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2022 12 20

Tennis Rivalries: Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray

It has been quite a while since we saw a clash between Murray and Djokovic, which has kept the tennis odds rather tame. We have seen some light action, but in comparison to the years past, it has been quite tame lately. Perhaps the rivalry is dead? Or maybe it got too hot?

These two tennis legends have had endless great battles over time, in some of the most ruthless tournaments worldwide. They played the finals of all 4 grand slams, and more finals, it’s just been a bit bare for a while, and we would probably be lying if we did that neither party missed the action that came from this rivalry.

Djokovic still leads the two, leading in the ATP Head-to-HEad rivalry at 25 to 11, including a 5 to 1 on clay!

So, since we have so much to wonder about with these two pros, and wonder if we will ever see action as they gave us before, let’s reminisce about the moments when the rivalry was hot!

How Things Looked A Decade Ago Between These Two Legends

Back in 2013, nearly ten years ago, we were all wondering if the back and forth between Murray and Djokovic would turn into a spicy rivalry.

That year Murry beat Djokovic at Wimbledon, and it sparked up a lot of joy for British tennis enthusiasts. Murray’s victory was often labeled as a mild upset since very few tennis experts could have predicted the brutal knockout that occurred.

One can only question if these showdowns around this time were something of a ‘subplot’ for the tennis world, working it up to becoming the next best rivalry in men’s tennis.

At this point, both Djokovic and Murry were 26 years old, at their peak game, but their paths only crossed at this point. They were Federer and Nadal, whipping boys, who already had an epic rivalry, and now they faced the challenge of stepping into the shoes of these legends.

Djokovic broke the ice first when he defeated Federer as he made his journey to taking the Australian Open in ‘08. Murray had to overcome a punchless forehand and some mental toughness.

In 2012, Murray saw a turning point and this is where things really, truly began. He needed to defeat both Federer and Djokovic to gain his prize and increase his confidence.

Slowly, this happened, and what has happened in the last 10 years has been the culmination of all this.

What Came To Pass

Since the match in 2013, much has happened, and each legend has had to fight many of their own battles But, the hopefulness of fans for a new epic rivalry did not go missed, for years passed, and these two surely battled it out.

2016 must’ve been the hottest and most eventful year for this rivalry, and now, we will look over the best moments and best matches between these two of all time.

Qatar ExxonMobil Open Final: 2017

At this point it has been a little while since the two had met in a big competition, but it didn’t take long for the spark to rekindle in 2017. Djokovic has survived a test from Murray and succeeded in sustaining his Doha title.

Djokovic has an intense attitude and very aggressive play on-court. He charged the next against Murray 25 times, winning 70% of the points in the nearly 3 hour final.

However, Murray has his own competitive talents, which shone especially bright when Djokovic tried to serve out the match in the 2nd.

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Final: 2016

Murry sealed the conclusion to his campaign in 2016, assuming the mantle of the end of the year as number one in ATP Rankings.

Murray dethroned Djokovic 6-3, and 6-4 in the intense final.

He came out on the top of the world of tennis when he won his 24th match in a row, and his 5th title consecutively, which undoubtedly planted him in the history books forever.

It was a special day for Murray, but a sad day for Djokovic

Roland Garros Final: 2016

In Paris 2016, Murray and Djokovic met for the 7th time in a Grand Slam final. It was only 1 shy of the record held between Nadal and Federer.

Djokovic also became the reigning champion at all four majors here as well.

Murray has survived 5-setters in his 2 opening rounds. He played the first strike and appeared to be in control and by Sunday Murray seemed to be holding up the record against Djokovic, however, he snatched a break for 2 to nothing in the second, and worked every corner eliminating any nerves.

Djokovic grabbed another speedy break for the 3rd and again in the 4th.

It was brutal.

Internazionali BNL d’Italia Final: 2016

8 days took away the potential to suffer a triple set defeat.

Murray wanted to get revenge on his rival, and Djokovic was suffering the after-effects of a long semi-final fight against Nishikori.

Murray ate away at Djokovic, he took on aggressive technique and frustrated him in slippery and wet conditions.

By the end Djokovic’s serve was much and Murray secured the victory.

