Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
tennis, youth
Citation preview
U.S. $4.99 / CAN $4.99 DISPLAY UNTIL MAR. 1, 2010
WINTER ’09
MELANIE
OUDINAMERICA’S SWEETHEART SHOWS YOU HOW IT’S DONE
THE HOT LISTFROM BELGIANS TO BROOKLYN DECKER, WHAT MAKES TENNIS WORTH WATCHING RIGHT NOW
NEW SHOES TO KICK YOUR GAME UP A NOTCH
IT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION
THE NEXT BABY
FEDERERROOKIE PRO
DEVIN BRITTON
MARAT SAFIN
CHECKS OUT
FROM BELGIANSTO BROOKLYNDECKER, WHATMAKES TENNISWORTH WATCHINGRIGHT NOW
NEW SHOES TOKICK YOUR GAME UP A NOTCHT
IT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION
THE NEXTBABY
FEDERERROOKIE PRO
DEVINBRITTON
MARATSAFIN
CHECKS OUT
0409_COVER_re_rel.indd 1 10/16/09 8:50 AM
1.800.833.6615TennisExpress.com
Pure Storm GT$179
YOUTEK Radical MP$179
EXO3 Rebel 95$189
Bolle Parole$79.50
Bolle Vigilante$79.50
Pro Team 6 Pack$49.95
EXO3 Twelve Pack$79.95
Tennis TutorBasic Battery: Battery w/ Oscillator:Tennis Tutor: Tennis Tutor Plus: Player:
$649$749$1,049 $1,249$1,649
Other Racquet Brands
Men’s Barricade V$109.95
Women’s T22$89
TAX FREE
SAME DAY SHIPPING
Follow Us
1.800.833.6615TennisExpress.com
Pure Storm GT$179
YOUTEK Radical MP$179
EXO3 Rebel 95$189
Bolle Parole$79.50
Bolle Vigilante$79.50
$Pro Team 6 Pack$49.95
EXO3 Twelve Pack$79.95
$49.95
Tennis TutorBasic Battery: Battery w/ Oscillator:Tennis Tutor: Tennis Tutor Plus: Player:
$649$749$1,049 $1,249$1,649
Other Racquet Brands
Men’s Barricade V$109.95
Women’s T22$89
TAX FREE
SAME DAY SHIPPING
Follow Us
Untitled-3 1 10/13/09 2:29 PM
THIS
PAG
E: C
HRIS
MCG
RATH
/GET
TY I
MAG
ES
ON THE COVERMelanie Oudin may be America’s latest sweetheart, but she has a mean game. The 18-year-old upset three seeded Russians at the U.S. Open, and she has the skills to keep it going. See what you can learn from her starting on Page 10. Photograph by Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images
MELANIE
OUDINAMERICA’S SWEETHEART SHOWS YOU HOW IT’S DONE
THE HOT LISTFROM BELGIANS TO BROOKLYN DECKER, WHAT MAKES TENNIS WORTH WATCHING RIGHT NOW
NEW SHOES TO KICK YOUR GAME UP A NOTCH
IT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION
THE NEXT BABY
FEDERERROOKIE PRO
DEVIN BRITTON
MARAT SAFIN
CHECKS OUT
FROM BELGIANSTO BROOKLYNDECKER, WHATMAKES TENNISWORTH WATCHINGRIGHT NOW
NEW SHOES TOKICK YOUR GAMEUP A NOTCHT
IT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION
THE NEXTBABY
FEDERERROOKIE PRO
DEVINBRITTON
MARATSAFIN
CHECKS OUT
SMASH 1
ContentsFind out why Juan Martin del Potro is
our choice for Hot Champ on Page 19.
FEATURES10 THE BELIEVERFive lessons you can learn from Melanie Oudin. By Stephen Tignor
14 NET MANDevin Britton serves and volleys his way onto the pro tour. By Peter Bodo
18 HOT LISTSMASH’s picks for what’s heating up the world of tennis
DEPARTMENTS03 PHOTO OPS
04 GAME ON
08 GEARThe latest shoes
09 LOCKER ROOMWinter tennis essentials
24 FINAL CALL
VOLUME FOUR NO. 4
0409_TOC_rel.indd 1 10/16/09 9:00 AM
Editor-in-Chief James Martin
Executive Editor Stephen Tignor
Design Director Gary Stewart
Managing Editor Sarah Unke
Associate Editor Sarah Thurmond
Contributing Editors Peter Bodo, Bill Gray, Tom Perrotta
Senior Instruction Editor Paul AnnaconeTouring Editor Brad Gilbert
Instruction Editor Rick MacciGear Advisers David Bone, Bruce Levine, Roman Prokes, Dr. David G. Sharnoff, D.P.M.
Photo Editor David RosenbergDesigner Jason Sfetko
Production Director Ray SmithPrepress Manager Kent Armstrong
Partner George MackinPublisher Chris EvertGroup Publisher Jeff Williams, [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES OFFICESNew YorkAdam Milner (associate publisher), [email protected]; Buz Keenan (business development), (212) 636-2724, [email protected]; Jodi Neuhauser (sales and marketing manager), (212) 636-2751, [email protected]; Stephanie Bonk (sales and marketing coordinator), (212) 636-2741, [email protected];fax: (212) 636-2720; 79 Madison Ave., Eighth Floor, New York, NY 10016
DetroitMike Peters, [email protected]; James McNulty, [email protected]; Jill Randall (business manager), [email protected]; (248) 649-3835; fax: (248) 649-5638; Fuel Detroit, 2150 Butterfield Ave., Suite 230, Troy, MI 48084
Los Angeles Jeff Griffith (West Coast sales director), (626) 229-9955, [email protected];fax: (626) 628-1748; 180 S. Lake Ave., Suite 305, Pasadena, CA 91101
Canada Josef Beranek (account executive), (450) 538-2468, [email protected]; fax: (450) 538-5468; JMB Media International, 180 Mudgett Road, Sutton, Quebec, J0E 2K0
Marketing Director Lisa BucoCreative Director, Marketing Ann Eitzen Advertising Records Coordinator Monica Brandon, [email protected]
Circulation Manager Matt BrambleAssistant Circulation Manager Richard Duncan
TENNIS.comManaging Editor Abigail Lorge Online Producer Tino Persico Assistant Editor Ed McGrogan
MILLER PUBLISHING GROUP LLCPresident and CEO Robert L. MillerTechnology and Production Director Andy NelsonChief Financial Officer Mike Sultan
Editorial and National Sales and Marketing Offices:(212) 636-2700; 79 Madison Ave., Eighth Floor, New York, NY 10016
Customer Service You must be a USTA Member to receive SMASH. For change of address or service related issues, please contact the USTA at (800) 990-8782.
Publications Agreement #40612608Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2
A. Total Number of Copies
B. 1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541
(2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541
(3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers,
Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS
(4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS
C. Total Paid Distribution
D. (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside County Copies Included on PS Form 3541
(2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541
(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS
(4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail
E. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution
F. Total distribution
G. Copies not distributed
H. Total
I. Percentage paid
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading infor-
mation on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and
imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).
Jeff Williams, Publisher
2009 Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation 1. Title of publication: SMASH 2. Publication number: 024-124 3.
Filing date: September 22, 2009 4. Issue Frequency: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter 5. Number of issues published annually: 4 6. Annual
subscription price: $9.97 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: Miller Sports Group, LLC 79 Madison Ave., 8th
Floor, New York, NY 10016-8730 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: 1918 Main Street,
3rd Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90405 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor: Group Pub-
lisher: Jeff Williams, Same as no. 7 Editor: James Martin, Same as no. 7 Managing Editor: Sarah Unke, Same as no. 7 10. Owner: Miller
Sports Group, LLC 1918 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90405 Owned by: Miller Publishing Group, LLC & TDG MS Investors,
LLC 1918 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90405 11. Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or
holding 1% or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: Miller Mackin Holdings, LLC 1918 Main Street, 3rd Floor,
Santa Monica, CA 90405 12. Tax status: Has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13. Publication title: SMASH 14. Issue date for
circulation data below: Fall 2009 15. Extent and nature of circulation:
Average no. No. copies of each issue during single issue published preceding 12 months nearest to filing date
157,831 156,336
150,594 150,888
0 0
709 551
0 0
151,302 151,439
1,849 1,672
0 0
0 0
2,068 1,552
3,917 3,224
155,219 154,663
2,612 1,673
157,831 156,336
97.48% 97.92%
“Top 25 Camps”TENNIS and Tennis
Resorts Online
0409_DEP_Masthead_rerel.indd 2 10/20/09 9:03 AM
SMASH 3
PHOTO OPsHOT SHOTS FROM THE WORLD OF TENNIS
GOLDEN GIRLElena Dementieva cleans up nice, nyet? In September, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev awarded her the Order of Honor for winning a gold medal at the Olympics last year in Beijing.
POSERS WELCOMENo, Mary J. Blige, Serena
Williams and Alicia Keys are
not forming a new girl group
(though we’d like to see it).
They attended a Gucci party
for the Foundation for the
Advancement of Women
Now during New York’s Fashion Week in September.
JUSTIN TIME
Judging by her smile,
Melanie Oudin forgot all
about her loss in the U.S.
Open quarterfinals when
she met Justin Timberlake
at Saks Fifth Avenue
for Fashion’s Night Out
in New York.
SERVING ORDERS
Would you like your
martini shaken or stirred?
Andy Roddick tended bar
with chef and Real
Housewives of New York City
star Bethenny Frankel
at the Taste of Tennis
event in New York
in August.
