Tennis World

Rafael Nadal

After a record-breaking 2013, thisseason is starting to become verychallenging for Rafa Nadal

Ana Ivanovic

Trending upward

Vuoi vincere?

You will not be happy whenyou win, but you will win whenyou are happy

N°16 - 2014

An interview with Eugenie Bouchard

by David Cox

Her Time To Shine

Over the past few years, women’s tennis hasfound itself lagging behind the men’s game,lacking the same big name rivalries to captivatethe public. Part of this has been down to thesheer dominance of Serena Williams and theretirements of players like Justine Henin andKim Clijsters. But apart from Williams andMaria Sharapova, no player has really steppedforward and thrust themselves into globalstardom for many years.That could be about to change, with the rise of ayoung Canadian called Eugenie Bouchard, who’senjoyed an astonishing rise over the past year.The tall blonde has a ferocious game and highexpectations, powering herself into the semi-finals of January’s Australian Open and earningplenty of adoring fans along the way.It was reminiscent of Sharapova’s sudden surgeinto the spotlight a decade ago and Bouchard isequally ambitious. While many of her peers arehappy to sit back and develop their games

without being too concerned about results justyet, Bouchard sees no reason why she shouldn’tbe achieving big things.“The game is for sure a little bit older, withSerena, and Li Na, for example, doing so well intheir 30s,” she said. “But to me, I'm playing hereand now. I want to do the best I can right away.There's no point for me to just kind of be relaxedabout it. Of course, winning every single matchisn’t going to be possible, but I want to try to dothe best I can as soon as I can, and I want tohave 10 successful years and not five slow onesand then five good ones.”Self-confidence has clearly never been aproblem, something which was evidentthroughout 2013 as she notched up wins overSam Stosur, Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic andSloane Stephens.“I think that ever since a young age I've alwaysbeen confident in myself and everything I do,”she said. “And I’m always learning through mycoach, through practices, through matches,trying to gain confidence, and not beingsurprised if you do well. That’s really key, tokind of expect it from yourself.”

For a moment she looks like an excitable teenagerplanning her first inter-railing adventure as shedescribes her European itinerary for the next month

12 months ago, Bouchard was already regardedas a big talent by those in the know, but with aranking outside the world’s Top 100, she stillhad much to prove. It’s been quite a year, andshe laughs as she remembers how she washaving to battle through the qualifying rounds ofmost of the big events.“Yeah, like in Charleston (where she just madethe semi-finals) I couldn't even get into the maindraw last year. It’s exciting, this is what I've beenworking to achieve, to play in these bigtournaments.”For a moment she looks like an excitableteenager planning her first inter-railingadventure as she describes her Europeanitinerary for the next month, tournaments

which she’s only been able to watch on TV in thepast.“I’m starting on the red clay in Portugal, andthen there are some tournaments I've neverplayed before, like Madrid and Rome, which Ihear are really cool. I'm so excited to finally havethe ranking to play these big tournaments, andI'm just going to enjoy it so much. They'rewarm-up tournaments for Roland Garros, butthey're also big tournaments themselves, and Ialways want to do well at every tournament Iplay at.”Bouchard will be a significant dark horse at theFrench Open. Last year she lost to Sharapova inthe second round, but far bigger things will beexpected of her this time round and while hard

“Generally I like being an aggressive player, so I don'twant to change my game too much going from surface tosurface"

courts are certainly her preferred surface, shefeels that she has the tools to do some damageon the clay.“Generally I like being an aggressive player, so Idon't want to change my game too much goingfrom surface to surface,” she said. “But I can stillhang in the points and I’m working on mydefence and I think that will help me a lot on theclay. I think I did that well in Charleston (whereshe beat Venus Williams), staying in points andkind of just grinding it out.”“I enjoy the different surfaces and changing itup. I’ll just change a few little things, but I keepmy general game of being aggressive, becausethat still works on clay.”

Serena Needs A Rest

by Alessandro Varassi

Her defeat against Jana Cepelova in Charleston has pushed the worldnumber one to take a few weeks of rest

Those who watched her in Charleston could nothelp but notice that the American was tired.Very tired. She had just triumphed in Miami,and many wondered if she would be able tosuccessfully defend her title at the Family CircleCup after such a grueling fortnight in Florida. Their doubts were well founded, as Serena was ashadow of herself on the court. Serena gave fullcredit to Cepelova, who had been able to moveher around the court with relative ease. But inher press conference she did admit that she wasfatigued."I'm tired, I need a few weeks of detachment,where I do not have to think about tennis. I needto recharge,” she said.She could certainly use a break. Every time sheenters a tournament, she is automatically thefavorite to win. Everyone expects her to alwaysbe perfect, and that can take a toll on a person."I'm taking some vacation time, I have tounplug, take a deep breath, I did not have

enough time even in the off-season. Iimmediately started training, I rested very littlein the last 2-3 seasons. I need it, especially forthe clay season."She is defending massive amounts of rankingpoints at Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros. Notan easy feat for anyone, especially someone whois traditionally not very fond of clay.Since she returned to the court in 2011, afternearly walking away from the sport due toinjury, Serena has played far more than she didas a youngster. In these past two seasons,Williams has returned to number one in theworld, won two gold medals at the Olympics(singles and doubles) and four Slams. What didshe miss? Probably just rest. Her admittance of aneed for rest should not alarm her fans, as it isnot necessarily a sign of decline. Instead, it is asign that she is thinking in the long term, andhas intentions of dominating the circuit for along time to come.At the beginning of May, in the splendid settingof the Caja Magica in Madrid, we'll see if rest wasenough to re-energize Serena, or if she is inbigger trouble than she thinks.

Double Delight

by Franca Angelini

Jelena Jankovic and Alisa Kleybanova will be one of the doubles pairs towatch this season.

Little in common Looking at them from the outside there does notseem to be a lot in common between the two. The Serb can be described as a bit of a dramaqueen at times, and she always wants to benoticed. "JJ," as her friends and fans call her, isa perfectionist. “I'm never satisfied with mygame,” she says. “When I leave the court I always feel I could domuch better. I think it is my nature. I never say Iplayed well." The Russian, on the other hand, isof a quieter disposition. She recently won the toughest match of her life

– against Hodgkin's lymphoma. She returned to the court after nearly two yearsaway to treat her condition. Now, however, sheis back and feeling stronger than ever. After reaching the quarter-finals in Stuttgart,where she beat Petra Kvitova, Alisa Kleybanovais back in the Top 100 (at number 87). Herultimate aim is to reach the Top 20.

Chasing her dream“I feel that I'm getting faster, physically stronger,more durable,” she said recently. “I do not needto search for special reasons. For me, to take tothe court each day is a dream

come true. I just like the mere fact of being able to playevery day, play tournaments. I love this sport and always give 100%. And I know that if I continue in good spirit, theresults will come. Even now they are gradually improving. There will be bad days, but this happens. I trynot to worry and that helps me." At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart,the two friends competed in the singles.Jankovic won the match, but the Serb, whogenerally likes to talk mainly about herself,showed great respect for her doubles partner.

"It's never easy to play against someone youknow so well. Alisa is a wonderful person and agreat player. It's never nice when we play againsteach other. But we are two professionals, I wantto win, she wants to win. It is also weird becausethe next day we play on the same side of thecourt. No, it's never easy."

A team born by chance"In Doha, we trained together on the first day ofthe tournament, and Jelena had no one to playdoubles with. She asked me, I accepted," theRussian said recently. Now they have decided toplay together for the rest of the season."With Jelena, there has always been a great dealof respect. Playing next to her is fun, we laugh alot on the court. Even when something goeswrong neither of us gets angry and we continueto play with a smile on our lips. For both of us itis clear that our goal is the singles, while thedoubles is just for fun. The result of course isimportant, but without any stress." "I have chosen a companion for doublehappiness." Because, let's face it, who does not enjoyJankovic? Jankovic has always embraced her light-heartednature.

“For me it's just fun. This is my way of being,even if there are cameras around. If you camewith me to the restaurant or off the tennis court,I would know you a little better and you wouldsee how I am. I'm bubbly and I like totalk...Sometimes without meaning." "Having a good time, making people laugh,spreading good energy, that I think is the mostimportant thing." Andrea Petkovic, who Jankovic played twice inCharleston, confirms this notion: "The beauty ofJelena is that she is exactly as you see her. Withher, there are no tricks or surprises."The Russian is less extroverted than Jelena. Thatis perhaps a good thing, because having twosuch high energy personalities on a team wouldprove problematic. “Usually I do not talk much with the othertennis players off the court,” Kleybanova says.“After training sessions and matches we all haveour commitments. But with Jelena often wetrain together, we joke a lot and we support eachother. We would like to create a team spirit like

each other. We would like to create a team spiritlike that between Sara Errani and RobertaVinci."Jankovic loses no opportunity to highlight thequalities of her friend. "She showed how strong she is. And it is asource of inspiration for others, the fact that shewas able to return after such an illness. It is evenmore remarkable that she is here to compete atsuch a high level, against all of us."And then the words that you do not expect, butthey are nice to hear, "I am very proud of her. Iam a big fan of hers. I'm rooting for her everytime he plays a match. I support her fully. She’sa lovely girl and a wonderful person."