Fot. GettyImage

2022 10 24

5 Greatest Men’s Tennis Players of All Time

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Tennis is a fast-paced, exciting sport that captures the attention of the world, with events typically culminating at the annual championships in Wimbledon, often seen as one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world.

The game has been played for centuries, and it’s no surprise that tennis players have become some of the best athletes on the planet. According to tennis odds and stats, the following list includes the five greatest male tennis players of all time.

Novak Djokovic – Serbia

Novak Djokovic is considered by many to be the greatest tennis player of all time, having amassed an incredible 90 titles during his career. This included a streak of 21 Grand Slam title wins, including taking the trophy at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Djokovic is also known for his rivalry with Rafael Nadal, which saw both players dominate the early part of the decade. Djokovic is currently ranked number seven in the world but has held the number one title for a total of 373 weeks.

Roger Federer – Switzerland

Roger Federer is widely regarded as the greatest player to ever play the game. He dominated his sport for many years, winning a total of 369 Grand Slam singles matches under his belt, and won two Grand Slams five consecutive years in a row between 2003 and 2007, as well as taking the US Open titles every year between 2004 and 2008. In total, Federer has spent 310 weeks as the world No 1 and remained a popular player right up until his eventual retirement in 2022 – the end of a truly impressive 24-year career.

Federer’s style is known as being smooth and elegant, and he is also famous for having an incredibly strong serve. His success can be attributed to his ability to read the court and anticipate where the ball will go, allowing him to make powerful returns and put pressure on his opponent.

Pete Sampras – United States

Pete Sampras was arguably the greatest American tennis player of all time. He was ranked number one in the world throughout much of the 1990s and 2000s, winning 14 Grand Slam singles titles. Over the course of his career, Sampras also won seven Wimbledon singles championships, five US Open titles, and two Australian Open championships – though a win at the French Open always eclipsed him. Sampras retired from professional tennis in 2002, following a somewhat surprising victory at the U.S. Open.

Sampras is famous for his all-around skill set in tennis, which included excellent ground strokes, volleying, and serving. He was also able to adapt his game to suit different surfaces, including clay courts and grass courts.

Rafael Nadal – Spain

Rafael Nadal has an incredible reputation as the most successful player to play on clay courts and has an amazing 92 ATP titles to his name, including 22 Grand Slam titles – a still unbeaten world record – as well as 36 ATP Tour Masters 1000 titles. These include 14 French Open victories – he remains unbeaten in a French Open final – as well as 12 wins at the Barcelona Open, 11 titles in the Monte-Carlo Masters, and 10 Rome Masters titles.

He is also one of just two men to achieve the iconic Career Golden Slam in the men’s singles, as well as obtaining titles at all four major tournaments and, top it off, win a gold medal at the Olympics.

He also holds a record as the first man in the Open Era to achieve a win in a singles tournament a total of nine times, and this broke the previous record, held by Guillermo Vilas for 32 years. Nadal recently announced that he has no current plans to retire from professional tennis, allowing fans to enjoy him on the courts for many years to come.

Nadal’s playing style tends to be very aggressive, with lots of heavy topspin shots and powerful serves – he is known for having the highest topspin rate of all current pros, and is also renowned for his superb defensive skills, often coming back from behind to win points.

Andre Agassi – United States

Andre Agassi is another major name in the world of men’s tennis and has 8 Grand Slam titles to his name. He is also an Olympic gold medal holder and was the first man to achieve the victory of winning all four major singles titles across three different surfaces – clay, grass, and hard surfaces. To this day, Agassi remains the latest American player to win the French Open and the Australian Open in 1999 and 2003 respectively.

Agassi is known for exceptional hand-eye coordination, as well as being a great volleyer and baseliner. His serve was also regarded as one of the best in history, and he had a huge slice backhand that helped him to become so dominant.

Final Thoughts

The five names above are some of the greatest tennis players to ever live and have left their mark on the sport over the past few decades. They were all incredibly talented individuals who dominated the game for long periods of time, and they will always remain legends of the sport.

2022 09 13

Tennis Legacies: Michael Chang

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Born on February 22nd, 1972 in New Jersey, Michael Chang started playing tennis at a young age. This early start led Chang to be one of the most recognizable young players in tennis.

