Australian Open- Men's marathon

On the surface of things, Novak Djokovic beating Rafael Nadal for the seventh consecutive time, and in their third consecutive Grand Slam final doesn't appear to be a life changing event. But, scratch underneath the surface, and last Sunday's 5 hour 53 minute epic reveals a lot more about the state of and future of top level men's tennis.


After having emphatically beaten Federer, the all time best player in the semi-finals, Nadal was coming in to this final against Djokovic with something he didn't have the last two times, confidence and belief. On the other hand, Djokovic's form had regressed as the tournament developed, and he had just won an energy sapping 5 setter vs Murray the match before, hardly great preparation for the gladiator that is Rafa Nadal.
Only a short couple of years ago, Djokovic was the top guy most likely to retire from sunstroke, or lose his fitness, and thats what makes this victory even more monumental than any of those in his oustanding 2011.



In many ways, the match went to plan. Djokovic dictated early, taking his backhand on the rise, hitting deep and not giving Rafa time on his shots. Nadal too played to script, producing at times Herculean defense and hit his trademark forehand down the line with great success. Djokovics' victories in London and New York were quicker surfaces, favouring his attacking game, but the slow plexicushion neutralised some of Novaks pace and the match was always going to be tighter than the previous ones. But then came the surprise!
Who expected at 5-5 in the fifth that it would be Rafa who wavered, while Djokovic held firm. At 5-5 break point Djokovic stuck in the rally, and it was ultimately Rafa who netted a slice backhand allowing Djokovic to serve out the match and the tournament. 
Whilst he certainly didn't hit the heights of this time last year, the 2012 Australian Open perhaps says more about Novak Djokovic than any other tournament. When he was tired, beat up, and not playing his best, he still found his best when it mattered most, and once again was the last man standing!


For Nadal, credit where it's due, not many expected him to reach the final based on form and fitness, and he surprised us once again. He can take away another victory over Federer, and knows that the gap is getting closer, a reassurance that will make him extra motivated to get Djokovic back when the clay is back under his feet.
Federer was looking good, but once again couldn't answer the Nadal question. Whilst one is tempted to say he may never find that particular answer, his first set tactics in that match can be taken forward, and next time if a shot or two goes his way, he'll be the finalist in Paris, London, or NYC.


As for Murray, he was the nearly man once again, but he's getting closer. Taking the mighty Djokovic to five is another step closer to the win, and a bit more time under the guidance of Mr Lendl should by big dividends by the early summer, and i'll go out on a limb and say he reaches the final of one of the later two majors.


My post doesn't mention anyone outside of the big four. The tournament saw inspired runs by the local lads Tomic and Hewitt, a resurgance by Del Potro, and the continued over-achievement of Ferrer. But once again there was no denying the big four, and no denying Novak Djokovic, and it sure doesn't look like stopping.




Best point of the match, just to refresh the old memory :)

DJT

Australian Open- Who were the wonder women?

The 2012 Australian Open has just come to the end, and with that, one of the most entertaining and competitive grand slams closes, but what are the main talking points coming out of Melbourne Park?

Firstly, and most importantly , the WTA has a new number one, and new grand slam champ in the shape of Victoria Azarenka. At 22, Azarenka can be considered somewhat of a late bloomer, but has built on the sucess of last year (Wimbledon Semi's) and bludgeoned her way to the title, with a consistent hard hitting display, beating the likes of Wozniacki, Clijsters and Sharapova.
Whilst previous first time slam winners (Li, Ivanovic, Kvitova) have struggled to back up their good results straight away, Azarenka's extra experience should stand her in good stead to cope with the rigours of being the new face of womens tennis!

The women she conquered in the final Maria Sharapova faces a much more uncertain future. Admittedly, Sharapova has done well to return to top 5 form after debilitating shoulder problems, but this is her second tough grand final loss in under a year, (and both to first time finalists) losses that will hit her confidence hard, and by now it is fair to question whether Maria will ever get back to her pre-shoulder best.

Kvitova, many peoples favourite going in, looked good early on but seemed to wane as the tournament progressed, as she struggled to manage her at times erratic game on a slow neutral hardcourt. Kvitova never looked like she wanted it in the same way as an Azarenka or Sharapova. The way she threw away the last couple of games in her semi-final although not catastrophic sends a message to the other women, that if the match is kept tight, she might just crumble in the big moment.

