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BIG SERVE

First co-published by Harrods Publishing and A&C Black Publishers Ltd, 2013

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ContentsForewordRod LaverMargaret CourtMartina NavratilovaChris EvertSteff GrafAndre AgassiPete SamprasSerena WiliamsRoger FedererRafael NadalSeason’s End2013 ToursChecklist

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ForewordThe human mind is a complex organ that was designed to react to different stimuli. Our own thought patterns are feedback that goes inside the brain, which is said to be the most advanced computer ever made. The challenge is to master the various factors that effect the mind which prevent players from reaching their full potential on the tennis court. The likely reason was that the player with flawless tennis strokes lost the mental tennis game to their opponent, often with less than perfect stroke production. Thus the reason for developing mental tennis toughness is a crucial component is becoming a winner on the tennis court. Brilliant tennis technique, strategy and peak tennis fitness are only half of the equation needed to be a successful tennis player. The other part is execution under pressure, and this comes down to mental tennis toughness.

Tennis is a game of adversity, every part of the game involves difficult challenges every step of the way. During a competitive tennis match, adversity is an unavoidable condition. The adversity can come from the opponent, the spectators, the weather, and even your mind. The pros have learned to deal with adversity by developing a stronger mental tennis foundation. In every great endeavor in life, adversity finds it way into the situation. Adversity is a test of a player’s mental tennis toughness, so a player must choose to strengthen their mind to deal with uncomfortable situations. Professional tennis players have overcome obstacles to achieve their dreams. They have put their blood, sweat, and tears into the sport without a guarantee of success. It is only the love of the sport that pushes these pro. This exhibition takes a look inside of these lives and careers and how these athletes got to where they are today. It goes into what it took for these players to make their dream a reality.

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Rod Laver

“The next point—that’s all you must think about.”

Rod LaverRod Laver was so scrawny and sickly as a child in the Australian bush that no one could guess he would become a left-handed whirlwind who would conquer the tennis world and be known as possibly the greatest player ever. A little more than a month before Don Budge completed the first Grand Slam, Rodney George “Rocket” Laver was born Aug. 9, 1938, at Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. Despite lack of size and early infirmities, Laver grew strong and tough on his father’s cattle property and emulated Budge by making the second male Grand Slam in 1962 as an amateur-then became the only double Grand Slammer seven years later by taking the major singles (Australian, French, Wimbledon, U.S.) as a pro.

Few champions have been as devastating and dominant as Laver was as amateur and pro during the 1960s. An incessant attacker, he was nevertheless a complete player who glowed in the backcourt and at the net. Laver’s 5-foot-8-1/2, 145-pound body seemed to dangle from a massive left arm that belonged to a gorilla, an arm with which he bludgeoned the ball and was able to impart ferocious topspin. Although others had used top-spin, Laver may have inspired a wave of heavy-hitting topspin practitioners of the 1970s such as Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas. The stroke became basic after Laver. As a teenager he was sarcastically nicknamed “Rocket” by Australian Davis Cup Capt. Harry Hopman. “He was anything but a Rocket,” Hopman recalled. “But Rod was willing to work harder than the rest, and it was soon apparent to me that he had more talent than any other of our fine Australian players.”His initial international triumph came during his first trip abroad in 1956, when he won the U.S. Junior Championship at 17. Four years later he was ready to take his place among the world’s best when he won the Australian singles, snapping back to beat another lefty, Neale Fraser and, with Bob Mark, the doubles for a second time. He was runner-up to Alex Olmedo for the Wimbledon championship, that would presently be his four times. The Australian victories were the first of Laver’s 20 major titles in singles, doubles and mixed, placing him fifth among all-time male winners behind Roy Emerson, John Newcombe, Frank Sedgman and Bill Tilden. Jean Borotra also won 20. His 11 singles (equaled by Bjorn Borg) were second to Emerson’s long-standing record of 12, later eclipsed by Pete Sampras’ 14 and Roger Federer’s 15. The losing Wimbledon finals of 1959-60 were but a prelude to an incredible run of success in that tournament. He was a finalist six straight times he entered, winning in

—Rod Laver

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1961 over Chuck McKinley and 1962, over Marty Mulligan. After a five-year absence as an outcast professional, he returned to the fanfare of opens to win again in 1968, over Tony Roche, and in 1969, over Newcombe. While winning Wimbledon in four straight appearances (the only man since World War I to win four prior to Borg) and proceeding to the fourth round in 1970, Laver set a male tournament record of 31 consecutive match wins, ended by his loss to Roger Taylor. The year 1969 was Laver’s finest, perhaps the best experienced by any player, as he won an open-era record 17 singles tournaments (tied by Guillermo Vilas in 1977) of 32 played on a 106-16 match record. In 1962 he won 19 of 34 on 134-15. Unlike his Grand Slam year of 1962 as an amateur, he was playing in tournaments that were open to all, amateur and pro, and this Slam was all the more impressive. After his second year running as the No. 1 amateur, 1962, and helping Australia win a fourth successive Davis Cup, Laver turned pro, his appearance saving the sagging professional game, a stimulus to keeping it breathing until opens arrived in 1968. It was a life of one-nighters, but Pancho Gonzalez was no longer supreme.

Kenny Rosewall was at the top and gave Laver numerous beatings as their long, illustrious rivalry began. Rosewall beat Laver to win the U.S. Pro singles in 1963, but the next year Laver defeated Rosewall, then eight-time champ Gonzalez, to win the first of his five crowns, four of them in a row beginning in 1966. He had a streak of 19 wins in the U.S. Pro until losing the 1970 final to Roche. When open tennis dawned in 1968, Laver was ready to resume where he’d left off at the traditional tournaments, whipping Roche in less than an hour to take the first open Wimbledon. In 1971 Laver won $292,717 in tournament prize money (a season record that stood until Arthur Ashe won $338,337

in 1975), enabling him to become the first tennis pLaver to make a million dollars on the court. Until the last days of 1978, when he was playing few tournaments, Laver was still the all-time leading money-winner with $1,564,213. Jimmy Connors then surpassed him, along with numerous others. In 1973 all professionals were at last permitted to play Davis Cup, and Laver, 35, honed himself for one last effort, after 11 years away. He was brilliant, teaming with Newcombe to end a five-year U.S. reign, 5-0. Laver beat Tom Gorman in five sets on the first day and paired with Newcombe for a crushing doubles victory over Stan Smith and Erik van Dillen that clinched the Cup, Laver’s fifth. Of all the marvelous Aussie Davis Cup performers he was the only one never to play in a losing series, 11 of them, compiling 16-4 and 4-0 marks in singles and doubles. He was also a factor in winning three World Cups (1972, ‘74-’75) for Australia in the since disbanded team competition against the U.S. In 1976, as his tournament career was winding down, Laver signed with San Diego in World Team Tennis and was named the league’s Rookie of the Year at age 38. During a 23-year career that spanned the amateur and open eras, he won 47 pro titles in singles and was runner-up 21 times. Overall, amateur and pro, he was the all-time leader with 184 singles titles, and was elevated to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981, and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2001 the principal stadium of Melbourne Park, scene of the Australian Open, was named Rod Laver Arena. Despite spending five of his prime years in the unranked wilderness of the pros, he was among the World Top Ten 12 times, 1959-1962, and 1968-75. He was No. 2 four times, 1961, ‘62, ‘68, ‘69. Suffering a massive stroke that might have killed him in 1998, he rehabilitated with the same drive that made him a champion, and today continues normally, playing tennis and golf with friends.

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Margaret Court

Margaret CourtMargaret Smith Court is known as one of the greatest woman player ever to emerge from Australia. This stately competitor accomplished on the loftiest possible scale from the outset of the 1960’s into the mid-1970’s, from her late teens into her thirties, from the lawns of her native land to the red clay of Roland Garros to the game’s twin towers at Wimbledon and Forest Hills. She has captured more Grand Slam Championships than any player—male or female—in the sport’s history, taking eleven Australian Championships, securing five titles at Roland Garros, winning Wimbledon thrice, ruling at Forest Hills on five occasions. She collected those 24 majors in a brilliant span from 1960-1973, reaching her competitive zenith in 1970 when she established herself as only the second woman ever to sweep all four majors for a Grand Slam. Moreover, she collected three of the four major singles titles three other times—in 1965, 1969 and 1973. She amassed a record total of 62 major titles, taking 19 in women’s doubles, and 19 more in mixed doubles, including a Grand Slam alongside Ken Fletcher in 1963. At the Australian Championships in 1963 and at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open seven years later, Court took “the triple” and was victorious in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

Through it all, she was an exemplary sportswoman, a player who never resorted to gamesmanship, a champion who won with honor; it was as simple as that. Court, 69, was unfailingly dignified, deeply driven but always under emotional control, an athlete of integrity who believed ceaselessly in fair play. She competed with quiet ferocity, imposing her will steadily, gaining a stature few female athletes of her era would ever attain. As the first major of 2012 unfolds this week in Melbourne, we would all do well to reflect on Court’s prodigious career. I checked in with her last week by phone, and in a pair of conversations we covered a lot of territory.

