SMASH - Fall 2099

FALL ’09

IT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION

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FALL ’09

It’s Arrived: The Greatest

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SHE’S REACHED NO. 1, BUT WILL SHE EVER GET OUT OF HER HEAD?

DINARA SAFINA CLIMB THE

LADDERBE READY TO PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL

FALL FASHION Look Hot When You Hit the Court


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FALL ’09


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Editor-in-Chief James Martin

Executive Editor Stephen Tignor

Design Director Gary Stewart

Managing Editor Sarah Unke

Associate Editor Sarah Thurmond

Contributing Editors Bill Gray, Tom Perrotta

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ContentsTH

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For the latest on-court styles, turn to Page 22.

FEATURES14 LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1The work ethic of Dinara Safina. By Stephen Tignor

18 CLIMBING THE LADDEROur guide to moving up an age bracket. By Joel Drucker

22 COURT KIDSFall fashion from the Vermont Canyon courts in Los Angeles

DEPARTMENTS04 PHOTO OPS

07 GAME ON

12 GEARThe best new racquets forserious players

13 LOCKER ROOMBack-to-school supplies

28 IN THE ZONEInstruction you can use

30 411Q&As with the 2009 NCAA champions

32 FINAL CALL

VOLUME FOUR NO. 3

ON THE COVERLike her big brother, Marat, Dinara Safina has reached the top of pro tennis. Also like Marat, she’s often stuck in her head on the court. But after reaching three Grand Slam finals and losing them all, Safina is ready to do what her brother hasn’t: battle her demons to the end. Read about her tireless efforts on Page 14. Photograph by Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images

FALL ’09


U.S. $4.99 / CAN $4.99 DISPLAY UNTIL NOV. 16, 2009

FALL ’09


Tennis Video Game

The Best New Racquets

For JuniorsLearn to

Change Up Your Shots

SHE’S REACHED NO. 1, BUT WILL SHE EVER GET OUT OF HER HEAD?

DINARA SAFINA CLIMB THE

LADDERBE READY TO PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL

FALL FASHION Look Hot When You Hit the Court


U.S. $4.99 / CAN $4.99DISPLAY UNTIL NOV. 16, 2009

FALL ’09


TennisVideo Game

The Best NewRacquets

For Juniorsquetq

Learn toChange Up Your Shots

ge Upge

Look Hot When You Hit the Courth

0309_COVER_rel.indd 1 6/23/09 9:08 AM

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4 SMASH

PHOTO OPsHOT SHOTS FROM THE WORLD OF TENNIS

HIP-HOP HOORAY

After ditching her tennis

togs for a très chic white

suit, Svetlana Kuznetsova

celebrated her win at

Roland Garros with a victory

leap near the Eiffel Tower.

Kuz won her second major,

defeating Dinara Safina

in the final.

HEADS UP!

Desperate Housewives’

Eva Longoria Parker and

her husband, San Antonio

Spurs guard Tony Parker,

kept their eyes on each

other more than the

tennis at the Roland

Garros men’s final

in June.

STRINGS OF

GLORY

Actor Will Ferrell, perhaps

overcompensating for his

latest box office flop,

Land of the Lost, had a bit

of fun at the K-Swiss Global

Tennis Showdown for the

Swedish School in

Los Angeles.

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Why the funny face, Rafa?

You may have lost for the

first time ever at Roland

Garros, but you got to spend

your 23rd birthday in June

in Mallorca. At least your

girlfriend, Maria Francisca

Perello, looks like she’s

enjoying the ride.

BIKER CHICKS

Venus Williams follows

younger sis Serena on a

bike path in Paris during the

French Open. The Americans

didn’t fare too well at the

Slam: Venus lost in the third

round and Serena was out

in the quarterfinals.

HELPING HANDSNo, Jelena Jankovic wasn’t

showing actress Michelle

Yeoh the standard length of

a racquet. She was helping raise money for

AIDS research at the amfAR

benefit during the Cannes film festival.

QUIET PLEASE? Whoa! Turn down the volume on that hair.

Rainn Wilson from NBC’s

The Office showed he’s

got game at the K-Swiss

Global Tennis Showdown

for charity in Los Angeles in May.

PIXEL PETE

He’s good, but is he the

Wii GOAT? At this year’s

Electronic Entertainment

Expo, which took place in

Los Angeles in June, Pete

Sampras was the guest

demonstrator for EA’s

Grand Slam Tennis

for Wii.

SAY FROMAGE

Hayden Christensen

(a.k.a. Anakin Skywalker)

and his fiancée, The O.C.

star Rachel Bilson,

tried their best to look like

regular tourists, but they

stuck out anyway while

attending a session at

Roland Garros.

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Untitled-1 1 6/24/09 12:29 PM

Gael Monfils leaps for an overhead at Roland Garros.

117 M.P.H.: The average men’s first-serve speed at the French Open in 2008, compared to 119 at Wimbledon, 115 at the Australian Open and 114 at the U.S. Open. ››› 101 M.P.H.: The average rate of a French Open men’s first

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• THE LATEST, GREATEST TENNIS VIDEO GAME

• HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS WHO BEAT UP ON THE BOYS

• 10 DEGREES OF JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

• INCOMING: MADISON KEYS

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serve in 2001, compared to 113 at Wimbledon, 111 at the U.S. Open and 104 at the Australian Open. ››› BUT THE SERVE ISN’T EVERYTHING: Ivo Karlovic broke the record of 51 aces in a match, which he held with Joachim

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AS MOST VIDEO gamers know, Wii Sports games are little more than goofy, if addictively fun, diversions. Try putting in Wii golf or swinging a bat in Wii baseball—you’ll find more realism in an old-school Atari 2600 game. Wii tennis is no different. It’s decent entertainment, but hard-core tennis fans are ultimately let down by the cartoon interface, the doubles-only play, the fact that the computer controls your movement, and the less-than-precise controls that come down to timing and luck.

So when EA Sports released Grand Slam Tennis for Wii in June, gamers could be forgiven for thinking they had another mishit on their hands. But it only takes a few minutes of play to realize that EA Sports has pulled off a big upset. Not only does Grand Slam Tennis not stink, it’s the best tennis simulation you’ll play. The game is a revelation that takes full advantage

GAMERSGET REALGRAND SLAM TENNIS IS SO REALISTIC YOU CAN STICK A VOLLEY JUST LIKE JOHNNY MAC

of the Wii interactive interface to put you in total control.

You use the Wii remote to mimic the basic shots of tennis. Swing low to high for topspin, high to low for biting slice, and across your body for flat, penetrating shots. Timing is critical, but also intuitive, so you’re able to crush inside-out forehands or jump on a return to smack it down the line.