An interview with Ana Ivanovic

by Stefano Semeraro

Trending upward

Even though Ana Ivanovic is many yearsremoved from being world number one, she stillmanages to draw the eyes of photographers likefew other players. At a recent press conference for Rolex, one of hermany sponsors, she also showed that she stillhas the ability to charm anyone at any time. "Myrelationship with the Rolex works because it isbased on respect," she said with a smile. "It is a fine brand, but they treat me like family.These are the values in which I recognizemyself."

Ana, you are the most beautiful tennisplayer in the world... “Thanks, I’m flattered…”

You're welcome. Beauty can sometimesbe a problem. It can distort people’srelationship with reality… "Not for me. I like to focus on the court, becauseI try to give my best as a tennis player, and Ithink people appreciate it. It is true that peoplecan be influenced, but I'm very genuine, easy-going."

You have reached the semis at Rome before, in2010… "It's a tournament that I love very much. I love Rome, thepeople, the atmosphere. Maybe that's why I put too muchpressure on myself and don’t reach the end. I wonder ifsooner or later I will get there."

You are very emotional... "Yes, and sometimes it helps me, sometimes it harms me.But I'm just like, I'm a very passionate person, and I cannotchange."

You are also passionate about psychology. Is itdifficult to analyze yourself? "From the outside everything seems easier. It is true that Ilove psychology, and I read many books on the subject. I alsothink a lot about what happens to me sometimes. Sometimesit's better not to think and follow your instincts."

Are female tennis players more stressed than theirmale colleagues? "Yes. People see only the glamorous side of our work, but it'sa very hard job, and travelling creates so much stress. Andgirls often turn stress into conflict with each other."

"I also think a lot about what happens to me sometimes. Sometimes it's better not to think and follow your instincts."

I'm a big agonist, I hate to lose. And I get angry even if Iplay backgammon with my coach

Off the court you look so sweet, but onthe court you are ravenous… "Always. I'm a big agonist, I hate to lose. And Iget angry even if I play backgammon with mycoach and cards with my brother."

What must a man do to win your heart? "Be sure of himself. Have fun, make me laugh. Ido not like the blowhard who intimidatespeople. The important thing is to always beyourself: I am one who appreciates honesty."

What weapons do you use to seduce? "I never try to be what I’m not. Also because inthe end the truth always comes to light."

Is women’s tennis in better shape thanthe men’s game today? "There are so many players who can win, manyquality rivalries at the top. We are not justglamor and skirts."

How do you beat Serena Williams? InAustralia, you managed to do so. “She is powerful, you have to be aggressive, butnot too much because if you make a lot ofmistakes it is over. Easy, no?”

You and Novak have done a lot for tennisin Serbia. Who will follow you? "Tennis is now the most popular sport in Serbia,we are full of young talent, but lack the

Beautiful and fit, too. Tell us about your diet. "I never eat either fried food or sweets..."

facilities, and we risk losing them. But today'skids are tough."

Beautiful and fit, too. Tell us about yourdiet. "I never eat either fried food or sweets..."

And? “Well, sometimes I give myself Nutella. I alsolike pizza or spaghetti if I treat myself."

This policy works?"For heaven's sake, it's something that just doesnot interest me. My friend Djokovic on the otherhand knows about these things."

What do you see in your future? "Three or four children, when I retire. And acommitment to fashion."

In the present? "I want to come back into the Top 8. Rome hasgiven me momentum since 2008. And I have already won two tournaments thisyear, and it’s only May.:

Ready For Primetime

by Stefania Grosheva

"It's about putting together all the pieces, but the puzzle isreally complex"

"It's about putting together all the pieces, but thepuzzle is really complex," says Tomas Berdych,as he considers the size and complexity of hisambition to enter the Top 4. Though heunderstands the challenge, he smiles, and talkspositively about the future. "You have to beextremely professional," he adds thoughtfully."This is what I need to get the best out of mytennis.”Berdych is just as quick to recognize the fiercedrive of the major players in the world to staywhere they are. He also draws some inspirationfrom Stanislas Wawrinka’s breakout season. TheCzech lost to Wawrinka in four sets in the semi-finals in Melbourne. "I was very close againstStan," he reflected in an interview with TheGuardian. "There were three tie-breaks.""Stan has given us all a new hope and newenergy," Berdych said. "He has shown that it ispossible. Since 2005, there have been very fewplayers who have won a Grand Slam, apart

from the big four [in the eight and a half yearsthat separate the 2005 French Open and the2014 Australian Open only Juan Martin DelPotro, outside the Fab Four, has won a Slam].""But now it is absolutely fair to say that you havea chance, and that's why I do not feel tired after12 years [on the Tour]. I have a new energy andam very close. I need to work harder and achievegreater results because I know that Andy Murraytook a long time to win his first Grand Slam."Murray, after numerous missed opportunities,won the 2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon.Berdych stresses that working with Ivan Lendl"was really a big factor. I know Ivan well and hecertainly had a great influence on Andy. Ivan didnot teach him anything new technically, butpsychologically he has done so much." Now thathe and Lendl have separated, Murray has thedifficult task of choosing his next coach."It does not matter if it's a big name or anordinary guy," said Berdych. "Andy could choosesomeone very different. But they definitely needthe right chemistry, psychologically." "Somepeople look at

Federer’s coach and wonder, ‘what can her learnfrom him?’ But it is very nice because whenRoger was young, Stefan was his idol. This is anexample of the strange chemistry that we need.I’m not saying that Stefan cannot give him oneor two pieces of advice, but really, what can yousay to a guy who has won 17 Grand Slam? It'sjust chemistry."Berdych has been coached by Tomas Krupasince 2009, another Czech. "He was a top-ranked player, 100 in doubles and 250 insingles, but he coached Radek Stepanek when hewas in his prime, at number 8, and now he iswith me. Many times I get asked if I am looking

for the names of coaches and yes, there is still awindow for it. I'm open to that."Berdych came agonizingly close to a Majorvictory in 2010, when he beat Federer andDjokovic at Wimbledon. "And then there's Rafain the final," he says with a grim smile,remembering his disappointing loss to theSpaniard.Wimbledon still offers the best hope of himbecoming a champion. "Yes, but I'm laughing so hard because Iremember in my early years on the grass. Thenmy first Grand Slam final was Wimbledon! Soanything is possible. But the grass has changedsignificantly and you can move much moreeasily. It suits my game at the moment. Last yearI played Queen's for the first time and it wentvery well. So I'm happy to go again this year. I donot know if they want to hear this atWimbledon, but the grass at Queen's is muchbetter."Speaking about the immediate future, he isoptimistic. "There is now more of a chance. It is extremelydifficult, but if it becomes the reality that oneday I will raise a big trophy, then it will be evenmore special."

Jiri Vesely Ready To Shine

by Vanni Gibertini

Tennis is no longer a sport for teenagers.

Tennis is no longer a sport for teenagers.This is something that Jiri Vesely, who wasborn in 1993, knows all too well. A promisingjunior, he won the 2011 Australian Open, andreached the final at the US Open. However,success has been much harder to come by onthe ATP World Tour.The Czech tasted his first real professionalsuccess in 2012, when he won five Futurestitles. He had not yet won a Challenger event,but a growth spurt over the following yearsaw him add four inches to his already

tall frame, making him all the moreformidable on court. Nearly two meters tall,he now boasts a massive serve that he hasbuilt the rest of his game around. The extra height helped him to a career-bestyear in 2013, and he was honored as one ofthe ATP’s "Stars of Tomorrow" at the end ofthe season. He won two Futures trophies inJanuary, followed by his first Challenger titlein Turkey. In May he won another, whichimproved his ranking to 126 in the world –an incredible feat considering that he wasn’teven in the Top

300 at the start of 2013. He qualified for the main draw atRoland Garros and won a third Challenger in Braunschweig,which saw him break into the Top 100 for the first time inhis career. In July, he won yet another Challenger title in Liberec in theCzech Republic, defeating Federico Delbonis in the final.Delbonis had, of course, just come off a victory against RogerFederer in Hamburg.The rest is recent history. He won his first Davis Cup matchalongside veterans Berdych and Stepanek, and reached the3rd round in Indian Wells before losing 6-4 in the third setto Andy Murray. It was a match that, had he been moreexperienced, he surely would have won."I think in the end it depended on my physical fatigue," hesaid after his match against the Wimbledon champion. "Butthe need to stay focused on every point in a match for so longis tough. I do not have much experience against the Top 10.At the US Open last year when I trained with Andy I was soworried about making mistakes that I did not train very well.This time, of course, I went on the court to win, but when Igot a lead of 4-2 in the second and third set I stiffened andmissed a great opportunity. I think it's better to take the goodthings I have been able to do in this match and look ahead."

It is telling of his maturity that he wants to use this loss as a buildingblock for the future. Vesely knows that he has a long way to go to be a top player, but he alsounderstands that he is capable of it.

An interview with StanislasWawrinka

by Federico Coppini

A new Stan in Town

So far this year, Stanislas Wawrinka has been ona quest to rewrite the record books. Just a fewmonths in, he has made a pretty good start. Afterwinning the first Grand Slam of his career inAustralia, he followed it up with his first Masters1000 title in Monte Carlo. Last year, before hestarted working with Magnus Norman, Stanseemed as if his career might stall for good.Instead, he has the reinvented himself, and isnow firmly planted in the Top 4.

