Changing Tennis World of 2019
Naomi Osaka, the new sensation
The world of Tennis will see a great deal of change this year. Globally and locally, we will feel it for good many reasons. The lack of stimulants in the old system to propel the game to the benefit of the players and loss of excitement to the spectators are the causes for it. In the past few decades, the two professional bodies, for their survival, have changed many of the old formats. Representing the players, they have their own events calendar now. With players and events in their hands, they are taking the upper hand.
In the ’60s, when sportsmen and women became professionals, they did not control the game. Currently, their control dominates and money is flowing in their direction. They are able to offer events to cities, which the National bodies could not do. Using this opportunity, Australia is positioning itself to cash in on this change. Australia is targeting to keep the players in Australia from January to anything up to mid-February. They want to be the Asia-Oceania Tennis Hub.
Osaka’s Australian Open
Often, novices winning Grand Slam events are never able to repeat. Naomi Osaka proved to be different. She is the first novice to win back to back Grand Slam titles within five months. Along with that, she became the first Asian to become World No.1 in Tennis. Naomi, with her Haitian father and Japanese mother, lives in America’s home for Tennis, Florida. Considering the number of players who have made Florida their home, one has to assume that Florida has many of the necessary elements that makes Tennis players. Monte Carlo has been and is the home of many elite players but, when it comes to development, Florida is the best known turf.
Like all good players, there is nothing, Osaka cannot do. She hit winners with every stroke she has from anywhere on the court. Her service and returns reduce opponents’ tactical options to the minimum. Her court coverage is fast, along with excellent body balance, and shot selection is extremely tactical. At times, her consistency in maintaining a winning streak within a match wavers somewhat. In the finals of the Australian Open, against Petra Kvitova, Osaka could not wrap up the match, after having 3 championship points, but then, which player can practice Grand Slam championship points on a regular basis? However, she bounced back and got her 2nd Grand Slam title in 5months. China’s Li Na was on the podium to present Osaka her Trophy. Li Na won Grand Slam events but could not achieve the No.1 spot.
Djokovic’s 15th Grand Slam Title
One of the necessary aspects to win multiple Grand Slam events is the mental stamina. How this should be defined in sport is arguable. However, one can see this in a few good players. In the present lot of men, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin Del Potro, Kevin Anderson and Kei Nishikori have exhibited it. Djokovic lost it in 2017 and 2018, but seems to have regained it. This is the ‘Mojo’ that has given him the last 3 Grand-Slam titles- 2018 Wimbledon and US-Open and the 2019 Australian Open.
Djokovic would have lost to 15th seed Russian Daniil Medvedev in the pre-quarterfinals, if not for his mental stamina. The limited game of Medvedev got him to the quarterfinals at a tremendous loss of physical energy. Nobody will recover that many times within a week. We are all limited.
In the final, Nadal, recovering from surgery, played it safe and Djiokivic for his part, knows the shots Nadal cannot punish. I think, they are the low shots, dying close to the baseline. These restrict Nadal’s game. Djokovic used the slice to achieve this. Many used this in the Australian Open.
Formula to play Grand-Slam
Good matches were expected from Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep, Angelique Kerbar and Sloane Stephens in the Women. That it did not happen. It was the same with the Men. Alexander Zverev, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Theim, Grigor Dimitrov and Denis Shapolov did not come through the expected distance. Their issue was exhaustion and injuries.
Many Women and Men were on the brink of injuries from the round of 16. Many had to walk away unable to perform. Grand Slam events are taxing. Good depth of players with exceptional playing ability and endurance are burning the top 10 players in the early Rounds. To accommodate the issue, the Australian Open made the final set also to be a ‘tie break’. Even with this, Nishikori had a 5-hour match and retired against Djokovic in the quarterfinal.
The purpose of the 4 Grand-Slam events is to be weighted enough to give large amounts of prize money and ranking points. That is on one side. On the other, spectators watch the event, expecting good Tennis. It is failing in this aspect. The semifinals of the Men’s event was a disappointment to everyone. With more events coming into being, Grand-Slam events may not be as appealing as they used to be. ATP and WTA do have some high-end events. These may eventually over-ride the Grand Slam events.
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 -