For character movement, you’ve got two options: elect to have the

computer move your avatar (though you decide, by a simple tap of a button, when to attack the net) or connect the Wii Nunchuk to dictate every slide and sprint of your character. The latter is a great feature, but one that only the most coordinated gamers will fully enjoy.

If you want an even more realistic experience, buy the new Wii MotionPlus adapter that connects to the remote. It allows the Wii to deliver added

precision, with rallies becoming less about timing and more about the positioning and trajectory of your swing.

Talk about cool: When you turn to one side for a forehand or the other for a backhand, or raise your remote high or low to prepare to swing, your avatar follows suit.

And you’re not just putting some nameless cartoon characters through their paces. The game features the likenesses of legends from John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg to Boris Becker and Pete Sampras. Many of the players’ mannerisms, such as Mac’s singular service wind-up, are vividly reproduced. If you’d prefer to stick with current stars, you can choose Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Andy Roddick, among others.

Grand Slam Tennis isn’t perfect. You may find it too difficult to put the ball away at net or pass an oncoming net-rusher. Like every tennis game before it, you won’t hit too many balls into the net, and some of the avatar’s emotions—Borg fist pumping?—are about as out of place as the inclusion of Kei Nishikori in the game’s other-wise all-star lineup.

That said, Grand Slam Tennis still delivers the most authentic and entertaining tennis video game experience to date.

—JAMES MARTIN

Time-Warp Tennis: McEnroe vs. Federer

25 AGE5-FOOT-7 3/4 HEIGHT

GRAND SLAM

$$700,000 PRIZE MONEY SHE

RECEIVED FOR WINNING INDIAN WELLS IN 2009, $94,500 MORE

THAN THE MEN’S CHAMPION, RAFAEL NADAL

5CAREER-

HIGH WTA RANKING

ONE(AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2009)

GRAND10 26 06DATE SHE BECAME

MARY PIERCE’S LAST OPPONENT AT A TOURNAMENT IN AUSTRIA. SHE WAS THE FIRST TO RUSH

TO HELP PIERCE, WHO FELL TO THE

COURT WITH A RUPTURED LIGAMENT

IN HER KNEE

SINGLES SEMIFINALSLAM

MONTHS AFTER INDIAN WELLS THAT SHE WAS

NAMED A PROMOTER OF GENDER EQUALITY FOR THE WTA AND UNESCO

TWOCAREER WTA TITLES9 SINGLES, 5 DOUBLES

THREE

BY THE NUMBERS… VERA ZVONAREVA

DOUBLES TITLES(2004 U.S. OPEN AND 2006 WIMBLEDONMIXED AND 2006U.S. OPEN WOMEN’S)


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SMASH 15OUR TAKE ON TENNIS AND THE WORLD AROUND IT–BUT DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

Pretty in Pink? Sorry, Rafa, we don’t think so.

Marat Safin’s Magical Misery Tour—tune in before it’s too late.

Answer: Journeyman Daniel Koellerer.

Shameless plug alert: Check out TENNIS.com for breaking news and the best blogs in the business.

The perfect pump-up music for your workout is the best punk album of the year, Let the Dominoes Fall by Rancid.

Lleyton, it’s long overdue, but it’s time to turn your hat around.

The game’s latest cautionary tale could be 7-year-old prodigy Jan Silva.

Hawk-Eye on the Grandstand: The U.S. Open’s best viewing court just got even better.

Kim Clijsters is back. Now if only Justine Henin would return, women’s tennis would be exciting again.

Props to TennisTV.com fordelivering high quality pro tennis on the ’net.

Au revoir, Fabrice Santoro. The game will miss your two-handed forehand, your guile, and the way you tested the sanity of your opponents.

Favorite new post-match move: Jo-Willy Tsonga wearing a tie to a press conference to celebrate a win.

Pop quiz: Which player has a bad rep for spitting, punching and taunting?

Jim Courier tweets during an exo against John McEnroe: Instead of having us all a-Twitter, it was TMI.

Johansson, by firing 55 against Lleyton Hewitt this year at Roland Garros. Karlovic lost in five sets. ››› 33: Number of consecutive clay-court wins for Rafael Nadal before Roger Federer beat him in the 2009 Madrid

KELSEY RETICH SHOWED up to play for the Hartland (Mich.) High School team three years ago as a freshman with no tennis experience. The 15-year-old, who lost her right leg in a lawn mower accident when she was 3, couldn’t wear her prosthetic that day because she had just had surgery. What she had was a crutch and a good friend who was willing to be her doubles partner.

“So I hopped around the court on the crutch,” Retich says. “I would serve and then hop to the net. Thanks to No-Cut, I was kept on the team playing No. 8 doubles on the JV with my friend Mary, who had to cover most of the court.”

Last spring, in her junior year, Retich played No. 4 singles on the varsity squad and earned the fourth seed at her school’s regional tournament.

Kelsey is a success story of the USTA’s No-Cut School Tennis Teams program, which guarantees that any student who shows up will make the team and play at

least a few matches during the season. Started in 2006, there are more than 2,800 high school coaches who have agreed to run No-Cut teams.

Without No-Cut, coaches probably wouldn’t have given Sadiya Buta, a 15-year-old sophomore, even a first look. The Somalian refugee came to her first practice at Desert View High School in Tucson, Ariz., with a $20 racquet having never played the game. But with grit and

a natural ability, she developed a lethal two-handed forehand and made No. 3 doubles on the varsity team. “No-Cut gives people like me a chance,” Buta says.

“If a student is self-disciplined and willing to work, we can teach her the skills to succeed,” says Buta’s coach, Stacy Haines.

“I love No-Cut,” says Kenneth Hodgkins, who played on the Winthrop (Mass.) High School tennis team and graduated in the spring. Hodgkins, who has a condition that reduces the strength in his upper body, hadn’t played tennis and was hardly able to return the ball when he was a freshman. By his senior year, he was playing No. 1 singles.

“He’s not a powerful hitter,” says his coach, Barbara Hoffmann, “but he practiced and he can return anything that comes over the net. He’s had a great year.”

Kirk Anderson, USTA director of recreational coaches and programs, who helped start No-Cut, remembers the day in the 1980s when his son wasn’t given a chance to try out for tennis as a freshman because all the spots went to upperclassmen. “It was devastating,” he says. “I didn’t want that to happen to other families.”