Dating back as far as the 12th century, Tennis has adapted into a sport that is watched by millions across the world and plays a large part in sports odds.

Below we outline the impressive career of Michael Chang and how he changed perceptions surrounding tennis.

Early Career

Early on Chang showed himself to be a formidable force in tennis. He set a lot of records as the youngest player to achieve certain feats.

He won his first national title at the age of 12 after winning the USTA Junior Hard Court Singles and then at 13 he won the Fiesta Bowl 16s.

When Chang was 15 he won the USTA Boys 18s Hardcourts and the Boys 18s Nationals. During the same year, Chang became the youngest player to win a main draw match at a US Open which he did so against Paul McNamee.

In that same US Open, Chang reached the semifinals and is the youngest player to do so at a top-level professional tournament.

1989 French Open

The 1989 French Open is considered Changs biggest achievement as he became the youngest male to ever win a Grand Slam title at 17 years and 110 days old after defeating Stefan Edberg. He is also the first American male to win the French Open since Tony Trabert did so in 1955.

His most famous match wasn’t the final but instead, the fourth round which was against Ivan Lendl. Lendl was the reigning Australian Open champion and has won the French Open 3 times.

A year prior, Lendl defeated Chang and had some harsh advice for him. Chang took this in his stride and worked to improve his game before facing Lendl again at the French Open.

In the match, Lendl took an early lead but Chang effectively retaliated. In the fourth set, Chang got severe leg cramps but managed to win the set. In order to help with the cramps, he adopted a unique play style such as hitting the ball high and going for more winners in order to slow the game down.

These plays threw the usually clam Lendl off his rhythm. Chang did an uncharacteristic underarm serve which made Lendl lose a key point, these plays caused Lendl to lose his patience as he began swearing at the referee and crowd.

In the fifth set, Chang stood just behind the service line while waiting for Lendl’s serve. The crowd laughed at the strange situation but Lendl thought they were mocking him and produced a double fault in rage. This secured Changs victory and showed how he was not just a good player, but also an entertaining one.

After his victory, Chang became the youngest player to be ranked in the world’s top 5.

Career After French Open Victory

He went up again Edberg again at the US Open in 1992 however, he lost this time around. This match is the longest in US Open history at 5 hours and 26 minutes.

Chang went on to reach 3 further Grand Slam finals (1995 French Open, 1996 Australian Open, and 1996 US Open) and participate in the Olympics twice.

The Olympic games he participated in were the 1993 Barcelona games where he was eliminated in the second round, and the 2000 Sydney games where he was eliminated in the first. He chose to skip out on the 1996 Olympic games despite how he would’ve been the tournament’s number 1 seed.

He retired from tennis in 2003 just one year after the release of his book ‘Holding Serve: Persevering On and Off the Court’.

Upon his retirement, Chang had won 24 top-level professional singles titles, ranked number 2 in the 1996 world singles rankings, and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008.

Personal Life And Charity Work

Chang became the chairman of ATP Tour Charities in 1994 and worked to support tennis development in Asia through his Stars of the Future program. One year later he was named one of the most caring athletes in USA Today. Then he served as a goodwill ambassador for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

He married fellow professional tennis player Amber Liu in 2008 and they have 2 daughters together. In 2014 he started coaching Kei Nishikori who reached his career high in singles rankings at number 4 just one year later.

Since his retirement, Chang has been investing in real estate including shopping malls and also property management.

Chang is a lover of wildlife and has been a spokesperson for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. He breeds African cichlids as a hobby in his at-home freshwater aquariums.

Conclusion

Standing at 5’9”, Chang is shorter than most of his opponents. He uses this to his advantage by adopting a dogged defensive style that utilizes his speed and agility.

Chang helped to show how talented young tennis players can be and paved the way for more children to get into tennis.

Fot: asiasociety.org

2022 07 27

5 Of The Most Influential Players In Tennis History

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Tennis is an ever changing and growing sport, and in the world of sports betting odds it’s important to know what players to look out for and who has influenced them. Who inspired them says a lot about a player’s work ethic and play style. Which is why we have compiled a list of the 5 most influential tennis players throughout history and what they did to earn that title.