In what looks like her last Australian Open, Clijsters was an unlikely semi-finalist and showed great guts and determination in getting that far, despite a combination of rust and injury. While props must go to the Italian Sara Errani, who finally made a slam quarter-final, proving that a grinding counterpunching game can still reap rewards!

The biggest disappointments in the draw may well have been Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki. After her 'I don't love Tennis' comments in Brisbane, many expected Serena to prove once again that she doesn't need matches to win, and romp to the second week. The reality this time was a tough straight sets loss to an inspired Makarova in Round 4, but no doubt will be the catalyst Williams needs to come roaring back in time for the lawns of SW19 in the early summer.

As for Wozniacki, her early tournament form, suggested that she might finally have been ready to take that next step, and strike her forehand all the way to a maiden Australian title. A gutsy Clijsters soon put paid to that idea in a straight sets quarter final, which saw Caroline retreat again into a defensive rallying game, one that was always going to benefit the powerful consistency of the Belgium. Whilst many fans and critics have judged her on the lack of a major, the loss of the top ranking could motivate and relieve her enough to push forward and work on a more attacking game that will WIN her back the ranking and a slam, rather than a game that relied on defending her position in more ways than one.

The attention now switches to the spring hard court season, and there are many questions to be asked. How will Sharapova respond to another final defeat? Will Serena play the tour events up until the next major? How far will Azerenka's winning run stretch?

If there's one thing that following women's tennis has taught me, is to never discount the unexpected. Let's see what happens :) !!!



DJT

The Injured Tour- How to solve the growing injury pile!

At the end of a grueling tennis season, Christmas rolls around, and what might the pro's on the ATP and WTA tours wish for from Santa Claus? Maybe they want a top ten ranking, maybe a maiden Grand Slam title, or maybe they even just wish to want for a main draw. Whilst all of these wishes would undoubtedly feature highly on our tennis players minds, the one thing any athlete wants at the start of a new season is to be fit, healthy, and free from injury!

Understandably, by the time the Year End Championships roll around, most players are held together by tape or strapping, after all, the tennis season starts as early as the first week of January, and for a select few, can run all the way through to November. The troubling thing as we start 2012 is that players are pulling up, rolling their ankles and jarring their backs two weeks into the season.
Less than a month into the new season, the injury/injured list looks like it would way further into the season, as bodies break down on the tough hard court surface in Australia.
Top players from both sides of the tour, are already facing question marks over their fitness, from Serena's ankle to Rafa's shoulder, to Caroline's wrist and Roger's back.

The last few Fall seasons put pressure on the tour to consider ways of protecting players from injury and burnout, but this current clump of injuries has only served to highlight what hasn't been done, and the improvements that can still be made. So, for arguments sake I was one of Stacey Allaster or Brad Drewett here's what I would be doing to prolong the players careers and solve our injury crisis:

1. Create a longer off-season: Most of the top ten men only get 1 week off before they need to be training again for Australia. Follow the example of the women and push the YEC up a couple of weeks and shorten the fall asian swing, and European indoors. This gives a couple of weeks extra off, and could make all the difference in term of better recovery and preperation.
2. Quicker balls or Quicker courts: The homogenization of tennis, has left us with mostly slow/medium courts and promoted grinding baseline rallies, at the expense of a quick net rushing game. Speed up grass and the North American hardcourts, and bring in faster balls in Australia, where players are battling both a slow court and a dead ball. Would only produce more variety, and create new match up's, what's not to like?
3. Limit entry to tournaments: I know it sounds quite dictatorial, but many players overplay consciously, to gain a higher ranking. Not all players listen to their bodies, so the tour should set reasonable boundaries. For example limit players to 25 main draw appearances, a rough season average of every other week. Players with 33 tournament schedules are asking for trouble, and the tour can do their bit to protect players from themselves!  

Although some of these methods might slightly weaken the tour financially, the benefits would far outweigh the negatives. A fresher, healthier tour would almost certainly create better more entertaining matches, and the variation in speed of ball and surface would improve what is slowly becoming a very predictable baseline hitting game.