“You never want to turn a kid away from being active and productive in a sport,” says Jason Jamison, USTA national manager for school tennis. “Imagine a math teacher who only kept the A and B students. No one would stand for that. Why should tennis be any different?”—JEFF GAYDOS

All InclusiveTHE USTA’S NO-CUT SCHOOL TENNIS TEAMS PROGRAMGIVES EVERYONE A CHANCE

“IMAGINE A MATH TEACHER WHO ONLY KEPT THE A AND B STUDENTS. NO ONE WOULD STAND FOR THAT,” SAYS THE USTA’S JASON JAMISON.

Here’s hoping the versatile game of Alexa Glatch takes her to the top of women’s tennis.

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116-0THE ONLY THING LOST ON THE WALTON GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS TEAM IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LOSE A MATCH

Call it the Battle of the Sexes, high school style. In May, sisters Karli and Tanya Timko of Houston, Pa., won the Class AA boys’ doubles title, becoming the first girls ever to win a boys’ doubles championship in Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League history.

“A couple of coaches said we couldn’t win. There were people who thought we shouldn’t even be out there,” says Tanya, who graduated in June. The sisters proved they belong by winning the final 6-2, 6-1.

The girls found themselves on the boys’ team because their high school, Chartiers-Houston High in the Pittsburgh suburbs, didn’t have enough players to field a girls’ team. The Timkos, who won the girls’ doubles state title in 2007, were given the option to join the boys’ squad, and they were ready for the challenge.

“There weren’t any major adjustments I needed to make,” Karli says. “I like the fast pace and the hard-hit shots. It’s more my style.”

A winning style runs in the family. Their aunt is Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, their father played quarterback at West Virginia, and their grandfather was on the West Virginia basketball team that reached the 1959 NCAA tournament final.

As for the team the girls beat in the final, Tin Chu and Drew Gallatin of Thomas Jefferson High in Clairton, Pa., they had nothing but praise for the

girls. “Anyone who might make fun of us for losing to girls, they

would lose, too,” Gallatin told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “They hit the ball as hard as any boy

we’ve played,” Liu added. Unfortunately, the girls weren’t quite as dominant in the state champion-

ships. They lost in the first round in three sets.

—J. MICHAEL KRIVYANSKI

Girl PowerTHE TIMKO SISTERS BEAT UP ON THE BOYS

IF YOU WERE to ask Roberta Manheim, coach of the Walton High School girls’ tennis team, what it’s like to lose, she’d probably give you a blank look. Her suburban Atlanta team clinched its sixth consecutive state championship in May and extended their winning streak to 116 straight matches.

That’s the longest streak in Georgia high school sports since a girls’ basketball team put together a 122-game winning streak in 1980. And, with the Lady Raiders returning all but two of its starters from the championship team next spring, there’s good reason to expect the streak to continue.

The last time the girls’ team lost was in 2003. Manheim, the school’s cheerleading coach and an avid recreational tennis player, took over coaching duties the following spring and the rest is history.

The key to Manheim’s success has been a wealth of top-level talent. Three players from Manheim’s first squad went on to play Division I tennis, and the top two singles players from this past season, Elizabeth Kilborn and Emily Lauten, earned scholarships to

Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech respectively. With this much talent, Manheim’s job is almost

like that of a Fed Cup captain. All of the current players have their own coaches, and the top players have busy tournament schedules outside of their varsity dates. Even the lower-ranked players could easily start, or even star, at other schools. This means Manheim doesn’t need to spend much time on technique or strategy. “For me, it’s all about getting them to buy into the team concept,” she says.

The team came close to defeat in the 2008 state tournament against the team from Brookwood High School of Snellville, Ga. Kilborn and Lauten lost their singles matches, and their No. 2 doubles team dropped the first set before rallying to beat their opponents. Ashley Lawrence kept Walton’s streak alive with a clutch win at third singles.

So how will Manheim handle it if the streak comes to an end? “When we lose, we’ll celebrate the fact that we made news by losing,” she says. “And then we’ll start a new streak.”—ALLEN ST. JOHN

WEAK ONES THESE PROS MADE IT TO NO. 1, BUT WITHOUT MUCH SLAM SUCCESS

DINARA SAFINA She’ll be second

to older brother

Marat Safin until

she wins a Slam.

Weeks at No. 1...10Major Titles..........0Other Titles.........11

JELENA JANKOVIC She plays and wins

more matches

than anyone—

except on the

game’s biggest

stages.

Weeks at No. 1...18Major Titles..........0Other Titles........10

ANA IVANOVIC Is she too sweet

to stay at the top

of the rankings?

Weeks at No. 1...12Major Titles...........1Other Titles...........7

KIM CLIJSTERS Kimmy is back

in the hunt after

having a child.

Weeks at No. 1..19Major Titles...........1Other Titles........33

AMELIE MAURESMO She had a fabulous

year in 2006, but

she couldn’t stay

healthy.

Weeks at No. 1..39Major Titles..........2

Other Titles........22

MARCELO RIOS The ornery Chilean

flopped in his one

major final, at the

1998 Australian

Open.

Weeks at No. 1.....6Major Titles..........0Other Titles........18

CARLOS MOYA He’s had a long

and accomplished

career, but won

just one major.

Weeks at No. 1.....2Major Titles...........1

Other Titles........19

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO It was all downhill

after Andy Roddick

trounced him in

the 2003 U.S.

Open final.

Weeks at No. 1.....8Major Titles...........1Other Titles.........11

THOMAS MUSTER The ultimate iron-

man could grind

away on the clay

but wasn’t a force

on other surfaces.

Weeks at No. 1.....6Major Titles...........1Other Titles........43

ANDY RODDICK If not for Roger

Federer, he probably

would have a few

Wimbledon titles to

his name.

Weeks at No. 1..13Major Titles...........1Other Titles........26

(as of 6/22/09)

KarliTanya

Masters final 6-4, 6-4. ››› COUPLES DOUBLES: Husband and wife Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf lost 7-6 to Kim Clijsters and Tim Henman in an exhibition to test Wimbledon’s Centre Court roof. ››› 20–14: Pete Sampras’


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AMERICANS VENUS AND Serena Williams have inspired a generation of girls to bash bigger and shriek louder, but the most accomplished of their imitators have come from Eastern Europe and Russia.

Now the U.S. may have a Williams baby of its own.Illinois native Madison Keys, 14, first picked up

a racquet after watching Venus at Wimbledon. It wasn’t her play that caught the eye of the 4-year-old Keys. It was her dress; Keys wanted one just like it. Her dad said she could have one, but only if she started to play tennis.