LET THEM
EAT CAKE
Before the U.S. Open got
under way in New York,
Maria Sharapova helped
Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively
celebrate her 22nd birthday
at a party hosted by
Tiffany & Co. and InStyle
magazine.
PHO
TOGR
APH
S B
Y GE
TTY
IMAG
ES
0409_photo_rel.indd 3 10/13/09 10:14 AM
00 SMASH
NAM
E TE
EKAY
Yanina Wickmayer celebrates by the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Corona Park after her semifinal run at the U.S. Open.
• THE MIDWEST’S HOMEGROWN CHAMPIONS
• THE LATEST ROGER FEDERER WANNABE
• MARAT SAFIN, MAESTRO OR UNDERACHIEVER?
• THE RETURN TAKES OVER ON THE MEN’S TOUR
4 SMASH
JULI
AN F
INN
EY/G
ETTY
IM
AGES
>>> FEELING HER PAIN: In Tokyo in October, Maria Sharapova won her first title since being sidelined with a rotator cuff injury by defeating Jelena Jankovic, who retired with a wrist injury in the final. >>> 104: Rankings spots John
0409_GO_finalGO_rel.indd 4 10/15/09 7:33 AM
It’s the coolest trick on tour. A player catches an errant ball on his racquet out of midair and suavely tosses it to a ball kid. (Search “Rafael Nadal Neat Ball Trick” on YouTube to see what we mean.) But nobody can do it quite like Erkan Soysal.
The Turkish-born teaching pro, who lives in Germany, has pushed the boundaries of tennis-ball catching. He’s caught balls from more than 400 feet away, ones that were fired directly at him from a ball machine at a speed of almost 100 m.p.h., and some while paragliding. What’s the, um, catch to this trick? “Anticipation,” says Soysal, who coils his whole body around the oncoming ball like a giant snake. But, alas, the language barrier prevented him from going into detail on how to do it, so we asked Mike Leach, director of tennis at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in Florida, to show us how.
Here’s his advice: Start by catching the ball with your hands as though you are at an egg-catching contest, moving your hands down and back at the same speed as the ball. After you’ve got a feel for the motion, try the trick with your stick. At first, it might help your control if you hold the racquet at the throat as you cradle the ball back. Once you’ve mastered that, practice with your hand
on the grip.“The key is making the
racquet move at exactly the same speed as the ball,” Leach says. “Too slow and it’ll bounce—bing, bing, bing—too fast and you’ll miss it entirely.”—ALLEN ST. JOHN
FROM
LEF
T: A
L BE
LLO
/GET
TY I
MAG
ES; D
AVID
KEN
AS; C
OUR
TESY
OF
ERK
AN S
OYS
AL
MIDWEST MARVELS TWO AMERICANS ARE TAKING THE SNOW-COVERED ROAD LESS TRAVELED
King of the Catch
FOR EVERY PETE Sampras and Chris Evert, players who took up tennis in the year-round sunshine of California and Florida, there is a Chase Buchanan or Brooke Austin.
As two of the brightest prospects in American tennis, Buchanan and Austin are shunning the usual sun-baked path to success by pursuing their tennis dreams in Ohio and Indiana, far from the meccas best known for churning out champions.
The stubborn resistance they have shown by staying in the Midwest snowbelt is a quality that has served them well on the court. Buchanan, 18, of New Albany, Ohio, captured the USTA Boys’ 18s National Hard Court Championship in Kalamazoo, Mich., this summer to earn a wild card into the U.S. Open. Indianapolis native Austin is the top-ranked girl in the USTA 14-and-unders and helped the U.S. win the 2009 World Junior Tennis title.
Both have resisted the temptation to attend tennis academies or relocate to warmer areas. “I’ve always been the kind of person who wants to be around his friends and family,” says Buchanan, a sophomore at Ohio State University who won a Futures pro event last year as a 16-year-old amateur. “It never crossed my mind,” Austin says.
Taking the road less traveled requires discipline, fortitude and patience. Logistics are particularly tricky in the winters. Austin’s 5 A.M. sessions are held in a private, unheated bubble because winter indoor court time can be hard to come by in Indianapolis. “It’s in the teens sometimes,” says her longtime coach, Jeff Smith. “You have to wear three layers of clothing.”
Buchanan played six months of the year inside and struggled to find competition in
his mid-teens. Both players have had to hit the road often to face adequate opposition. That makes it hard to make and maintain friends while competing. “It’s different because you don’t really know anyone [at tournaments] because no one else from your section is there,” Austin says.
The challenge of combining practice and travel with a regular education caused Buchanan to opt for home-schooling starting in ninth grade. Austin, an eighth-grader, is considering it as well.
There are perks to staying in the snowbelt: More time with family and proving that there isn’t just one
route to tennis success. “It’s not easy,” Buchanan says, “but I’m happier doing it this way than I would be doing it down in Florida.”
Buchanan got a strong first taste of Grand Slam tennis at this year’s U.S. Open when he drew Top 10 player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France. “It’s a lot different playing a 17- or 18-year-
old and playing a guy who is [24] and pretty much a physical specimen,” he said after managing just
three games in a straight-set defeat. But the experience paid off when he reached the final
of the U.S. Open boys’ event, taking out the world’s top-ranked junior, Yuki Bhambri,
along the way.Buchanan’s mother, Melissa, says his
tennis has involved sacrifice for the whole family. But clearly, you can succeed in tennis
even when the sun doesn’t cooperate,
she says. “Chase always wanted to prove you could do this from a little club in Ohio.”
—DOUGLAS ROBSON
“CHASE ALWAYS WANTED TO PROVE YOU COULD DO
THIS FROM A LITTLE CLUB IN OHIO,” BUCHANAN’S
MOTHER, MELISSA, SAYS.
Isner jumped, from No. 143 in January to No. 39 after the U.S. Open, where he was the last American man standing. >>> BAD ODDS: The Australian Open singles purse rose to
SMASH 5
Soysal
Buchanan
Austin
rld Junior
d thetennis
e to warmer areas.kind of personnd his friends andn, a sophomore atwho won a Futures pro6-year-old amateur. mind,” Austin says.s traveled rtitude ande particularlyAustin’s 5 A.M.
private,ause winterbe hard to
lis. “It’s in theys her longtime coach,to wear three layers
ix months of the yearto find competition in
this year’s U.S. Opdrew Top 10 playeTsonga of Francedifferent playing
old and playing a guy who is [24] a physical specimen,” he said aft
three games in a straight-set dexperience paid off when he
of the U.S. Open boys’ evenworld’s top-ranked junior,
along the wBucMeli
tensawclsu
evdoe
she swanted to prove you ca little club in Ohio.”
IN OHIO, BUCHANAN S MOTHER, MELISSA, SAYS.
uary to No. 39 after the U.S. Open, where he was t
Austin
0409_GO_finalGO_rel.indd 5 10/15/09 2:04 PM
6 SMASH
CHEC
K, T
ENT
AND
MON
EY: I
STO
CK P
HO
TO; A
LL O
THER
PH
OTO
S: G
ETTY
IM
AGES
TENNIS FANS AT the ATP tour Rotterdam event in the Netherlands had watched Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal play a tear-filled Australian Open final less than two weeks before on TV.
Now Nadal was battling again, this time in front of them. His opponent? He was a tall, thin guy with a smooth one-handed backhand, a dangerous topspin forehand, and a certain casual between-point strut.
Had Federer snuck into the draw to try to avenge his Aussie Open loss?
No, the player giving Nadal so much trouble wasn’t the Grand Slam king, but an 18-year-old from Bulgaria who had idolized him for years, Grigor Dimitrov. While Nadal would win in three sets, the kid left an impression. “He’s headed to the Top 10 for sure,” the Spaniard said afterward.
Dimitrov has talent to spare—he won junior titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2008—but as this season drew to a close, the Top 10 remained a distant dream.
“I had some bad luck with draws,” says Dimitrov, who was ranked No. 308 late in 2009. “I had the
FED NEXT?GRIGOR DIMITROV IS A TOP-NOTCH PROSPECT WITH A FAMILIAR LOOK
goal of the Top 150 this year, but I still think I did a lot of hard work.”
He’s been doing that work at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Paris with the man who coached Federer to his first Wimbledon title in 2003, Peter Lundgren. “We’ve been focusing a lot on physical training and getting stronger,” says Dimitrov, who, at 6-foot-2, is a rail thin 169 pounds.
For fans at the U.S. Open qualifying event this year, there was a sense of déjà vu seeing the ponytailed Lundgren in the stands and Dimitrov, with his uncanny resemblance to Federer, on court. He slapped balls loosely in the warm-up, bent low and spun his racquet before returning serve,
and led with his elbow as he extended all the way through his backhand. “I was a big fan of Roger’s growing up,” Dimitrov says. “It’s been amazing to meet him.” Still, Dimitrov knows he’ll have to find his own way to succeed. “It’s great that people say I play like him, but he has his trademark, and I have to have mine. I have to be Grigor Dimitrov first.”
That was obvious in the second round of qualifying in New York, where Dimitrov wowed the audience with beautifully spun slice backhands and jumping forehand winners, but lost in straight sets. As if we needed any more proof: It’s not easy to play like Roger Federer.
—STEPHEN TIGNOR
SAFIN SIGNS OFFMarat Safin has been both maestro and underachiever on court, with awesome and lame antics along the way. Here’s how he fits into the scheme of tennis greatness
MAESTRO
LAME AWESOME
UNDERACHIEVER
● Leads Russia to its first Davis Cup title in 2002.
● Though many say he’s washed-up, reaches ’08 Wimbledon semis on his least favorite surface.
● GQ’s 2005 spread of “the purest physical talent in the history of the game” is a hit with the ladies.
● Wins second Slam title at ’05 Australian Open.
