baseline contest that went the distance. After five grueling sets, Acasuso took the fifth set by the throat and reined in the victory.

The Spaniard Ferrer continues to flounder. Acasuso will face the Frenchman Gael Monfils in the third round..

Results: Night Session—Men

(16) Rafael Nadal 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Nadal (3) faced the German Nicholas Kiefer. Nadal took the first set at love. But Kiefer found his game and came back in thrilling fashion taking the second set 6-3.

What started out to be a lop-sided contest quickly grew interesting. It was tight and exciting all the way with single breaks of serve providing the needed leverage in both the third and fourth sets.

Nadal won under the lights with the crowd fully engaged.

Elena Dementieva: On the Short List of Contenders for the Big Apple

by Long John Silver… Something struck me during my conversation with my friend a couple of days before.

I was asked to pay closer attention to Elena “Viatcheslavovna” Dementieva’s game, and I did.

The current world No. 4 defeated Serena Williams (6 and 1) in the semis, and took down MA-SHA (3 and 4) in the finals to win the Rogers Cup in Toronto.

But it was the mechanics of her game that struck me as very unique to the women’s game.

Think about the best ways to hit a tennis shot. The ideal way to hit a forehand or a backhand is to hit it using the shoulders through its effective rotation, rather than using the entire body weight. Using the entire body weight exerts undue and unwanted stress on the body. The key is to hit with minimal effort while generating the pace and spin required to clean the lines consistently.

One of the reasons why Roger Federer has remained pretty much injury free is due to a combination of reasons, most importantly his ability to win and take control of the points using his fluidity in ground strokes. Less is simple. Economy in ground strokes undoubtedly increases the longevity of a career. There is a reason why counter-punchers rise and fall early.

Federer, Agassi, Graf, and Roddick predominantly hit forehands using the power in their shoulders. Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, Serena, and Sharapova use more of their entire body weight to drill a forehand. When one uses only the shoulders to hit a ground stroke, the entire torso of the body is directly in the line of the ball when hitting a ground stroke. When one uses the body weight to hit a ground stroke, the torso is not directly in the line of the ball, it is facing sideways. These examples are specific to a forehand.

Using the entire body weight requires more energy to be invested into the shot than if you have strong shoulders, or just taught how to hit the shot better when young. In the WTA tour, most women use their entire body to hit shots in an attempt to impart more power into their ground strokes.

However, when you watch Elena play, there is this innate feeling of efficiency. Her shots don’t take more effort than it should because she only uses shoulders to hit off both flanks. Her forehand and backhand looks fluid, smooth, and iPod sleek. Perfect mechanics.

Elena glides through the court without any significant effort side to side. It’s almost like Federer in terms of movement—you don’t notice how fast he is moving because he does it so effortlessly. Time and again she held her own on the ground with efficiency as compared to MA-SHA who looked like she was expending twice the physical effort to achieve the same end result. It takes its toll.

This clip highlights the contrasting styles of mechanics between the two. Look how compact Elena hits, contrary to her opponent. She is equally comfortable at the net and can take control of the points at will.

With that heart-breaking loss in the London semis to Serena, she has bounced back very well. The Williams sisters always raise their games for the slams, Safina still looks ominous, but I think Dementieva is in that mix of top contenders for New York. Probably the next best bet after Serena Williams.

The efficiency of her game innately leads her to conserve energy, more than her competitors. Her ball striking is splendid as of now, and she looks match fit and ready to go play in the Big Apple. She has been on the big stage before, she has been in slam finals twice (04 Paris and 04 NY)…and went Gold in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, which propelled her confidence to even higher levels.

She has always been in the mix at the business end of the slams. Time and again she has been bettered when she has been very close to the finish line. At 7-6 5-7 in the London semis, it would have been easy for her to say that she has played well and the opponent was too good as she always has been (S. Williams).