Monte-Carlo was an importanttournament for Switzerland, and also afinal unlike any other. We saw twofriends, two rivals competing for thetrophy. Roger seemed happy to be able tocongratulate you at the end of the

match... "Yes, it was a special day for Switzerland. It israre to see in the sport so much mutual respect.Roger and I are friends, on and off the court, butwhen we play against each other is obvious thatboth try to win. We had lunch together beforethe match, and eventually in the locker room wetalked and laughed together. That's what wealways do, even in the Davis Cup. I do not deny,however, that for someone like me, with mycharacter, it is always difficult to win againsthim."

Winning matches like this, they say, addssecurity and self-esteem. It must havebeen so for you, opening the clay seasonlike this. "I have worked very hard. I realized how Ibecame stronger mentally and physically. Imanaged to play good tennis and I beat allopponents. For me it was important to do mybest after the Davis Cup, I had to be ready toplay the tough matches and fight with all mymight. Monte-Carlo has given me the

opportunity."

After winning the Australian Open, didyou expect to win your first Masters 1000so soon? "It does not seem real to me and I did not expectit. I'm really happy to have won a Masters 1000so quickly after my first Grand Slam. When Iarrived in Monte-Carlo, I said to myself that thistournament was a test for me, I knew I wasplaying good tennis but I had a tough draw and Idid not think about it. On the court, however, Imoved well and I played with great power."

After Australia, where you played so well,in the US it seemed like you struggled.But in Davis Cup you seemed to find aspark again. "After winning a Grand Slam is always difficultto confirm the results. In Indian Wells andMiami I didn’t play well and went out early.Davis Cup is of great importance for me and mygoal is to play it to the fullest. Playing at homealongside Roger, against Kazakhstan, it was hardfor me, especially the first two days. Then I washappy with the victory which gave me that extrapush to play well on the Tour again."

The season is only four months old andyet you have accomplished so much.Today you are considered a championand a winner. But before it was not likethis. Can you tell us what has changed?"The change in me came last year, when for thefirst time I reached the quarter-finals at RolandGarros, the final in Madrid and the semi-finalsat the US Open. It was there that I realized Icould beat all the other players. That's what I 'mtrying to do this year and now I seem to get itright. I am amazed at where I arrived, but I'mnot surprised, I have always had faith in mygame."

How do you feel now that you are in theTop 4? "I think the Fab Four will always be there: Rafa,Novak, Roger and Andy. They won all the majortournaments, and this cannot be changed.Although today there is something different inthe standings, the statistics speak forthemselves: they have won everything and havedone so for many years."

You has always been very modest, down-to-earth. Where does this come from? "I am a simple person, who grew up on a farmwith two parents who worked in the office,dealing with people with disabilities. Knowingthis really makes you realize what the importantthings in life are. I learned to have respect foreveryone, it is especially crucial and I realizedhow lucky I am."

Masters 1000 events in 2013. You almost have toplay and win all the tournaments to get tonumber one. It's too early to think of such athing."

In the semi-finals of the Davis Cup,Switzerland will face Italy… "I think theCup competition is very important, I've alwayssaid, and it is obvious that we would love to goand beat Italy. You know how it is, we have onlytwo players, although we are quite strong, whileItaly has several good players. In any case, it isfar away. We’ll see in due time."

What important tips did Magnus Normangive you at the start of the clay season? "The work began with Norman since last year,shortly before Estoril. We train a lot and hard,but much of the work is devoted to themaintenance of concentration."

You are not too far away from thenumber one spot. Have you thoughtabout this? "Of course, everyone likes to dream. At this time,however, I have to say no. I am too far away fromthis goal, Rafa is number one and to get there hehad to win two Slams and five

Interview with Magnus Norman

by Jan Stanski

“Coach is like a doctor!”

What do you think what is the state ofSwedish tennis in the world? What isyour prediction for next years? I think Swedish Tennis has seen the low. We areon the way up again. More juniors starting towork hard and we have some decent results inthe juniors. It’s not as good as a few years agohowever.

Norman, Edberg, Enqvist. Great nameson the court in the past. Now in thecoaching box. Why is that? I hope it’s not because we have nothing else todo..haha.. No, to be really honest I really don’tknow. Swedes are in general very reliable andhardworking people and I think that are twoimportant factors perhaps.

How the workout in your tennis academy"Good to Great" look like? What are the plans for the future?

At the moment we have about 40 players fromdifferent parts of Europe focused more on theNordic and eastern parts. We have 10 full-timecoaches traveling with the players and I’m prettyproud of our program. Our facilities are howevernot that great and we are currently planning tobuild a new tennis center with approximately 14indoor courts and 10 outdoor courts, gym,accommodation and restaurant.

Do you have your own role model coachyou like to follow or imitate in someway? I imitate all the coaches at the academy. I learn alot from them. We have a mix of ex-players andmore academic coaches. Younger and older. It’sreally fascinating. I also talk a lot to my goodfriend Thomas Johansson.

What are the goals for StanislasWawrinka you set up together for thefuture? The goal is to be as well prepared for all eventsthat he is playing as possible. He has won aGrand Slam, Masters 1000 and ATP 250 thisyear but I can really feel that he wants more.

Your player - Stanislas Wawrinka joinedto the elite club of competitors having thetitle of Grand Slam and ATP Masters aswell. He beaten already the icons of tennis -Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, RafaelNadal. What is the main thing he changedin his game to have so great results inrecent period of his career? I think the main thing would have been hismental approach. He believes a little more inhimself now I think. He has pushed his worselevel up a bit and that’s because of his mentalstability. We have also been able to prepare wellfor all events and he has been free from

A great physic that takes care of his body. Greatfitness trainer whom I really admire and a greatagent that thinks long term.

Did you have some funny story withStan? Many funny stories. But beeing a coach is a littlebit like beeing a doctor. Your patients are yourplayers. What is beeing said between you andyour player stays there. It’s about trust. Stan ishowever a very humble man with a bigperspective in life. He is a family man to weunderstands each other very well outside thecourt as I’m a father of 2 as well.

Alex Dolgopolov

by David Cox

Strong Enough To Compete

Few sights in world sport are as glorious as thebackdrop to Centre Court at the Monte CarloCountry Club, the brick red dust contrastingsharply with the sparkling waters of theMediterranean beyond.It’s a setting fit for champions and as we discussthe shifting balance of power at the top of themen’s game, with this most panoramic of viewsin the background, Alexandr Dolgopolov tells methat he firmly believes he’s capable of joining theranks of the elite in years to come.Dolgopolov, known as “The Dog” by his team,grew up in his native Ukraine but sincebecoming a regular in the world’s Top 25, hasmoved to Monaco’s tax haven, along with regularpractise partners Novak Djokovic and ViktorTroicki.

One of the most watchable players on the Tour,you never quite know what you’re getting fromDolgopolov. Such is the rich variety of shots in his arsenaland the depth of his imagination. But despite reaching a career high of 13 in theworld two years ago, he feels that he’sunderachieved thus far.“Mentally, I think I’ve always been quite good,”he explains. “All the time I would come out andplay my game against whoever was on the otherside. I never thought about who it is even if I wasplaying Rafa or Novak. No, I think I haven’talways been physically strong or focusedenough.”Dolgopolov has been afflicted by the geneticdisorder Gilbert’s syndrome since the age of 12,often resulting in him requiring to make suddentrips to the hospital without warning. As ateenager, he refused to accept there wasanything wrong with him and now he refuses toaccept that this has had much of an impact onhis career.

“It only happens a few times a year and you haveten months to play, so it's been more myproblems - not being there 100% throughoutmatches and all those little things which I thinkI've managed to get together better now.”He’s currently ranked just outside the Top 20,but so far this season he believes that he’s finallystarting to string performances together on amore regular basis. He beat Fabio Fognini andDavid Ferrer in straight sets on the clay of RioDe Janeiro en route to the final at the end ofFebruary, and he was even more impressiveduring the back-to-back Masters in Indian Wellsand Miami.

He stunned Rafael Nadal, Fognini and MilosRaonic to make the semis in California, beforebeating Stanislas Wawrinka to make the quarter-finals in Miami. The differences between the Top5 and the Top 20 are determined by the tinyfractions, and at his best Dolgopolov believes hecan match the best in the world.“I’ve improved my concentration and a fewtechnical things and I’m now fully committed totennis,” he said. “Getting stronger is helping meavoid injuries and it means I’m able to playtennis for a longer period of time and hang withthe top guys in the longer rallies.”After a rift earlier in his career, Dolgopolov isnow back working with his father, the man whotaught him the game as a youngster and whounderstands him better than anyone. “He'sknown me all my life so my game isn’t new forhim,” he says. “He knows exactly what I need todo to become a better player.”Wawrinka’s triumphs at the Australian Openand last month’s Monte Carlo Masters haveinspired many of the players who previouslyheld doubts over whether they were goodenough to beat the likes of Djokovic and Nadalin the biggest tournaments. However,Dolgopolov says he’s never suffered from a lackof belief.