● Calls his blond entourage Down Under in ’02 his “unbelievably beautiful bench.”
● Once voted the fans’ favorite player, Safin complains that tennis is “not interesting, because it’s boring.”
● At 20 in 2000, wins the U.S. Open and reaches No. 1.
● Loses in first round at Montreal in ’09, but defends lil’ sis Dinara by telling her critics they can go bleep themselves.
● A 12-year-old Safin is not accepted into Nick Bollettieri’s academy; seven years later he wins his first tour title.
● After an injury-plagued 2003 season, falls out of Top 50 for first time in five years.
● Reaches ’02 Australian Open final but loses to underdog Thomas Johansson.
● Fined $2,000 for tanking at the beginning of the 2000 season.
● Worst season ever? In 2006, hits lowest ranking (No. 104) in eight years.
● Or is 2007 the worst ever? Fails to reach a singles final for the first time since 1998.
● Signs megabucks, multi-year deal with Dunlop in ’01 but goes back to old Head racquet within a year.
● After dismal ’03 season, “chills out” by camping and fishing in California.
● Curses at umpire, smashes racquet during first-round loss at Wimbledon in ’04, then issues sincere apology.
● Decides to climb Himalayan mountain instead of play tennis; bails on expedition after 10 days.
a record $1.86 million, but only five Aussies, including Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur, were ranked high enough this fall to gain direct entry. >>> GOT HER NUMBER: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova posted back-to-back wins
tto the sco scheme of te
AAMMEMEMMMEMEE
● Onfansplaycomtennintebecbori
O
es.
smaln, ”g g in
● Fined $2,000for tanking at the
0409_GO_finalGO_rel.indd 6 10/15/09 7:33 AM
SMASH 7
SMASH 15OUR TAKE ON TENNIS AND THE WORLD AROUND IT–BUT DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
The Austrian postal service has honored Roger Federer with a postage stamp. Wait, we thought Federer was Swiss.
We definitely prefer “Delpo” for Juan Martin del Potro’s nickname over what Argentines call him: “The Giant from Tandil” (his hometown).
Biggest loser: Ivo Karlovic serves up more than three sets worth of aces—78 in all—in a five-set Davis Cup semifinal loss to Radek Stepanek.
Here’s hoping that the USTA will bring the U.S. Open up to speed with the other Slams and decide in 2010 to put a roof on Ashe.
Devin Britton tweets on what an honor it was to play Roger Federer in his Grand Slam debut: “Best time I’ve ever had losing. Actually, best time I’ve ever had, period.”
. . . and Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal stay off the injured list.
. . . Sam Querrey recovers quickly from emergency arm surgery and finishes in the Top 10.
Dinara Safina takes yet another step to becoming the least deserving No. 1 ever by losing to a qualifier and a wild card back to back in Tokyo and Beijing.
Andre Agassi on the current comeback mania: “I’m sure Kim [Clijsters] has inspired a lot of people. But she can’t inspire this 39-year-old.”
“The curse is over,” says Gael Monfils. He won his first title in four years in Metz in September.
Wishful thinking for 2010 . . . Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic get their games back.
Rick Macci, who coached Jennifer Capriati and the Williams sisters, on his new protégé, Mia “The Kangaroo” Lines of Australia: “I have never seen a 4-year-old with such god-given talent.”
Kimiko Date-Krumm turned 39 the day after she won the Korean Open in September. She became the oldest WTA tour titlist since Billie Jean King won a title at age 39 in 1983.
An underdog with bite: Jesse Witten, playing in only his second Grand Slam, cruises to the third round at the U.S. Open before losing to Novak Djokovic in a tough four-setter. Way to go, J-Dub.
The Belgian brigade: Kim Clijsters, Yanina Wickmayer and Justine Henin—three contenders from a country where there were none a year ago.
UNLESS YOUR TV has been on the blink for the last couple of years, you’ve no doubt noticed that pro tennis has shifted from being a fast-serve contest to a counter-punching battle from the baseline. Indeed, the serve is losing its importance and the return is on the rise, particularly on the men’s tour, according to our informal poll of players, coaches and analysts.
“The game has evolved,” says John McEnroe, a serve-and-volleyer in his playing days. He thought the change was especially obvious in the 2008 Wimbledon final, when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were “serving and staying back nine out of 10 times,” he said. “Who would have thought [that would happen] in their wildest dreams after watching the likes of [Boris] Becker, [Pete] Sampras and [Goran] Ivanisevic?” Federer agrees: “Players used to attack,” he says. “Now they defend more.”
The women also showed a shift from offense to defense at this year’s U.S. Open, where players with attackable serves such as Melanie Oudin, Caroline Wozniacki and winner Kim Clijsters made big impacts.
HERE’S A LOOK AT WHAT HELPED CHANGE THE GAME» New wonder strings: The hot string on the tours these days is polyester-based Luxilon, which allows players to take huge swings and generate spin to keep the ball on
the court. “When the majority of players started using Luxilon, it affected the return game much more than anything else,” James Blake says. “It made serving and volleying much tougher and returning that much more easy.”
» Better fitness: “It’s become a lot more about legs and a lot less about actual shot-making,” says Andy Roddick, who clocked a record 155 m.p.h. blast and calls himself “the last real big server.”
» Slower courts: “It’s not science fiction that the courts are slower now and it’s more important to win a rally,” Ivan Ljubicic says. Novak Djokovic agrees. “The [slower surfaces] give more opportunities to the players who are physically well prepared
and whose games are based on the baseline,” he says. “I am one of them.”
» Slower balls: “The Wimbledon ball is like a flipping grapefruit,” says Larry Stefanki, Roddick’s coach.» Better receivers: “Everyone’s eye is better,” says Mike
Bryan, adding that when Roddick came on tour, his big serve “scared people.” “It’s still the biggest weapon in the game,” he says, “but guys are returning it pretty calmly.”» Two hands are better than one: The majority of players use two-handed backhands, which can deflect
even the hardest serves into the court. The player who can put the ball back in play when returning or set up
a big ground stroke with a well-placed serve stands the best chance of winning.—DOUGLAS ROBSON
THE RISE OF THE RETURNTHE OVERPOWERING SERVE IS UNDER ATTACK AS PROTENNIS BECOMES A DEFENSIVE GAME
over Venus Williams in Tokyo and Beijing. >>> BIG DIFFERENCE: The ’09 U.S. Open men were 1 inch taller and 5 pounds heavier on average than the guys 20 years ago, and twice as many were 6-foot-4 or taller. <<<
AROUND
rht
ming the leastd a wild card back
s o.
Ass
Kwot
an t
Argentin
Here’s hoU.S. Opeand deci
the court. “When tit affected the rJames Blake satougher and ret
» Better fitneslot less about actual sa record 155 m.p.h. bla
» Slower courts: “Itslower now and it’s says. Novak Djokovopportunities to th
and whose gamesone of them.”