But what was most impressive was the way she decided to put it past her and carry on with the sword deep into the third, something from which she derived enormous heart and confidence from rather than surrendering meekly. She just fell short of the finish line (6 – 8 in the third), but sometimes you learn more when you lose a match, only to use what you have learnt to come back stronger (Federer V Hewitt Davis Cup 2003, Federer lost from being two sets up. He hasn’t lost a match to Hewitt since, a staggering stat).

A couple of chips fall her way…and there is no reason why the Russian world No. 4 cannot hoist the coveted crystal in New York City, adjacent to the irresistible evening lights of the Manhattan Island.

Needless to say the Sam Adams is on me the next two weeks,

Welcome to the Big Apple…

Cheers.

PS: Love the solo bass rendition of “My Friend of Misery” by Jason Newsted (”M” bassist).

Men’s Tennis Power Rankings: Roger Federer Cements Top Spot

by J.A. Allen… Roger Federer earned his spot at the top of our Power Rankings. He played stellar tennis in Cincinnati all week. Also based on his play in Cincinnati, Novak Djokovic has shot all the way back into the upper reaches of our top 10.

To understand how we arrive at our rankings, click here. Again, many thanks to Feng Rong for his help in crunching the numbers.

1. Roger Federer—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [Winner], Montreal [Quarterfinalist] Wimbledon [Winner], Roland Garros [Winner]; Total Points: 1507.

After he folded in Montreal, crashing out to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarters, leading 5-1 in the third set, questions about Federer’s match strength arose. Could the happy father come up with the right stuff necessary to win again?

His play in Cincinnati proved Federer is back with a vengeance. He seemed to be saying, “Look here all you No. 1 wannabes—you have to go through me to get to the top!”

2. Andy Murray—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [Semifinalist], Montreal [Winner], Wimbledon [Semifinalist], Queens [Winner]; Total points: 973.

We all knew that once the clay court season faded into the background and the hard court season emerged, Andy Murray’s power rankings would shoot toward the top. The last two weeks have proven to be very, very good for the up-and-coming Scotsman. The U.S. Open promises to improve his status even more.

3. Novak Djokovic—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [Finalist], Montreal [Quarterfinalist], Gerry Weber Open [Finalist], Wimbledon [Quarterfinalist]; Total Points: 749.

If Novak Djokovic had won his final match in Cincinnati, he would have been No. 1 in our Power Rankings for the week of Aug. 24. He fought hard against a rejuvenated Roger Federer. Making it back into our top 10 and climbing all the way to No. 3, however, is not too bad.

This should give Djokovic the lift his confidence needed as he heads into New York for the U.S. Open.

4. Rafael Nadal—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [Semifinalist], Montreal [Quarterfinalist], Roland Garros [R 4], Madrid [Finalist]; Total points: 505.

It has been great seeing Rafael Nadal, now ranked No. 3 in the ATP, back playing tennis again. Granted, the hard courts are not his favorites, but his comeback was satisfactory, as he made it to the quarterfinals in his first outing in Montreal, and the semifinals on his second try in Cincinnati.

He should be feeling redeemed as he heads into New York for the final Slam of the season.

5. Andy Roddick—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [R2], Montreal [Semifinalist], Washington [Finalist], Wimbledon [Finalist]; Total points: 475.

Losing early in Cincinnati to Sam Querrey was a great disappointment to Roddick—but it did not hurt his overall hard court season. The future still looks bright for Roddick’s chances to do well in New York. His play so far this season has been of very high caliber.

Will we see him recapture glory at Arthur Ashe Stadium? Could be.

6. Juan Martin del Potro—Last Four Tournaments Played: Montreal [Finalist], Washington [Winner], Wimbledon [R64], Roland Garros [Semifinalist]; Total points: 472.

Del Potro fought Andy Murray tooth and nail in Montreal for the first two sets—two tiebreaks, with Del Potro winning the first and Murray the second. But Del Potro’s endurance faded in the third, and Murray won. He had to withdraw from Cincinnati, but Del Potro did win in Washington.

