A decisive, tactical, enduring first week
Worldwide in clubs, local events and even at national level tactical engagement in tennis is far lower than that of a professional event. The Australian Open of 2022, a professional event, showed highest level of tactical tennis display. Even with global health precautions, the number of top ranked players appearing in Australia was an encouraging omen. Arguably, this year for such events methodology of Australian Open is a good lead.
When the curtain went up in Melbourne for the Australian Championships, the tennis world saw 30 shot rallies, 220 kmph services, matching effortless service returns, moving and positioning to cover court for four hours relentlessly. Winners off the racquet kept appearing to please the most ardent critics of tennis. Tennis magic and its limits for spectators has changed to be very appealing. In doubles, there were shots and moves that not before appeared. These are the new world tennis standards.
Resurfacing of Madison Keys
In the past two years, we saw a teenage parade of winners in women’s tennis. Kenin, Osaka, Fernandez, Swiatek, Gauff, Andreescu and the last teenage big name Raducanu. They did not sustain the winning streak in Melbourne. Raducanu had blisters in her hand. Something that happens if player has not been on the court practising. For these youngsters to remain focused on the game is proving to be an issue. It is stressful physically and mentally. USA’s Gauff is playing more doubles. It is one way out of the stress situation of playing singles.
In the last few years, this well-known American faded away. At her best, she was seventh in world rankings. At 26 Madison Keys has resurfaced. As at Tuesday, January 25, she became the first semi-finalist of Australian Open of 2022. That too with an ease beating well known Kreijeckova. Keys was 51 in ranking prior to Australian Open.
Tennis-wise Keys has changed her game to be deadly and good enough to walk away with the Australian Open title. Her ability to hit winners from two metres behind base line surprised all her opponents. Mostly down the line and very flat with incredible power. Many of her opponents stood at the middle of the baseline surprised finding it difficult to believe.
Her services registered noticeable number of winners and the return did better than that. Keys ability first came to be noticed when she beat world No.7 Badosa of Spain. USA has delivered most amount of good women players into the Melbourne event. They have two semi-finalists.
Nadal survives
Not the Nadal we know, but good enough to be in the semi-finals. He had a long match against Shapovalov of Canada, in fact too long and could tell on his next match.
Nadal’s brand of tennis is still effective. His court coverage speed denies opponents their preferred targets. The 2000 plus revolution per minute topspin groundstroke make it very difficult for opponents to time their coordination for contact. He was very tired in the fifth set against Shapovalou. It was the mind over matter factor that saw him through the match into semi-finals. He proved yet again to be a great athlete.
Men’s field
Unlike the women’s field, in the past three years where we saw many teenagers appear and disappear, the ATP New-Gen players have hanged in and established themselves well. Their names that come to mind when I write this are Zverev, Sinner, Shapovalou, Aliassime and Berrettini. They reached the positions their seeding in the draw demanded. The semi-finals and finals of Australian Open will exhibit a level of tennis way above national level of tennis of any country. It is simply not possible for any country to develop this calibre and number of players. It has never happened.
The evolution of tennis skill level in global events is ever increasing, changing and subjected to innovations in the past three decades. They are in a higher plane and impossible to acquire through coaching. Players must face best of the world at practice and in competition to acquire them.
A country cannot provide these and that is the reason behind international players academy exists. Academies have good players for match play and coaches to tailor for the global competitions of today. The best of academies Europe are in France and Spain now. Where weather permits longer training spells than northern region. Argentine is developing as another in their region for this requirement. In Asia India for women and Thailand and Indonesia for men are the known nations.
AO men’s quarters
Who-is-who of men’s tennis is the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam. The elite eight are two Italians Sinner and Berrettini, Canadians Auger Aliassime and Shapovalov, lonely Spaniard Nadal, known Frenchman Monfils, a Greek Tsitsipas and the Russian Medvedev. All of them are known and shown consistency and class in the past year. They are from countries or continents with a cluster of good players. This observation is salient. Sports need global integration to train and to play. For the Australian Open, event entries came from over 50 countries.
Australian Open women’s quarter-final line up also show the same trend as the men. A training venue suited to our thinking could see a player from our soil in a Grand Slam. High performance window for development is an intense commitment and time wise short.
--George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; Accredited Coach of German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka; Davis Cup, Federation Cup; coached top 200 ATP,WTA and ITF Top 50. 0775448880–