Dolgopolov feels that it could soon be his time, especiallyas his battle with Gilbert’s syndrome has enjoyedsomething of an upturn over the past eighteen months

“I don't know,” he ponders. “For me, I don't think Wawrinka winning hasreally changed anything. It's the same as italways was. Maybe some guys suddenly thinkthey have a chance of winning. I don't think that.Obviously the top four are good but that couldn'tlast forever. The time is coming for a new waveof upcoming players and that's normal. I don'tthink that has anything to do with Wawrinka.It's normal that some new players will sooner orlater come up. The old generation can't last forever.”Dolgopolov feels that it could soon be his time,especially as his battle with Gilbert’s syndromehas enjoyed something of an upturn over thepast eighteen months

“I'm in touch with my doctor back home whohelps me out with it and I know pretty muchwhat I should or shouldn't do,” he says. “It’s quite a new thing and normal doctors don’treally know what to do. But I haven’t had anyproblems for the past year or so and I’ve beentold that sometimes it goes away as you becomeolder and never affects you again. But thiscondition hasn't been researched too much andeven the specialists on this don't have enoughinformation to tell me whether I’m completely inthe clear or not. I'm just managing it and seeing how it goes.Hopefully it doesn't come back.”

Jérémy Chardy

by Dario Torromeo

A Moment To Remember

This is the story of a cross-court forehand thatkidnapped eleven thousand spectators onCentral Court at the Foro Italico. It left themspeechless, and then forced them to applaud,because you rarely see a shot so incredible that itbrings Roger Federer to his knees. It is a shotJérémy Chardy will tell his grandchildren about.

Defeating a mythNot all sportspeople are lucky enough to defeat amyth. Especially those like Jérémy Chardy, whohave not had many peaks in their careers. Hewon a title in Stuttgart in 2009, and has put

together some decent results that kept him inthe Top 50. However, he has never played wellenough to really threaten entry into the Top 20.But on May 14 of the year 2014, the handsomeyoung man with a slight beard and a beautifulgirlfriend, pulled off that winning shot. Andthose are the moments you do not forget.I follow boxing with as much interest as I followtennis. I have told you a thousand times of thenight of October 9, 1964, when the future worldmiddleweight champion, Carlos Monzon, closedthe last chapter of his second life. Never fear,there would be two more.

Alone in the arena. One against all. Suddenly he pulled a rabbit out ofhis hat, the defensive cross-court forehand that landed perfectly insidethe line. It brought him back from the dead, and laid the foundation forhis eventual victory. A wonderful afternoon in Rome, indeed.

He lost to Alberto Massi, a young man of 24years, who people called Pirincho. They hadfought in Cordoba, and while Monzon was tallerand more skilled, he had lost.Alberto was at that time a waiter. He would laterbe a bricklayer and a stoker on a ship. He hadwon his first two matches as a professional.Nothing special, as the record at the end of hiscareer would have confirmed. He was young,inexperienced and without great potential. Hisvictory against Massi would be the best memoryof a career without much lightning. But it wouldbe a great memory indeed. Jérémy Chardy has a better record than that ofAlberto Massi. But I think the magic of thatmoment will always be his greatest

achievement in tennis. "It was the most beautiful shot of my career," hesaid after the win.

The Alchemist Jérémy Chardy’s tennis adventure starts with abook. It was a gift from his coach, FredericFontang, the day he entered the tennis academy.It was "The Alchemist," by Paulo Coelho, thestory of a young shepherd chasing his dreams ina foreign land only to discover that the treasurehe was looking for was in his house all along.The message of the gift was not subtle. It was aninvitation to look within himself for the answerto his dreams.

With Jeremy, he did not need to insist so much. He hadalways chosen his family above all else as his top priority.Traveling and touring the world to play tennis did not meanas much as heading home to the Aquitaine region ofsoutheastern France.His universe has few inhabitants. Mom, dad, brother, sisterand grandfather. A wealthy family of bankers. Jeremy wanted to be an actor,he loved and loves the cinema. He simply postponed theproject to the end of his career. He began playing tennis at age of six, and from four tofourteen played soccer in the youth leagues. But heeventually chose tennis, and became Junior champion atWimbledon and reached the final of the US Open. In 2005he was the number four junior in the world. At that point his big jump to the pros seemed inevitable. The French discovered this young man at Roland Garros in2008. Down two sets against world number seven, DavidNalbandian, he recovered and won. It was his first win against a Top 10 played, a coup for him,who was ranked 138 positions below Nalbandian when theystepped on the court.

Jeremy wanted to be an actor, he loved and loves the cinema. He simply postponed the project to the end of his career

Dealing with success And now, at age 28, he again finds himself livingin the spotlight. He has lived in many cities inhis life, but today resides in Liege. His coach isMagnus Tideman, and his girlfriend, Alizé Lim isa 23 year-old tennis pro, ranked around 150.They played doubles together at Roland Garrosin 2013, although those days are behind themnow.Maria Sharapova, the ice queen, posted thefollowing on Twitter: "I have to watch moretennis at Roland Garros. Yesterday I had no ideawho Paire was, now I do not know who Chardyis. I need to improve my knowledge of thesport."Alizé Lim responded with a tweet of her own:"Looks like you should..." followed by a copy ofthe world rankings: "26 Benoit Paire, 27 JérémyChardy, 28 Grigor Dimitrov." Masha’s boyfriendwas ranked two places behind Chardy.

When he stepped on Center Court, the crowdonly had eyes for Roger Federer. They evencheered when Chardy double faulted. But he didnot let it bother him. After twenty-eight games it came to a tie-break,and the Swiss was leading 6-5. Match point onserve, and it seemed over. Another good match,another opportunity thrown away. Who knowswhat was going on in the head of JeremyChardy. He did not even look for a second in thestands. He already knew what he would see.Certainly not love, but faces that expressed thehope that he had finally given up.

A good tennis player, without spectacularresults. That's who Jeremy Chardy is. Somerecognize him in the restaurants of Paris, butmany do not know who he is. Some fansapplauded him, and some even ask for his socksonce he has won a match. Fans do not alwayshave normal requests. If he were to do well atRoland Garros, who knows what they might askfor…

Lucky to find Federer Before arriving in Rome, 2014 was not a luckyyear for Chardy. In the last seven tournamentshe had lost twice in the first round.

Nadal On The Defense

by Marco Di Nardo

After a record-breaking 2013, this season is starting to becomevery challenging for Rafa Nadal

The Race To London standings are more tellingthan the overall rankings. In the former, he isbarely hanging on to a slender lead, while in thelatter he seems to have a gigantic advantage. Atthe beginning of the 2014 season it seemed as ifNadal had many chances to widen his overalllead in the rankings, having not played at theAustralian Open or Miami Masters a year ago. However, he was unable to fully exploit thoseopportunities, largely due to inconsistent playfrom the Spaniard himself, as well as resurgentperformances by the likes of StanislasWawrinka, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.Losing early in Monte Carlo, where he haddominated for basically a decade, and Barcelona,where he similarly dominated for many years,did not help his case. Fans could not truly haveexpected that Nadal could repeat his incredible2013 season, which saw him win two Slams andfive Masters 1000 titles. But a good start to theseason would have at least

allowed him to play with more confidence in thispart of the calendar, where has so many pointsto defend. The only place Nadal can hope to pickup some points is Wimbledon, where he sufferedan early exit last year. Apart from that, fromBarcelona to the US Open, he has 8500 points todefend.The situation for Nadal is therefore quitecomplicated, because Djokovic is only about2000 points away, and Federer and Wawrinkahave fewer points to defend than the Spaniard.What is most worrying for Nadal’s fans,however, has been his lack of victories at thebigger tournaments.He has not been able to impose himself atMasters 1000 level as he has been able to do inthe past. At the Australian Open, for example,Rafa had the chance to become the first player inthe Open Era to win every Slam at least twice,but was defeated in the final by his back injuryand Stanislas Wawrinka. In Indian Wells, where he was defendingchampion, he lost in the third round toDolgopolov, and in Miami he lost in the final.Finally, in Monte Carlo, he suffered his most

surprising loss of the season, falling to compatriot DavidFerrer in the quarter-finals. It marked the first time in nine years that he had not reachedthe final at the prestigious event.All these disappointments, coupled with the fact thatDjokovic is playing impressively, having won back-to-backMasters 1000 trophies in Indian Wells and Miami, and thatWawrinka is carrying on his good start to the year, areincreasingly weighing on the Spaniard’s mind. That is without even mentioning Federer, who has alreadybeaten Djokovic twice this season and seems to be close tohis best form in years. So it is going to be a tough season for Nadal, and he will haveto play at his 2013 level going forward to have any chance ofending the season as world number one. However, he is no stranger to adversity, and it is certainlypossible that he will respond to these pressures as he has inthe past – by winning.

His mediocre results so far this year has put him on the back foot, and the fact that he has so many points to defend until the end of the Asian hard court swing means there is little opportunity for him to further separate himself from the pack

Remembering Nadal’s firstGrand Slam victory

by Princy Jones

Nine years have passed since the beginning of the RafaelNadal era of tennis. At 27, he is still hungry for more titles!