His prospects look hot going into New York, where the Argentine is considered a major contender.

7. Nikolay Davydenko—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [R 3], Montreal [Quarterfinalist], Umag [Winner], Hamburg [Winner]; Total points: 343.

For a little guy, the Russian is mighty with his aggressive returns and his subtle and quick footwork. There is deceptive power in his strokes with parallel precision. He is moving back up the rankings ladder after a bout with injury. The hard courts are to his liking, and no one much intimidates the soft-spoken Russian.

8. Lleyton Hewitt—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [Quarterfinalist], Montreal [R 1], Washington [R 16], Wimbledon [Quarterfinalist]; Total points: 245

The Aussie counter-puncher fell out of the ATP top 100 in 2009 after undergoing hip surgery. Since that time he has clawed his way back to No. 32 with his all-out attacking style and his never-say-die attitude. He made an impact on grass, going deep into the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

One suspects that the Aussie will be dreaming of a return to top 20 by doing well in New York.

9. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [R2], Montreal [Quarterfinalist], Washington [R 32], Wimbledon [R 32]; Total points: 236.

The Muhammad Ali look-alike stung Federer like a bee in Montreal, seemingly just another statistic before he dug deep to come back from the abyss. He took the third set from Federer after being down to the great man 1-5. This win propelled him up the power rankings ladder.

The Frenchman is currently ranked No. 7 in the ATP. He will have his eye firmly planted on the next major in New York.

10. Sam Querrey—Last Four Tournaments Played: Cincinnati [R3], Montreal [R1], Washington [R16], Los Angeles [Winner]; Total points: 173

Querrey hangs onto his top 10 power ranking after his outstanding win in Los Angeles. Querrey’s success on the hard courts is a pleasant surprise to American fans, as James Blake continues to falter so far in 2009. We expect Querrey’s confidence to be supreme after upsetting fellow countryman Andy Roddick in Cincinnati.

Outside Looking In

Fernando Gonzalez—Total points: 126

After much success earlier in the year, Gonzalez’s fortunes have fallen far enough to push him out of our Top 10 rankings. He was unfortunate to lose early in Cincinnati to Tomas Berdych, who made it all the way to the quarterfinals. In Montreal he was forced out in the third round against Davydenko.

Traditionally an excellent hard court player, Gonzalez will hope to improve his ranking during the U.S. Open.

Robin Soderling—Total points: 91

An elbow injury continues to hamper the big-serving Swede. He went out early to Hewitt in Cincinnati. It is hoped that he will be able to return to form at the US Open later this month. After such a productive 2009, Soderling will expect to turn things around quickly by doing well in New York.

CANADIAN EL TABAKH ADVANCES TO ROGERS CUP MAIN DRAW

by Michael Cvitkovic… The 48-player qualifying draw wrapped up Sunday at Roger Cup Toronto with another Canadian making magic on home soil. Egyptian-born Canadian Heidi El Tabakh upset Sania Mirza of India 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 at Rexall Centre. El Tabakh advances to the main draw of a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Premier event for the first time.

“I’m very satisfied,” said El Tabakh after the match. “I did a lot better than I thought I would coming into the tournament. I knew (my opponents) were better ranked than I am so I had nothing to lose and I just went for it.”

El Tabakh defeated top-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round of qualifying Saturday to set up yesterday’s special match for the 22-year-old. The other remaining Canadian in the qualifying draw, Sharon Fichman of Toronto, fell to Wickmayer of Belgium 6-3, 6-2. A total of 27,702 fans enjoyed Free Family Weekend, which included the qualifying draw and promotional events geared towards children.

Main draw action begins today, highlighted by an Opening Night exhibition with legends Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles, along with Serena Williams and Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak. At the conclusion of the doubles exhibition, Monica Seles will be inducted into the Rogers Cup Hall of Fame. The night will conclude with the featured singles match of Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova. Tuesday will feature Venus Williams during the day session and Kim Clijsters at night. Serena Williams showcases the Wednesday evening session.

