Sinner vs Alcaraz showdown and New Era Tennis
View(s):Global tennis alive and its exhibition has reached heights in sporting entertainment. New Era Tennis obviously implies to the modernity in execution of strokes, match tactics, and resilience players exhibit enduring the rollercoaster ride to fame and gold. Tennis at the apex of the world ranking, regardless of gender, has phenomenal sporting appeal. What we witnessed in professional tennis until September 25 this year at the end of US Open final was New Era Tennis. Bound to stay with us for a good couple of decades.
Matured players containing opponent’s challenge with tactics, in sports is appealing. To employ this, players use their extensive experience. At present, Novak Djokovic would be the best example of it.
Any astute observer of the game would have pinpointed excessive use of centre-of-the-court length as targets, than the two flanks, in modern tennis. This contains opponent’s shot selection angles, a tactical necessity for conducting own effective tactics. It reduces opponent’s shot selection. As such, it will make conducting own tactics more effective.
Speed of modern tennis in both genders could be a factor for this development. The other is repetition strokes with risk-taking length. Short in area is suicidal. This has become elite players’ home grounds. Doing these reduce opponents’ shot section. In a way nothing new, everyone who assisted in player development would have insisted on this, don’t play short or play long were the old terminology. Addition of speed demands the same in a more refined manner.
Modern player development infuses the ability to use variable shots from anywhere of the court; was not so before. Not giving time to opponents has become the paramount tactics in tennis. This does not override placement but rewrites it. At a lower speed, especially of sand courts of ours in the island, placing a handkerchief and hitting it considered highly advanced training in the 1950s through to 1970s in Colombo and Kandy. [Most dominating barstool talk in clubs]
Super athletes
Top 20 of ATP and WTA today use speed more than half of their service in their groundstrokes. It would take the reader few moments to assimilate this. Giving opponents less time is tactically effective way to play winning tennis. Addition of speed to groundstrokes is a risk-taking factor. For safety, centre third court is the best when using speed.
Players’ box story – a hoax
Now comes the player’s box and their communication with the player on the court. As discussion of ‘interest’ this phrase is used by the occupants of player box in major events, ‘we told and the player did it’. Tennis is not a game that could be contained to this understanding.
True some of the coaches and others in the player’s box known exponents of the game. No statistics held here however, the guess is at its best the effectiveness of their comments and support influence less than one percent of the outcome. Player box often disturbs the opponent, could be the cause of favourable result. Close door discussions held, now permitted. Mostly because of its ineffectiveness.
I have travelled with players in Europe and Asia for decades. If one takes the cause of defeats and wins statistically, player box whisper will have be dismissed completely in the win/loss statistics.
Seated in the player’s box, coaches cannot sense the opponents at all. Better said, at the best 10 percent, not an effective number. If I am to list the number of items player’s box need to instruct player on the court, it would exceed 40. I can say firmly player box cannot influence outcome of any match.
New Era strokes
The breakdown of modern stroke-making is employing coordinated elbow flex with wrist flick. It produces immense power. However mastering the timing of it will be very challenging. Carlos Alcaraz has the best in this style and format. The Italians Jannik Sinner and four others, Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz, Auger Ali Assime in men.
In WTA, the list is long to my memory this has been with WTA players for a long time. William sisters, Maria Sharapova, Justin Henin and good few Russian players took to it. From the ranking at present, Iga Swiatk, Jessika Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, Coco Gauff, Jasmini Paolini and mighty Aryna Sabalenka seen with execution of strokes with elbow and wrist flick. Good amount of strength of the arms, along with refined ability to sight, timing and power makes this most refined of all known stroke making.
Year-end final of 2025
In the professional realm, year-end final will be the big event in ATP and WTA. Most Top 10 have established their slot firmly. Few changes still can happen with good number of events until end of October and November.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; Coach German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka; Davis Cup, Federation Cup coach, coached ATP, WTA and ITF ranked players in Europe and Asia; WhatsApp +94775448880–