As the interview commenced, I asked Court if she feels her voluminous record has been somehow obscured by the passage of time, by the vast sweep of history. Has she been undervalued in some ways by a younger generation who never saw her play? She replied candidly, “My life is so different today and so full in other areas. If I was involved in the tennis area like Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova are now, I get a lot of publicity. I don’t think the younger people today really know what I have done.

“My femininity is always something I’ve tried to preserve in this dog-eat-dog world.”

—Margaret Court

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Personally it doesn’t affect me. It is probably a bit sad for the history of the game. But I am not upset about it.” In her Grand Slam season of 1970, she was nearly invincible all year long, winning 21 of 27 tournaments and 104 of 110 matches. As she opened her Grand Slam campaign in Sydney at the Australian Championships, she conceded only 13 games in six matches to take the tournament with outright assurance. But she nearly fell in the second round at Roland Garros, recouping from a set down to oust the tenacious Olga Morozova, a Russian who would reach the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon four years later. In the final on the renowned Centre Court at the All England Club, Court held back her estimable rival Billie Jean King in an epic duel between two women who were both wounded combatants. King was not far away from a knee surgery that would keep her out of the U.S. Open later that summer, while Court needed an injection for a severely damaged ankle. Under the circumstances, physically compromised yet unwavering as competitors, both women played an astounding match. Court was victorious 14-12, 11-9 in two hours and 27 minutes. She knew how critical it was that she prevailed in straight sets. As she reflects now, Court says, “The doctor told me before the match that he was going to put an injection in my ankle, but said that it would only last two-and-a-half hours. I knew if the match went to a third set, I was a goner. It was an electrifying match that people talked about for many years after. I think that was how it always was between Billie Jean and myself. We had great respect for one another and we always knew we would have quite a battle whenever we played. But I had a lot more wins over her in my career [the head-to-head record stood at 22-10 for Court] than she did over me. I believe it was probably my athletic ability that made the difference and my fitness as well. I know I was one of the fittest players in the world. That Wimbledon final was a great tennis match.”

But play on she did. Margaret had married Barry Court in 1967. After giving birth to their first child, she returned to the game in 1972 and quickly regained her bearings. The following year, she performed perhaps at a loftier technical level than ever before, even more convincingly than she had in 1970. Court was a player who was best known for her serve-and-volley style, and she excelled in the forecourt. King among others called her “The Arm” because her reach at the net was so immense. But she had the whole package, probing effectively from the back of the court, slicing her backhand meticulously and keeping the ball low with a lot of bite off that side, turning her once vulnerable forehand into a much more stable shot. Court could not have come through five times on the red clay in Paris without having the capacity to stay with the best of the baseliners in long exchanges. One of her greatest triumphs at a major was a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-4 win over 18-year-old Chris Evert—the best clay court player of all time—in the final of the 1973 French Open. In fact, Court’s only loss that in 1973 at a major was to Evert in the semifinals of Wimbledon; at the other three Grand Slam events she was unstoppable. She won 18 tournaments in 1973, and 102 of 108 matches. But, sadly, too many of the sport’s closest followers more vividly recollect her loss to Bobby Riggs on Mother’s Day that year. Court was largely unprepared for the fanfare of that exhibition. The masterful showman Riggs, 55, presented the Australian with roses before the match in California, and she never

could shake free from her nerves, bowing 6-2, 6-1. That unexpected setback for Court made it a necessity for King to face the chauvinistic Riggs on September 20, 1973 in Houston. King fully understood the significance that a win for her would bring to the women’s game. She took Riggs apart 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

They were all great players and competitors. Maria Bueno was such a graceful player and they called her ‘La Bueno’. She had a lot of injuries. But she was beautiful to watch. You would love to see someone like her today. I remember losing to Evonne just once and that was when I was three months pregnant in the 1971 Wimbledon final. What stands out in my mind about some of the past great players is that they were consistent for a long time. Today you don’t see the top players doing it week after week like the old days. They are all so even but nobody stands out today.”How does Court assess Serena Williams? “She is one of those players,” says Margaret, “who sort of walks out on the court and dominates, not just with her game but with the gamesmanship of it. She has got a big serve and she can volley and has the power strokes, but look at the rackets the players today are using. They are beautiful. We sort of pioneered metal rackets in my day and when I won the Grand Slam I played with a Chemold racket. The head of that racket was like a squashracket nearly, and I look back now and wonder how we ever played with those rackets. I love watching men’s tennis at the moment but you need the Williams sisters because when it is two girls going at it from the baseline it can be quite boring. Because there are so many injuries now I do sense there will be a swing again back toward the aggressive side of the game. I admire the Williams sisters with their power game and they are good athletes. But the women’s game needs variety.” Can Court envision herself competing against the likes of Serena Williams today? “If we had been brought up at this time with the rackets they are using now, I think most of us would have fitted in. Navratilova would have fit in and Billie Jean would have fit in. Back then I think I was one of the fittest players in the world and I got called ‘The Aussie Amazon’ because I did weights and circuit training and running sand hills. God is one of the greatest teachers in the area of the mind. I think I would have won six or more Wimbledons instead of three.” But because her views on morality an d lifestyle are so absolute and unequivocal, Mrs. Court has found herself at the center of controversy recently because of her unwavering views on same sex marriage. She is adamantly opposed to gay marriage, and that point of view has put her in strong opposition to some prominent tennis players. Both Billie Remember this about Margaret Smith Court as you watch the 2012 Australian Open: she is one of only three women at the four major events to have her name honored in a substantial way. The Suzanne Lenglen Court at Roland Garros celebrates the finest Frenchwoman ever to play the game. The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center pays tribute to an icon who made landmark contributions to the world of women’s sports. And Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne salutes the best Australian woman tennis player of all time, and one of the greatest ever from any part of the world. She is worthy of that recognition.

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Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova

“Tennis has given me soul.”

Few players in any era of the game were as dominant and prolific as Martina Navratilova. Not only her record in singles, but her women’s and mixed doubles records stand out as among the most impressive in history.She is widely considered one of the best women tennis players of all time.

Discussion on the topic of the best of all time revolves essentially around four players: Navratilova, Margaret Court, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.One could also include in the discussion, Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills-Moody, but given the many advances in the game in recent decades, discussion is probably best limited to the open era. Agreeing on appropriate criteria and metrics and the relative weights one attaches to these, also makes this exercise fraught with subjectivity and the topic of ongoing debate.Let’s see how Navratilova shapes up.Sifting through her many career achievements reveals so many gems.In a pro career lasting from 1975 to 2009, she managed to amass 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 women’s doubles titles and 10 mixed doubles – a staggering total of 59 Grand Slams, only surpassed by Margaret Court with 62. Her first Grand Slam title was the French Open women’s doubles in 1975 (aged 19) and her last was in the US Open mixed in 2006 (aged 49)– a staggering 31-year time span. For her longevity alone, Navratilova deserves an award! Navratilova also shares with only two other women (Doris Hart and Margaret Court) the record of having won all four Grand Slams in singles, doubles and mixed.Unlike her great rival, Steffi Graf, she did not manage to win a singles One-Year Grand Slam or a ‘golden’ Grand Slam (including an Olympic gold), but did win a doubles One-Year Grand Slam in 1984.She does comfortably supersede Graf, however, in having won an all-time record 167 singles titles. In her era, she dominated on the red clay of Roland Garros, the grass of Wimbledon and the hard courts of the Australian and US Opens.Her strong, competitive nature and her combination of serve/volley and baseline play made her the dominant force in the women’s game in the early and mid-1980’s. After the demise of Billie-Jean King in the 1970’s and the rise of Steffi Graf from 1987, Navratilova was the unassailable force in women’s tennis.The great singles’ rivals of her era were Chris Evert and later, Steffi Graf and towards the end of her career, Monica Seles. Her doubles partners included Pam Shriver, Billie-Jean King and Helene Sukova with whom she amassed an impressive total of titles. Her name is usually associated with Shriver, both of whom dominated the women’s doubles game