» Slower balls: “grapefruit,” say» Better rece
Bryan, addingserve “scaregame,” he s» Two hanplayers us
even thcan pu
a bith
over Venus Williams in Tokyo and Beijing. >>>
0409_GO_finalGO_rel.indd 7 10/15/09 7:34 AM
8 SMASH
EXTREME MOBILITYADD SPRING TO YOUR STEP WITH THESE LIGHTWEIGHT KICKS. BY BILL GRAY
GEAR
PHOTOGRAPH BY RAINER BEHRENS8 SMASH
ASICS GEL-RESOLUTION 2Are your feet sore from all the pounding on hard courts? Do you want a sneaker that’s ready for combat right out of the box? The Gel-Resolution 2, for men and women (shown), is as close as a tennis shoe can get to having the comfort of slippers with virtually no break-in time. It’s also breathable and light, though not at the expense of stability, thanks to a heel-hugging support unit and a set of bands that crisscross the upper. $115, asicsamerica.com
YONEX POWER CUSHION 304S(a.k.a. SHT-304S)At a mere 12.2 ounces (for a size 9), this unisex shoe is built strictly for speed. It has abundant ventilation in the upper, though on sweltering days you may feel the heat from the court coming through the lightweight outsole. The Power Cushion 304S is a great game-day shoe for defensive counter-punchers whose footwork is as important as their shot-making. $110, yonexusa.com
NIKE AIR ZOOM VAPOR VI TOUR/LUNARLITE SPEED The latest in Nike’s Vapor line for men (shown), which is also Roger Federer’s shoe of choice, weighs less than previous versions but maintains its supreme stability. You can credit Nike Flywire technology, thin fibers running across the upper that collectively give the shoe a sturdy yet light construction. There’s also foam cushioning in the midsole that provides a comfortable ride. As great as the Vapor is, the women’s Lunarlite Speed doesn’t match it for support. We suggest that girls who want to play in the latest Nikes try out the Vapor VI, though keeping in mind their basic foot type—wider forefoot, narrower heel—might not be a perfect match. $115, nike.com
EEEEXXXXTTTTRRRREEEEMMMMEEEEMMMMOOOOBBBBIIIILLLLIIIITTTTYYYYAAAADDDDDDDD SSSSPPPPRRRIIINNNNGGGG TTTOOOO YYYYOOOOUUUURRRRSSSSTTTEEEEPPP WWWWIIIITTTTHHHH TTTTHHHHEEEESSSSEEEE LLLLIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTWWWWEEEEIIIIGGGGHHHHTTT KKKKIIIICCCKKKKSSSS.BY BILL GRAY
GEAR
PHOPH TOGOGRAPR H BBY RY AINNER BEHE RENR SS8 SMASH
ASASASSICICICS SS GEGEGEGEL-L-L-LREREREESOSOSOLULULUUTITITITIONONONON 2 22ArereArere yoyoyoy ur ururu feefefeefeet st s soreoreoreorefrofrofrofrom am am aall l l thetheththe po popoundundundun ingingngion on on harharard cd cd cd courourourts?ts?ts?s? DoDoDoyouyouuyou wawawwant nt nt n a sa sa sneaneneae kerkerkerthahathahat’st’st’st s re re rer adyadyadyd fo fo fofor rcomcomcomo batbatbatat ri ri r ghtghtghgh ou ouout ot ot ot of ff f thethethehe bobobobox? x?x?? TheTheThe GeGeGeG l-l-llResResResResoluoluolutiotiottion 2n 2n 22, f, f for orormenmenmenme an ananand wd wd wwomeomeomeom n nn(sh(sh(sh( ownownownow ), ), ), is isis as asass cloclocloclose seses(shown), is as cloas as as s a ta ta tennennennen is ssis shoshoshos e ce ce can aangetgetget totototo ha ha hahavinvinvinv g tg tg the hehecomcomcomcomforforofort ot ot of sf sf sf slipipipperperpere s ss switwitwitwith vh vh vh virtirtrtualuaua ly ly ly y no no no brebrebreak-ak-ak-in inn timtimtimtime. .e. It’It’It’s ssalsalsalso bo bo bo reaeaeaeathathathhableblbleble ananand dddligligligight,ht,tht thtth thougougougugh nh nh nh ot otot at at at at thethethe ex ex expenpenpense se sese of ofof stastastat bilbilbilb ityityyity, t, t, hanhanhananks ksks toto to a ha ha ha heeleeee -hu-hu-huggiggiggiging ngnggsupsupuppporporpop t ut ut unitnitnitnit anananand ad ad ad setsetses ofofoff bababab ndsndsndsnds thththhat atcricricrisscsscscrosrososss ts ts tthe he he he uppuppupper.er.er.$11$11$11115, 55 asiasiasiasicsacsacsacs mermermermericaicaca.cocococ mmm
YOYOYOY NENENENEX X XX POPOPOPOWEWEWEWER RRCUCUCUSHSHSHS IOIOIOON NNN 303030304S4S4S(a.(a.(a.k.ak.ak.ak . S. S. SHT-HT-HT-T-30430304304S)S)S)SAt AtAt a ma ma ma mereereere 12121212.2 2.22 ounounounouncescescesce(fo(fo(fo( r ar a sisi sisize zee 9),9),)9), thththt is ssuniununn sexsexsexs shshshoe oeoeo is sisi buibubuibuilt ltltltstrstrstrst ictictctctly lyly ly forforfor spspspeedeededeed. It It ItI hashashasha ab ab abundunddndantantantvenvenentilititi atiatation onon in in inin thetheheeuppuppupppper,er,er, thththt ougougougough oh oh oon nnsweswesweeltelteltet rinrinrinng dg dg ddaysaysaysays yo yoyou uuuswmaymaymaymay fef fefeel elel thethethe hehe heheat atat y feel the heat frofrofrom tm tm the hehe coucouco rt rtrcomcomcomc ingingin ththt rourourough ghhg thehethehligligigghtwhtwhtwh eigeigeigght htht outoutouttsolsosos e. eeTheTheThee PoPoPoowerwerwerwe Cu CuCushishishion onon30430430430 SS iSS s as as a grggrgreataateat gaga gaame-me-me-mdaydayday shshsshoe oeoe forforforf dedededefenfenfene sivsivsivs e eecoucoucouuntententeer-pr-pr-puncuncuncherherherers ssswhowhowhowh se ese se foofoofootwotwowtwork rk rkk is ssas asas as impimpmpimportortor antantantant asasasthethetheheir rr shoshoshos t-mt-mt-mmakiakiakking.nngng.$11$11$11$1 0, 00,0 yonyononyonexuexuexuex sa.sa.sasa.comcomcomcom
NINININIKEKEKEK AAAAIRIRIRIR ZZZZOOOOOOOOM MM VAVAVAVAPOPOPOPOR RR R VIVIVI T TTTOUOUOUOUR/R/R/LULULULUNANANANARLRLRLLITITITITE EEE SPSPSPSPEEEEEED DDVATheTheTheh la lalatestestest it it it n Nn Nn Nn ikeikeikeik ’s ’s ’s VapVapVapVapor oroor linlinline fe fe foror or menmenmen (s(s(s(showowhown),n)n) whwhwhichichichh isissis alaa a so sososapRogRogRogoger erere FedFedFedereereereerer’sr’sr’s sh sh shoe eoee of ofofo chochochochoicecece, w, w, wweigeigeigeighs hshs lesleslee s ts ts ts hanhanhanh pr prprp evievevev ousousuousf vererverv siosiosios ns ns ns ns butbutbubu mam mamaintntntainainainains isss ts tsts supsupsupsu remremremme se se stabtabtababiliility.tyty.t Yo YoYoou cu cu can an an an crecrecreditditditdtNikNikNikN e Fe Fe Flywlywlywlywirereire tetetechnchnchnolooloology,gygy thththin nn fibfibfifiberserers rururunninninnnn ngng ng ng acracrac ossossossos th th ththe ue u uppeppeppepper rrtthathathat ct ct ct collollollectectecttiveivevevely y yy givgivgivg e te te the heehe shoshshoshoe aee a stststs urdurdurdurdy yy yy yy yet etetet ligigight hthtt conconconstrstrstrstructuctuctiononion.sTheTheTheThere’re’re’e s as as alsolsolso fofo fofoam amamm cuscusucushioiohioninnining ig g n ttn tn the hehe he midmidmiddsolsolsos e te te thathathhat prprprovioviovio desdesdesd a aaancomcomcomcomforforfortabtabtable le le rididride. e. e. As As sAs gregregregr at at tat as asas s thethethe VaVaVaVaporpopopor isisisis, tt, the hehehe womwomwomo en’en’enen s Ls Ls Ls Lunaunaunaarlirlirlrl te teeaSpeSpeSpeSpeed eded doedoedoed sn’snsn’t mt mt mmatcatcatctch ih h it ft ft for oror supsupsupsu porporport. t.t We WeWeWe sugsugsugsuggesgesegest tt tt tt hathathatt gigi ggirlsrlsrrls whwhwhho o fowanwanwawant ttt to po po po playlaylayy inini ththththe le le le ateateatea st stst NikNikNikes eses trytrytrytry ouoout tt tt the hehe VapVapVapapor orr VI,VI,VI,V th th tht ougougougough hhhstkeekeekeeke pinpinpinng ig ig in mn mn mn mindindindind ththththeireireir bababab sicsicsics fo fofoot otoot typtyptype—we—we—w—widedededer fr fr foreororeorefoofoofof t, tt narnana rowrowrowr er erererbaheeheeheee l—ml—ml—mmighghghght nt ntt not otot be bebe a pa pa perferferffectectecec mama mam tchtchtchtc . $. $. $11511511515,a p nikniknikni e.ce.ce.ce omomomo
0409_GEAR_rerel.indd 8 10/15/09 7:38 AM
SMASH 00
COLD COMFORTMAKE SURE YOU BUNDLE UP BEFORE YOU PLAY THIS WINTER.
BY SARAH THURMOND
HAI
R AN
D M
AKEU
P B
Y JU
ANIT
A LY
ON
SMASH 9PHOTOGRAPH BY CHLOE AFTEL, STYLING BY DJUNA BEL
K-SWISS CHECKED JACKET $90, kswiss.com
NIKE THERMAL RUNNING PANTS $60, nike.com
LACOSTE OVERSIZED CROC BEANIE
$50, lacoste.com
NIKE PRO CORE FITTED SHIRT$30, nike.com
SMARTWOOL REVERSIBLE NTS SCARF $45, smartwool.com
ADIDAS BALANCE V REVERSIBLE HEADBAND
$12, sportsauthority.com
SMARTWOOL SPORT NTS ZIP T-SHIRT
$90, smartwool.com
LACOSTE SNOWFLAKE SWEATSHIRT
$195, lacoste.com
K-SWISS WARM-UP PANTS $70, kswiss.com
0409_DEP_Locker_rerel.indd 9 10/15/09 2:53 PM
THE BELIEVER
10 SMASH
MELANIE OUDIN HAS MADE HERSELF THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN TENNIS. HERE ARE
FIVE LESSONS YOU CAN LEARN FROM THIS YEAR’S
YOUNGEST U.S. OPEN QUARTER-FINALIST. BY STEPHEN TIGNOR
FROM
LEF
T: T
IMO
THY
A. C
LAR
Y/AF
P/GE
TTY
IMAG
ES; H
AMIS
H BL
AIR
/GET
TY I
MAG
ES; K
EVIN
C. C
OX/
GETT
Y IM
AGES
0409_FEA_Oudin_rel.indd 10 10/15/09 10:04 AM
2. BE ON YOUR TOESIt’s not often that you notice players’ feet, even when they’re moving with the grace of Roger Federer or the turf-
gobbling power of Venus Williams. But you can’t help seeing Oudin’s, and it’s not just because of those famous
shoes she wore at the U.S. Open. Her service-return ritual is always the same: She fidgets with her strings, gets
in the ready position, and then, as her opponent is tossing the ball, she lifts herself up on her toes and bounces up
and down like she’s on hot coals.
This is an exaggerated version of what every coach tells you to do: Use little steps and keep moving all the
time. Why does Oudin do it even before a point begins? For the same reason Rafael Nadal bends as low as he can
before he receives serve. It’s a way of bracing himself, and forcing his body to concentrate. That goes for Oudin
and her feet as well. “Melanie feels she moves better when she’s on her toes,” de Villiers says.