For live scoring, updated draws and order of play, please visit rogerscup.com. Follow your favourite players and receive promotional updates on your mobile device or through email alerts by signing up to he Rogers Cup SMS alerts.

About Rogers Cup Toronto
Rogers Cup Toronto is a Tennis Canada owned and operated world-class tournament celebrating its 117th anniversary of the women’s event. Rogers Cup takes place August 15-23, 2009 at the state-of-the-art Rexall Centre on the campus of York University. As a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Premier 5 tournament and Olympus U.S. Open Series event, the Rogers Cup will showcase the world’s top female tennis talent in Toronto for nine exciting days of tennis. The three last Rogers Cup champions went on to win the U.S. Open in the same year. Rogers Cup is the third-oldest title in tennis, behind only Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. For tickets visit www.rogerscup.com .

Tennis Tri(P)fecta: Pain, Physical Fitness and Performance

by Long John Silver… The past few months I have wondered how the role of ‘Pain’ transcends between sport and reality. The final catalyst was during a conversation with a friend. Thought I would discuss that a bit, for pain, performance and sport are as intertwined as boys and girls in high school, and men and women in the real world.

To quote two champions of our time about playing with pain, who came out and said what essentially had the same gist:

Rafael Nadal:

“I played with some problems on the knee for the last few months. I’ve been making efforts to play week after week. The truth is that sportsmen always play with pain and don’t know where the limit is, where you can get to. I think I reached that limit now. I will work very hard to comeback as soon as possible. One of the problems is I’m thinking more about the knees than what is happening on court and it’s very difficult to play like that.”

Sachin Tendulkar:

“I always play in pain, all the time. I played with a broken finger for the last three months, but you know when pain is manageable or not, and most of the time I can do it,” he said. “I can still do what I did when I was 25 but the body is changing, so your thought process has to change too. I have had to change how I think, which is about taking less risk.”

Top sportsmen have always played in constant pain. It’s not new to them and eventually they get used to it. Sampras never hit a ball or practiced when he won his Hollywood Wimbledon under the London twilight defeating Rafter in the 2000 final. He practically won his last Wimbledon on one foot.

Agassi was on a healthy diet of cortisone for the last year of his career to play on the tour. There were days when he said he could not walk after the match. Hewitt went through the entire last year playing with a torn hip muscle. When Rusty double faults, more often than not it is because he cannot push up higher using his thighs due to the perennial strain on them.

Even though I end up berating him, “you are serving like my grand mum’” and then ‘”you are serving worse than my grand mum”, deep inside I do know the underlying problem.

An unhealthy Beckham came sooner than he should have to L.A. Galaxy and tarnished his hard earned reputation. When he came to the L.A. Galaxy he wasn’t as recovered as he thought he was.

One of Federer’s often underestimated skills is his meticulous ability to stay injury-free. It takes a lot of training off-court, not over or under training but the exact amount of training to remain that way. Federer has done an impeccable job of playing relatively pain free throughout his career. Sharapova missed most of 2008 due to her shoulder injury.

A pain in the shoulder is as good as a racket with the wrong string tension. There is nowhere to go, nowhere to hide for you need to use your shoulders to serve each and every point. It took a monumental effort on her part to play Roland Garros half fit and make a decent run this time around.

Murray and Henin both have remarked before that the pain they go through on the practice courts is significantly higher than what their bodies go through during the course of an actual match.

For the Ashes 2007, the entire Australian cricket team ran sand hills (normal hills are hard enough, sand hills?!) every day in the Australian peak summer as a part of their training regime.

In his prime, Michael Schumacher used to spend six hours each day in the gym. He hardly used to break a sweat driving the scarlet monster even under the most physically trying circumstances. He used to do exceedingly well in street and counter-clockwise circuits which stress the neck muscles more.