At 12, when faced with a dilemma of choosingbetween the two loves of his life - football andtennis - Rafael Nadal picked the latter.According to him, that was one of the hardestdecisions he had had to confront in life.Seven years later, when he first laid his lips on(or rather, bit) the French Open trophy, thatdecision proved right. That Sunday evening ofJune 5th 2005 witnessed the beginning of a newera in tennis. Nine years have gone, the young knight whoconquered the red dirt of Roland Garros that dayhas now become the Le Roi de L'Argile (King ofClay) - having won a record eight titles

on his favourite ground. Rafael Nadal, the enfantterrible, took the world by storm with hisunconventional style of play. Crowd loved thelong-haired sinewy Spaniard who flaunted hisbulging biceps in sleeveless shirts. But it wasn’tjust for his flamboyance alone he hogged thelimelight. Unlike Andre Agassi, Nadal was no showman, helet his racket do the talking instead. The worldwatched in amazement when the brawny teenreturned even the most impossible shots withimmense power from eight to 10 feet behind thebaseline. His power-packed returns loaded witha crazy spin made his shots

Till Rafael Nadal stepped in, RogerFederer had an aura of invincibilityaround him.

unpredictable for the opponents. It was difficultto comprehend his moves, let alone beat him ona high-bouncing surface like clay.

The David who slayed Goliath Till Rafael Nadal stepped in, Roger Federer hadan aura of invincibility around him. Thereweren’t many on the tour then who could stopthe genius. When Nadal outwitted Federer -- 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 -- in the semifinals of the 2005French Open, it was also a watershed momentfor tennis, setting off one of the most enchantingrivalries in the history of the game. From thenon, Nadal became the most feared name on thecircuit, especially for Federer.

While players like Marat Safin and AndyRoddick lacked the mental edge over the Swissmaestro, Nadal showed no signs of fear whiletaking on Federer.The Guardian then wrote: “This is surely goingto be the major rivalry over the next few years.”They were right, nine years on, the rivalry stillcontinues."It took me a set to figure it out. I'm not happywith my performance. I don't feel he was muchbetter than me. I had the keys to beat him but Iwasn't at my best. I'm disappointed but I'm notgoing to trash the locker room. My desire to winhere is still massive," said Federer after thedefeat.

Federer was wrong. Nadal was a better playerthan him, and still is, when it comes to claycourts. The Swiss had to wait for another fouryears to finally win his first and only title atRoland Garros - that time, luck too was on hisside, for Nadal suffered a shocking defeat at thehands of Robin Soderling in the fourth round. The job was easier for Federer with his nemesisoff his path. Till now, Federer has never beenable to topple his arch-rival at the French Open.

Rafa and the myth The big win at Roland Garros catapulted Nadalto fame. The teen annihilator had fans as well ascritics, both.

His anomalous style and peculiar manners onthe court was amusing to the media, howevermuch those tics irritated his opponents. HisOCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)behavioural pattern on the court made him asubject of mockery by the press - the preciselypositioned water bottles near his seat, pulling ofhis shorts, avoiding stepping on the lines,levelling of the socks, etc., singled him out fromhis peers. Needless to say, there were manymyths regarding the southpaw -- one of whichwas that his coach and mentor Toni Nadalmanoeuvred him to play left-handed to makehim indomitable on the tennis circuit. Accordingto Nadal, it’s just another story made up by themedia.Nadal is ambidextrous - he writes, as well asplays golf and basketball with his right hand;while playing football, he relies on his muchstronger left foot. Same happens when he playstennis also. He just happened to be gifted withhaving control on both hands.

The last teen champion Nadal was the second youngest player after 17-year-old Michael Chang in 1989 to win theFrench Open. After the 19-year-old’s sensationalwin in 2005, there has been no

People often wonder why Nadal bites his trophies. It wasjust an impromptu act when he won his first ATP title atMonte Carlo, which became an instant hit.

other teenage men's Grand Slam champion tilldate.The wait is still on. In the nine years thatfollowed, Nadal managed to add 12 more titles tohis name. At 27, he has many more years aheadof him, perhaps he can even overshadowFederer’s formidable record of 17 Grand Slams.But things haven’t been always great for thechampion. There were many instances where healmost called it quits owing to his persistentinjuries. The strenuosity of his playing style hasmade critics doubt his longevity as aprofessional. Injuries took a toll on his career in2009 and 2012, both. Nadal proved all thepredictions wrong on both the occasions bywinning more Slams, thereby breaking all

convictions when it comes to endurance.“Endurance: that’s a big word. Keeping goingphysically, never letting up, and putting up witheverything that comes my way, not allowing thegood or the bad—the great shots or the weakones, the good luck or the bad—to put me offtrack. I have to be centered, no distractions, dowhat I have to do in each moment.” (Courtesy:RAFA My Story)People often wonder why Nadal bites histrophies. It was just an impromptu act when hewon his first ATP title at Monte Carlo, whichbecame an instant hit. The camera crew startedasking for that signature pose every time he wona title. His fans say it symbolises the championshunger for more titles. Yes!

Chasing History

by Adriano S.

With the summer of 2014 in full swing, an important question is again oneveryone’s mind: will Rafael Nadal surpass Roger Federer’s record of 17Grand Slam titles?

With the summer of 2014 in full swing, animportant question is again on everyone’s mind:will Rafael Nadal surpass Roger Federer’s recordof 17 Grand Slam titles? Assuming he is able towin at least one Slam a year going forward, manypundits believe that Nadal, who currently standsat 13, will be able to do so.Since winning his first Slam at Roland Garros in2005, Nadal has won at least one Major everyyear. But the bloody Sunday experienced againstWawrinka in Australia is likely to weigh onNadal’s mind.

The back injury is worrying, since it is the latestin a long line of injuries the Spaniard hassuffered. He will also now have to contendagainst a group of players who are moreconfident than ever that they can beat the Kingof Clay. Novak Djokovic will be especiallyconfident, and maybe even the favorite to winhis first French Open trophy.But perhaps the biggest threat to Nadal’sambitions of surpassing Federer is simplemathematics. No player has won player has wonmore than five Slams after their 27th birthday

The next few years are certainly going to beinteresting…

Here is a breakdown of those who have wonSlams after that date:5 Slams – Rod Laver (30 +) 5 Slams – Roger Federer (30 +) 5 Slams – Andre Agassi (30 +) 4 Slams –Ken Rosewall (30 +) 4 Slams – Ivan Lendl 4 Slams –John Newcombe (30 +) 3 Slams – Pete Sampras (30 +) 3 Slams – Jimmy Connors (30 +) 2 Slams – Rafael Nadal 1 Slam –Arthur Ashe (30 +) 1 Slam –Boris Becker 1 Slam –Guillermo Vilas 1 Slam –Goran Ivanisavic 1 Slam –Stanislas Wawrinka

Nadal has already won two Slams after his 27thbirthday, so in theory he only has three morecoming his way. In addition, it must be said that the biologicalage of the King of Clay does not match upagainst his body’s age, which has been worndown for years due to the Spaniard’s physicalstyle of play. All of this certainly makes it tougher for Nadal tosurpass Federer. If he did, it would certainly putan end to the GOAT debate, at least as it relatesto Nadal and Federer. But getting to that point isgoing to be a massive challenge, perhaps thegreatest a tennis player has ever faced. The nextfew years are certainly going to be interesting…

Just Can’t Seem To LoseThere

by Alessandro Varassi

After Serena Williams won yet another trophy in Miami, it wasconfirmed once again that some players just perform better atcertain tournaments.

Her win against Li Na at the Sony Open was theseventh time Serena Williams has lifted thetrophy in Miami. The world number one yet again showed thatshe is the absolute ruler in Key Biscayne. Shehas had great success in Florida, where she wonthree straight titles between 2002 and 2004, andagain in 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2014. She also reached the final in 1999 and 2009. Noother tennis player, male or female, has won somany editions of that event (Andre Agassi wonsix times, and Steffi Graf five).Of course, there are many instances of a certainplayer dominating a particular tournament.

Let’s have a look at some prominent examples:

Rafael Nadal - Monte Carlo Masters 1000:Between 2005 and 2012, Nadal owned theprincipality. Novak Djokovic finally put an endto Nadal’s record-breaking streak last year in thefinal, but the numbers remain incrediblyimpressive: the Spaniard won 48 out of 50matches, along with eight titles, during his reign.

Martina Navratilova - WTAChampionships: Seen by many as a fifthSlam, the WTA Championships has played animportant role in the history of the Tour.Martina Navratilova reached the final of thatevent 14 times, including 10 consecutiveappearances between 1978 and 1986. She woneight titles in total, with an additional 12 doublestitles.

Bjorn Borg - Roland Garros: Before Nadalbecame the King Of Clay, there was Bjorn Borg.The Swede won the French Open six times in

his short career, including four in a row between1978 and 1981. He won 49 matches and lost onlytwice, an even more impressive record than hehad at Wimbledon.

Chris Evert - Roland Garros: The Americanhad many records in her day: the first player towin 1 000 matches, and a stratospheric streak of125 matches won on clay, between 1973 and1979. She won 7 titles at Roland Garros, but itcould have been more had she not missed theevent in 1976, 1977 and 1978. She reached thefinal two additional times.

Steffi Graf - Wimbledon: Among her 22Grand Slam singles titles, which included twocalendar Slams, Graf counted seven Wimbledontrophies. Between 1987 and 1996 she reachedfinal eight times, winning it all but once. In 1988she won not only every Slam, but also theOlympic gold medal. She is the only tennisplayer to ever win the Golden Slam.

Roger Federer - Wimbledon: Roger wonWimbledon five times in a row before beingstopped by Nadal in the epic final of 2008.Federer came back, however, to win the titletwice more in 2009 and 2012 for a total of seventrophies.