Ten years and one family move to the Evert Academy in Boca Raton, Fla., later, Keys appears poised to follow Venus onto the game’s biggest stages. A champion in the girls’ 12-and-unders at prestigious junior events like the Orange Bowl and the Eddie Herr, the 5-foot-10 1/2 net-rusher won her first WTA tour match in April, beating No. 80

Alla Kudryavtseva at a tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.“Madison is special,” says her coach, John Evert. “I worked with Jennifer

[Capriati] and Mary Joe [Fernandez]. They each had a dream, and nothing was going to stop them. Maddy has the same intangibles and commitment.”

“I love tennis like I always have,” Keys says. She better. Besides two practice sessions a day on the courts at Evert, she squeezes in daily fitness

training, classes at school, homework (math is her favorite subject), and as much quality time with her family as she can. Keys’ parents, Christine and Rick, who played college basketball, live in Boca Raton with Madison and her sisters Hunter, Montana and Sydney.

The basketball gene may help explain Keys’ precocious playing style. “She’s tall and aggressive and always wants to move forward,” Evert says. “We have to rein

her in sometimes. She’s an outgoing kid, and that translates on the court.”“I always want to come to the net,” Keys says. Her

favorite shot is her serve, and she loves to watch Rafael

Nadal “because of his attitude.” While she says she’s working on all of her strokes, she and

Evert are paying close attention to her backhand.

“I have a two-hander,” Keys says, “but we’re working on using slice, so I can get in more.”

An American hopeful who wants to mix it up and come to

the net? Madison Keys may end up being the best thing Venus Williams ever did for U.S. tennis.—STEPHEN TIGNOR

10 DEGREESPROOF THAT THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

1 Juan Martin del Potroreceived encouragement

from Argentine soccer legend and national team coach Diego Maradona at a Davis Cup practice for last September’s tie.

2Diego Maradonainterviewed Cuban

President Fidel Castro in 2005 on his TV talk show La Noche del Diez.

3Fidel Castro invited former U.S. President Jimmy

Carter to throw the first pitch at a baseball game in Cuba in 2002.

4 Jimmy Carter played the harmonica during “Georgia

on My Mind” at a Willie Nelsonconcert in 2008.

5Willie Nelson took on the role of Uncle Jesse, while

singer Jessica Simpson played Daisy Duke in the 2005 movie The Dukes of Hazzard.

6 Jessica Simpson and her boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys

quarterback Tony Romo, were impersonated at the 2008 ESPY awards by Justin Timberlake.

—SARAH THURMOND

7Justin Timberlake chatted with Los Angeles Galaxy

midfielder David Beckham at Game 4 of the 2008 NBA finals.

8David Beckham ate waffles and wings with

Snoop Dogg on a December 2007 episode of the E! network’s reality show Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood.

9Snoop Dogg played Huggy Bear opposite Owen

Wilson’s Hutch in the 2004 movie Starsky & Hutch.

10Owen Wilson was at the Sony Ericsson

Open in April and watched Andy Murray beat Juan Martin del Potro.

Williams WannabeA VENUS WILLIAMS DRESS INSPIRED THIS 14-YEAR-OLD RISING STAR

Name:MADISON KEYSAge:14From:ROCK ISLAND, ILHeight:5-FOOT-10 1/2

ERICANS VENUS AND Serena Williams have inspired a eration of girls to bash bigger and shriek louder, but thet accomplished of their imitators have come from Eastern pe and Russia.ow the U.S. may have a Williams baby of its own.linois native Madison Keys, 14, first picked up

cquet after watching Venus at Wimbledon. asn’t her play that caught the eye of thethear-old Keys. It was her dress; Keysys wantentedd just like it. Her dad said she coulldd haavevee o ononee, only if she started to play tennisis.en years and one family move tto tthheeet Academy in Boca Raton, Fla.., l, aatteeerr,

s appears poised to follow VenVenusus s o the game’s biggest staaggesess.ampion in the girls’ 12-aandd-d--ers at prestigious junioor nts like the Orange BBoowwllthe Eddie Herr, the 55--10 1/2 net-rusherher first WTA tour r

ch in April,ting Ng Noo. 80 80

Alla Kudryavtseva at a tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach“Madison is special,” says her coach, John Evert. “I w

[Capriati] and Mary Joe [Fernandez]. They each had going to stop them. Maddy has the same intangible

“I love tennis like I always have,” Keys says. Shepractice sessions a day on the courts at Evert, she

training, classes at school, homework (math is her fmuch quality time with her family as she can. Keys’ parewho played college basketball, live in Boca Raton with MHunter, Montana and Sydney.

The basketball gene may help explain Keys’ precociouand aggressive and always wants to move forward,” Eve

her in sometimes. She’s an outgoing kid, and that tr“I always want to come to the ne

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lifetime record against Agassi. They’ll face each other in an exhibition in Macau on Oct. 25. ››› 260: Number of players ranked in the USTA’s Top 300 juniors who went to college on tennis scholarships in 2008. ‹‹‹


YOUR KEYS TO THE OPENHERE ARE THREE PLAYERS’ RACQUETS THAT WILL START YOU ON YOUR WAY TO ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM. BY BILL GRAY

PRINCE EXO3 IGNITE TEAM 95: HAVE IT YOUR WAYKey specs: It’s 11 ounces and 27 inches long, with a 95-square-inch head and even balance. $200, princetennis.comIt can grow with you from the Open juniors to the main draw: The regular midsize Ignite is a fine tournament racquet, but we like this “Team” version. It’s more than an ounce lighter and is evenly balanced, giving you the option of starting out with it as it comes—say when you’re in the U.S. Open juniors—then loading it up with lead tape to customize the weight and balance the next year when you’re playing in the main draw. Another great feature of this Prince is that it has interchangeable grommet inserts. The racquet comes with large grommet holes called “string ports” that liven up the stringbed a little like a trampoline, though the power is still controllable. You can change those up with strips of small grommets for a crisp, traditional feel and more control. We prefer the ports because they help generate more gas on groundies.

HEAD YOUTEK RADICAL OS: YOUTEK, YOU ROCK Key specs: It’s 11.2 ounces and 27 inches long, with a 107-square-inch head and head-light balance. $210, head.comIt’s an all-courter’s pass to Flushing: The YouTek Radical is the most versatile oversize stick for serious players on the market. It helps deliver more controllable power and maneu-verability than even the superfine Radical OS versions of old. And if you think big-faced racquets are only for baseline bashers and backcourt counter-punchers, this is an all-courter that provides the quick-on-the-draw and slice-and-dice qualities of a midsize at net. The key to its enhanced power and control is Head’s new d3o technology—a soft, “smart” material, Head says, in the frame’s shaft. At the moment of contact, it’s supposed to stiffen the frame when you need more power on fast strokes, or deliver extra feel on slower touch shots, like drop volleys.