A physically fitter body can concentrate better for the longest period of time too, helps when your reflexes need to react in microseconds, rather than in seconds, you know driving a car at 200 mph and all.

A fit athlete isn’t a generic term, one can easily be fit for a sport but may not look fit in real life.

Shane Warne was always carrying a few pounds extra, but he was always cricket fit – meaning he can bowl all day if needed, and he has. Shaq O’Neal has never been the fittest around, but he still did extremely well for Lakers during his time. What he lacked in speed, he made up with sheer power and momentum. A soccer player needs to be fast and slim, a boxer needs to be bulky and not quite so slim. The version of fitness varies for each sport.

Federer is fit right, so is Ivanisevic—fancy pitting any one of them (hell, may be even both of them) in a boxing ring with Lennox Lewis? You can, but have an ambulance on call, you get the drift I’m sure.

Pain during strenuous physical regimen during the preparation stage, and pain due to injury are different. The former allows you to prepare yourself so that you can maximize your performance (Jim Courier running up the hills with tires or sand bags tied to his chest during his prime?), the latter actually hinders from you performing your best.

The former occurs because you push yourself to the absolute limits, the existence of the latter prevents you from doing the same. Different results, same reason. The key is to enjoy the training and not treat it as a mundane activity. Juan Pablo Montoya used to play tennis instead of hitting the weight room because he despised the weight rooms and sweaty personnel inside them.

The key is to also keep it different from time to time, the Pakistani cricket team plays soccer sometimes to keep things interesting on specific days. Their skipper Inzamam Haq was never the fittest of blokes around, but he can still play the game very well.

As much as we would think life mirrors sport, and vice versa—it is true but not always.

A regular bloke such as you and me probably have never trained to the extent to which a Sampras, Phelps, Bryant or Armstrong train to remain on top of their respective sports. We have never pushed ourselves physically to that point because we never have needed to. Our lives and work does not require us to be in the physical shape an athlete is required to be. It’s the necessity of the job and hence it becomes a requirement. I

f you are a chemist, you are sort of expected to know the chemical formula for ethanol.  If you are an athlete you are expected to be physically fit, for that is the fuel that drives your performance. That’s precisely why we can question Serena’s lack of fitness, but have no business questioning your neighbor who is 40 pounds heavier from the average bloke. The latter is wrong, the former…not so quite.

Hence both physical and psychological stress and pain is a part of an athlete’s life. But a stress in real life differs from sport.

In real life, you breathe it, live it, sleep with it until the causation for stress is addressed. But in sport, it is for that moment during training or the match for which you feel the stress, you can unwind afterwards. That is why having a family helps top athletes because when Federer, Schumacher or Agassi go home to their kids and wife, life reaches normalcy again.

A real life is an escape to an athlete. There is no escape to top level sport for an average bloke like Joe Schmoe or Joe the Plumber.

With age the training you do to maintain fitness and endurance varies significantly. At 29, it is significantly harder and takes longer to recuperate from a heavy night binge drinking, or a 16-14 fifth set the previous evening.

That’s why top athletes have individual physical trainers and nutritionists.  Simply because of the fact the trainer knows the particular’s athlete’s body intimately well, that he or she would change the training based on the events the previous day to prepare for the next game.

Gil Reyes is a tremendous example with Agassi. Ice baths and deep tissue massages (not the ones we get in the spa) are painful, but they help the muscles from prolonged inflammation. Throwing a medicine ball is also one of the toughest things in the world, and it’s monotonous. Sampras mastered this art.

Pain, Physical Training and Performance are intertwined in an athlete’s career, they are the cornerstones of his or her art. Sometimes pain leads to performance, other times it acts as a roadblock.  Managing one’s body very well reduces the chances of pain during a career, only few do it very well.

Eventually however, when you have it every day you accept it as a part of your life. Was it Ivanisevic who told as a response to what is different after retiring, ‘No more therapy, no more training and no more ibuprofens’?