—Martina Navratilova

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in the 1980’s and with whom, Navratilova won that epic 1984 Grand Slam. On her head-to-heads against her main singles’ rivals, the record stands as follows.Against Evert, she comes out on top 43-37 overall and also comes out on top in Grand Slam finals (10-4) and all Grand Slam matches (14-8).The only key metric in Evert’s favour was a dominance in their clay court encounters.Added to the head-to-heads, Navratilova’s impressive tally of career and Grand Slam titles also far surpasses Evert.Against Billie-Jean King, her record stands at 9-5. Against Graf, the record stands at an intriguing 9-9, probably a fair metric all things considered.In Navratilova’s favour, she encountered Graf at or after her peak and as the German was beginning to ascend the world rankings.Graf comes out on top 4-2 in Grand Slam finals and Navratilova leads 5-4 in all Grand Slam matches.Graf may have had a more impressive haul of career Grand Slam singles titles, but was never able to match Navratilova in her doubles record.Monica Seles had a 10-7 advantage over Navratilova in their head-to-heads, but at the time, Martina was in her late 30’s and Seles a young budding star.Even allowing for the tragic shortening of Seles’ career, moreover, she was never able to amass the titles or accolades of the perennial Navratilova. As well as her own personal achievements, Navratilova helped contribute to the growth in strength and popularity of the women’s game in an era when it was still very much in the shadow of the men’s game. Along with Chris Evert, Billie-Jean King and Pam Shriver, she was able to carve out a position of respect for women’s tennis and through her example on court, brought whole new audiences to the game. She played the game with a strength and vigour rarely seen up until then in the women’s game.She also represented a strong tradition of Czech tennis (Drobny, Kodes, Mandlikova and Lendl) and at a time when American players dominated the women’s game, she laid down a marker for European tennis, a legacy that has borne fruit, particularly in recent years. Always strong-willed and an individualist, she took on many of the established traditions in the game, in the process achieving notable reforms. On this side of the Atlantic, she will be particularly remembered for her stellar record at Wimbledon.Dominating the singles’ event over so many years, her encounters with friend and rival, Chris Evert will be fondly remembered. Her record of 20 Wimbledon titles (singles, doubles and mixed) which she shares with King, secured her a lasting respect and affection from the British public. With her prolific singles and doubles records, she was one of the very best.

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Chris Evert

Chris EvertChris Evert was such a sweet 16 when she burst onto the national scene. With ponytail flying on the grass courts of Forest Hills, N.Y., this unseeded high school girl from Florida made three gripping come-backs against established women pros -- including once staving off six match points. While she didn’t win the 1971 U.S. Open, she earned a more valuable prize that fortnight.

Chris Evert raised the champion’s plate at Wimbledon three times, and she won 15 other Grand Slam events, too. She grabbed America’s heart. She did it with two hands, the same way she hit her backhand. And she held on for most of two decades, in which time she went from teen angel to ice maiden to revered legend. Part of Evert’s charm was her tenaciousness -- she never conceded a point. Part of it was that two-handed backhand that spawned a craze among young girls for years to come. Part of it was -- and there’s no getting around it -- she was feminine in a time when the stereotype of the woman tennis player was more masculine. It was this blend of grit, grace and glamour that stole our hearts. And while the grace and glamour were nice to the eye, it was the grit that made her a champion.

“Losing hurts me,” Evert said. “I was determined to be the best.”She didn’t have a great serve, and she went to the net only to shake hands. But Evert used her relentless baseline game and strength of character to win 18 Grand Slam singles titles -- six U.S. Opens, three Wimbledons, seven French Opens and two Australian Opens. Most impressively, she won at least one Grand Slam tournament for 13 consecutive years (1974-86). She reached at least the semifinals in 52 of her 56 Slam events, including her first 34.

Some more accomplishments by Evert include, the first player to win 1,000 singles matches. She had a .900 winning percentage and is the best in pro history. She won 125 straight matches on clay, the longest winning streak on any single surface. She has a reccord of 55 consecutive match wins, set in 1974, stood until Martina Navratilova broke it with 74 straight 10 years later. Her 157 tournament victories are second (among men and women) only to Navratilova’s 167. She was the first woman to earn $1 million. She won $8,896,195 in career prize money, plus several times that in endorsements. She was a four time Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. With no grunts or groans -- and also few smiles -- she was the model of

gracious sportsmanship. “Chris Evert never threw a tantrum, groused at opponents or blamed officials,” Camille Paglia wrote in her book “Vamps and Tramps.” “A bad call produced a steely stare at most. Chris behaved like an adult, taking full responsibility for her performance and deportment.” While the public perception of her remains majestic, she was human. She was involved in a romantic relationship with Jimmy Connors before she turned 20. She dated, among others, a president’s son (Jack Ford) and an actor (Burt Reynolds), and had an affair with a married British ex-rock star (Adam Faith). Evert, who was married to British tennis player John Lloyd for a time and is now wed to former Olympic skier Andy Mill, had a sense of humor away from the court, a side of her that the public didn’t see. “Martina claims I tell the dirtiest jokes around -- probably as a semirevolt against my strict Catholic upbringing,” Evert said. “And when I’ve become angry in practice, every four-letter word imaginable has graced these lips.” She was born Dec. 21, 1954 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and raised on the clay of that city’s tennis courts, where her father Jimmy was a teaching pro. When she was around 5, dad began giving her lessons. While a 4-foot-11 eighth-grader in 1969, she was mentioned in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd for being ranked No. 1 nationally in girls’ 14-under tennis. “I was very, very shy as a younger girl, just petrified of people,” Evert said. “Tennis helped give me an identity and made me feel like somebody.” Her legend began in 1971, in her first appearance at a Grand Slam event. After an easy win in the first round of the U.S. Open, the young amateur defeated Mary Ann Eisel, the No. 4 American, in three sets, saving those six match points when Eisel served for the match at 6-5, 40-love in the second set. Suddenly she was “Little Chrissie, Cinderella in Sneakers.” In her next two matches, she rallied from a set down to beat fifth-seeded Francoise Durr and Lesley Hunt. The clock struck midnight in the semifinals, however, as she lost to eventual champion Billie Jean King. Not until the next year, on her 18th birthday (Dec. 21, 1972), did Evert turn pro. In 1974, Evert won her first two Grand Slams -- the French Open and Wimbledon. The storybook romance and engagement of Evert and Connors, also the Wimbledon champion, peaked that summer. But their relationship became strained, and their October wedding was called off. With Connors out of her heart, what came next was the heart of her career. She was the No. 1

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player in the world for most of the next five years. She won the French Open again in 1975 and the first of four straight U.S. Opens, defeating rival Evonne Goolagong in a three-set final. She also won Wimbledon in 1976, again beating Goolagong in the third set. “When I was younger, I was a robot,” she said. “Wind her up and she plays tennis.”

While the titles piled up the next few year for the “Ice Maiden,” the public that had adored her started to lose interest. Her emotionless court demeanor and seemingly automatic baseline game left the fans unmoved. It’s easy to cheer for an underdog with these qualities, but not a top dog. “And this went on for four years,” Evert said. “I was the ice queen and they wanted to see me melt. They wanted to see me cry, probably show some emotion. But I carried it inside myself.”

But in the late 1970s, the fans made another 180-degree turn. They cheered Evert again as her rivalry with her friend Navratilova heated up. “Martina and I are linked, whether we like it or not,” Evert said.Navratilova, who was superior athletically and played a manly serve-and-volley game, was cast as the villain. She appeared to be much bigger than the 5-foot-6, 125-pound Evert. And her being a lesbian outraged many fans, who preferred their heroes being vulnerable and as human as the girl next door.

There were three stages in their competition. It began with a frilly, 18-year-old princess defeating a wide-eyed, 16-year-old butterball from Prague in Akron, Ohio, in 1973. Evert won the first stage: 21-4. The middle stage ran from a 1978 Wimbledon warmup through the 1982 Australian Open, and Navratilova held a 14-9 edge. Navratilova dominated the last stage, winning 13 straight at one point as she took 25 of their final 32 matches. Overall, Navratilova held a 43-37 advantage, including 10-4 in Grand Slam finals (7-0 in Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals).

“When you lose a couple of times, it makes you realize how difficult it is to win.”

—Chris Evert

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Steff Graf

Steff GrafSteffi Graf started playing tennis at age 3, coached by her father. Under the local tennis program, as the best girl player, she was matched up against the worst boy player -- who was usually Boris Becker. After winning the German Juniors and the European Juniors, she turned pro on October 18, 1982. The next day, she lost to Tracy Austin, who was less-than impressed with the 13 year old, telling reporters there were “hundreds of girls” like Graf back in the States. Peter kept a tight rein on Steffi’s schedule to ensure that she wouldn’t “burn out” as she climbed up the rankings. She finally won her first title on April 13, 1986, defeating Chris Evert at the Family Circle Cup. In total, Graf won 107 singles titles (third all-time behind Martina Navratilova and Evert), including 22 majors (second all-time).