YONEX RDIS 100: FIT FOR THE FITTEST Key specs: It’s 12.1 ounces and 27 inches long, with a 93-square-inch head and head-light balance. $220, yonex.comOnly the fit can go five sets at Flushing with the RDiS 100: This is an elite players’ frame that will work best for those who spend as much time in the gym as they do on the court. The RDiS 100 is a lethal weapon for serious players who have long, fast strokes and can generate their own power. For out of shape gate-crashers, the hefty RDiS 100 can make you feel weak in the knees by the second set (for a more forgiving option, there’s a 98-square-inch model). This stick will reward the highly skilled and fully buffed player with butcher-like slice, pinpoint control and stability that doesn’t budge on mishits.

GEAR

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SCHOOL SUPPLIES THIS FALL, RETURN TO YOUR READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC IN STYLE. BY SARAH UNKE

1. CASE LOGIC ARTIST SERIES MESSENGER BAG Do you like to doodle? Consider this messenger bag your blank canvas, and the Sharpie that comes with it your paintbrush. But the bag’s also practical, with plenty of compartments for books, notebooks and your laptop. $45, caselogic.com

2. DAKINE EXPLORER PACK This skateboarder’s backpack works for tennis players, too. The straps on the front are meant for a board, but you can easily slide in a tennis racquet. It also has an internal padded laptop sleeve, an organizer pocket to hold things like your cellphone and pens, and tons of space for your books. $55, dakine.com

3. POST-IT FLAG HIGHLIGHTERIf you’re deep in research for a term paper or studying for a final exam, this highlighter with built-in page flags will be your best friend. $8 for three, shop3m.com

4. TI-NSPIRE CALCULATOR The latest from Texas Instruments, this colossal calculator has you covered for all things math. It’ll get you through algebra, geometry, statistics and calculus. You can even save documents and transfer them to your computer. $140, ti-nspire.com

5. SIDEKICK LX Stay on top of your busy schedule and keep up with your friends with this pda. You can enter assignment due dates, social events and, of course, your tennis matches in the calendar. $250, sidekick.com

6. MEAD RECYCLED NOTEBOOKTake notes the environmentally responsible way in this one-subject notebook made from 100 percent post-consumer fibers, including 30 percent post-consumer waste. It has a storage pocket in the front and comes in six colors. Keep the green going and recycle it when you’re done. $6, mead.com

7. FIVE STAR DOTS EXPANDING FILE This expandable file has six pockets to keep you organized for all your classes. It’s great for handouts, and you can turn it over for a hard surface to write on the go. It comes in six design and color combinations. $6, mead.com

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARISSA KAISER

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VERY TENNIS PLAYER is sub-jected to a relentless critique. Fitness, physique, form, tough-ness, hand-eye coordination and a dozen other aspects of their games and personalities are me-ticulously picked over by coach-es, opponents, commentators and fans. But there’s one uni-versal ingredient to the athletic mix that’s typically overlooked in

these assessments, and it may be the most crucial factor of all: motivation.

Motivation is difficult to measure. It’s embedded too deeply in a player’s makeup to be revealed as she

hits a backhand or serves an ace. It’s there nonethe-less, and you can find it right at the top of the WTA tour rankings. Serena Williams is the best women’s player of her era, but she began as tennis’ most famous kid sister. Would she be where she is if she hadn’t had her older sister Venus to motivate her, to give her some-one to look up to, to emulate, to vanquish?

For much of 2009, another little sister, Dinara Safi-na, has been at the top of the rankings. Like Williams, she’s the younger sibling of a famous major-title-win-ning tennis player, her brother, Marat. Considering that the two of them never face each other on the court, the way the Williamses have nearly 20 times, you would think this fact hasn’t played as big a role in Safina’s ca-reer as it has in Serena’s. You would be wrong.

“Having an older brother in tennis was good and bad,” the 23-year-old Safina says. “It helped me at first, but then I always wanted to be better, so I put more pressure on myself.”

For years that self-imposed pressure worked against Safina. Despite her strength and range and the heavy shots she could produce from the baseline at a young age, her self-lacerating temper and mid-match emotional swings mired her in tennis’ second tier. While other Russians of her generation, such as Svetlana Kuznetsova and Maria Sharapova, won Grand Slam titles, Safina’s ranking hovered in the 40s. It wasn’t until 2008, at the relatively advanced age of 22, that she cracked the year-end Top 10.

“When I was ranked No. 30 or No. 40, I would say, ‘I am better than this,’” Safina says in high-pitched mock anger, her eyes narrowing to a squint. She starts to raise her right arm to punctuate the last four words, but puts it down quietly before it gets above her shoulder. The baffled disappointment of those days remains in her psyche, but even the ter-minally tough-on-herself Safina knows that she has risen above them.

The turnaround didn’t happen gradually; it was as sudden as it was unexpected. After going 11-10 through the early part of 2008, Safina caught fire in Berlin in April, beating world No. 1 Justine Henin, Ser-ena Williams and Elena Dementieva on her way to the title. What seemed like a one-week aberration quick-ly turned into a permanent boost in Safina’s status. She reached her first major final a few weeks later at the French Open. She went on to win the U.S. Open Se-ries in the summer, take home the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics, and reach the final of the Australian Open to start 2009. Despite losing badly to Williams in Melbourne, she ascended to No. 1 in the spring.

Safina says that the biggest key to her surprising midcareer surge was getting in better shape. This gave her a new foundation of confidence as matches progressed. Leaner and lighter, she could finally ex-ploit all of her 5-foot-11 1/2 frame. The hard labor only continued this past March in Indian Wells, where Safi-na was a practice-court fixture even on the hottest days in the desert. Often she was hitting balls a few courts away from her brother. The contrast couldn’t have been starker.

Safin has spent the last few years doing little more than play out the string on a misspent career, yet his practice court was ringed with fans four rows deep. Safina, the No. 1 player in the world, played in relative peace. Not that she seemed to care. While her brother effortlessly slugged backhands for half an hour—he rarely bothered to bend his knees but almost never missed a ball—Safina methodically smacked serve af-ter serve, grunting loudly and taking the time to work out the many kinks in her complicated and slightly disjointed delivery.

Unlike Safin, who owns one of the least cluttered serves in the game, nothing comes easily or perfectly for Safina. In Indian Wells, her coach, Zeljko Krajan, schooled her persistently. He’s a famous perfection-ist—“If one day he’s going to be happy [with the way I played],” Safina said with a smile at the French Open this spring, “I think I’ll finish my career. He’s never happy.” In the desert, he zeroed in on the most rudi-mentary elements of the serve—keep your head up and your tossing arm high—but Safina couldn’t always execute them. Even at 23, and at No. 1 in the world, she remains a work in progress.