Billie Jean King

It is impossible to talk about influential players without mentioning King. She is a pioneer in women’s tennis and has been an inspiration to many female athletes since the 1970s.

In 1943 she defeated Bobby Riggs in the iconic ‘Battle of the Sexes’ to show that women’s tennis should be taken just as seriously as mens. Since then she has become the founder for the Women’s Tennis Association and the Women’s Sports Foundation, providing the resources for many women to get into professional sports.

At only 5’4”, King is the shortest player to ever win a grand slam. Throughout her career, King won 12 grand slam singles titles. In 2020, the Federation Cup was renamed to the Billie Jean King Cup in honor of her.

John McEnroe

While McEnroe is a fantastic player, his influence over the game came in other areas. Specifically in his attitude.

McEnroe was ranked number 1 in singles and doubles but was mainly known for his outbursts. This attitude called for professional officials and exposed umpires as amateurs. Since then line calling technology has been upgraded to avoid future confrontational behavior.

McEnroe also helped to popularize the brand ‘Nike’ in 1978 and played a role in the downfall of wooden racquets in the 1970s.

In 1981, McEnroe had his most famous outburst where he shouted his iconic line “You cannot be serious”, which later became the title of McEnroe’s autobiography.

Since his retirement McEnroe has become a sports commentator, giving useful insights to the world of tennis both on and off the court.

Li Na

Li has been changing the reputation of tennis all across the globe, particularly in China. She is the first Chinese player to win a pro title and showed the Chinese market that tennis is a profitable and compelling sport. Now China is a major powerhouse in the world of tennis.

She is usually given a ‘rebellious’ title due to her tattoos and previous quarrels with government sports programs.

Citing Andre Agassi as inspiration, Li was fascinated with the idea of an athlete being proficient, as well as charismatic.

Li features on the 2013 cover of Time magazine and was named as one of the 100 most influential people of the year, so of course we also had to put her on our list.

Roger Federer

Federer is one of the most recognizable names in tennis history, and that is for a very good reason. This Swiss tennis player has not only been successful in the sport, earning himself 98 career titles, but has also been a fantastic spokesperson.

Speaking 3 languages, Federer is able to reach more of the world when compared to his competitors. With his kind and generous attitude, Federer has instantly become a fan favorite.

This love is also shared by his fellow tennis players as he has been given the Sportsmanship award 13 times. Federer has shown that kindness and sincerity is one of the things that can make you an influential player on top of your skills.

Serena Williams

Possibly the biggest player in recent history, Serena Williams has been making waves in tennis and has quickly become a household name.

Known not only for her incredible playing, Williams has a larger than life personality which she uses to promote inclusivity in tennis. Williams has inspired many African-Americans to pursue tennis and has become a role model for young girls.

She holds 72 career titles and 4 Olympic gold medals, becoming the first tennis player to achieve a career golden slam. Williams also inspired the term ‘Serena Slam’, this is when a player wins all 4 grand slams in a row, just not in the same season. Williams achieved this feat in the 2002-03 season and then again in the 2014-15.

Unknown to the public, Williams was also 8-9 weeks pregnant when she won the Australian Open in 2017. She then returned to tennis after the birth of her daughter.

Of course it is impossible to talk about Serena without mentioning her older sister Venus Williams. Venus was a large advocate for equal prize money, and in 2007 Wimbledon announced there would be equal prize amounts. As of March 2022, Venus ranks 2nd in all-time career earnings, just behind her sister Serena.

Final Thoughts

Each of these players have impacted the sport in some way. Either through changing the rules, or inspiring future players who otherwise wouldn’t be interested in tennis.

Remember, you don’t have to be the best player in the game in order to be influential. Sometimes all you need is to bring something new to the table and inspire those around you.

2022 05 24

5 Players With The Most ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Trophies

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The ATP World Tour Masters 1000 was formed in 1990 and stands as one of the highest levels of tennis competition for men to compete in.

Nine tournaments make up the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 that are held all around the world in locations such as Rome, Paris, and Shanghai. These tournaments give players the chance to prove themselves and also climb to the very top of the sport.