She found herself at the center of a near-tragedy on April 30, 1993. As arch rival Monica Seles was resting during a changeover at the Hamburg Open, a man made his way through the stands, and plunged a knife into her back. At first, it was thought the attack was prompted by the conflict in Seles’s native Yugoslavia. But it turned out Guenter Parche was a Graf fan, and reasoned that if he took Seles out, Graf would regain the #1 ranking. The attack reverberated across sports. It also changed the course of tennis history. Seles was off the court for 27 months. Although she won the 1996 Australian Open and was a finalist at the 1996 US Open and the 1998 French Open, Seles never regained her dominating form. Graf visited Seles in the hospital, but didn’t comment publicly about the incident until 2004. Graf retired on August 13, 1999 after beating Martina Hingis in the French Open, then losing to Lindsay Davenport at Wimbledon. By this time, she was dating Andre Agassi, whom also won the French Open, but was a finalist at Wimbledon that year. With only their mothers as witnesses, they were married on October 22, 2001 at his Las Vegas home four days before the birth of their son, Jaden. Daughter Jaz was born on October 3, 2003.

Famous for her killer instinct and business-like approach, at times she displayed a sense of humor. During a tight 1995 Wimbledon match against Kimiko Date, she was serving when a man yelled out “Steffi!” Everyone, including Steffi, laughed. Composing herself, she readied to serve when the man shouted “Steffi! Will you marry me?” The fans burst into peals of laughter, and play was delayed for a couple of minutes. Steffi readied to serve, tossed the ball, caught it, turned, and

“Sometimes I wish I could have been a bit more relaxed. But then I wouldn’t

have been the same player.”—Steff Graf

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yelled to the man “How much money do you have?” Graf lost the set, but won the match to face (and defeat) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario for the title. Some basic trivia about Graf include, She was the first tennis player to win a calendar-year Grand Slam and an Olympic gold medal (1988). She posed for the 1997 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in an effort to “feminize” her image.She was the only player to win all four majors singles twice in two different decades. The only player to win all four majors singles at least four times. She was the only player to win all four majors on four different surfaces (carpet, clay, grass, hard court).She was the first player to beat the top three seeds in a major. She was the #1 singles player for 186 straight weeks, broken by Roger Federer in August 2007. Her stay at #1 for a record 377 weeks total still stands. At the age 13, became the second-youngest player ever to earn aninternational ranking. She was the German Sportswoman of the Year for four consecutive times from 1986 to 1989 and in 1999. She also was the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year 1989. She headed the non-profit foundation Children for Tomorrow, supporting and initiating projects that provide assistance to children and families who have become the victims of war, persecution and violence. Her total Career Prize Money: $20,130,835.00. She is the daughter of Peter Graf and Heidi Graf. Sister of Michael Graf. Peter spent nearly two years in jail after being convicted in 1997 of evading $7 million in taxes on her earnings. Graf won a legal battle against Microsoft Germany about fake nude photos of her that were posted on a Web site run by the company. The photos were replaced in June at Graf’s request, but the company declined to sign a formal agreement that they wouldn’t use them again, so Graf sued. The state appeals court in Cologne upheld a ruling last October by a lower court, which had ruled that Microsoft

Germany was responsible for the content of the site and must ensure that such pictures don’t appear there (27 May 2002). Graf gave birth to Jaden Gil Agassi, 3 weeks prematurely, on 26 October 2001 at 3:30 AM at Valley Hospital in Las Vegas, weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces. While it was thought the baby’s name originated from the Hebrew, meaning “God has listened,” in a February 2002 interview, Graf disclosed that Jaden is a masculine form of jade, a word she had always liked, and Gil was in honor of Agassi’s trainer, Gil Reyes. She gave birth to her daughter Jaz Elle on 3 October 2003. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on 11 July 2004. She is ranked #3 in a survey by German network ZDF searching the 100 best German sportsmen of all time (19 November 2004). She and Andre Agassi are the first two players to win all four majors singles titles and an Olympic gold medal. Won the Australian Open (1988-1990, 1994), French Open (1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999), Wimbledon (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996), US Open (1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996).She was chosen “most admirable German woman” by the readers of “Amica” magazine (September 2005). When they both won the singles’ event at Wimbledon in 1992, she showed no interest in her later husband Andre Agassi at all. The officials didn’t allow him to dance with her at the tournament’s banquet, although he had been secretly pining for her as far back as 1990. She, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Maureen Connolly, and Margaret Court are the only players to date to win a calendar-year Grand Slam.

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Andre Agassi

In 1987 Andre Agassi made himself known with SF appearances in Stratton Mountain and Basel where he won his first ATP title as a wild card in Itaparica. A year later he won six titles in seven finals. At age 18, Agassi posted SF showings at Roland Garros and the US Open where he reached his first Grand Slam finals in 1990. Then in1992 Agassi defeated three-time champs Becker and J. McEnroe to reach the Wimbledon final, where he defeated Ivanisevic in five sets for first Grand Slam title. In that same year he also won Toronto and Atlanta. He led U.S. over Sweden and Switzerland to win the Davis Cup. The next year Agassi underwent surgery on his right wrist, but that didnt stop him from winning titles in San Francisco and Scottsdale and his first career doubles title in Cincinnati. In 1994, Agassi captured five title, including US Open and AMS Toronto and Paris. He defeated five seeded players in the US Open, making him the first unseeded champion since 1996. The next year, Agassi won a career-high seven titles out of 11 finals. He compiled a personal-best 73-9 match record and became the 12th player in history of ATP Rankings to rank No. 1 for a total of 30 weeks. During the summer hard court circuit, later that year, Agassi was unstoppable with a career-best 26 match winning streak; winning titles in Washington, Montreal, Cincinnati, and New Haven. Sadly is streak ended when he lost to Sampras in the US Open finals. In 1996, Agassi won titles in Miami and Cincinnati, making him the first player to win the Miami title three times and the first American to win the Olympic Gold medal in singles since 1924.

In 1998 Agassi made the biggest one-year jump to top 10 in history of ATP rankings by climbing from No. 122 to No. 6. In doing so, he compiled a 68-16 record and won five titles. He won his 500tg career match victory at Wimbledon. Then in 1999 Agassi finished No. 1 for the first time in his career by compiling a 23-3 record in Grand Slams, winning his first Roland Garros title, reaching Wimbledon final and capturing a second US Open crown. He became the fifth man and second American to win all four Grand Slam titles in his career, joining Hall of Fame greats Don Budge, Rod Laver, Fred Perry and Roy Emerson. Also he was the first and oldest player since Courier in 1993 to reach three consecutive Grand Slam finals in a season. Later that summer, Agassi won titles in Washington and at the US Open final, coming back from 1-2 sets deficit to beat Martin in five sets. There hadn’t been a comeback like that since John Newcombe at the US Open in 1973. He then returned to No. 1 and held the top spot for the rest of the year. He closed the indoor season with a 14-4 record,

Andre Agassi

“If you don’t practice you don’t deserve to win.”

—Andre Agassi

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winning his 10th career AMS title in Paris. Agassi was the second player to win Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces and the first to reach the finals on four different surfaces. In 2000, he began the season by capturing his sixth career Grand Slam title, becoming the first player since Rod Laver in 1969, to reach four straight Grand Slam finals. At 31, Agassi became the oldest player to finish in top 3 since 1984. He opened the season by winning his seventh career Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open. This was the first time in Agassi’s career that he had to defend his Grand Slam title. Later that year Agassi captured his fifth career crown in Miami, defeating Federer in four sets, making this his 700th career match win. In 2001, Agassi opened the season by winning his seventh career Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open. In March, he won first title in Indian Wells, defeating Hewitt in the semifinals and rival Sampras in the final. He continued his success in Miami where he dropped only one set, beating Rafter in the semifinals and Gambill in final to become first man to win four singles titles in tournament history. He began first three months with a 22-2 match record. He then reached SF at Wimbledon, only to lose to Rafter 8-6 in fifth set. He opened the North American summer hard court circuit with a title in Los Angeles. However, at the US Open, Agassi lost to rival Sampras in four tie-breaks in one of the tournament’s greatest matches of all time.

By 2002 he had won at least one Grand Slam title for the past three years and picked up 53 match wins. Unfortunately Agassi missed the Australian Open due to a wrist injury. Also he ended his career-best streak of 17 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments played. By 2003 Agassi finished in Top 5, capturing four titles in the first four month of the season. Including his eighth career Grand Slam title and 16th career AMS crown. In doing so he compiled a 19-3 record in Grand Slam play, reaching 4th RD or better in all four Slams. Agassi became the oldest player to hold No.1 ATP Entry Ranking at 33 years and held this position for 14 weeks. Agassi had to withdraw in the Indian Wells tournament due to a right shoulder injury, but won AMS Miami for a tournament record sixth time, surpassing wife Steff Graf’s five titles. In April he opened the clay court season by winning a title in Houston by defeating Roddick. By 2004, Agassi finished in Top 10 for the 15th time in his 19 year career. He became the sixth player in the Open Era to reach 800 career win with 1st RD victory over Bogomolov in Los Angeles. After compiling a 17-9 match record through July and went 20-4 in his last five tournaments. He captured his lone ATP title of the year in August at the Masters Series Cincinnati where he defeated three former No. 1, Moya, Roddick, and Hewitt. He broke a 17 tournament title drought with his ATP-best 17th career ATP Masters Series title and he has won at least one title in 17 of the last 18 years. He opened the season by reaching SF at the Australian Open, falling in five sets to Safin and ending his 26-match winning streak Down Under. He then advanced to SF to San Jose and AMS Indian Wells. After a 4th round exit in Miami to Calleri, was bothered by a hip injury and lost three consecutive matches in St. Poelten, Roland Garros and Queen’s. He also withdrew from Wimbledon.