They don’t stop bouncing after her return, of course. Watch Oudin during a rally and you’ll see that her move-
ment between shots is made up of dozens of tiny steps. Even when a ball is hit hard down the middle at her, she’ll
meet it in front of her body. Fast hands? Yes, but more important are her fast feet, which put her body in the
right position in the first place. Oudin doesn’t have the offensive weapons of her taller opponents. Her biggest
strengths are her feet, and she gets them firing right away.
1. GO IN WITH A STRATEGYYou hear it all the time: “I just have to play my game.”
And it’s true. You’re not going to get very far at any
level if you’re trying to play someone else’s game.
But too often the desire to win on your terms can
lead you to ignore what your opponent is doing.
Not so for Oudin. She and coach Brian de Villiers
scout opponents and break down their games on
tape. Before she faced No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva
at Flushing Meadows, Oudin and de Villiers noticed
that in tight situations the Russian hits most serves
into her opponent’s body. They spent extra time
practicing her return, and it paid off with a stunning
upset. Asked about her next match, against Maria
Sharapova, Oudin didn’t say she just needed to play
her game. She said she needed to hit the ball outside
of her opponent’s comfort zone and keep the ball
low to make the 6-foot-2 Sharapova bend down.
The key is to give yourself a purpose. This will help
you make your opponent uncomfortable and distract
you from your own nerves. You’ll concentrate on what
you have to do, rather than judging yourself for your
mistakes. At the Open, Oudin grew stronger as her
matches went on. According to de Villiers, this was a
product of knowing what she needed to accomplish.
“There were slight adjustments in the middle of her
matches,” he says. But she won in the end by “having
the discipline to stick to her game plan.”
turf-
us gets
ces up
he e can
Oudin
move-
r, she’ll
the
ggest
0409_FEA_Oudin_rel.indd 11 10/13/09 10:46 AM
3. CUT OFF THE ANGLESNecessity is the mother of
invention, they say, which
means that the 5-foot-6 Oudin
will have to be very creative on
the pro tour, where most of her
opponents will be more physically
imposing than her. That means
she’ll need to mix up her serve,
but it also means she must mix
up her returns, something few of
us ever think of doing. “Returns
have to be a big part of her
game,” de Villiers says, “so we
work on it a lot more now.”
Oudin spends significant time
practicing her return, trying out
different ways she can approach
the shot and be aggressive with
it. One way she does this is to
“cut off the angle” on her return.
You may have heard this phrase
from your coach, but what does
it mean? It describes how you
should move to track down a
serve that’s hit away from you
and into one of the corners.
Rather than stretching your
body parallel to the baseline, you
should move diagonally toward
the ball and meet it as you’re
moving forward. This allows a
small player like Oudin to put
more of her weight into the shot.
According to de Villiers, it’s what
he emphasizes most with her
when it comes to the return.
“As long as she’s moving
forward,” he says, “trying to cut off
the angle and giving the opponent
a different look, I’m happy.”
4. USE EVERY SHOT AND
EVERY PART OF THE COURTAspiring WTA tour players are taught that if they can bang the ball,
they’ll always have a chance. Oudin seems to have missed that lesson.
She can hit a low and penetrating forehand with the best of them,
but she also knows there are many other ways to win a point. To this
end, she varies spins and shot locations more than most players.
Down a set to Jelena Jankovic at Wimbledon, she began moving the
former No. 1 to her right by sidespinning her backhand down the line,
where it bounced away from Jankovic’s forehand and left her
vulnerable to one of Oudin’s best shots, her crosscourt backhand
drive. Jankovic never figured out how to escape from this pattern.
At the U.S. Open, Oudin’s first-round match was against Russia’s
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, a fellow teenager who had beaten her
easily in the Open junior event two years earlier. Wary of going toe to
toe with the bigger Pavlyuchenkova, the American wasted no time in
using her drop shot to get her opponent out of her comfort zone. The
Russian never got on track and Oudin’s star-making run began.
Change is a normal part of the plan, according to de Villiers. “She
needs to play with variety,” he says. “She’s not a first-strike player.”
impshe’ll need to mix up her serve,
but it also means she must mix
up her returns, something few of
it mshould move to track down a
serve that’s hit away from you
tha different look, I’m happy.
the ball,
that lesson.
of them,
int. To this
players.
oving the
wn the line,
her
ackhand
s pattern.
st Russia’s
eaten her
f going toe to
ed no time in
fort zone. The
n began.
Villiers. “She
strike player.”
0409_FEA_Oudin_rel.indd 12 10/13/09 10:46 AM
5. BELIEVEThis, of course, is easier
said than done. It’s not
hard to believe in yourself
as you walk onto a court,
but it takes a special kind
of patience and tenacity to
keep the faith when you fall
behind. Oudin has proven
she has those special
attributes, and regardless
of how she hits the ball,
they’ll continue to be her
most important assets.
“Her biggest strength
is her mental toughness in
that she always believes
she can win,” de Villiers
says. “She’s very competi-
tive and loves the battle.”
This mind-set is not
easy to learn; it’s a product
of your mental makeup. But
there are habits you can
develop that will help keep
you as positive as possible.
Watch Oudin when she’s
losing. Unlike many of the
top women players, she
shows very little negative
emotion and doesn’t spend
much time criticizing
herself after errors. The
most you’ll typically get
from Oudin is a look of
disbelief. Like Nadal, she
also takes the time after
winning a key point to fire
herself up with a “Come
on!” or a fist pump. More
than just involuntary
reactions, they serve as
tangible reminders to Oudin
of her desire to win.
“I’ve always encouraged
her to play with no fear,”
de Villiers says, “and not to
be afraid of losing.”
SMASH 13
FROM
LEF
T: J
ULIA
N FI
NN
EY/G
ETTY
IM
AGES
; HAM
ISH
BLAI
R/
GETT
Y IM
AGES
; TIM
OTH
Y A.
CLA
RY/
AFP/
GETT
Y IM
AGES
FROM
LEF
T: J
ULIA
N FI
NN
EY/G
ETTY
IM
AGES
; HAM
ISH
BLAI
R/
GETT
Y IM
AGES
; TIM
OTH
Y A.
CLA
RY/
AFP/
GETT
Y IM
AGES
0409_FEA_Oudin_rel.indd 13 10/13/09 10:47 AM
00 SMASH
NAM
E TE
EKAY
CAN ANYONE STILL PLAY SERVE-AND-VOLLEY TENNIS IN THE AGE OF THE BASELINE BOMBER? EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN DEVIN BRITTON IS AIMING TO FIND OUT.BY PETER BODOPHOTOGRAPH BY RYAN PFLUGER
0409_FEA_Devin_rel.indd 14 10/13/09 10:28 AM
0409_FEA_Devin_rel.indd 15 10/15/09 11:55 AM
FROM
LEF
T: M
ATTH
EW S
TOCK
MAN
/GET
TY I
MAG
ES; T
IMO
THY
A. C
LAR
Y/GE
TTY
IMAG
ES; D
AVID
KEN
AS
“That was pretty cool,” Britton said recently, while trying to put his Grand Slam debut into perspective. “I’ve watched the tape like 20 times now.”
You could be forgiven for wondering why Britton has watched it so often; after all, Federer beat him in straight sets, and the rookie was clearly nervous. You may think it was just for the thrill of seeing him-self on television in his first match at a major, and against a living legend to boot. But that wasn’t the reason.
Britton kept hitting the replay button so he could absorb all of the analysis provided by former pros Jimmy Arias (on Tennis Channel) and John McEnroe
(on ESPN2). “They both said stuff that’s been very helpful to me,” Britton says. “Mac especially gives it to you straight. He said I needed to move better, and that I tended to rush my service motion. I do need to work on my movement, and the serve, that was just nerves.”
Given Britton’s enthusiastic attitude, it’s easy to see why the other McEnroe, Patrick, the U.S. Davis Cup captain, decided to take him to Croatia as a practice partner in July. “Devin is a great competitor and has a strong work ethic,” he says. “This is a kid who knows he has to get better, and he wants it and he’s prepared to work for it.”
This fall, McEnroe and the USTA development coaches advised Britton to spend a few weeks in Spain to train with top coaches there and take his lumps on the largely clay-court Futures circuit. He responded like a properly humble Southerner: Yes, sir.
Britton started playing tennis at age 5, tagging along with his mother, Cindy, who did battle in league play at local country clubs. By chance, a pro invited him to hit a few, and Britton showed an affinity for the game. Before long, he was training with other pros-pects from the suburbs of Jackson, Miss. He was also a gifted baseball player, and one of the hardest deci-sions he had to make was giving it up to focus on ten-nis. “I liked pitching,” he says. “I was one of the better pitchers in my youth baseball days, so it was just tough to quit on that. On the other hand, I couldn’t hit very well at all, so maybe that wasn’t such a bad move.”
By the time he was 14, it was obvious that he need-ed to leave home to develop his game. Facing a dearth of challenging practice partners, Britton moved on to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where he spent three and a half years. Although Bollettieri is a leading proponent of the baseline game, Britton says that the coach and his staff recognized a natural style when they saw one, and never tried to discourage him from playing the serve-and-volley game that came easily to him.
Britton enrolled at the University of Mississippi early in 2009, and after just four months he burst onto the national tennis radar when he became the young-est-ever winner of the NCAA men’s singles champion-ship. The feat was especially noteworthy because serve-and-volley players aren’t just a vanishing breed, they’re also notoriously late bloomers. Could it be that all those reports of the demise of the attacking game have been greatly exaggerated?