Player pressure would be the really effective catalyst for change, but it seems few of them are interested or concerned enough to firmly voice their thoughts. Maybe the business men behind the tour have accepted injuries and depleted fields as a natural part of the latter stages of a season, but maybe the ever growing wounded list at the start of 2012 will finally highlight that the time for change has come!

Watch some videos of the walking wounded below:

DJT

What's in store for the Big 4 in 2012...

Most people in the tennis universe, whether it be the players, coaches, analysts or fans, believe that the current era of Fedal, Djokovic, and Murray is the best one ever seen by tennis, or at least on a par with the golden age of your Lavers and Rosewalls, back in the late 60's and 70's.

Between 2006 and 2010, Federer and Nadal dominated the tour to the extent that out of the 20 grand slams played in that period, only Djokovic and Del Potro broke their stranglehold and pushed through to win their first majors, with Federer winning a massive 10 and Nadal taking 8.
Rewind to 2011 and the emergence of Novak Djokovic, using Serbia's Davis Cup win at the end of 2010 as his platform to push on, he went on to win 3 majors last year, and earn a 6-0 record against Nadal and 4-1 against Federer, becoming the first number once outside of Fedal since 2004.

Currently Djokovic sits atop of the mountain with a comfortable lead of over 4000 points from Nadal at number two. He is undoubtedly now the favourite to retain his Australian Open crown, and his start to the season in Abu-Dhabi showed no signs in a dip in form after the long off season. The big question Djokovic must answer though is , Can he follow up a career best year with another, or will he wilt under the pressure of expectation?
You see for Novak, he's always been the one chasing the top two of Federer and Nadal a role that eventually paid off for him as he mature and his game developed, now he is the one with the target on his back, and it will be interesting to see if he can cope with the pressure of the no.1 ranking and consolidate his place as the world's best player with another multiple slam year.

For Nadal, his biggest question is the Djokovic question. His 3-1 record over Federer in 2011, and 4-1 record over Murray shows he still has the measure of his other big rivals, just not the biggest one Djokovic! He lost all 6 times to him in 2011. Where Nadal can relentelessly punish the backhand of both Fed and Murray, Djokovic possesses the best two hander in the game leaving Nadal vulnerable to stinging returns and powerful crosscourt passes if he goes there.
Mentally, he needs to hope the off season refreshed him and if he is to turn around his recent h2h with Djokovic in 2012, he'll need to forget last years losses and start afresh, hoping that Novak can't match last years level this time around.

The question once again this year for Federer is age. Whilst undoubtedly still capable of slam winning performances (French Open SF vs Djokovic), he just isn't able to produce them time and time again like he was in his peak years between 05-07. The matchup with Nadal still poses serious issues, despite his indoor win at the WTF and the fact that to win a slam he will likely have to go through at least 2 of Djokovic/Nadal/Murray doesn't stack the odds in his favour despite the brilliance of the man.
Despite all this, Federer was the only man to pose a serious threat to Djokovic's 2011 , and he will take the belief of his 17 match win streak at the end of the year into 2012, and i expect him to win at least one major in another consistent season for the Fed Express.

Finally, for Andy Murray, 2011 was a case of so near but yet so far as he lost in the SF's of three majors to his nemesis Nadal, whilst losing the final in Melbourne to Djokovic this time last year. In terms of game, Murray has it all, mean serve, strong groundstrokes, deft touch, but so far in his career his mentality has held him back from winning that first grand slam. Pure and simple for Andy, he needs to break through that barrier and REALLY believe he can beat the top three at the business end of majors. The introduction of Lendl into his camp is a good start, and the former 7 time slam champ should provide some valuable advice on how to take that next step, but Murray has to be the one to do it.

Look for Federer to take his momentum from last fall into Australia and take the years first slam, in a gruelling 4 setter vs Djokovic.

Thanks for reading :)

DJT



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Do the young guns have what it takes? Or will 2012 be the year of the Veterans?

Having got through my English essay at a faster pace than expected, i've been feeling eager to write my first tennis blog post, so here goes?

Since 2008, when Jelena Jankovic gained the number one ranking much debate has sparked upon whether a player can really be considered the "best" in the game without having won at least one of the four major titles.

Jankovic although going on a strong fall run winning titles in China, Stuttgart and Moscow failed to back this up at the Australian or any other majors that year, and eventually lost the ranking back to Serena Williams.