Pete Sampras - Wimbledon: Pete Samprasdominated Wimbledon even more than RogerFederer did, winning seven titles in eight yearsbetween 1993 and 2000. The only snag came in1996, when he fell in the quarter-finals toeventual winner Richard Krajcek. His serve wasalmost unstoppable on grass, and it causedendless headaches for the likes of Jim Courier,Goran Ivanisevic, Cedric Pioline, Boris Becker,Andre Agassi and Pat Rafter. In the 2001edition, when he lost to Roger Federer, it wasseen by many as the passing of the baton fromthe old American to the young Swiss.

Of course, there are many instances of a certainplayer dominating a particular tournament.

Between 1993 and 2009, 13 of the 17 editionswere won by the two of them.

Rafael Nadal - Roland Garros: If it were notfor Robin Soderling, Nadal might still be waitingfor his first defeat in Paris. He has won thetrophy eight times, along with 59 match wins,and suffered only one loss at the hands of theSwede. The loss to Soderling allowed Federer towin the tournament and complete his careerGrand Slam, and marked the start of a prolongedlayoff for Nadal.

Martina Navratilova - Wimbledon:Navratilova won many Slams in her career, buther most successful hunting ground by far wasWimbledon. She won nine singles titles, sevendoubles titles and four mixed doubles titles. Herfirst trophy came in 1976 in the women'sdoubles, and the last one came in 2003 in themixed doubles. At one point, she won the singles evens six timesin a row. Her string of victories was eventuallyinterrupted by Steffi Graf, who won the event in1987 and 1988.

Down But Not Out

by Adriano S.

Too often in sports, particularly in tennis, the favorite pastime of fans is tooveranalyze athletes who are going through a rough patch. The bigger the star, ofcourse, the more vicious the comments, especially in the media.

Too often in sports, particularly in tennis, thefavorite pastime of fans is to overanalyze athleteswho are going through a rough patch. The biggerthe star, of course, the more vicious thecomments, especially in the media.Very often, however, the athletes emerge fromtheir slumps to show everybody who doubtedthem just how silly and wrong they were foroverreacting.The examples are endless. From Kobe Bryant inbasketball to Albert Pujols in baseball andValentino Rossi in superbike racing, top athletesoften find themselves written off as “done,” onlyto come back and perform at an

even higher level than before.But let us focus on tennis for the moment. One of the more striking examples of thisphenomenon was Pete Sampras. Even though he had dominated the sport for adecade, when he failed to win Wimbledon in2001 pundits were quick to condemn his careeras over. He would never bounce back after such adisappointment, they argued. Yet the next year, he would win the US Open,and retire on the spot, providing the ultimaterevenge against all the naysayers.

The old saying goes that the bigger you are, the harderyou fall. That is certainly true, but in modern sports itseems people take more pleasure than ever in thesupposed fall of those stars.

Roger Federer is the most relevantcontemporary example. Talk of his declinestarted as early as 2007, and even though he hasreached number one in the world again and wonseveral Slams, retirement talk follows himeverywhere. Every big win or tournament triumph quiets thecritics, but only for a while.The same is true of Serena Williams, who waswritten off after having foot surgery a few yearsago. Since then she has re-established herdominance over the WTA Tour in a big way.Rafael Nadal? His many injury problems havecaused many to question his longevity, yet hehas come back time and again, often strongerthan before his injury.

After failing to defend his title in Melbourne,Novak Djokovic had to endure a lot of criticismin February. But winning the Indian Wells-Miami double has earned him some respite fromthe media, at least for a while.In Italy, there is a particular viciousness to theseattacks. Francesca Schiavone was said to be inobvious decline, and a regular punching bag foreditorials in sports magazines. Her response? Winning Roland Garros. Yet those people haveagain started with their negativity. Fabio Fogninihas also had to undergo every sort of insult overthe years. Andreas Seppi scored a good win over Ward inthe Davis Cup, and was praised as a hero.

An interview with Milos Raonic

by Fabrizio Fidecaro

When thinking about Milos Raonic, the phrase “gentlegiant” comes to mind

When thinking about Milos Raonic, the phrase“gentle giant” comes to mind. The affable Canadian is capable of generatingsome of the most tremendously powerful servesthe sport has ever seen, but never loses histemper. In fact, his well-groomed appearance – whichresembles that of a member of the Rat Pack –and icy countenance are never ruffled no matterwhat the score or situation. It is rather strange to see someone so relaxed inthe latter stages of a big clay court event likeRome. After all, these tournaments are usuallydominated by the Spaniards, who wear theirhearts on their sleeves and are not afraid tomake their joy or displeasure known. Raonic reached the semi-finals at the ForoItalico before falling to Novak Djokovic in threesets. He spoke to us afterwards.

You always appear so steady and quiet.Do you ever get angry? "I can get very angry. But it's something thatdoes not help, so I try to stay calm."

What are you taking away from your timein Rome? "A lot of positive emotions. I'm happy, I will takewhat I have done here and I will try to do evenbetter at Roland Garros."

Quarters in Madrid, semis in Rome…youhave made huge strides on clay. Whatarea do you think has improved themost? "I think I have improved not only on thissurface, but in general. My movement andreturn are two areas that I have improved. Andalso in the way in which I handle difficultsituations. For me, the main issue was figuringout what I should do in certain special moments,because last year I threw away several matchesbecause of that. Now I have a clearer vision and Iknow I can find the answers in myself."

«One of my big goals is to qualify for the ATP WorldTour Finals. And also to obtain good results in GrandSlams»

What do you think you have to improve totake the next step on clay? "I feel that I am improving steadily, but I have tokeep going. The serve, the return, the mentaland the physical aspects, there is plenty of workto be done on all of those."

Even if you think you still have toimprove, your serve is already aneffective weapon... "Of course, I like to keepmy service games short and create a littlediscomfort for my opponents. I try to takeadvantage."

What goals do you have for this year?"One of my big goals is to qualify for the ATP

World Tour Finals. And also to obtain goodresults in Grand Slams."

It is true that you have applied to join theATP Council [the Committeerepresenting the players, of which hiscoach Ivan Ljubicic was president]? "Yes.It's good to know what is really going on. Theplayers on there are quite old. I would like tobring in a voice of the younger generation."

In this regard, in recent times theyounger generation, you along withDimitrov and Nishikori, have beengetting some good results. What haschanged for you?

«I do not think that the phenomenon is somethinglimited to my peers....»

"I do not think that the phenomenon issomething limited to my peers. After years in which the Big Four havedominated the Slams, to see Stanislas Wawrinkatriumph in Australia and then repeat it in MonteCarlo has been an inspiration. I think Stan has been the keystone. I do notthink it is a generational thing. It all started withhim."___________________________Milos began playing tennis at age nine andplayed his first tennis tournament at age 10 inToronto. When he was 16, he grew into one ofCanada’s top juniors and was invited to be oneof the first to join Tennis Canada’s NationalTraining Centre in Montreal.

The Race For Number One

by Marco Di Nardo

The 2014 season has gotten off to an unusual start, with the racefor number one being tighter than we’ve seen it in many years.

That 2014 would be a period of great uncertaintywas no guarantee at the start of the season. 2012was without Nadal for the latter part of it, butorder was restored in 2013 when he, along withDjokovic, re-established the dominance of theBig Four. However, this year has so far seen anumber of major surprises, with many differentplayers suddenly competing for the year-endnumber one. The Race to London rankings only take intoaccount the results a player has achieved so farthis year. Currently, there are five players whohave a realistic chance of clinching the year-endnumber one. The first four are very close, with

Wawrinka, Djokovic, Federer and Nadal allwithin less than a thousand points of each otherheading into Barcelona. Berdych is a littlefurther back, but still within sight of the numberone spot. Nadal has always piled up a lot of points at thistime of the year, but has struggled so far in2014. The biggest surprise of the year, however, hasbeen Stan Wawrinka. Incredibly, he is leadingthe race for number one with a quarter of theseason already finished. Even more than his winin Australia, his victory in Monte Carlo hasmade people truly sit up and notice.

Another great protagonist of the first few monthsof the season has been the young Grigor Dimitrov

For him to win one of the most difficult Masters1000 events, one that has been dominated byNadal for almost a decade, and beating Federerin the final, was truly incredible. Another surprise is Kei Nishikori, who seemsto be going through a bit of a transformation. Hehas already won two tournaments this year, inMemphis and Barcelona, and also impressedwith his performance at the Masters 1000 inMiami, where he eliminated Dimitrov, Ferrerand Federer to reach the semi-finals. If you donot consider his loss to Teymuraz Gabashvili inDelray Beach, which was because of an injury,he has won 17 of his last 18 matches. He has anoverall record of 22-4 on the year.

Another great protagonist of the first fewmonths of the season has been the youngGrigor Dimitrov, who is number eight in therace. He reached the quarter-finals of theAustralian Open, and won titles in Acapulco andBucharest. In the former, he won the final in athird set tie-break against the big-serving KevinAnderson.Nicolas Almagro, while a familiar name tomany tennis fans, has shown the kind ofconsistency so far this year that has eluded himin the past. Now number 18 of the Race, he has played wellsince the Australian Open. He reached two semi-finals at Vina del Mar andBuenos Aires, and the final in Houston.