In 2005, Agassi qualified for his fifth Tennis Masters Cup in six years and his consistent play included quaterfinals or better in 10 of 12 tournaments. He ranked in Top 10 every week except one (Feb. 14) when he slipped to No. 11. Regardless, he captured his 60th career title and has won at least one ATP title every year. He played well on the hard courts throughout the year, compiling a 32-7 record and advancing to quarterfinal in all eight tournaments he played. He began the season with a quarterfinal at the Australian Open with wins over Dent and Johansson, despite 51 aces before losing to No. 1 Federer. In March, Agassi made his first Davis Cup appearance since 2000 and lost to Ljubicic in opening rubber. During the clay court circuit, he was 6-4 and reached the quarterfinals in Houston and the semifinals at AMS Roma with wins over Gasquet, Ljubicic, Hrbaty. He then lost in 1st round in AMS Hamburg and Roland Garros. After losing in Paris, Agassi missed two months of action due to a chronic back problem, a sciatic nerve injury, which also kept him out of Wimbledon. He returned July 26 in Los Angeles and lost only one set during the week en route to his 60th career title against Muller. Two weeks later in Montreal, Agassi advanced to his first Canadian final in 10 years as he dropped only one set in five matches before falling to No. 2 against Nadal in three sets. In his 20th US Open appearance, Agassi made a memorable run to final with three consecutive five-set wins over Malisse (4th round), Blake in the quarterfinals,and Ginepri in the semifinals before falling in four sets to Federer. His 77 US Open match wins are second-most in tournament history behind Connors. He did not play a match until November in Shanghai where he lost in his opening round robin match to Davydenko before withdrawing from tournament due to a left ankle injury. In 2006, Agassi comes into his 21st consectutive US Open with an 8-7 match record on the season and unseeded for the first time since 1997 when he entered No. 63. His last tournament came in Washington where he lost to Italian qualifer Andrea Stoppini 6-4, 6-3 in his opening round matchon Aug. 1. He then withdrew from ATP tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati due to reoccuring back problems. He began summer by reaching the quarterfinals in Los Angeles to Gonzales. He skipped the clay court season and planned to return to action in June for grass court circuit. He lost to Henman in the first round at Queen’s and 3rd round at Wimbledon to Nadal. After withdrawing from the Australian Open due to a left ankle injury sustained while playing racket ball in October 2005, took a wild card into Delray Beach and reached the quaterfinals against Garcia-Lopez. Agassi then lost in 2nd round in Dubai to Rudesdski and Phau and 3rd round in Indian Wells to Goldstein and Hass.

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Pete Sampras

Pete SamprasIt just happened. He couldn’t explain it or understand it. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just a new kid. Everything I did worked,” Pete Sampras would say later, discussing his U.S. Open triumph of 1990 that anointed him as the youngest of all U.S. champions at 19 years, one month.

He knew what he was doing the rest of the way as “Silky” Sampras, smoothly, uniquely, gliding along a path of greatness in an outwardly unconcerned and effortless manner while mounting a planned and concerted assault on the citadels of the past. Pete knows his tennis history, and was consciously pursuing the man on the spire, Aussie Roy Emerson, who seized 12 major singles championships between 1961 and 1967, the men’s record (six Australian, two each French, Wimbledon, U.S.). Pete razed Emerson’s 33-year-old citadel by beating another Queensland country boy, Patrick Rafter, 6-7 (10-12) for a thirteenth major at Wimbledon in 2000. New century, new record. But in the shadows of dusk that day he also caught up with an English ghost, Willie Renshaw. Willie had won seven Wimbledons between 1881 and 1889, and this was the seventh for Pete. Emerson sent his congratulations after being eclipsed, laughing that he hadn’t even known of holding a record until Sampras began stalking him, and the press picked up on it. Pete raised his own stronghold higher at 14 by winning the U.S. Open of 2002, even though he was lurching through his worst year, and a spell dryer than the Sahara—33 tournaments without a title. At Wimbledon, he was stung in the second round in what ultimately was his final match at the All England Club, losing to a Swiss stranger, No. 145 George Bastl. At Paris, No. 69 Andrea Gaudenzi booted him from the opening round. He even lost on grass, with a two-set lead, in a Davis Cup match at Houston to turf-wary Spaniard Alex Corretja. Never had he been so down and disregarded. Yet Pete, ranked and seeded No. 17, was inspired at Flushing Meadow, the scene of his 1989 Open breakthrough. Then he’d knocked off defending champion Mats Wilander in the second round. But after suffering final round defeats by 20-year-olds Marat Safin in 2000, and Lleyton Hewitt, in 2001, Pete was somehow ready to claim his fifth U.S. title, defeating lifetime rival Andre Agassi in the 2002 finale. It had been a while since Pete had ruled the United States. Squelching the perpetual motion of Michael Chang in the all-Californian Open final of 1996 marked his last victory in Flushing, his fourth title. Although he had an off Wimbledon in 1996, losing in the quarters, to the new champ

“But that’s sweet Pete,” says longtime friend and rival, Courier. “Just when you think he’s

dying, that’s when he kills you.”

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Richard Krajicek. Pete was, after all, shooting for his fourth in a row, and had won 25 straight where only Borg (41) and Laver (31) had longer streaks. He would still close out his ninth professional campaign as No. 1 for a fourth consecutive year. At 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, with a full head of dark hair, the lanky Greek-blooded high school drop-out from Palos Verdes, Calif., was handling his affluence and standing modestly and well. “It’s not a good year unless I win two majors. They’re what count,” he said. But he was happy to salvage 1996 with one, considering the year’s heartaches with the death of his coach and best friend, Tim Gullikson, of a brain tumor, which had been discovered at the Australian Open of 1995. Though unprepared for the French, which followed Gullikson’s funeral, he made his finest showing in Paris, the one major that has befuddled him, falling in the semis to the champ Yevgeny Kafelnikov. That was after exciting, draining five-set wins over ex-champs Sergi Bruguera and Jim Courier, as well as Todd Martin. Pete’s tennis style was altered at 14 by a pediatrician (and moonlighting tennis pedagogue), Dr. Pete Fisher. Fisher, feeling that Pete’s two-handed backhand and baselining were childish, preached volleying, a free-flowing traditional backhand and reverence for the greats of yesteryear in performance and behavior, Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall. As Pete grew, so did his vaunted serve, and everything fell into place. Later it was Gulllkson, Pete said, “who helped me to grow up, compete, focus, learn to play on grass. I owe so much to him.” Rookie pro Pete was out of his first U.S. Open, 1988, almost before it opened, beaten by Jaime Yzaga of Peru in the first round. But he got a footnote in 1989, deposing the champ, Wilander, reaching the fourth round. The next year he was golden, if “unconscious.” A long shot, seeded No. 12 and ranked No. 81 when the season commenced, he went through in a spray of aces on a loss of four sets. He showed his mettle by taking out ex-champs back-to-back—Lendl,in the quarter-finals, and McEnroe, in the semifinals. Pete demonstrated authenticity and the fact that he was unstoppable, by coolly sealing off canny No. 3-seeded Lendl’s counterattack in the quarters, embellishing with 26 aces. “He just kicked my ass,” was Andre Agassi’s terse summation of unbreakable Pete’s 106-minute

final round caper. Up jumped the name of Oliver Campbell, dead man dispossessed. He had held the record as youngest champ, 19 years, six months. Pete out-greened him by five months. A few months later, Pete made a bigger financial splash, collecting a record $2 million for winning the inaugural Grand Slam Cup in Munich over Brad Gilbert. Uncomfortable with all the attention brought by these deeds, and rocketing to No. 5 in the rankings, he actually seemed relieved to have the U.S. title lifted from him in the 1991 quarters by Courier. But he matured, accepted the responsibilities and challenges of life at the top, and became a solid world No. 1 in 1993, expelling all-would-be usurpers for six straight years, copping Jimmy Connors’s Open era record of five in a row (1974-78). Nothing as imposing had been seen for almost three quarters of a century, since Big Bill Tilden’s No. 1 parade of six years (1920-25) in the pre-computer days. Though Agassi took it away momentarily by beating Pete in the 1995 Australian Open, Sampras struck back in the U.S. final eight months later, dispiriting Andre. First was a five set out-grinding of dirt maven Andrei Chesnokov, immediately after which Pete keeled over, exhausted, cramping. Then came a nifty duet with Todd Martin in the go-ahead flooring of Andrei Olhovskiy and Kafelnikov. Finally, a definitive curtain-lowering riddling of Kafelnikov, in a shower of aces (16) and forehand winners (19). All his extraordinary qualities were on display: the grit and stubbornness, fluid groundies, thundering serves, casual yet deadly volleys and racing forehands. “But that’s sweet Pete,” says longtime friend and rival, Courier. “Just when you think he’s dying, that’s when he kills you.” What really killed him was an outlook-changing loss of the 1992 U.S. Open final to Stefan Edberg. “For the first time it really hurt to lose, really bothered me. I hadn’t been really determined until then,” he said. “But I realized that I wasn’t going to settle for one major. I had to have more.” And so he did. At the close of 2002, he had won 64 of 265 singles tournaments, losing 24 finals. He’d also won two doubles titles. In the majors, he won 14 of 18 finals. His most productive season was 1994, winning 10 of 18 singles tournaments on 77-12. In the 1992 Olympics, he was beaten in the third round by Chesnokov.