John McEnroe, one of the last of the great net-rushers, seems to think so. Britton played the junior event at Wimbledon this year and happened to be in the men’s locker room when Mac walked in. “We were just talking,” Britton says, “and I told him that I’m a serve-and-volleyer. He actually came out and watched my next match, and afterward told me he really liked that I played that way. That was encouraging.”
Britton feels confident that his style can survive the warp-speed, laser-sharp ground game that dom-inates on the pro tour. In fact, he strikes a note of quiet, self-assured defiance when he says, “A bunch of people are saying that you can’t serve and volley [in today’s game]. I can’t do anything about what they’re saying, I can just try to do my best to prove them wrong.”
To help him get to net, the 6-foot-3 Britton often departs from his solid two-handed backhand to hit a one-hander with biting slice. In this, he may be some-thing of a pioneer: Few players have a formidable carv-ing one-handed backhand to accompany a bludgeon-ing two-hander. Britton’s forehand isn’t entirely ironed out, but then his game isn’t built around it, either—an-other point of departure from paint-by-numbers pro tennis in 2009.
“I don’t anticipate making any major changes in the way I play,” Britton says. “The only reason you don’t see more guys serving and volleying is because they’re completely focused on groundies from a really early age. But I know I need to do some work to be able to compete as an attacking player on the tour. I need to work on my legs, because strong legs are the foundation of the attacking game. That, and having a big serve.”
Although nerves got in the way of Britton’s serve at the U.S. Open, that weapon had been on full display at Wimbledon. Britton has a smooth motion and, perhaps most important, an excellent second serve. At one point in his match against the No. 7 seed, Japan’s Shu-ichi Sekiguchi, Britton stepped up and served three aces. All his opponent could do when the last one blew
HE FIRST DVD CAME FROM TENNIS CHANNEL. DEVIN BRITTON THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY COOL OF THE NETWORK TO SEND IT. AN-OTHER ONE ARRIVED FROM ESPN2. AN ACQUAINTANCE SENT ONE TO HIS HOME IN BRANDON, MISS. MORE WOULD FOLLOW. ¶ IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT DEVIN
BRITTON HAS THE WORLD’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF DVD RECORDINGS OF ROGER FEDERER’S FIRST-ROUND WIN AT THE 2009 U.S. OPEN, AND IT ISN’T BECAUSE THE MATCH REPRESENTED THE FIRST STEP IN FEDERER’S ULTIMATELY UNSUCCESSFUL DRIVE TO WIN THE OPEN A SIXTH STRAIGHT TIME. IT WAS BECAUSE FEDERER HAPPENED TO BE PLAYING DEVIN BRITTON.
DEVIN AND GOLIATH: Britton receives a handshake from Federer after his first-round loss.
16 SMASH
0409_FEA_Devin_rel.indd 16 10/13/09 10:28 AM
SMASH 17
past him to end the game was crack a big smile. Before Wimbledon, Britton wasn’t sure he would
turn pro. He’d enjoyed his lone, spring semester at Ole Miss. Having been home-schooled since seventh grade, he liked the challenge of college. At first he was in over his head in his English class: “You don’t write that many papers when you’re home-schooled,” he says. “But once a tutor showed me the basics, it was pretty easy.”
Britton is happy about his stint in college. “Unless you’re really a dominant junior, why not go to college for a year or two to see what you can do?” he says. “Even though I only went for four months, I thought it really helped me, mentally. You have to learn to balance things, and it takes a lot of focus to do both school and tennis well. It was kind of funny, but that
only seemed to make me calmer on the court. Maybe it had something to do with my success.”
Speculation on the value of the college experience soon became moot. Britton blazed his way to the boys’ semifinals at Wimbledon and found himself facing his unheralded countryman Jordan Cox. Britton struggled with fatigue (the kiss of death for an attacking player who relies on crisp execution), yet he made surpris-ingly few errors in an epic, three-set match that Cox finally won, 16-14 in the third. Even though he lost, Brit-ton made up his mind to turn pro.
In Croatia, as a Davis Cup practice partner after Wimbledon, Britton was slightly awe-struck by the time he spent with James Blake and Mardy Fish. “Just getting to see what those guys do on a daily basis, staying in the same hotel and seeing them at all
times of the day, that was a lot of fun.”The hard practices were less so, although Britton
impressed McEnroe with his work ethic and compli-ant manner. Britton said the experience of hitting with Bob and Mike Bryan as “unreal.” “They’re two of the most intense guys I’ve ever seen,” he says. “Every ball they hit has a meaning. They don’t waste any time. And they have their routines so down pat: down-the-line drills, cross courts . . . . But I expected that. It’s something that’s normal at the top level. Everybody’s intense.”
Having grown up in a small city in the South, Britton is polite, even-keeled, and laconic in a way that, while it seems distinctly Southern, is also reminiscent of a young Pete Sampras. It’s a good temperament for tennis. The USTA coaches with whom Britton works, Mike Sell, Hugo Armando and Jay Berger, like that as-pect of his character. The ability to take things slowly when chaos rages around you and resist panicking in times of stress are overarching virtues.
Still, Britton is a work in progress. He knows he’ll have to work on his Plan B for those days when aces don’t pop off his strings. He had a taste of that against Federer.
That match was the final exciting episode of a re-markable summer, the kind of summer Britton might undertake to describe in an essay if he were going back to college, now that he’s got that paper-writing thing nailed.
A HELPING HAND: Britton, giving Will Ferrell a shove into the umpire’s chair on Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, and in action at the U.S. Open, his first Grand Slam.
0409_FEA_Devin_rel.indd 17 10/19/09 8:20 AM
HOT NEWCOMER: BROOKLYN DECKER“I think I lost half my fan base today.” Those were Andy Roddick’s words after
he announced his engagement to model Brooklyn Decker in 2008. While Roddick’s followers may have jumped ship for single tennis stars, the 27-year-old did the sport a huge favor when he married Decker in 2009. What better way to attract (certain) fans to the sport than to have a swimsuit model sitting courtside? Roving lenses are nothing new for Decker, 22, who has been in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue the past four years, and appeared in body paint in 2009. It was in those pages that Decker first caught Roddick’s eye. He had his people call her people, took her to a comedy show, and a couple years later American tennis
has a seriously hot first lady. While Decker is a laid-back Southern
girl at heart—she’s from Charlotte, N.C.—the former high school cheerleader and class president moved to New York to model at age 18. Within a month she had worked for Sports Illustrated and
Victoria’s Secret, and since then she’s been in campaigns for Gap and American Eagle and appeared in Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Glamour, GQ and FHM—whose readers now have even more reason to
watch tennis.
The HOT LIST2009
In tennis terms, it wasn’t long ago that “Hot American” was an oxymoron. But no more: With Melanie Oudin’s emergence and Sam Querrey’s summer offensive, pro tennis in the U.S. is looking up.
While everyone was busy lamenting the lack of up-and-comers, Oudin broke through this summer. Though she was a top junior, no one took notice of her pro chops until she qualified at Wimbledon and beat
Jelena Jankovic to reach the fourth round. But she earned instant celebrity when she became the first 17-year-old American since Serena Williams in 1999 to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals. After the Open the new starlet made the media rounds, appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Oudin rose to No. 42 after the Open, and with her quick feet, killer forehand and excellent court sense, she won’t stop there.
As for Querrey, he did what Southern Californians do best: had an awesome summer. With a title in Los Angeles and runner-up finishes in New Haven and Indianapolis, he won the U.S. Open Series and cracked the Top 25. Maybe Querrey has had so much success because he’s gotten serious about his career: The 22-year-old hired a friend as an intern this summer to help with booking flights and gripping racquets. After all, a pro’s life can be hectic; now Querrey can concentrate just on his tennis.
HOT YANKS:SAM QUERREY AND MELANIE OUDIN
18 SMASH
he announcmodel BrooWhile Roddjumped shithe 27-yeahuge favorin 2009. Wattract (cthan to hasitting couare nothinhas been iswimsuit and appe2009. It wDecker fiHe had htook hercouple ye
has a serWhile Decker is
girl at heart—shthe former highclass presidentmodel at age 18had worked for
Victoria’s Secretbeen in campaignEagle and appeaSeventeen, Glamreaders now ha
watch tennis.
18 SMASMASSMMAMAASMAMAAASASSAAASASAAAAAAMAASASMASSMAMAMAMAMAMASMASASSAAAAMASAAAAAASASMMMMMMMMASMASAASAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASASSSSSASASSSSASASSMMMMMMMMAMASASAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASASSSASSSSSSASSSMMMAMAMAASAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSASASSASMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSASMMMMMMAMAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAASASSMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSMMMMMMAAAAAAAASAAAAAAASSSSMASMMMMMAMMAASAAAAAAASSMMMMAMASAAAASSSSSSMMMAMASSSSSSMMMASSSAAASSSSSMMASAAASSSAASSSSSAAAASSSSSH
rounds, appearinghow with Conan
with her quick feet,won’t stop there.
SMASH GOES TO THE CUTTING EDGE TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT’S HEATING UP THE GAME
0409_FEA_hotlist_rel.indd 18 10/14/09 4:05 PM
Adidas might as well rename its Mi Adidas customized sneakers the cha-ching line. Days
after Melanie Oudin debuted her yellow and pink Barricade V shoes at the U.S. Open and proceeded to reach the quarterfinals, Adidas said sales and visits at miadidas.com increased fivefold.
The customized sneakers, which consumers can design online and come in styles for tennis, basketball, football and running, cost between $95 and $240 (the Barricade V is $140). The buyer gets to choose colors for the upper, outsole, laces, stripes and eyelets, and the tennis shoes have hard-court or “omni” (for clay and grass) outsole options. Then there’s the personalized message, which Oudin made famous by choosing the word BELIEVE as her signature statement.
