Nadal’s note book
Barcelona Tennis was the only event that we saw televised globally from April 23-30. Even with a US$ 2.7-million prize money, Barcelona was not a star-studded event. To be prominent in the European spring and summer sporting season, events will have to be exceptional.
Low weighted congregation
For the top ranked Men, in the last week in April, there were 5 locations where they could play, Barcelona-Spain, Munich-Germany, Istanbul-Turkey, Budapest- Hungary and Estoril- Portugal. There are a few compulsory events for the players ranked in the top 100. None of the aforementioned 5 were in that category. Added to this, the Women played at 2 locations, Istanbul and Stuttgart in Germany.
With a low weighted congregation, the quality of Tennis witnessed was not very good. From Europe, everyone expects very good Tennis. Unless good players are pitted against each other, quality Tennis does not ensue. Europe will host over 50 events for Women and Men in the next few months, and all will face this issue of lean numbers of top ranked players their draw.
Fight for
the right slot
Mega cities consider hosting a Tennis event with prize money over US$ 5 million is a necessary status symbol for prestige. Sponsors of these events also want big names, as it gives value for their sponsorship efforts. Getting good players into events is a challenge that is ever increasing for event organisers.
WTA for Women and ATP for Men are the bodies that decide the rating of the event and the compulsion they could place on players to participate. Cities which get the rights for events must get the time, facilities, prize money and the WTA, ATP importance in ranking, to have a great event.
Events and branding
Untold and unaware, but we have sufficient room to think appearance money for players could also play a part in having a good star-studded event. No one can be certain this is happening.
In Barcelona, the US$ 2.7-million event had 64 entries drawing byes in the 1st Round. One cannot help but look for an explanation. The event had more than one bye in the 1st Round, meaning a player goes into the 2nd Round without playing a match. Every event has a world ranking cutoff mark and anyone below that cannot be taken in, even if the draw is not full. These being professional events, the 2 controlling bodies have stipulated conditions. To say it in modern commercial jargon, they are trying to maintain the high-end image of their ‘branding’. This is to be expected.
Media Challenge
In the manner ‘TV’ affected the ‘Print media’ in early days of its appearance in the 70s and 80s, ‘internet’ is having effects on TV. Eventually print media found a slot and survived, so will the TV. The convenience internet is very appealing to individual need.
The event organisers not only cater to the spectators’ need inside their stadium complex,. but also the global audience through the media. European arena of spring, summer events has been their testing, training and new path finding time, to reach large audiences. Good publicity means good sponsorship.
For the Tennis enthusiast, certain mediums within the internet could show a good and interesting portion of a match for over 12 minutes at request, which the TV cannot match. Again, the onus is on the event organisers to cater to these newly developed media needs. What more, in the media, they will have to keep the aura of the event alive round the year.
Another Nadal’s milestone
After winning the Barcelona event, Nadal’s record book noted another achievement. When he beat the young 19-year-old Greek Tsitsipas in straight Sets, in the finals last Sunday, they were the 45th and the 46th unbeaten winning streak. Nadal’s ability to adjust his strong baseline game consisting ground-strokes and sporadic successful volleys, is very effective. Though difficult to say, he looks slimmer and his court speed is in full steam.
Nadal’s comfort zone was shaken only by very few during his career. Players such as Federer, Djokovic and a few others stretched or beat him. In the Barcelona finals, his groundstrokes reached tremendous speed with consistency, to engage the opponent. Most of his opponents had to concentrate on withstanding his engagement and barely had time to formulate an attack against him.
In the modern history of the game, no other player has sustained power play on sand and dominated so effectively as Nadal. This is entirely due to the strong physique he has developed. One could say with some certainty, there has been no other player like him in the game on sand court. His tactics are an open book, but cannot be copied unless the player is built like him. The game he plays is based on the powerful multifaceted physical capabilities of Rafael Nadal.
Successful cross training
One avenue to think on Nadal’s development is that his coach and uncle Toni was a famous Football coach, and may have used footballer’s physical development methods to achieve what Nadal posses now. Cross training, which implies using another sport to develop, is a known formula in many disciplines of sport.
-George Paldano, Former int. player; Accredited Coach of German Federation; National coach Sri Lanka & Brunei, Davis-Cup, Federation Cup captain/coach– contact 94 77 544 8880 geodano2015@gmail.com –