If you are wondering who has achieved the most success during these events, here’s a list of the top 5 players with the most ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies.

1. Novak Djokovic

If you are ever planning to seriously look at tennis odds and make bets, Djokovic is one to watch out for! The Serbian has secured 37 Masters 1000 trophies, becoming the best ATP Masters 1000 competitor so far. His best season at the Masters level, and arguably the greatest Masters season by any player ever, came in 2015 when he won Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo Masters, Miami Open, Rome Masters, Madrid Open, and Shanghai Masters. Djokovic is the only man to have won all nine Masters 1000 events at least once in his career and is the only player to win six Masters 1000 titles in a single season.

In 2021, his sixth Paris Masters title pushed him ahead to officially become the leader of the pack at the 1000 level.

2. Rafael Nadal

Nadal is slightly behind Djokovic with an impressive winning figure of 36 ATP Masters 1000 trophies. It is no surprise that this Spaniard continues to pave the way with the most titles won at a single Masters 1000 tournament. He achieved 11 titles during the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco, 10 titles at the Italian Open in Rome, and four Madrid titles. His best season at the ATP Masters level was in 2013. Here, he won Indian Wells and pushed through to the final in Monte Carlo. He achieved more consecutive wins in Rome, Madrid, Montreal, and Cincinnati. His most recent Masters-level title came at the 2021 Rome Masters, where he defeated Djokovic to achieve his 10th crown at this location.

Paris and Miami are the only two Masters events Nadal hasn’t won.

3. Roger Federer

Federer is third on this list, with a total of 28 trophies earned at the ATP Masters level. He managed to achieve the first trophy at this level on clay at the Hamburg Masters in 2002. Throughout his career, Federer has won 22 out of his 28 Masters 1000 titles on hard courts. This is the most on the surface after Djokovic (who has won 24 on hard courts). The Swiss secured his highest performing ATP Masters Series season in 2005. During this time, he won several key places including Miami, Indian Wells, Cincinnati, and Hamburg. In the next season, he claimed 4 additional titles.

Federer reached the Monte Carlo and Rome finals four times each without gaining a win in either, which are the only Master’s titles Federer hasn’t secured.

4. Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi has achieved 17 Masters 1000 trophies and currently stands as the fourth highest of all time. Agassi enjoyed success very early in what was then known as the ATP Masters Series. He won the second official event in 1990, at the Miami Open when he was just 19 years old! He had two jointly successful seasons playing at Masters 1000 level which came in 1995 and 2002 respectively. He managed to win three different titles during both seasons. But it’s easy to see that Miami was his most successful playing event. He won a total of six times between 1990 and 2003.

Agassi, along with Djokovic, and Federer, are the only male tennis players who have won all six hard court tournaments.

5. Andy Murray

The Scotsman has achieved 14 trophies at this level. After claiming his first ATP Masters title in 2008 at Cincinnati, he almost immediately added his second in Shanghai. This particular event is one of his most prolific playing events of all time, and he boasts four separate titles there in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2016. Murray performed extremely well during 2016, which turned out to be his best performing ATP season at this level. He reached five of the finals in Madrid, Rome, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris, and managed to clinch the win in Rome, Shanghai, and Paris.

Murray’s run in Paris was his most recent ATP Masters 1000 title. This is what sent him to the position of world number one for the first time ever.

Summary

These 5 of the greatest and most easily recognizable ATP World Tour Masters 1000 players. Each player has achieved a significant number of trophies, but it’s Djokovic that comes out on top.

2022 03 23

Tennis Legacies: Althea Gibson

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It is safe to say that the acceptance in our society has not always been what it is not. Back in the mid 1900s things were not easy for women or for people of color in the sporting world. However, one woman was determined, and broke that barrier. The legacy of Althea Gibson is one we are unlikely to ever forget, in spite of how long it has been since her reign on the tennis courts, it is a legacy for the ages. Whether you are a hardcore tennis fan, or someone who simply loves keeping on top of the tennis odds, it is important to know the legacy of this astounding woman in tennis history.

Who Is Althea Gibson?

Althea Gibson was introduced to tennis as a teenager, she was troubled, but she was also very athletic at the time. She entered the tennis world in 1950, and came to show the world of white tennis, just what it had been missing out on.