Serena WilliamsSerena Williams

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Serena WilliamsSerena Williams

Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player who is currently ranked No. 1 in women’s singles tennis. The Women’s Tennis Association has ranked her World No. 1 in singles on six separate occasions. She became the World No. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002, and regained this ranking for the sixth time on February 18, 2013, becoming the oldest world no. 1 player in WTA’s history.She is the only female player to have won over $50 million in prize money. Williams is the reigning French Open, US Open, WTA Tour Championships and Olympic ladies singles champion.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Williams holds the most Major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles combined amongst active players, male or female. She is the only player to have achieved a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. Her record of 32 Grand Slam titles puts her seventh on the all-time list: 17 in singles, 13 in women’s doubles, and 2 in mixed doubles. She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously (‘02–’03) and only the fifth woman ever to do so. Her total of 17 Grand Slam singles titles is sixth on the all-time list, and fourth in the Open Era, behind Steffi Graf (22 titles) and Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova (18 titles each). She has won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus Williams and the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam finals. Serena Williams is also a four-time winner of the WTA Tour Championships. Williams is only one of five tennis players all-time to win a multiple slam set in two disciplines, matchingMargaret Court, Roy Emerson, Martina Navratilova and Frank Sedgman. The arrival of Venus and Serena Williams has been credited with launching a new era of power and athleticism in women’s tennis. Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in women’s singles and three in women’s doubles, an all-time record shared with her sister Venus.

“She’s a competitor. She doesn’t like to give free points and free games.No matter the score she wants to win those games and those points,whether she’s down a break point or up a break point or whatever it is.” Maria Sharapova, on Serena Williams in 2013. Williams is primarily a baseline player, with a serve that critics, pundits and tennis experts consider the greatest serve in the history of women’s tennis. Her game is built around taking immediate control of rallies with her powerful and consistent serve, return of serve, and forceful groundstrokes

from both her forehand and backhand swings. Williams’ forehand is considered to be among the most powerful shots in the women’s game as is her double-handed backhand. Williams strikes her backhand groundstroke using an open stance, and uses the same open stance for her forehand. Williams’s aggressive play, a “high risk” style, is balanced in part by her serve, which combines great power and placement with very high consistency. In the 2013 Australian Open, she had a peak serve speed of 128.6 mph (207.0 km/h) which was the second-fastest all-time among female players (Venus recorded the fastest with 129 mph). At the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, Serena hit a women’s tournament record of 102 aces which was more than any of the men hit during the two weeks. Serena also possesses a very solid volley and powerful overhead which is very useful for her net game. Although many think of Williams as only an offensive player, she also plays a strong defensive game.

Williams is also known for her mental toughness and her ability to come back from improbable situations. She has won three Grand Slam singles titles after saving match points (2003 Australian Open versus Kim Clijsters, 2005 Australian Open versus Maria Sharapova, and 2009 Wimbledon versus Elena Dementieva), more than any other player in history, male or female. In the 2012 US Open final against Victoria Azarenka, she was down 5-3 in the third set and found herself two points away from losing the match. Williams then proceeded to win the next 4 games and defeat Azarenka. In recent years, Williams has shown an ability to serve aces at critical moments. One of these instances was the 2013 French Open final, where in the last game of the match, she fired three aces, including one clocked at 123 mph (198 km/h) on match point. Williams’ first professional event was in September 1995, at the age of 14 to counteract the forthcoming changes to age-eligibility rules, at the Bell Challenge. She lost in the first round of qualifying to Anne Miller, winning just two games. Williams did not play a tournament in 1996. The following year, she lost in the qualifying rounds of three tournaments, before winning her first main-draw match in November at theAmeritech Cup Chicago. Ranked world no. 304, she upset world no. 7 Mary Pierce and world no. 4 Monica Seles, recording her first career wins over top 10 players and becoming the lowest-ranked player in the open era to defeat two top 10 opponents in one tournament. She ultimately lost in the semifinals to world no. 5 Lindsay Davenport.

Serena Williams

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She finished 1997 ranked world no. 99. Williams’ first professional event was in September 1995, at the age of 14 to counteract the forth-coming changes to age-eligibility rules, at the Bell Challenge. She lost in the first round of qualifying to Anne Miller, winning just two games.Williams did not play a tournament in 1996. The following year, she lost in the qualifying rounds of three tournaments, before winning her first main-draw match in November at theAmeritech Cup Chicago. Ranked world no. 304, she upset world no. 7 Mary Pierce and world no. 4 Monica Seles, recording her first career wins over top 10 players and becoming the lowest-ranked player in the open era to defeat two top 10 opponents in one tournament. She ultimately lost in the semifinals to world no. 5 Lindsay Davenport. She finished 1997 ranked world no. 99.

Injury forced Williams to retire from her semifinal match at the Medibank International Sydney and to withdraw from the 2002 Australian Williams began 2007 with renewed confidence, stating her intention to return to the top of the rankings, a comment former player and commentator Pat Cash branded “deluded.” Williams lost in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Hobart, Australia, a warm-up for the Australian Open. Williams was unseeded at the Australian Open because of her world no. 81 ranking and was widely regarded as “out of shape.” Williams experienced a huge amount of pressure on herself prior to the tournament, coming from her fans and the press as well as Serena herself about her weight, focus and needing a good showing.. Williams finally made a return to the practice court in March 2011. She made her first appearance on the WTA tour in almost a year in Eastbourne. Open. She won her first title of the year at the State Farm Women’s Tennis Classic, defeating world no. 2 Jennifer Capriati in the final. She then won the Ericsson Open for the first time, becoming one of three players in the open era to defeat the world’s top 3 at one tournament, after beating world no. 3 Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, world

no. 2 Venus in the semifinals, and world no. 1 Capriati in the final. Her 6–2, 6–2 win over Venus was her second career win over her sister. In 2012, Williams started the year by playing her debut at Brisbane International, However, during her match against Bojana Jovanovski, she injured her left ankle when serving for the match late in the second set. As a result, Williams was forced to withdraw from the tournament. Next she participated at the Australian Open where she was upset by Ekaterina Makarova in the fourth round. After a month layoff Williams returned to competition in Miami losing in the quarterfinals to Caroline Wozniacki. Williams then won consecutive titles at Charleston and Madrid beating Lucie Šafáová and Victoria Azarenka respectively but withdrew from her semifinals match against Li Na in Rome citing a lower back injury. Williams suffered her first ever loss in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament at the French Open against Virginie Razzano. In 2013, Williams’ first tournament of the season was Brisbane where she won the tournament without dropping a set. Williams was upset in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Australian Open by fellow American player Sloane Stephens. By virtue of defeating Petra Kvitova in Doha, Williams returned to the World Number One position for the sixth time in her career and became the oldest woman in the Open Era to hold the ranking. Serena Williams has played older sister Venus in 24 professional matches since 1998. Overall Serena is 14–10 against her sister. Serena has played Venus 12 times in Grand Slamsingles tournaments and 11 times in other tournaments (including 11 finals). They have met in eight Grand Slam finals, with Serena winning six times. Beginning with the 2002 French Open, they played each other in four consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, which was the first time in the open era that the same two players had contested four consecutive Grand Slam finals.

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Roger Federer

Roger Federer

“You always want to win. That is why you play tennis, because you love the sport and try

to be the best you can at it.”

Born in Switzerland on August 8, 1981, Roger Federer was among the Top 3 junior tennis players in Switzerland by age 11. He turned pro in 1998, and knocked out reigning champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round at Wimbledon 2001. Federer became the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam title, when he won the Wimbledon 2003 singles. In 2004, he won the Australian Open, the U.S. Open and the ATP Masters, and retained the Wimbledon singles title. He also moved from the No. 2. spot to No. 1. In 2006, he won the Australian Open, his fourth successive Wimbledon singles title and his third successive U.S. Open. Federer held the No. 1 ranking from 2004 to 2008, regaining it in 2009—and several times thereafter, after frequent pushes by such rivals asRafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. In 2012, Federer defeated Djokovic in the Wimbledon semifinals, and beatAndy Murray to become the Wimbledon 2012 champion—Federer’s seventh Wimbledon win. The victory helped Federer regain the No. 1 spot, and tie the world No. 1 ranking record of 286 weeks (set by Pete Sampras).