It isn’t for lack of effort. At the end of each prac-tice session, when she was soaked with sweat, Kra-jan let Safina have a little violent fun, taking short balls on her forehand side. “Taking,” in this case, is a serious understatement. Safina’s dozens of little

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steps weren’t meant just to get her into position. She looked like she was revving herself up to run the ball over.

Safina was asked in Indian Wells what she had learned from her brother. She answered, with her usual wry thin smile, “Just not to do like he’s doing. Do completely the opposite from him.” She was jok-ing, of course, but to see the two siblings’ approach-es to their games side by side—one casual, the other anything but—was to realize again how Safina has retained her original motivation through the years. As it was for Serena Williams, being a good tennis player in Safina’s mind wasn’t just about excelling at a sport.

“It made me want to be recognized as my own per-son,” Safina says of having a world No. 1 player for an older brother. “And now I’m there.” Becoming her own person meant not just fulfilling her potential; it also meant matching her brother’s accomplishments.

If there’s a downside to Safina’s ambition, it’s that it may have made her a little too intense. At the French Open this spring, she finally appeared ready to put the Grand Slam jinx behind her. Inspired by Wil-liams’ comment three weeks earlier in Rome about how she wasn’t the “real” No. 1, Safina came to Paris

playing the most confident tennis of her career. She carried herself with a champion’s poise through the tournament, dropping just one set before the final. There, facing Kuznetsova, a player she had beaten in five of their last six matches, Safina came out blazing from the first point, her pupils focused into tiny bullets. But when Kuznetsova refused to go away and began to take control of rallies, Safina was knocked on her heels. She had no answers. The tears came, as they had against Williams in the Australian Open final. In the end, she was left with only a de-spairing question for Krajan in the stands: “Why am I such a chicken?”

The old questions about Safina lingered. Could she handle the big stage? Or was she just not talented enough to win a Grand Slam? The answers will come eventually. For now, she still has at least one score to settle, one that should keep her working overtime until she does.

Safina has walked out of her brother’s towering shadow. She has matched his No. 1 ranking and be-come her own person in her eyes. But she has never matched his status as a two-time Grand Slam titlist. If the past is any guide, she won’t need any more mo-tivation than that.

Safina, Not Safinette: While her brother has been accused of not taking the game

seriously enough—he once famously packed his player’s box with blond beauties called

“Safinettes”—Safina is one of the hardest-working players in the game.

“HAVING AN OLDER BROTHER IN TENNIS WAS GOOD AND BAD,”

SAFINA SAYS. “IT HELPED ME AT FIRST, BUT THEN

I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE BETTER, SO I PUT PRESSURE

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ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT MOVING UP AN AGE BRACKET? HERE’S HOW

TO MAKE THE TRANSITION AS SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.

BY JOEL DRUCKER ILLUSTRATION BY DEVIN CLARK

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THE 14THE 14ss: : GROW YOUR GAME GROW YOUR GAME “Prior to age 14, it’s about keeping the ball in play,” says Lynne Rolley, who coached Lindsay Davenport and is director of tennis at the Berkeley Tennis Club in California. “But from this point on, you start to shape a playing style, how you end points, how to stay consistent, how to enhance your game.” In other words, you start to become multidimensional.

As you seek to diversify your game, your understanding of tennis strategy should improve as well. No longer is tennis simply a sport of attrition. Through your mid-teens, you need to start honing your ability to detect your opponent’s weaknesses and put yourself in position to use your increasing array of strengths.

For boys and girls, the serve becomes more important as you progress through the 14s, so it’s critical to add spin, pace and direction to your first serve and to make your second delivery as reliable as possible. According to Chris Lewis, a former Wimbledon finalist and director of the junior program at the Woodbridge Tennis Club in Irvine, Calif., “By the 16s you want to build a second serve that neutralizes the opponent’s return.”

BOYS: ADD NEW SHOTS “Before you get to be 14 or 15 you can still win 80 percent of the time with the wrong things—moonballs, bad mechanics, hitting the ball short,” says Brad Stine, former coach of world No. 1 Jim Courier. “But as you get older, you want to start putting time into learning sound transition shots, volleys and overheads.”

Here’s a useful drill that will help you sharpen your net skills: Use just half the court and hit back and forth, with one person standing at the net and the other at the baseline. The baseliner should

mix in three-quarter–pace passing shots and lobs, constantly stretching the net player.

GIRLS: IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS From a physical standpoint, girls mature sooner than boys, and by 14 they may be as tall as they’re going to be. That doesn’t mean they can’t get stronger and faster. At this age, increasing your speed and agility and improving your understanding of the court is important because the girls’ game is often one of athletic baseline rallies. “You can always make yourself a better athlete,” says Gil Reyes, Andre Agassi’s long-standing trainer who now works with Fernando Verdasco and Caroline Wozniacki.

The 14s is a good time to start a conditioning program like interval training or running to build aerobic fitness. Increased aerobic capacity will help you get to the ball faster and hit it harder and more consistently over longer periods of time. A good way to practice this is to play three baseline rally games up to 25 points. Being forced to concentrate and keep your footwork up for that many points will enhance your physical and mental fitness.

THE 16THE 16ss AND AND 1818ss: : CONSOLIDATCONSOLIDATE,E, BUT BUT DON’T BE COMPLACENT DON’T BE COMPLACENT Just like your schoolwork in high school, these are the years when the stakes get higher. “Ask yourself just how good you want to be,” says Nick Bollettieri, who has worked with 10 players who have reached No. 1 in the world. “Do you want to play college tennis? If you’re good enough to play college tennis, do you want to earn a letter or eventually be No. 1 on your team? Whatever demands you make of

yourself in your high school years will make a big difference.”

BOYS: STAY COOL Emotions begin to play a major factor in the 16s. “Suddenly tennis isn’t just a game you play for fun, but serious business,” Stine says. “As other parts of your life become important, like school and your social life, you’ve got to work hard on your mental game. Tanking is way more prevalent in the 16s than any other age group.” When you begin to self-destruct, it’s important to remind yourself why you’re playing tennis. “Outcome-based rewards like a scholarship are all well and good, but what matters most is that you play because you like it,” says Luke Jensen, a former pro and the women’s tennis coach at Syracuse University. “Tennis should always be fun, whether you’re winning or losing.”

Besides trying to become mentally tough, you may be growing like a weed at this stage of your development. So you should try to beef up physically. Think about working with a trainer to add strength exercises, stretches and other workout activities that will boost your power and stamina. “The game starts to get faster now,” says Craig Boynton, academy director at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla.