Despite the success of Mi Adidas, other brands are not joining in the love fest over make-it-your-way tennis shoes. Nike has a line you can customize for running and basketball styles, and Puma has one for retro running and skating sneakers, but neither have plans to offer tennis players the same perk.
With all the shoe clones on courts these days, it’s nice that there’s a brand bringing some individuality to the sport.
GETT
Y IM
AGES
When he began the U.S. Open final, Juan Martin del Potro was a scruffy, too-tall 20-year-old with slumped shoulders. A day later he was a clean-shaven, stylishly
dressed champion with a mug not unlike John F. Kennedy Jr.’s. Amazing what a major title can do. The question now is, Will
winning his favorite tournament be enough to satisfy del Potro, or is he about to go Federer on the rest of the field? The
6-foot-6 Argentine has the talent to reach the top
of the game and pile up Grand Slam titles.
He hits his forehand perhaps harder than anyone in history, his two-handed backhand is immune to high bounces, and
his serve has gone from good to exceptional. After winning the Open, del Potro showed off
a quiet persistence that might become his trademark when he gently pried a microphone away from Dick Enberg and said a few words in Spanish, despite CBS’ plans to move the trophy presentation along. He may seem shy, but del Potro has a way of getting what
he wants. And he’s aiming high: “I had two dreams,” del Potro says, “the first one to win the U.S. Open, and the second one to be like Roger.”
HOT CHAMP: JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO
HOT KICKS:Mi ADIDAS
SMASH 19
“I had two dreams, the first one to win the U.S. Open, and
the second one to be like Roger.”
ssys llow
U.S.
d efold.
ome in styles for nning cost between
Despite the success of Mi Adidas, other brands arenot joining in the love fest over make-it-your-way tennis
S:
personalized message, which Oudin made fchoosing the word BELIEVE as her signature statement. that there’s a brand br
GETT
YIM
AGES
When heMartin d20-yearday late
dressed champion with a muAmazing what a major title c
winning his favorite tournaor is he about to go Feder
6-foot-6 Argentine has talent to reach the to
of the game and piup Grand Slam tit
He hits his forehperhaps hardethan anyone inhistory, his twhanded back
his serve hAfter win
a quiet trademaway fin Spantrophy shy, but
he wantdreams,”U.S. Ope
HOT CHAMP: JUAN
0409_FEA_hotlist_rel.indd 19 10/14/09 4:05 PM
The bandana never went away, but has it ever played a bigger role in the sport’s fashion than it does today? Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have had a bandana
rivalry for years, and many others are joining them. Juan Martin del Potro wears one. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga sports a bandana when his hair is long. Sam Querrey doesn’t wear one, but his Samurai followers do. Grigor Dimitrov, the former top junior who reminds many scouts of Federer, has adopted the look, too. The women’s tour has undergone even more of a bandana makeover. Gone, for the most part, are the visors and baseball caps of recent years. Instead, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Gisela Dulko, among others, have adopted the bandana. One question remains: Will Justine Henin, who is set to return to the tour in January, ditch her signature cap and tie her hair back instead?
HOT ACCESSORY:BANDANAS
20 SMASH
Ever since Gustavo Kuerten came out of nowhere in 1997 to win the French Open with a polyester-based string, more and more players have been telling stringers, “I’ll have
what Guga’s having.” Those strings, produced by Luxilon, a Belgian manufacturer of medical sutures and bra straps, are now used by the overwhelming majority of pros, either as a full set or in a hybrid. Pros and amateur tournament-level players like Luxilon’s dead feel. It frees them up to swing their hardest and still impart enough spin to keep the ball in the court.
The rub is that Luxilon can be hard on the arm. Enter
the new Luxilon M2 Pro. It has the juice of its older
siblings, like Big Banger Alu Power and Big Banger Timo, but
is kinder and gentler on the arm. It’s even used by Maria Sharapova, who is making a comeback after rotator cuff surgery. But a word to the wise: If you’re thinking Lux, you need sound stroke mechanics, because it will expose your shortcomings. Put another way, you should have an NTRP of 4.5 or higher if you’re going to try to follow in Guga’s footsteps.
HOT STRING: LUXILON M2 PRO
The M2 Pro has the juice of its older Luxilon
string siblings, but is kinder and gentler
on the arm.
making a comebayou’re thinking Lu
xpose your shortcf 4.5 or higher if yo
ck after rotator cuff surgery. But a word to the s, because have anootsteps.
ck after rotator cuff surgery. But a wux, you need sound stroke mechanicscomings. Put another way, you shouldou’re going to try to follow in Guga’s fo
t ayedt’s
day?elnaare
o rts m
rov,
teds a, arecent
a, ulko,
ill toture
RY::
wm
bt
Itsib
Powis kind
who is m
HOT
who is mwise: If it will exNTRP of
0409_FEA_hotlist_rel.indd 20 10/14/09 4:05 PM
GETT
Y IM
AGES
With the institution of Hawk-Eye, it seemed that one longtime feature of the pro game, the berserk tirade, had become a thing of the past. The computerized challenge system gave players a chance to see for themselves
whether a line call really was correct. But there was one element of the sport that had gone uncovered, the foot fault, a fact we learned in no uncertain terms at this year’s U.S. Open. That’s where Serena Williams, down a set, was called for a foot fault at 5-6 in the second set of her semifinal against Kim Clijsters. As the world knows, the tirade was back with a vengeance, and Williams was soon off the court, a loser due to a pair of code violations.
Afterward, the actions of both Williams and the lineswoman were called into question. Some said a line judge shouldn’t make such a borderline call—the tennis equivalent of basketball’s “ticky tack” foul—at such an important moment. Others maintained that it’s a player’s responsibility not to allow herself to have a foot fault called on her when she’s serving to stay in a match. But what both camps can agree on is that the call should become part of the challenge system. This is doable, according to the folks at Hawk-Eye. The only trouble is, Where will we go for our tirades from there?
HOT CALL: FOOT FAULTS
SMASH 21
Step one: Play your way to the top. Step two: Become disenchanted with the travel, the training, the injuries and the never-ending season. Step
three: “Retire,” Brett Favre–style, from the game, and start a family or a tennis academy. Step four: Come back better than ever. That’s how it worked for Kim Clijsters, who went from stay-at-home mom to U.S. Open champion after playing just two warm-up tournaments. Clijsters’ return was so successful, and so seemingly easy, that Justine Henin, who retired as the No. 1 player in the world in 2008, couldn’t resist giving the tour a second try, too. Henin hopes to compete at the 2010 Australian Open and eventually win a Wimbledon title to complete a career Grand Slam. If she succeeds, the Belgian method might become the approach of choice on the women’s tour, where burnout has claimed many players over the years. The next candidate who could use a Belgian break, followed by a smashing second act? Ana Ivanovic, the former No. 1 from Serbia who can no longer hit a serve. Watch and learn, Ana, as Kim and Justine show you the way.
HOT RETIREES: BELGIANS
any players over theo couldby
and Justine show youthe way.
0409_FEA_hotlist_rel.indd 21 10/14/09 4:05 PM
Is there something new in the Evian the pros are always sipping? There must be, because a lot of players have
been settling down lately. Roger Federer married his girlfriend of nine years, Mirka, in April, and the couple welcomed twin girls in July. Kim Clijsters got away from the tour in 2007 to start a family, but she was back to win the U.S. Open two years later. And while there may not yet be children for Andy Roddick, he proved he’s the marrying kind when he tied the knot with model Brooklyn Decker a week after Federer got married. One question remains: Can a globe-trotting professional tennis player ever really settle down? Seems more like a traveling family circus.
HOT TREND: SETTLING DOWN
22 SMASH
HOT JUNIOR GIRL:NOPPAWAN LERTCHEEWAKARN
Here’s a name to remember in 2010: Noppawan Lertcheewakarn. Don’t worry, you can call her Nok.
In 2008, Thailand’s Lertcheewakarn, 18, was the first Asian girl to be named an ITF junior world champion after she reached the final of the Wimbledon junior event and went 39-12 in singles and 31-12 in
doubles. In 2009, her last year as a junior, she returned to the Wimbledon final, and this time she won the title. She also captured the junior doubles titles at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Lertcheewakarn’s journey to the top began by chance. Her mother was a nurse at the hospital in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where the wife of Steffi Graf’s former coach, Marek Malaszszak, was due to give birth. She asked Malaszszak to watch her daughter play tennis. He saw potential in the 10-year-old and offered to coach her for free. Recently, she has been working with former Clemson University men’s coach Chuck Kriese through the Rising Star Program of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand.
Emulating her idol, Monica Seles, the Thai plays double-handed off both wings. She now has her sights set on the WTA tour. By the way, her nickname, Nok, means bird in Thai. This bird is ready to fly.
HOT JUNIOR BOY:YUKI BHAMBRI
Things weren’t looking good for India’s Yuki Bhambri last year. He crashed out early in the junior events at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. But then suddenly he got hot, winning 15 consecutive matches. A week after his streak ended, in the semifinals at the Eddie Herr championships in
December, he was holding the champion’s trophy at the Orange Bowl. He finished the year ranked No. 2 in the world. His run didn’t end there. In February, Bhambri won the junior Australian Open and became the top junior in the ITF world rankings, a spot he’s held ever since. Bhambri has also won five Futures events in India, and moved into the ATP tour’s Top 350.