Tennis star Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981 in Basel, Switzerland, to Swiss father Robert Federer and South-African mother Lynette Du Rand. Federer’s parents met while on a business trip for a pharmaceutical company, where they both worked. Federer took an interest in sports at an early age, playing tennis and soccer at the age of 8. The young athlete excelled at athletics, and by age 11, he was among the Top 3 junior tennis players in Switzerland. At the age of 12, he decided to quit other sports and focus all his efforts on tennis, which he felt he excelled at more naturally. By the age of 14, he was fully immersed in the game, playing 2-3 tournaments per month, and practicing six hours of the game a week, along with up to three hours of conditioning. To perfect his technique, he often imitated his idols, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg. At age 14, Federer became the national junior champion in Switzerland, and was chosen to train at the Swiss National Tennis Center in Ecublens, and had his his first sponsorship by the age of 16. He joined the International Tennis Federation junior tennis circuit in July 1996. In 1998, shortly before he turned pro, Federer won the junior Wimbledon title and the Orange Bowl. He was recognized as the ITF World Junior Tennis champion of the year.

Federer won the Wimbledon boys’ singles and doubles titles in 1998, and turned professional later that year. At Wimbledon 2001, he caused a sensation by knocking out reigning singles champion Pete Sampras

—Roger Federer

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in the fourth round. In 2003, following a successful season on grass, Federer became the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam title when he became a Wimbledon singles champion. At the beginning of 2004, Federer had a world ranking of No. 2, and that same year, he won the Australian Open, the U.S. Open, the ATP Masters and retained the Wimbledon singles title. He was ranked No. 1 at the start of 2005, and his successes that year include the Wimbledon singles title (for a third successive year) and the U.S. Open. Federer held on to his No. 1 ranking from 2004 to 2008. In 2006, he won the Australian Open, his fourth successive Wimbledon singles title and his third successive U.S. Open. Continuing to dominate the sport, the right-handed champion won the singles title at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open again as well as the Australian Open in 2007. While ranked No. 1 on the ATP Tour, Federer was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award three times, in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Federer beat Scottish player Andy Murray at the U.S. Open—his fifth U.S. Open win. However, that year proved to be a difficult time in Federer’s career: he lost to longtime rival Rafael Nadal at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and lost to another rival, tennis star Novak Djokovic, at the 2008 Australian Open. His ranking also slid to No. 2. Federer was in the finals for a sixth U.S. Open win in 2009, and with the option of victory came the possibility of breaking several records, but lost to Juan Martin del Potro. After regaining the No. 1 ranking in 2009, Rafael Nadal took over as No. 1 in 2010—this back-and-forth ranking designation between the two rivals has spanned the better part of a decade, and, in recent years, such tennis stars as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have been thrown into the top-ranking mix. Later in 2010, Federer lost to Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinal. He then finished the year with a win, against Nadal, at the ATP World Tour year-end championships.

In 2011, Federer won his 18th Masters Series tournament, and won his first Paris Masters, with a vicotry against French tennis pro Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. That same year, he beat 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, and went on to defeat Andy Murray at the Dubai Open. Federer’s career escalated once again in 2012, when he defeated defending champion Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semifinals, and went on to beat Andy Murray in the Wimbledon finals—Federer’s seventh Wimbledon victory. The Wimbledon 2012 win helped the 30-year-old tennis star regain the No. 1 spot, and tie the world No. 1 ranking record of 286 weeks (set by Pete Sampras).

That September, however, Federer made a disappointing showing at the U.S. Open. He lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. According to his website, Federer failed to find his groove during the match. “So many moments, I thought, ‘Man, it’s just not happening for me.’” Despite not making the semifinals at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2003, Federer was able to hold on to his number-one ranking.In 2013, Federer made a surprise departure from Wimbledon. He was knocked out of the singles competition in the second round by Sergiy Stakhovsky, who ranked 116th at the time. At the U.S. Open, Federer again struggled on the court. He was beaten by Spain’s Tommy Robredo in the fourth round, losing in three straight sets. According to the U.S. Open website, Federer admitted that “I struggled throughout, which is not very satisfying.” His confidence seemed to have been shaken by the loss, stating that he “missed so many opportunities” and his “rhythm was off” during the game.Once the world’s top player, Federer seen his ranking drop to the number 7 spot. His defeat at the U.S. Open means that he will close out the year without winning any Grand Slam titles.

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Rafael Nadal

Born in Spain on June 3, 1986, Rafael Nadal is a Spanish professional tennis player who has been ranked among the world’s Top 5 since 2003. Nadal is only the second male player to achieve the Career Golden Slam and the first to win seven French Open titles. He won the Roland Garros for four consecutive years, from 2005 to 2008, and went on to win Wimbledon 2008 against tennis star Roger Federer. In 2009, Nadal won the Australian Open, and came back to win his second Wimbledon in 2010, as well as his first U.S. Open and fifth French Open title. The following year, a No. 1-ranked Nadal lost his top ranking as well as Wimbledon 2011 to Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic. Also in 2011, he won his sixth French Open, followed by a seventh French Open victory in 2012. In the 2012 Wimbledon semifinals, a No. 3-ranked Nadal lost to Czech player Lukas Rosol—a match that some commentators labeled one the biggest upsets in tennis history. In June 2013, Nadal won his eighth French Open title against David Ferrer.

Rafael Nadal was born in Majorca, Spain, on June 3, 1986. When he was 3 years old, his uncle, Toni Nadal, a former professional tennis player, started working with him, seeing an aptitude for the sport in young Rafael.At the age of 8, Nadal won an under-12 regional tennis championship, giving Toni Nadal the incentive to step up his training. Toni noticed at the time that Rafael played his forehand shots with two hands, so he encouraged him to play left-handed, thinking it could give Rafael an edge on the court.

When Nadal was just 12 years old, he won the Spanish and European tennis titles in his age group, and at age 15, he turned pro and started playing on the junior circuit. At the age of 16, in his first ITF junior event, Nadal made it to the semifinals of the Boys’ Singles tournament at Wimbledon. By age 17, he became the youngest man to reach the third round at Wimbledon since Boris Becker. At the age of 19, in 2005, Nadal won the French Open the first time he played it, and his world ranking went to No. 3. Nadal won 11 singles titles that year, eight of which were on clay, and he was soon dubbed the “King of Clay.”

Nadal went on to win the next three French Opens. In 2006, after winning the French Open despite both shoulder and foot in juries he won four other titles. The following year, he won again at Roland Garros and took home five other titles. Nadal poured it on in 2008,

Rafael Nadal

“You just try to play tough and focus point for point. Sounds so boring, but it’s the right

thing to do out there.”—Rafael Nadal

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winning the French Open again, in addition to winning Wimbledon where he beat longtime rival Roger Federer in the longest final in Wimbledon history—gold at the Beijing Olympics, and five other titles. After Wimbledon, Nadal’s winning streak stood at a career-best 32 matches. Since 2008, despite being occasionally hampered by injuries, Nadal has been one of the superstars of the tennis world, winning 15 titles and hitting No. 1 in the world-ranking twice (in August 2008 and again in June 2010). He won the Australian Open in 2009 and came back to win his second Wimbledon in 2010, as well as his first U.S. Open and fifth French Open title. The following year, a No. 1-ranked Nadal lost his top ranking as well as Wimbledon 2011 to Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic. In June 2012, however, Nadal defeated top ranked Novak Djokovic to win his record seventh French Open title a feat never accomplished before in men’s tennis. That same month, a No. 3-ranked Nadal lost to Czech player Lukas Rosol in the Wimbledon semfinals—Rosol’s fifth Grand Slam win, and a match that some commentators labeled one the biggest upsets in tennis history.

In June 2013, Nadal won his eighth French Open title against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3—marking his eight French Open victory in nine attempts. “I never like to compare years, but it’s true that this year means something very special for me,” Nadal said after the match, in an interview with ESPN. “Five months ago nobody of my team dreamed about one comeback like this because we thought that

[was] going to be impossible. But here we are today, and that’s really fantastic and incredible.” Later that same month, Nadal lost in the first round at Wimbledon to Belgian player Steve Darcis. A shock to tennis fans who expected a strong performance from the Spanish player, Nadal lost the match in three sets, by 7-6(4), 7-6(8), 6-4.