She was a great athlete, falling into tennis at only 13 years of age before she started playing professionally.

She was attempting to get into the flagship event of tennis in America, and the USLTA was open to her integrating, all she had to do was prove her worth against top players in other tournaments. Easy enough right?

You would think so, however, no tournament aside those governed by ATA was accepting to let her through their gates, and it ended up taking a former champion calling attention to this in an interview in the American Lawn Tennis Magazine, for this to be recognized as an issue.

This champion’s words hit a sore stop and Gibson was finally allowed to play where before she wasn’t able to.

She flew through many players, including the reigning Wimbledon champ!

When she had her match against Louise Brough, she became a force to be reckoned with. She had arrived! She took a lead 7-6 in the final set, putting the reigning champion on the ropes.

However, the match had to be halted due to a sport, and with her energy rekindled she stole the match, winning 3 games straight.

There is a sour side to the story, racial slurs were yelled from the stands, but she gained many supporters too, including sports journalists. Many noted that her performance was truly thrilling.

An Important Pioneer For Tennis

It has been over 7 decades since Gibson broke the color barrier in tennis. She was actually the first ever Black player to compete in the U.S. Nationals.

Today’s Serena Williams describes Gibson as being the most important pioneer in tennis, and we firmly agree.

We often forget that the times of Gibson were so different to what they are now. Back then, in the U.S., schools, restaurants and other places were segregated, in the South States especially. It was all divided.

White tennis players, and Black tennis players would compete on separate courts, and it was usually played only by the upper class, and the wealthy.

Althea Gibson broke this barrier, one that was not only classist, but racist too, and showed the world of tennis what this segregation had caused them to be missing out on.

However, it was not just her color that made her achievement incredible! She faced endless challenges because she was a woman too, she was also single, and she had no money, also for the most part, no organization stood with her.

She had countless obstacles, and overcame every single one of them.

The Woman Who Broke The Color Barrier In Tennis

The first black player to play in the U.S. Nationals, Althea Gibson, being a force to be reckoned with on the courts, ambitious enough to steal away titles from legends in the game, and change the face of tennis forever.

She’s been an inspiration to so many players since.

Legacy? Boy, has she left quite the legacy in her wake!

2022 02 09

The Best Tennis Signature Sneakers Of All Time

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Last year, tennis gained a lot of traction in the fashion world. The months between May and September saw a rise in Google searches for tennis attire, including items like tennis skirts, polos, and dresses. Fashion brands like Tory Burch, KULE, Danzy, and Year of Ours, as well as popular athletic wear companies like adidas, FILA, and Nike all expanded their offerings for tennis-related clothing. Today, the tennis aesthetic is highly favored not just over other athletic styles, but over other styles of streetwear as well.

But tennis isn’t a newcomer to the fashion scene. Tennis shoes, in particular, have been making waves in the fashion world since the launch of the adidas Stan Smiths. Many tennis stars have even partnered with big-name footwear brands to create sneaker styles that are both stylish and optimized for the sport. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most iconic signature sneakers throughout history.

adidas Stan Smiths

A person standing in a room with other people

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Source: @gq on Instagram

In 2019, former U.S. President Barack Obama went viral for sporting a pair of adidas Stan Smiths. The viral image revived interest in the classic shoe, which had previously enjoyed a surge of popularity when it was relaunched in 2015 after four years of having been discontinued.

The silhouette of the Stan Smith was actually created in 1963, and was one of the first tennis shoes adidas had ever designed. Years later, adidas contacted tennis star Stan Smith for an endorsement deal, which led to the company renaming the shoe after him. The shoe then went on to become one of the most influential and best-selling sports sneakers of all time.

Nike Air Trainer 1

A pair of shoes

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Source: @sneakerhistory on Instagram

This list will include many a shoe from athletic wear giant Nike, and topping off the collection is none other than the Nike Air Trainer 1. The story of the Nike Air Trainer 1 begins with a fired-up John McEnroe. Desperate for a sneaker that improved his court performance, McEnroe contacted Nike and demanded a new type of shoe to train in. Nike delivered a prototype of the Air Trainer 1, a sleek shoe that gave the volatile tennis star the support and stability he needed to focus on his play. The Air Trainer 1 was later launched as one of the world’s first cross-trainers, helping athletes to safely play court sports, run, lift weights, and do a number of other physical activities without switching shoes or risking injury. It may not have McEnroe’s name on it, but it’s his shoe, and it’s an important one in Nike’s footwear history.