Bhambri, who turned 17 in July, grew up in New Delhi and learned the game with his older sisters, Ankita and Sanaa, who are now on the WTA tour. He currently trains at Nick Bollettieri’s academy in Bradenton, Fla. At 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, his game lacks major-league power, but he makes up for it by playing smart, building points and utilizing his defensive skills and killer forehand. If Bhambri’s game stays hot, expect to see him in the main draws at the Slams next year.
ng new in there always
must be, players haveger Federer years,e imur
shen ere
ed ngot ns: onal le
st year.os, hot,
akps inowl.
there.thehambri
P tour’s
e she won the title. She also captured the junior doubles titles apen and Wimbledon.
wakarn’s journey to the top began by chance. Her mother was ahospital in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where the wife of Steffi Graf’sh, Marek Malaszszak, was due to give birth. She asked Malaszs
y tennis.ntial in old and ach herntly, working lemson n’s coachthrough re Lawn ation
er idol,he Thai
anded She now
set on the
ents in India, and moved into the ATP
July, grewthe
P tour s
0409_FEA_hotlist_rel.indd 22 10/14/09 4:05 PM
When Maria Sharapova sat out nine months to rehab her injured shoulder, she did a lot of sitting by the pool. But she wasn’t just soaking up rays. She was spending time on her other
passion, fashion, sketching her ideas for a signature line of shoes and handbags for Cole Haan. If you think the combo of the young tennis star and the sophisticated brand seems strange, just take a look at Sharapova’s style. The girl can dress, and she loves designers. Oh, and did we mention that Cole Haan is owned by Nike, Sharapova’s apparel sponsor?
But forget the business, let’s talk about the line. While other much-hyped celebrity collections have lacked style and cohesion, Sharapova’s are chic and edgy. From the Maria Air Koko Pump, a black suede ankle-tie heel, to the Maria Air Sarafina, an over-the-knee flat suede boot, to the sleek Maria Black Snake Embossed Clutch, these accessories are striking and scream high fashion. And since Nike is involved, the shoes include Nike Air technology to make them a bit more comfortable. That’s a good thing, because Sharapova likes her heels high, at 4 1/3 inches. When she wears them, she stands 6-foot-6 1/3. Watch out Juan Martin del Potro.
SMASH 23
HOT DESIGNER:MARIA SHARAPOVA
There are a lot of celebrities who play tennis, but there’s only who could hit with a light saber.
Hayden Christensen, the face of Lacoste’s new men’s fragrance line, Challenge, grew up playing tennis in Ontario, Canada. He once served as a ball boy at the Canadian Open, and was nearly hit with a racquet swung by John McEnroe when he ran out too soon to retrieve a ball. Christensen was good enough to be a nationally ranked junior, but decided he’d rather pursue a professional acting career than a scholarship to play in college. Within a couple years, he was cast as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of
the Clones. The rest, as they say, is Hollywood history.
This summer, to promote Lacoste, the actor attended
Roland Garros and the U.S. Open, accompanied by his Jumper co-star and fiancée, Rachel Bilson. He also got to hit with tennis legend Mats Wilander. “That was one of the highlights of my tennis experiences in life,” Christensen, 28, said in a video interview for French Elle. Whether he’s wielding a racquet or a light saber, Christensen is as hot as it gets.
HOT celebrity PLAYER:HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN
Christensen was once a ball boy at the Canadian
Open and was nearly hit by John McEnroe’s
racquet.
FEDE
RER
S: T
HE R
OGE
R FE
DERE
R FO
UND
ATIO
N; C
HRIS
TEN
SEN
: COU
RTE
SY O
F LA
COST
E; A
LL O
THER
PH
OTO
S: G
ETTY
IM
AGES
pashofstdrCo
otanAiSaBlanshcohest
HM
Jumper co-star and fiancée, Rachel Bilson. He also got rto hit with tennis legend Mats Wilander. “That was one of the highlights of my tennis experiences in life,” Christensen, 28, said in a video interview for French Elle. Whether he’s wielding a racquet or a light saber,Christensen is as hot as it gets.
FEDE
RER
S: T
HE R
OGE
R FE
DERE
R FO
UND
ATIO
N; C
HRIS
TEN
SEN
: COU
0409_FEA_hotlist_p23.indd 23 10/15/09 11:52 AM
“SM
AS
H”
(IS
SN
19
30
-25
92
) is
pu
bli
sh
ed
4 t
ime
s a
ye
ar
(Sp
rin
g, S
um
me
r, F
all
, Win
ter)
. V
ol.
4, N
o. 4
. C
op
yrig
ht
C 2
00
9 M
ille
r P
ub
lis
hin
g L
LC. R
ep
rod
uc
tio
n w
ith
ou
t p
erm
iss
ion
is
pro
hib
ite
d.
Pri
nte
d i
n t
he
U.S
.A. M
AN
US
CR
IPT
S A
ND
AR
T:
Th
e P
ub
lis
he
r a
ss
um
es
no
re
sp
on
sib
ility
fo
r re
turn
of
un
so
licit
ed
ma
nu
sc
rip
ts, a
rt, p
ho
tos
, or
ne
ga
tive
s.
SU
BS
CR
IPT
ION
S:
Yo
u m
us
t b
e a
US
TA m
em
be
r to
re
ce
ive
SM
AS
H. T
o b
ec
om
e a
US
TA M
em
be
r, c
ha
ng
e y
ou
r a
dd
res
s, o
r if
yo
u h
ave
se
rvic
e r
ela
ted
is
su
es
ca
ll (8
00
) 99
0-8
78
2 o
r e
ma
il m
em
be
rse
rvic
es
@u
sta
.co
m.
Or
you
ma
y s
en
d y
ou
r m
ag
azi
ne
lab
el a
lon
g w
ith
yo
ur
ne
w a
dd
res
s to
US
TA P
.O. B
ox
1815
0, P
itts
bu
rgh
, PA
15
23
6 B
ac
k is
su
es
ava
ila
ble
fo
r p
urc
ha
se
at
ww
w.t
en
nis
.co
m.
Ple
as
e a
llo
w e
igh
t to
tw
elv
ew
ee
ks
for
the
ad
dre
ss
ch
an
ge
to
aff
ec
t d
eli
very
. A
dd
res
s a
ll n
on
-su
bs
cri
pti
on
co
rre
sp
on
de
nc
e t
o S
MA
SH
, 79
Ma
dis
on
Ave
nu
e, 8
th F
l, N
ew
Yo
rk, N
Y
100
16.
PO
ST
MA
ST
ER
: S
en
d a
dd
res
s c
ha
ng
es
an
d r
etu
rns
to U
STA
P.O
. Bo
x 18
150
, Pit
tsb
urg
h, P
A
152
36
. P
eri
od
ica
l po
sta
ge
pa
id a
t N
ew
Yo
rk, N
Y, a
nd
at
ad
dit
ion
al m
aili
ng
off
ice
s.
JULI
AN
FIN
NEY
/GET
TY I
MAG
ES; I
NSE
T: P
EDR
O A
RM
ESTR
E/A
FP/G
ETTY
IM
AGES
FINAL CALL LAST ISSUE’S WINNER:“If I hold it like this, I can reflect light into uncle Toni’s eyes.”
—Kevin Hochstrasser, Hamden, Conn.
“Rafael Nadal’s reward for his years of dedication to tennis: adoring fans.”Think you can beat that caption? Take a look at this photo and write your best one-liner. The winner will receive some Nike gear. E-mail [email protected].
2 4 SMASH
JULI
AN
FIN
NEY
/GET
TY I
MAG
ES; I
NSE
T: P
EDR
O A
RM
ESTR
E/A
FP/G
ETTY
IM
AGES
LASLASLASLASSLAST IT IT IT TT ISSSSUSUSUSSUSSSSSS E’SE’SE’SE’S’SE’SE’SSS WWWWWWIWW WWW NNER:““If“IfIfIfII I I I holholholhololholoh d id id it lltt lt likeikekikeek tht ththhththisis,s,siss, I I I I II I I cancancananaccacan rereeree rere rereefleflflefleflefleflefle ttctctctctct cccc ligigigglight htht ht intintintintn o uo uoo uo unclnccle Te Te onioninioni’s ’s s eyeeyeeyeeyes.”s ”s ”s.”
—Ke—Ke—KeKevinvini Ho HoHoHoHHH chschsc sc tratratrtrt ssesseees r,r, rrr, HamHamHamdendendendenendenen, C, C, Cononnnnnnnnnnnn..
“““““““RRRRRRRRRRRRaaaaffffffffffaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeellllllll NNNNNNNNaaaaaaadddddddddaaaaaalllll’’’’’’’ssssssssss rrrrrrrrreeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwaaaaaarrrrrrddddddd ffffffoooooooorrrrrrrrrr hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssssssss yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaarrrrrrsssssssss oooooooooffffff dddddddddeeeeeeedddddddddiiiiiiiiiccccaaaaaaaatttttttiiiiiiiioooooonnnn ttttttttooooo ttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiiisssssss:::::: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddoooooooorrrrrriiiiiinnnnnnnggggggggg ffffffaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnsssssss......”””””””Think you can beat that caption? Take a look at this photo and write your best one-liner. The winner will receive some Nike gear.E-mail [email protected].
2 4 SMASH
0409_DEP_FinalCall_rerel.indd 24 10/20/09 9:18 AM
Untitled-3 1 10/13/09 1:34 PM
NEW PROPULSE 2 TENNIS SHOE
ULTRA-FAST
FOOTWORKLearn all about the innovative technologies
of Andy Roddick’s Propulse shoe at www.babolat.com
Andy
Rod
dick
, Pur
e Dr
ive
Rodd
ick r
acqu
et, P
ro H
urric
ane
+ VS
Hyb
rid st
rings
, Pro
puls
e 2
shoe
s / P
hoto
Ger
ald
Livi
n
Untitled-7 1 4/22/09 4:53 PM