Nicolas Almagro, while a familiar name to many tennisfans, has shown the kind of consistency so far this yearthat has eluded him in the past.

But perhaps his biggest result of the year wasagainst Rafael Nadal in Barcelona, where he beathis friend and countryman for the first time inhis career. He even did so after losing the firstset 6-2. Lastly, we should mention Santiago Giraldo,who is currently in 24th place in the race. Hereached his first ATP 500 final in Barcelona, andseems to be playing at a very high level with agreat deal of consistency. It seems crazy that weare not even halfway through the season, and yetwe have seen more surprises and drama than wehave in the whole of last season. Hopefully it cancontinue like this, and make 2014 one of themost memorable seasons in tennis history.

A New Balance

by Marco Di Nardo

Similar to what is happening on the men’s circuit, the WTA is trying to finda new balance after Serena Williams has cooled down from the dominanceof the last two seasons

n 2012, she won Wimbledon, the Olympics, theUS Open and the WTA Tour Championships ,while last year she triumphed at Roland Garros,the US Open and the WTA TourChampionships. She finished 2013 with justfour losses. In this first part of 2014 , however,Serena Williams has had more problems thanwas expected. After two seasons of completedomination by her, the WTA circuit is back tobeing very spectacular and equally uncertain.Looking at the leaderboard for the year yieldssome surprising names. Arguably, Li Na has

She won her first tournament of the season inShenzhen before grabbing her second careerGrand Slam title at the Australian Open. In Melbourne, she lost only one set in the thirdround against Lucie Safarova. She also reached the semi-finals at Indian Wellsand the final in Miami.In second place we find this year’s AustralianOpen finalist, Dominika Cibulkova , who can beconsidered the biggest surprise of the season sofar. The Slovak beat a number of toughopponents in Melbourne, including Sharapova ,Halep and Radwanska .

Agnieszka Radwanska built her ranking withsome very consistent results.

Sharapova , Halep and Radwanska . She then went on to post good results inAcapulco, and reaching the quarters in IndianWells, the semis in Miami and the final in KualaLumpur.Third place is occupied by AgnieszkaRadwanska , who built her ranking with somevery consistent results. After beating the doubledefending champion Victoria Azarenka at theAustralian Open, she lost in the semi-finals, butshe also reached the semi-finals in Doha , thefinal in Indian Wells, the quarters in Miami andthe semis in Katowice .Serena Williams, the real news this year, isonly fourth, despite the two successes inBrisbane and Miami. At the Australian Open

the American was caught off guard by AnaIvanovic , while two surprising defeats cameagainst Alize Cornet in the semi-finals in Dubai,and Jana Cepelova in the first round inCharleston. The next few months will be criticalif the American wants to stay at the top of therankings.In fifth place is the revelation of 2013, SimonaHalep . After winning six titles last year, she iscontinuing her good run of form. She hasalready won a title in Doha , beating Errani,Kerber and Radwanska, and reached thequarters in Melbourne and semis in IndianWells. Sixth on the list is Flavia Pennetta ,who is playing some of the best tennis of herlong career.

Flavia Pennetta , who is playing some of the besttennis of her long career.

She achieved the biggest success of her career inIndian Wells, where she won the title, beatingthe world number one en route to the title. Shealso overcame Li Na and Agnieszka Radwanskaon the way.Though not in the Top 10, Eugenie Bouchardwarrants a special mention. She unexpectedlyreached the semis at the Australian Open andhas posted some very positive results since.Many pundits believe she has what it takes to beworld number one someday. For now, however,she is the underdog. It is not a title she is afraidof though, and has embraced her role aspromising newcomer on the Tour. She still has alot to prove, but she is wasting no time inproving it to both herself and her fans.

Kazakistan

by Marco Avena

Money And Happiness

To eventually stop Kazakhstan’s run requirednone other than Roger Federer and StanislasWawrinka, and even they almost failed to pull itoff. The Swiss managed to record a narrow 3-2victory, but the tie left the tennis worldimpressed with the young team fromKazakhstan. Indeed, this is the third time in fouryears that they have reached this stage of thecompetition.But there is an asterisk to all this success: theplayers in the team are not actually fromKazakhstan. Instead, they are foreigners whohave become citizens in order to compete for thecountry in tennis. How? Simple: money. Andrey Golubev, Mikhail Kukushkin, EvgenyKorolev and Alekandr Nedovyesov were notborn in Astana and its surroundings, the firstthree are Russian and the fourth Ukrainian. Thefirst was born in Volzhsky, the second is a nativeof Volgograd, the third comes from Moscow andthe fourth is of Alushta.

They became citizens thanks to the influence ofpowerful media magnate Utemuratov Bulat, whoreportedly has assets worth some $1.5 billion.He is the president of the local tennis federationand a great friend of Nursultan Nazarbayev, thePresident of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Thepresident is also a lover of tennis, who desired toforge ahead in this sport and bring glory to hiscountry.The two came up with the idea of building ateam that could compete with the major powersof world tennis. The experiment has proven verysuccessful, given the results obtained by theteam led by captain Doskarayev. But justbecause they are now citizens of Kazakhstan itdoes not mean they spend all their time in thecountry. Indeed, Golubev spent the bulk of histime preparing for the Davis Cup tie againstSwitzerland in Italy. He has, in fact, spent a lot of time training therein general. Dominic Dogliani, the president of the club inItaly where he trains, said that he was happyGolubev spent so much time there on the eve ofthe tie.

Money does not buy happiness, but itsure can help...

“I am pleased and proud that Andrey has playedat our club in preparation for the Kazakhnational match against Federer and Wawrinka ofSwitzerland,” he said. Never mind thatKazakhstan failed to reach the semi-finals thistime around. Utemuratov and Nazarbayev haveshown no signs that they are about to give up ontheir experiment. Instead, they seem morecommitted to it than ever. After all, KenyanWilson Kipketer became one of the strongestmiddle distance runners of all time under theDanish flag. So why can Golubev , Kukushkin ,Korolev and Nedovyesov not win the Davis Cupunder the flag of Kazakhstan? Money does notbuy happiness, but it sure can help...

Grass Season To UndergoSignificant Changes in 2015

by Laura Saggio

The ATP has announced its schedule for the 2015 season, whichincludes a longer grass court season.

The grass swing of the ATP Tour has alwaysbeen the shortest of the year, and while that willnot change anytime soon, it will get slightly lessshort from 2015 onwards. The grass courtseason will begin on 8 June (the day followingthe final of Roland Garros) with the events in 's-Hertogenbosch and Stuttgart. The tournamentsin Halle and Queen's, scheduled for thefollowing week, will change from being 250events to 500 events, which will carry with it notonly an increase in available points but also anincrease in prestige. The tournament inNottingham will increase its draw to 48 from

and take the place of the Eastbournetournament the week before Wimbledon.Finally, the last grass court event of the seasonwill take place on 13 July in Newport."The fact that we have extended the duration ofthe grass court season is definitely a good thing,"said Chris Kermode, the President of the ATP. "It is an extension of our commitment toensuring a variety of surfaces throughout thewhole of the season, and increasing the numberof grass tournaments is a big step forward."

China will become, along with the US, the only country to hostan ATP event of every caliber: ATP World Tour 250(Shenzhen), ATP World Tour 500 (Beijing) and ATP WorldTour Masters 1000 (Shanghai).

Another change to the calendar is the addition ofa clay event in Europe between 27 April and 4May 2015, before the ATP 1000 event in Madrid.A tournament will also be added in Rio,scheduled from 16-22 February. It will take placebetween the 500 events in Buenos Aires and SaoPaulo.Keen observers will also notice that the ATP isfurther extending its presence in China in 2015,with a new event being added in Shenzhen.China will become, along with the US, the onlycountry to host an ATP event of every caliber:ATP World Tour 250 (Shenzhen), ATP WorldTour 500 (Beijing) and ATP World Tour Masters1000 (Shanghai).

2015 already promises to be full of surprises,and if these kinds of changes continue in thefuture, we might very well see grass becoming aneven more important part of the ATP WorldTour. This will certainly be music to the ears of theplayers who prefer to play on the surface. We can, however, think of at least one playerwho will lament that these changes did not comesooner.

The Art Of Teaching

by Andrea Guarracino

You must wait for the right time to dispense knowledge tohave it taken seriously

Once upon a time, many years ago, a school ofarchery was conducted by a great Zen master.One day, a young student showed up at theschool. "Good morning teacher, I came for myfirst lesson in archery, what should I do today?"the student asked. The teacher looked at himcarefully and said, "Well, this is the bow, theseare the arrows, that thing is the target, try to hitit." The young man, excited to start his training,started shooting arrows at the target. However,after an hour’s worth of attempts, he could stillnot hit it. Exhausted, he took everything back tothe teacher, who told him to come back the nextday. The young man came back again thefollowing day and spoke to the Zen.“Good morning teacher,” he said. “I have comefor my second lesson, what can I expect?" Theteacher looked at him more closely this time,and eventually responded. “Well,” he said, “takethis bow and these arrows and try to hit thesecond target back there."