Serena Williams NikeCourt Flare

A pair of tennis shoes

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Source: @tennis_street on Instagram

Serena Williams is one of the biggest names in tennis history. And aside from being a living tennis legend, Serena Williams earned a reputation as a style icon, serving memorable fashion moments on and off the court. In 2018, she collaborated with Nike and OFF-WHITE’s Virgil Abloh to launch a clothing line that blended high fashion with streetwear and sports practicality. The collection featured the NikeCourt Flare 2, a glittery sneaker that she later modeled in matches. The shoe was an upgraded version of the NikeCourt Flare, a breathable and durable court shoe that Williams had previously launched with Nike in 2015.

Andre Agassi Nike Air Tech Challenge

A person playing tennis

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Source: @onfootarchives on Instagram

Tennis legend Andre Agassi was beloved for the unconventional fashion choices he continually opted for on the tennis courts. In 1988, he signed a multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with Nike, and partnered with the brand to launch his own line of apparel. A standout among the products launched was the Nike Air Tech Challenge II, a mid-cut sneaker that deviated from traditional tennis court aesthetics. The sneaker was characterized by its bold silhouette and vibrant colorways, which reflected the colorful and rebellious ’80s fashion culture that Agassi himself embodied.

Shoes play an important role in tennis. They give players the support they need to perform well on the court while also allowing them to express their own individual styles. For those reasons, it’s always fun to look into what legends of the game have worn.

But if you’re interested in improving your tennis performance, it won’t just be shoes you’ll need to shop for! Courses here at Top Level Tennis can teach you different strategies for upping your tennis game.

2022 02 09

How To Correct Missed Shots

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In tennis, there are only 2 ways to win the point. Either one player can hit the winner or he can miss the ball. Definitely, the more spectacular way is to hit the ball away from the opponent and hear how all the audience clap the hands but the reality, especially at lower levels of performance, is completely different. There is significant amount of errors and the player, who makes them less, most of the time is the winner of the battle.

Generally, players don’t like the errors. Tennis is specific and little different than basketball or soccer because own mistake doesn’t allow us to win the point and at the same time, gives this point to the opponent. Because we compete against the opponent, we don’t want to make it easier for the rival to beat us so every error has an impact on the scoreboard but also on our mental side.

It is important to understand that we can’t avoid mistakes but we have control over reducing the number of them. Mistakes can be divided into forced and unforced errors where forced errors are related to the rival’s game while unforced errors are the ones that we have to fully take responsibility for. To reduce the number of errors, we have to focus on our reaction to mistakes. What happens after missing the ball has a big impact on our next performance and it shouldn’t be surprising that young or inexperienced players who get angry after missing the ball, can’t maintain good level of play for more than just few points in a row.

After missing the ball, we are allowed to take 20 seconds between the points and 90 seconds after odd number of games. It can look like really short time but the reality is that it is more than enough to prepare effectively for the next point without mistake. Here is what you should do immediately after committing an error:

WHERE did I miss?

We can miss the ball in 3 different ways in tennis. We can hit the ball into the net, we can stretch it wide or we can send the ball too long. Immediately after losing the point, we should ask ourself this question to be aware of the type of mistake we have made. Without this information, it will be definitely more difficult to go to the step 2 with proper quality.

WHY did I miss?

The next step is based on finding the reason of missing the ball in specific way. If we have missed the ball into the net, we have to understand why we have missed the ball exactly there. We should analyze technical, tactical, physical and mental components to make sure that we precisely aim our focus at proper area. Straight legs? Lack of topspin? Aiming too low? Being afraid of missing? Find the reason and work with it.

WHAT should I do differently?

We already know where we have missed the ball and why it has happened. Now we have the last stage that will give us information what we should do during the next point. We have analyzed the past but know we have to focus on the future. After missing the ball into the net and knowing that we have aimed too low, we should give ourself instruction to keep the ball at neutral level over the net while hitting from the baseline to make sure that even when we try to put pressure, we still keep good clearance over the net.