Since then, both Dinara Safina and Caroline Wozniacki have occupied the number one spot, both without a major title to their name, and spend as much time in their press conferences talking about this lack of a major as they do about tennis!

The precedent in the last couple of years has been that sure the younger generation of Azarenka, Wozniacki, Radwanska etc win big tour events, but when it comes to the business end of the majors, up steps a Serena or a Clijsters to seize the moment, and do what they've done time and again, win the big one, leading many to question whether as long as the dominant older forces stick around, then the youngsters still have some time left to wait before they become the next dominant tennis champs!

Fast forward to Wimbledon last year and finally a new hungry young champion stepped up and showed that maybe the younger generation are finally ready to challenge the old guard of Williams, Clijsters and Sharapova at the biggest events.

Petra Kvitova's first grand slam win at the biggest one of them all, was important not just for being the first slam from the new generation, but for the dominant and composed manner in which it was done, serving out the match to love and finishing with an ace against a dogged Sharapova, who didn't play a bad final, just couldn't live with the consistent pace of Kvitova.

Having shown the world how emphatically she could win her first grand slam, the expectation was for Kvitova to kick on and prove the win wasn't just a fluke in New York a couple of months later, but her first round lost proved again in many eyes that nobody was yet ready to handle the pressure of expectation in the same way a Serena or Venus can.

2012 being an Olympic year, motivation will be extra high for all players, but especially for tour veterans like the Williams sisters and Clijsters (who's already signalled this will probably be her last year on tour) who will be eager to prove they still have the game to win big as they enter the twilight of their careers. Out of the young group, Petra Kvitova's game looks most likely to stand up to the test of a Serena slug fest, her power from both wings matching that of the Americans, but what can players like Azarenka and Wozniacki do to make this their year:

Woznaicki- Work on the forehand technique, and shorten the backswing to help flatten out her shots. The best backhand in the world won't be good enough to hide a forehand that when attacked looks vulnerable.

Azarenka- Work on getting a little more pace on the first serve and forehand but particuarly the serve. Isn't the weapon it could be, and would shorten the rallies for her. 

While neither Kim or Serena are as dominant as in years gone by, both will bring sustained power hitting, and intense self-belief to the court, so it is up to the young guns to really step up to this level and prove that they do belong in the semi's and final's of majors.

Can they do it? Their first chance is not too far away, look for an Azarenka vs Serena final in just under a fortnight, and for the Belarussian to push Williams close but come up short in a good 3 set match. 

DJT

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Welcome to TopicTennis

Hello everyone, and welcome to Topic Tennis the blog!

My name is Daniel Teasdale and i study English Literature at Manchester University, and hope to go on to do a Masters degree in Journalism, with a particular interest in sport...and in particular Tennis!

I started watching Tennis properly about 7 or 8 years ago and have since gone on to develop a passionate interest in both the mens and womens game. My interest in the sport ranges from the obvious joy of watching pro tennis, to the more fan specific elements like coaching, scheduling, and other things based around the financial and political aspects of the game.

My intention in creating this blog is both to hopefully provide an interesting place for other tennis enthusiasts to hear the thoughts of a fellow tennis nut, but also to gain some valuable experience that i may use and draw upon  when trying to kickstart a career as a tennis analyst/reporter in the near future.Therefore any feedback (which is hopefully constructive and not abusive lol) would be much appreciated.

Alongside my blog, i have also recently started a twitter page which you can find here: https://twitter.com/#!/TopicTennis

As this is my first blog post i thought i would reveal some of my favourite things about tennis :)

Favourite Men's player = Roger Federer
Favourite Women's player = Venus Williams
Favourite Doubles team = The Bryan Brothers
Favourite Grand Slam = Wimbledon
Favourite Court surface (to watch on) = Grass
Favourite "legend"= Bjorn Borg
Best ever Mens Singles match = Federer vs Nadal Australian Open 2009
Best ever Women's singles match = V Williams vs Davenport Wimbledon 2005


So there's your first taster of Topic Tennis. I will aim to post a blog every couple of days and the first blog (proper) will be published this Friday, with the title :

WTA tour- Do the young guns have what it takes, or will be 2012 be the year of the veterans.

Thanks for reading.

DJT