An athlete’s life is unimaginably different from yours and mine…more than you and I can ever imagine. What we see is the glitz, glamour, girls and success…but a little more goes on in the back room that we don’t get to see, and that’s the fuel that drives their performance and success.

I thought of Nadal and Courier, but who better than Lendl to represent an article about training.

Cheers.

PS: One of my favorite Nike commercials

PPS: I am glad my pop-eye Spaniard is back in Montreal

Women’s Tennis Power Rankings: Marion Bartoli Blasts into Top 10

by J.A. Allen…

The Top 10: Aug. 3, 2009

1. Dinara Safina—WTA Ranking: One

Last Four Tournaments Played: Slovenia Open [Winner] 280 pts, Wimbledon [Semifinalist] 900 pts, S-Hertogenbosch [Semifinalist] 130 points, Roland Garros [Finalist] 1,400 points

Total points: 2,710

Yes, Dinara Safina is still No. 1 in the Power Rankings, but as the clay results fall away, Serena Williams pulls ever closer.

You have to give Safina credit, though: No one can fault her dedication. She is headlining the next big tournament in LA this week. The Williams sisters are not scheduled to play.

There are only 85 points separating Safina and Serena Williams at this point, but if Serena does not play, she cannot catch up.

2. Serena Williams—WTA Ranking: Two

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bank of West Classic [Quarterfinalist] 120 pts, Wimbledon [Winner] 2,000 points, Roland Garros [Quarterfinalist] 500 points, Madrid [R64] five pts

Total pt: 2,625

All Serena had to do was go a couple more rounds—beat Samantha Stosur and Marion Bartoli, and she would be No. 1 in the power rankings, whether or not she won the championship of the Bank of the West Classic.

Instead, she folded under the heat in Stanford and left it up to her sister Venus to try to take out Bartoli. It is during these minor tournaments where Serena’s desire dwindles.

This is why she remains locked in the No. 2 spot.

3. Svetlana Kuznetsova—WTA Ranking: Five

Last Four Tournaments Played: Wimbledon [R32] 160 pts, Eastbourne [R32] one pt, Roland Garros [Winner] 2,000 pts, and Madrid [R32] five pts

Total pts. 2,166

The Russian has not played much of late and has announced that she will not be participating in this week’s LA Open because of a nagging foot injury.

Kuznetsova does well on the hard courts, so if she can recover from her injury, she may retain her top five WTA ranking.

As Roland Garros fades into the past, however, she will lose many points and her top five spot in our Power Rankings.

4. Venus Williams—WTA Ranking: Three

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bank of West Classic [Finalist] 320 pts, Wimbledon [Finalist] 1,400 pts, Roland Garros [Third Round] 160 pts, Madrid [Third Round] five pts

Total pts: 1,885

Left on Sunday to take out a surging Marion Bartoli at Stanford, Venus Williams resurrected her game at the end of the second set and almost pulled a victory from the jaws of defeat.

She also would have moved into the No. 3 spot in the Power Rankings, within a few hundred points of sister Serena. But Venus lost the final.

As the tour moves seriously onto the U.S. hard courts, look for the Williams sisters to make it to the No. 1 and No. 2 spots respectively—heading into the US Open in late August.

5. Victoria Azarenka—WTA Ranking: Eight

Last Four Tournaments Played: Wimbledon [Quarterfinalist] 500 pts, Roland Garros [Quarterfinalist] 500 pts, Madrid [R16] 140 pts, and Rome [Semifinalist] 350 pts

Total pts 1,490

Scheduled to return to the tour this week in LA, Azarenka has been nursing some slight aches and pains after a very bruising schedule up through Wimbledon.

No one is more determined than the lady from Belarus. She will want to make her mark now and up through the final slam of the season in New York.