The young man tried again to hit the target, butafter another hour gave up. This story wasrepeated in subsequent lessons. After the tenthtime, the young man appealed to the teacher.“Master, please help me, I have tried for manyhours to hit the target, but have not been able toeven once, please tell me how I can do it."The teacher promptly replied, "Holds the bow inthis way, and the arrows this way. Relax, take adeep breath and shoot."The young immediately did what the teacherhad told him, and instantly had success. He ranto his teacher with enthusiasm. “That is great! But why didn’t you tell me to dothat from the start?” The teacher thought a while, then replied: “If Itold you how to do it right away, you neverwould have done it that way." That's all there is to the art of transmittingknowledge. You must wait for the right time to dispenseknowledge to have it taken seriously.

If You Are Happy, You Will Win

by Stefano Massari, Mental Coach

You will not be happy when you win, but you will winwhen you are happy.

Recently, I watched the final of the tournamentin Charleston between Andrea Petkovic andJana Cepalova. I like to watch tennis played ongreen clay. The color of the court has, for mewho is used to the red clay of my home,something dreamlike and surreal about it. Thething that struck me most, however, was not thegreen of the court or even the play between thetwo finalists. I was instead enchanted by Andrea Petkovic’sspeech at the end. As she spoke, awkwardlyholding a bouquet of flowers as if she never hadbefore, it was clear that every word she wassaying was true and honest. First of all shecongratulated her opponent, and her tone wasnot fake or formal.

She recalled that Cepalova, who is only twentyyears old, was alone in Charleston withoutsponsors or an entourage, and that she admiredher courage.She then turned to her family and to her coach,reminding them of some of their most difficultmoments together. The ones where Petkovic’s numerous injurieskept her away from the court and made herranking drop significantly. Finally, she thankedthe organizers of what she called one of the besttournaments in the world. Even this triflingstatement, which is so often made by players,caught my attention for its genuine and heartfelttone. Impressed by such spontaneity and, Iadmit, by so much beauty, I went to look fornews about her. I have found, in several articles, somethingwhich makes me understand why I enjoyed herspeech so much.Born in Bosnia 23 years ago, Andrea fled toGermany with her parents during the BalkanWars.

She performed well at school and is still enrolled in theFaculty of Political Science. Despite several injuries that made her drop from ninth in theworld in 2011 to out of the Top 100 in 2012, she is now againin the Top 40. It seems that after the 2016 Olympics she wants to leavetennis and enroll in a famous school of journalism. She then wants to become either a journalist or a politician,where she would focus on the needs and interests of youngpeople.She plays the guitar and drums and says that theseinstruments have helped her with her coordination on thecourt. She loves Goethe, the genius of writing, and Che Guevara,the genius of combat.Many people believe that if Andrea devoted herselfexclusively to the courts that she would reach great heightsindeed. However, she contends that if she did not follow these otherinterests, she would not be as good a tennis player as she isnow. "I'm the kind of person," she says, "who needs to train notonly my body but also my mind and soul."

Athletes are able to use on the court the experiencesand knowledge they have acquired away from thecourt, perhaps playing the drums or reading a book

The coaching work that I do with athletes,especially young ones, has been a dailydemonstration of the fact that Andrea Petkovic,although only 23, is already very wise. Someonewho manages to have a life off the court,especially one that involves a decent relationshipwith school and knowledge (they are not thesame thing), interests like music or film orpainting or photography, along with goodfriends and perhaps a partner, is always ahappier person and a better athlete.Andrea’s praise of her opponent’s lack ofsponsors, relatives or coaches shows that sheappreciates an independent spirit, and showsher interest in youngsters.

By contrast, I can think of some parents who, inthe frenzy of being fulfilled through the successof their children, would dominate their child’slife on the court. I know that if one looks beyond the obsessionone sees the great love of a father or a mother.This love, however, is expressed in the wrongway, and is tied to results and the pressure ofvictory.Athletes like Andrea, who train their soul alongwith their body, have a huge advantage overtheir opponents. They are able to use on the court the experiencesand knowledge they have acquired away fromthe court, perhaps playing the drums or readinga book. In the smile of Andrea Pektovic, which comesfrom the pain of injuries, from the struggle ofclimbing back up the rankings through smallertournaments and by staying in awful hotels,there emerges a new concept of success. Successas a process, as a career, but first of all as ahuman. As I said long ago a young tennis player in crisis,you will not be happy when you win, but youwill win when you are happy.

Injuries And How To DealWith Them

by Amanda Gesualdi

The athlete is, first and foremost, a human being with emotions,sensations and infinite inner world that is in a constant state of change andadjustment

The athlete is, first and foremost, a human beingwith emotions, sensations and infinite innerworld that is in a constant state of change andadjustment. If we are centered and in balance,the possibility of incurring an injury or accidentis virtually zero. Otherwise, the possible lack of stability makes usmore susceptible to problems such ascontractures, tears and illnesses of variouskinds. There is no chance or "bad luck." Instead,everything moves according to the laws ofnature, of which man is an integral part.

It should also be considered that not all of us getsick in the same ways, and not all of us hurt thesame muscle groups. This is because each of usis unique!Injury is nature’s way of sending us a message:"Something is wrong! Stop and reconsider whatyou're doing and what you should do!" You canalways learn something from an injury. In the life cycle of victories and defeats,achievements and sacrifice is a constant whichwe cannot oppose. In case of injury or crisis, it is good to accept theobstacles as a natural occurrence.

An injury can work to promote a complex series of moods in anathlete: insecurity, depression, anger, fear, tension, anxiety andpanic.

You have to put it to good use and consider it anopportunity to reflect on yourself, your ownactivity and how you are living in this moment.The painful moment that accompanies andfollows an injury is an opportunity to reviewtechniques of training, and to understandstrategy, physical and mental preparation, aswell as nutrition. An injury can work to promote a complex seriesof moods in an athlete: insecurity, depression,anger, fear, tension, anxiety and panic. These responses in turn create stress, makingthe injury even more difficult to deal with.Injured athletes go through five stages ofsuffering. The first phase is that of denial. "No, it cannot happen to me," we often think.

"No problem, it is not so serious." Soon,however, we must face the reality that the injuryhas undermined our ability to perform well. Thisis abruptly replaced by the second stage: anger."Damn! Why me? Why now?" At this point,panic often sets in, and then the pain intensifies.The next phase is depression. We realize thatthere is nothing we can do, that we cannotcompete. The risk at this juncture is to withdrawinto ourselves. True healing usually coincideswith the phase of acceptance. "I got injured, butlife goes on", "I'll come back stronger thanbefore, I'll make it." However, before reachingthis point, the mind passes from one to anotherof the first four stages.

The injury creates a breeding ground for stress andfrustration. To escape the fear, focus on the positive aspectsof your life. Think about those athletes who, despite havingfound themselves in the same condition, not only recoveredbut were able to return to the court and win. An injury is alsoan opportunity to achieve full awareness: it allows you torest, maybe catching up on some aspects of your life that youhave neglected because of your rigorous training program.Convalescence is a perfect time to evaluate your life in anobjective way, to review the goals that you have set out toachieve, and to confirm and redefine priorities. Try to see theglass half full and savor the freedom. If you change the pointof view from which to watch your crisis, feelings of tensionand discomfort will decrease, thus facilitating the healingprocess. Suffering a loss, whether it relates to work,friendship, home life or love, means having to go through thefive stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression andacceptance. Give yourself time to explore each of them. Youcannot skip or rush the process of healing. To completelyheal is a difficult journey. Healing means becoming aware ofit. It means broadening your perspectives. You must stoplooking back and live in the present. Changing the image ofourselves is our true task. In the course of our lives, we havethe ability to "die" and be "reborn" many times.

The injury creates a breeding ground for stress and frustration

Djokovic Becomes An Author

by Stefania Grosheva

“Serve To Win,” is a diet book that deals with gluten-freefoods.

It is not uncommon for tennis players to writebooks while they are still playing. Andy Murrayand Rafael Nadal have both done so in recentyears, Murray more than once. What is a littlemore uncommon, however, is for a tennis playerto write a book that is not really about tennis.Novak Djokovic has done just that. His newbook, “Serve To Win,” is a diet book that dealswith gluten-free foods. The Serb says thatmoving away from gluten has changed his gameand his life, and he believes his fans can alsobenefit from it.The main message of the book is, of course, thatgluten is bad. Djokovic says in the

introduction that this diet was the result of aquest to "find the right food for the body of anathlete." Eliminating gluten from a diet has not been apopular notion for very long, but it has gainedmassive traction in recent years. This can easilybe seen by the explosion of gluten-free foods forsale in supermarkets today.The book recommends eating foods with a highglycemic index. It has been called the “diet of the stars,” since somany celebrities like Lady Gaga, KimKardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, VictoriaBeckham and Rachel Weisz are adherents.

"This diet has allowed me to feel lighter,healthier and more focuse"

Those who follow the diet claim that they notonly have lost weight, but that their physical andmental wellbeing has drastically improved as aresult. Djokovic also claims that it "helps toimprove athletic performance." "This diet hasallowed me to feel lighter, healthier and morefocused," he says. In his book, Djokovic alsoprovides advice on achieving an ideal bodyweight, which he says you can make majorstrides towards in just 14 days. However, weightloss is not the only challenge that the book aimsat its readers. There are also tips to reduce stressand stay fit. Djokovic has been one of the bestand fittest players on the Tour for years, andnow it seems he is sharing the secrets of hissuccess with the rest of us.