GIRLS: GO FOR THE LINES For many girls later in their teens, scholarship opportunities make it tempting to become complacent. “There’s a good chance by now you’ve learned to be pretty consistent,” says Jeff Tarango, a former Top 10 pro who coaches in Manhattan Beach, Calif. That’s generally enough to earn victories at the junior level and impress college coaches, but there are plenty of consistent young women out there. “You have the opportunity to break the mold,” Tarango says. “Now is a good time to start hitting more for the lines, to make your strengths even stronger.”

Try this drill to help you develop a more aggressive mind-set: Play a game to 21 and award two points for any outright winners. Adding explosiveness to your game now will pay dividends later.

very two years, you have to make the jump to a new and tougher age bracket. Just when you get comfortable at one level and master what it takes to succeed, you’re forced to face bigger and more experienced kids at the next level.

How can you hit the court running? It varies tremendously depending on your age and gender. Girls tend to mature physically at an earlier age, and as they build their games they need to work on things like consistency and increasing their power. The physical maturity curve for boys is longer, so developing the most effective playing style requires more patience.

But no matter what your age or gender, steady improvement is the goal. You’re not going to suddenly become a different player at 16 than you were at 15, but the jump to a new age group will force you to dig a little deeper and not rest on your accomplishments.

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EEESHOULD YOU PLAY UP?“Playing up”—competing in a higher age group, against older and stronger opponents—rarely helps you become a better player. “You should only play up when you’re dominating your age group,” says Craig Boynton, academy director at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla. “Otherwise, what you’re doing is avoiding the pressure that comes from having to compete against your peers and the people you’re expected to beat.”

Most coaches say players should compete at a level where they win 65 to 70 percent of their matches. “It’s good to practice winning,” says Lynne Rolley, director of tennis at the Berkeley Tennis Club in California. “It builds skill and confidence to work your way through one match after another.”

Still, if you’re getting lots of experience at your own level, it might be worth entering a tournament at a higher age group to get an idea of what shots you need to improve. But again, real improvement comes from consistently beating players of similar, and even lesser, skill levels.

STARTING LATE? NO WORRIESNo matter what your age, you’re going to encounter people who began playing before you did. Don’t let that bother you. “You’re only really competing against yourself, and your own idea of how to get better,” says former pro Luke Jensen, the women’s coach at Syracuse University. “You’ll lose matches, but what matters most is how you invest in your own game.”

So even if you’re 16 and just starting to play, work hard at your tennis and you’ll improve. “Keep in mind that if you start later you’ll need to really put in more time on your technique,” says Brad Stine, former coach of world No. 1 Jim Courier. “But you can make a lot of progress very quickly. And you’ll be approaching the game with a fresh attitude. That’s very different from some players, who, by their late teens, might be feeling jaded or tired of tennis.”


Great Opportunity for aCareer in Tennis

Take advantage of a great, low cost program, PTR on Campus. Now is a wonderful time toconsider a career in teaching tennis. PTR on Campus makes certification affordable to fulltime students. Through the education provided by PTR on Campus, students can teach tennisto earn extra money, save for the future or start a career in the exciting field of tennis.

For more information regarding specific locations and dates, student discounts, or to host aPTR on Campus Workshop, contact PTR at 800-421-6289 or email [email protected]

www.ptrtennis.orgCall Today! 800-421-6289

The largest global organization of tennis teachers and coaches

PTR_FPSMwin08 10/17/08 8:24 AM Page 1

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Photographs by Alex Hoerner Styled by Jessica de Ruiter

Fall fashion from the Vermont Canyon courts in Los Angeles

Joe: A.P.C. blue collared wool sweater, $280, available at A.P.C. New York, www.apc.fr; Fred Perry

Heritage shorts, $75, fredperry.com; Y-3 Honja Classic shoes, $240,

Y-3store.com; Wilson [K] Tour Team FX racquet, $220, wilson.com.

Natalie: Adidas Originals P Tank dress, $30, adidas.com/originals;

Superga Torino sneakers, $65, superga-usa.com.

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Vivian: Y-3 Mohair minidress,

$420, and Glaze hooded vest, $370;

Superga Torino sneakers, $65,

superga-usa.com. Ben: Adidas

Originals Premium sweater, $75,

adidas.com/originals.

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Vivian: Y-3 blue knit polo, $300, Y-3store.com; Adidas by Stella McCartney Tennis Performance skirt, $100, shopadidas.com; Y-3 Kimpu sneakers, $250. Ben: A.P.C. Bordeaux nylon zip-up jacket, $200, www.apc.fr; Trovata Geneva classic crew sweater, $175, available at Barneys New York or Odin New York; Lacoste diamante drawstring shorts, $85, lacoste.com; DSQUARED2 Classic Speed Sneakers 2, $515, zappos.com; Wilson [K] Tour Team FX racquet, $220, wilson.com. L.L. Bean Boat and Tote open-top bag, $30, llbean.com.

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Vivian: Adidas Originals girls graphic T-shirt, $30, adidas.com/originals; VPL Hemisphere shorts, $150, available at Barneys New York. Natalie: A.P.C. Striped short-sleeve T-shirt,

$140, www.apc.fr; Ralph Lauren Sarabel pleated skirt, $85, ralphlauren.com; Adidas Originals wristband, $11 for one

headband and two wristbands, shopadidas.com. Ben: Trovata Vichy Vanilla chunky cable knit sweater, $345, available at Barneys New York; Polo Ralph Lauren polo shirt, $85; Nike

Classic Athlete woven shorts, $50, nike.com. Joe: Adidas Originals knit V-neck sweater, $100; A.P.C. Chalk Cotton New

Standard pants, $200; Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses, $140, sunglasshut.com. All in Superga Torino sneakers,

$65, superga-usa.com.}

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MIX IT UPHITTING THE SAME SHOT OVER AND OVER WON’T CUT IT IN TODAY’S GAME. BY KEN DEHARTMAYBE YOU’VE NOTICED that the slice backhand, that old-fashioned shot, has made a comeback in men’s tennis. Roger Federer has used it for years, Rafael Nadal recently mastered it, and Andy Murray often approaches the net with it. Even Andy Roddick, he of the monster serve, isn’t afraid to use his slice.

The slice is one part of a larger trend in the men’s game: the return to variety. Players are using more spins these days, changing the speed and height of the ball, and hitting soft, sharp angles, rather than relying entirely on power. You can learn from this. If you’re the type of player who hits topspin all the time or tries to bash every ball, you need to change your ways.

With different spins and shots, you’ll find that you have a lot more weapons, especially against one-dimensional players. Say you’re playing someone who hates to volley: Don’t be shy about bringing your opponent forward with a drop shot. Or maybe you’ll come across an opponent who moves well forward and backward, but not so well from side to side. That’s when short angled slices can work wonders.