6. Elena Dementieva—WTA Ranking: Four

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bank of the West Classic [Semifinalist] 200 pts, Wimbledon [Semifinalist] 900 pts, Eastbourne [R16] 60 pts, Roland Garros [R32] 160 pts

Total pts: 1,320

Elena Dementieva was playing well at the Bank of the West Classic until she ran into Venus Williams in the semifinals. Venus took her out 6-0, 6-1 in a little over an hour.

That has to do something to your confidence. Gone are the memories of Wimbledon, where Dementieva came closer than anyone to knocking Serena Williams out of the finals.

But the Russian does not get down on herself, and she comes back fighting. She will continue to do so.

7. Caroline Wozniacki—WTA Ranking: Nine

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bastad [Finalist] 200 pts, Wimbledon [R16] 280 pts, Eastbourne [Winner] 470 pts, and Roland Garros [R32] 160 pts

Total pt: 1,110

Caroline Wozniacki reached the finals in Bastad and is the No. 3-seeded player in LA next week. She is having a tremendous season exceeding her expectations.

The hard courts are made to order for her game.

Look for her to make inroads this coming week in LA.

8. Agnieszka Radwanska—WTA Ranking: 13

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bank of West Classic [R2] 60 pts, Wimbledon [Quarterfinalist] 500 pts, Eastbourne [Quarterfinalist] 120 pts, Roland Garros [R16] 280 pts

Total pts: 960

Radwanska’s play at Stanford in the Bank of the West Classic was disappointing, as she suffered an early round defeat to Daniela Hantuchova.

But the Pole is approaching top 10 status in the WTA, and she is reaching the late rounds more often this season.

9. Marion Bartoli –WTA Ranking: 14

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bank of the West Classic [Winner] 470 pts, Wimbledon [R32] 160 pts, Eastbourne [Winner] 200 pts, French Open [R64] 100 pts

Total pts: 930

The stocky French woman took out Venus Williams in the finals of the Bank of the West Classic in a tough three-setter. Her often frenetic style of play did the trick against the senior Williams. Venus had been playing well all week.

Bartoli breaks into the Power Rankings with her recent superb play.

A new but totally unnatural serve seems to be working in the short run. It looks like an injury waiting to happen.

10. Maria Sharapova—WTA Ranking: 62

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bank of West Classic [Quarterfinalist] 120 pts, Wimbledon [R64] 100 pts, Eastbourne [Semifinalist] 130 pts, Roland Garros [Quarterfinalist] 500 pts

Total pts: 850

Sharapova went down, but not quietly, to Venus Williams in the Bank of the West Classic during the quarterfinal round. There is no doubt that as Sharapova gets match strong, her results will improve.

Expect her to be a factor at the big event in New York later this month as the US Open gets underway.

Outside Looking In

1. Ana Ivanovic—WTA Ranking: 11

Last Four Tournaments Played: Wimbledon [R16] 280 pts, Eastbourne [R32] one pt, Roland Garros [R16] 280 pts, and Rome [R16] 110 pts

Total pts: 671

Mostly Ana Ivanovic is busy replacing personnel on her team in an attempt to revive her tennis career. Nothing seems to help for long.

Ivanovic seems to be going backwards like her Serbian counterpart Jelena Jankovic.

We wonder how long the Serbian Slump will last.

2. Sabine Lisicki—WTA Ranking: 25

Last Four Tournaments Played: Bank of the West Classic [R2] 60 pts, Wimbledon [Quarterfinalist] 500 pts, Eastbourne [R32] one pt, Roland Garros [R128] five pts

Total pts: 566

Jelena Jankovic survived a three-setter with Lisicki to advance in this week’s Bank of the West Classic. The German teenager is still able to rise up and take a match away with her powerful serve and her heavy-duty forehand. But this day Jelena escaped.

With some consistency, Lisicki will rise in the rankings. We expect to see her add to her totals during the hard court season.

Captain’s note: The Rogers Cup is around the corner, see the ladies smash them balls around. I’m looking forward to it! www.rogerscup.com/

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