Nadal is only the second male player in tennis history to complete the Career Golden Slam—winning the French, Australian and U.S. Opens; Wimbledon; and the Olympic Gold medal. Additionally, by 2011, he had taken the Spanish Davis Cup team to victory four times (2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011). In 2013, the future of Nadal’s career became the subject of much speculation. He won the French Open that year, but he made a poor showing at Wimbledon. At Wimbledon, Nadal was eliminated in the first round of competition. He seemed to be back on the upswing, however, at the U.S. Open. He defeated Novak Djokovic to win the men’s singles title.

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Perhaps all those joining Serena Williams in Istanbul should be reading Malcolm Gladwell’s new book on how underdogs succeed and how to outsmart the strong. If Williams can retain her title in Istanbul, she will have won the tournament four times, which would put her level with Chris Evert in equal third place on the all-time list. Victory would also take her to within a title of Steffi Graf, the champion on five occasions. But Williams, who turned 32 this year, is going to have to carry on until deep into her thirties if she is going to give herself a chance of passing Martina Navratilova, who won eight year-end singles titles.

What can we expect in Istanbul from the racket strings of Victoria Azarenka, who has had the roughest of autumns? Since finishing as the runner-up to Serena Williams at the US Open, Azarenka hasn’t won a match, after losing on her opening appearances in Tokyo and Beijing. She described her performance against Germany’s Andrea Petkovic in Beijing, a match in which she served 15 double-faults, as “awful”.

There’s no Maria Sharapova this year (she withdrew because of a shoulder injury), no Wimbledon champion (after Marion Bartoli’s retirement), and no rookies. But there is still a considerable gap in experience between players such as Serena Williams, who will be appearing at the tournament for an eighth time, and Italy’s Sara Errani and Germany’s Angelique Kerber, who are each playing at the event for only the second occasion. How much will that matter in Istanbul?

After Serena Williams, Petra Kvitova is the only other former champion in the field. And Kvitova, victorious in 2011, has been in decent form of late, winning the title in Tokyo, and reaching the semi-finals in Beijing.

Can Li Na, playing in Istanbul for the third consecutive season, qualify from her group for the first time? The runner-up at this year’s Australian Open, perhaps she might even have it in her to win her biggest title

since her triumph at Roland Garros in 2011. For the second successive year, Sara Errani will be competing in both the singles and doubles events, after qualifying in the team competition alongside fellow Italian Roberta Vinci. If she can win both titles, she will succeed where Kim Clijsters, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Serena Williams and Venus Williams - all of whom have played singles and doubles at the same tournament - tried and failed. Go further back into WTA history, to before the introduction of the round-robin format, and you will find women who did the double - Martina Navratilova on five occasions, Jana Novotna once and Martina Hingis once.

Will Agnieszka Radwanska, who recently hit a 99mph forehand, show any more of that power at the season finale? “Yeah, that was awesome,” she said of the shot. “It was probably the hardest shot I ever hit and it’s definitely up there as one of the best. Normally my great shots are more trickery than power so this one was unique.”

For the first time since 2010, Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic will feature at the WTA Championships. Jankovic, a former world No.1, has twice reached the semi-finals of this tournament, in 2008 and 2009, on both occasions losing to Venus Williams.

This is the last time that the WTA Championships will be played in Istanbul, with the tournament moving to Singapore next year. The tournament will be expanded in 2014, with the doubles field to be increased from four to eight teams.

Angelique Kerber is playing some fine tennis late in the season. “This is an incredible feeling, this victory means a lot to me,” she said after winning the title in Linz in Austria at the weekend. “I will go to the WTA Championships with a lot of confidence.”

Season’s End Mark Hodgkinson

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Serena Williams taking a swing at the Serena Slam II. As the Americans say, the Californian is going to have her game face on in 2013 (as well as healthier big toes after she underwent operations during the close season). After winning The Championships and the US Open in 2012, victory at the 2013 Australian Open would put Williams three quarters of the way to the second non-calendar year Grand Slam of her career. The first Serena Slam, spread over 2002 and 2003, was fuelled by the hurt of a break-up - she thought she could get back at her ex by wining majors, as then she would be everywhere and he would realise what he was missing. The mooted second is driven by the disappointment she felt after her opening-round defeat at this year’s French Open.

Revelations from Jimmy Connors. Jimbo has a book out in 2013. What will he write about his old rival John McEnroe?

Roger Federer hoping to make the Wimbledon record his own. This years, Federer put himself level with Pete Sampras on seven Wimbledon titles. Retaining the title in 2013 would make the most successful man in the All England Club’s history

Sweet versus savoury. The 2013 season will see Maria Sharapova continue her attempt to become a candy magnate, as she expands her sweets business across the tennis world (there will be a launch in Melbourne just before the Australian Open). And Novak Djokovic, who is reported to have bought up a fair share of the world’s supply of donkey-milk cheese, will be hoping to persuade you to order some at his chain of restaurants.

Tennis getting its Rafa Nadal fix again. Surely even the most devoted of Rafaelites don’t imagine that Rafa Nadal - who hasn’t played since his second-round defeat at Wimbledon - will win January’s Australian Open title. But his performances in Melbourne should tell us whether his knees will allow him to win the French Open for a record eighth occasion. It is to be hoped that Nadal can get back to his best. The men’s game is a much more interesting place with Nadal in it.Victoria Azarenka hoping to establish herself as the world No.1. Serena Williams

was the dominant player of 2012, winning two Grand Slams and the Olympics, but it was Azarenka who finished the year on top of the computer list. If Azarenka is to be regarded as the alpha female of the women’s game, winning a couple of Slams in 2013 would do her no harm.

The removal of the service let in a three-month experiment on the ATP Challenger Tour. If the experiment is a success, will the let also disappear at the highest level? There are also new rules in places on the ATP World Tour dealing with the punishments for stalling between points.

The seeded players hoping to avoid Lukas Rosol when the draw for the men’s singles is made at The Championships 2013.

Andy Murray’s attempt to become the first British man to hold the world No.1 ranking. Next season, it will be 40 years since the introduction of the official rankings in men’s tennis, so there will be extra focus on the rankings. Should Murray win a grand slam or two he will be well placed to reach the top of the tennis tree and to be part of those celebrations. Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, will be hoping to end a third successive season at the top of the rankings. Roger Federer, who this year became the first man to spend more than 300 weeks at the top of the rankings, will like his chances of another run as the world number one.

Venus Williams, a fashion designer and tennis player, showing she can still do some damage at the Slams, that she doesn’t just turn up at the majors to launch her dresses. The locker room’s thoughts on the new US Open schedule, with the men’s final to be played on the third Monday (and not because of wind, rain and tornado warnings).

Which of the Bright Young Things of the men’s and women’s games will make the greatest impact at the Grand Slams?

Second Serve Mark Hodgkinson

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ChecklistRod Laver serving at Wimbledon 9’x12’ 1954 unknown

Rod Laver winning men’s singles at Wimbledon 5’x3’ 1956 unknown

Rod Laver at Wimbledon 3’x7’ 1965 unknown

Margaret Court claiming her victory at Wimbledon 9’x12’ 1972 S&G and Barratts/EMPICS Sport.

Margaret Court at the French Open 5’x3’ 1972 unknown

Martina Navatilova Winning Woman’s Singles at the French Open 9’x12’ 1982 unknown

Martina Navatilova Winning a Point at the Australian Open 5’x3’ 1982 unknown

Martina Navatilova at the Australian Open 7’x2’ 1980 unknown

Chris Evert Winning Woman’s Single at Wimbledon 9’x12’ 1972 unknown

Chris Evert at Wimbledon 7’x2’ 1975 unknown

Steff Graf at the Australian Open 9’x12’ 1994 unknown

Steff Graf at the French Open 4’x3’ 1988 unknown

Steff Graf at Wimbledon 2’x7’ 1989 Taras Yasinski

Andre Agassi Playing in the Semifinals at Wimbledon 9’x12’ 1999 unknown

Andre Agassi at the Australian Open 4’x2’ 2006 Al Bello/Getty Images

Pete Sampras Playing Men’s Doubles at the US Open 9’x12’ 1988 Jean-Loup Gautreau / AFP / Getty

Pete Sampras serving at the Australian Open 5’x2’ 1990 unknown

Pete Sampras at the US Open 2’x7’ 2009 Danny Moloshok

Serena Williams Winning a Point at the French Open 9’x12’ 2008 unknown

Serena Williams at the Australian Open 2’x7’ 2013 Chelsea Altice

Roger Federer Winning Men’s Singles at Wimbledon 9’x12’ 2012 unknown

Roger Federer at the US Open 5’x3’ 2009 Free-Stock-Images

Roger Federer at Wimbledon 2’x7’ 2009 Free-Stock-Images

Rafael Nadal at the US Open 9’x12’ 2013 stock images

Rafael Nadal Serving at the French Open 5’x3’ 2011 unknown

Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 7’x2’ 2012 unknown

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