There are also other benefits to varying your shot selection. You will learn to adjust between different grips with ease. And you’ll have more confidence against opponents with styles you haven’t come across before, since you’ll be able to attack in different ways. I think varying your strokes can also help prevent overuse injuries, since you’ll use different muscles to hit different shots.

LEARN SOME NEW TRICKSStill not convinced? Try these drills to improve your variety and see if you don’t feel more confident the next time you play a match.

SHORT TENNIS To get yourself ready to hit something other than heavy topspin, warm up inside the service boxes. You and your partner will have to chip and slice the ball to control it from this short distance. You’ll develop more feel for the ball and loosen up your grip, too.

OVER UNDER Rally with a partner from the baseline, one of you hitting with slice and the other with topspin. After your rally reaches three shots, play out the point. Play to 21, winning by 2. Award two points for an under-spin winner.

EVERY OTHER This is another rally game, but this time you and your partner should each alternate between topspin and slice every other shot. Play to 21, winning by 2, and again, award two points for a slice winner.

HIT YOUR BOXES This game will help you learn to hit the ball at different angles and depths. Play from the baseline, with your partner at the opposite baseline. Imagine that the center service line in your partner’s court is extended to the baseline’s hash mark, dividing the opposite court into four boxes. The deuce service box is 1, the box behind it (from the service line to the baseline) is 2, the one to the right (baseline ad court) is 3, and the ad service box is 4. When your partner hits the ball, he or she should call out a number. Hit your next shot into the corresponding box. Try to use different shots—drives, loopy topspin, low slices—throughout this drill so you can hit every shot in your arsenal to every position on the court.

FIRST, SECOND, THIRD It takes time to learn to hit the ball at different speeds. To teach yourself to hit slow, medium-pace and hard shots, think of your strokes in terms of three gears: First gear is high, with loopy topspin, drop shots and low angled slices. Second gear is your rally mode, which should consist mostly of topspin shots, but also hard slices. Third gear means fast, powerful shots where you hit the ball as hard as you can while keeping it in the court. Rally with a partner and have your partner call out first, second or third as the ball comes to you. Hit the shot back at that pace. The more you try to change speeds in the middle of a rally, the better you’ll be able to do it in a match.

Ken DeHart, a USPTA and PTR Master Professional, is director of the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club in California.

ILLUSTRATION BY KYLE T. WEBSTER

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30 SMASH

FROM

LEF

T: D

AVID

KEN

AS; J

ONAT

HAN

FIC

KIE

S/GE

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IMAG

ES

After winning two USTA Pro Circuit singles titles in 2008, why did you opt to play college tennis? I wanted to play on a team, and I knew I wanted to experience college at the age a typical person experiences it. There’s life after tennis. Go to school for a couple of years, play pros, see if you can make it. If you can, great, if not, you can go back and finish school. It’s having a Plan B for life.

When you started at Duke in January, did you envision that in five months you would win both the NCAA team and individual titles? Personally, that was my goal, and once I got to know the girls on the team, I had all the confidence in the world that we could win it. As far as the individual, when we won the team, I was already exhausted, but winning that helped me because I went out there with no pressure. It was just kind of icing on the cake.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I love to read. Most people don’t expect that. I know this is going to sound silly, but I actually love the Twilight series. I’m a sucker for that kind of stuff.

What professional player do you most admire? The person that comes to mind is Jelena Jankovic. I wouldn’t say I idolize her, but I see my life as similar to hers. She struggled with recognition for a while, maybe people didn’t have that much belief in her. I love how she plays, she gets to a lot of balls, and one of my strengths is my move-ment. And I love how she engages

the crowd, her smile.

Will you return for another year, or will you turn pro? We’re going to see how the summer goes, but I’ve set everything up as if I’m coming back. I’ve got my classes, my roommate. I’m really enjoying college tennis, so why not look at another year?

With only one semester of experience in college tennis and a national college ranking of No. 30 coming into the NCAA tournament, did you expect this? I didn’t. It’s huge for me, and my confidence. It was an unbelievable tournament. I couldn’t be much happier with it.

What have you improved in your game since you’ve been in college? We’ve been doing a lot of work in the gym, trying to get more fit. Also my head on the court, trying to stay stable, playing each point, not giving away free points out of frustration. On court, we’ve been working on my serve, my volleys, and I’ve been working a bunch on my returns. That’s been huge, not only for my returns, but for my ground strokes.

What professional athlete inspires you? LeBron James. The guy’s just a champion. I watched him make

that last-second shot [against the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Eastern Conference finals] and I just knew I would have a good match the next day. I was so pumped. Every time I watch him play, there’s always something amazing happening.

You are the first American-born male to win the NCAA title since 2000. Are you hoping the USTA will give you a U.S. Open main-draw wild card? I don’t know, that’s up to the USTA I guess. I know that people have gotten them in the past, but it hasn’t been

official. Hopefully I will. That would be awesome.

Are you planning on returning to Ole Miss in the fall? I am. I still have a lot to work on, I still need to get bigger and stronger. I’ll try to build up some [ATP] points, and if it goes well in college next year, who knows after that.

FACTS, STATS AND CHAT ON THE COLLEGE AND JUNIOR GAMES

FRESH FACESFOR THE FIRST TIME, TWO FRESHMEN TOOK HOME THE NCAA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TITLES IN THE SAME YEAR. CHAMPIONS DEVIN BRITTON AND MALLORY CECIL TALK ABOUT THEIR VICTORIES. INTERVIEWS BY COLETTE LEWIS

MALLORY CECIL WOMEN’S CHAMPIONDEVIN BRITTON MEN’S CHAMPION

HOMETOWN:SPARTANBURG, S.C.AGE:19SCHOOL:DUKE UNIVERSITYMAJOR:UNDECIDEDHEIGHT:5-FOOT-5PLAYS:RIGHT-HANDEDSEASON RECORD:32-4

HOMETOWN:BRANDON, MISS.AGE:18SCHOOL::UNIVERSITY OFMISSISSIPPIMAJOR:UNDECIDEDHEIGHT:6-FOOT-3PLAYS:RIGHT-HANDEDSEASON RECORD:29-9

0309_DEP_411_rel.indd 300309_DEP_411_rel.indd 30 6/24/09 6:56 AM6/24/09 6:56 AM

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32 SMASH

0309_DEP_finalcall_rel.indd 320309_DEP_finalcall_rel.indd 32 6/19/09 8:04 AM6/19/09 8:04 AM

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SMASH - Fall 2099

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