WHERE, WHY, WHAT. These 3 simple steps will guarantee less errors, more effective performance and visible results. After every point is over, players have to go through this routine to be aware of what has happened as well as to plan ahead what to do. Awareness + effective planning is always a proven way to increase the chance for success so using these 3 questions should be our tool that we always take with us on the court.

Zdjęcie autorstwa cottonbro z Pexels.

2021 11 26

Tennis Players Who Turned to Poker

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Tennis is a game of skill and chance, one that requires preparation, stamina and skill.

In many respects, it is similar to poker. Not in terms of the physical effort required to play, poker can be a little more sedate, but other similarities exist. A tennis game is usually won by skill but can be affected by chance, a stumble, or perhaps an injury. It is a solitary game, one in which you can have all the advice and training you need, but when the ball is served, it is up to you. It is the same in poker, you can get tips and help, but after the flop, you’re on your own.

Perhaps that is why plenty of tennis players turn to the poker tables once they hang up their racquet. Poker is a popular pastime for plenty of athletes after their sporting career ends. Across the world, stars like Neymar, Richard Seymour and Shane Warne have taken to poker. Greg Mueller, a former German hockey player who has won three World Series of Poker bracelets, has been a notable success. Peacearchnews.com explains how he won those bracelets ten years apart, setting the precedent for another big German presence and tennis player to follow suit; Boris Becker.

Poker.org discusses how a poker professional’s life looks amazing, but it is a front behind which lies a lot of hard work, training and grind. That is exactly how Boris Becker rose to the top of his chosen field, tennis. He trained hard, studied opponents and dealt with high-pressure situations. He is where we start a roundup of former tennis players who turned to poker after retiring.

David Benyamine

Credit: flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com, David Benyamine 2008WSOP, CC BY-SA 3.0

You may not have heard of Benyamine, the French tennis professional. He could have had a long career on court, but was forced into retirement before he’d climbed the ranks due to severe shoulder pain. Undeterred, he put the skills he learned on court to good use, turning into a professional poker player. He’s very successful; he has over $7.8m tournament winnings and 40 separate World Series of Poker cashes totalling more than $2.5m. He is a regular in Bobby’s Room, the high stakes tables in the prestigious Bellagio, Las Vegas.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Credit: Wikigo, Kafelnikov Lagardere 2009, CC BY 3.0

Kafelnikov is a two-time Grand Slam winner, beating Michael Stich to win the 1996 French Open and Thomas Enqvist to snatch the 1999 Australian Open. He is well known for beating World Number 3 Becker in Milan in 1995 and his straight-set victory over Pete Sampras in 1995 at the French Open. He is also a fan of another type of straight, those obtained in Texas Hold’em. He managed a ninth-place finish at the 2005 WSOP Seven Card Stud event and has racked up more than $200,000 in tournament wins over his poker career. He has continued to diversify, becoming the highest-ranked golfer in Russia for a short time.

Patrick Antonius

Credit: Equipo Unibet, Patrik Antonius 2008, CC BY 2.0

Antonius never quite got to Grand Slam level, but his talent in his early years suggested he might. He rose through the ranks in his native Finland, displaying the sort of on-court skills that might have seen him go all the way to the top. Sadly, his career was curtailed by a back injury in his late teens, and that forced him into the world of poker. If his desire to reach the top of the poker world reflects what he could have achieved in tennis, he might have been a star. He’s won more than $12m across the poker tables, including what was once the biggest pot in online poker history, $1,356,946 against Viktor Blom in 2009.

2021 10 18

Avoid ups and downs during the match

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Tennis match. For some players, it is an exciting moment of testing their own skills. For other players, it is a challenge that puts a lot of stress on their mental side. There is no doubt that it is not an easy job to play our own best every time we step on the court and it is even harder to play well from the beginning to the end of the battle. But is it possible to do it? Is it possible to avoid ups and downs during the match?

It is a common situation at a less advanced level that players are mixing great shots with simple unforced errors. Leading 3:0 in the first set is not the predictor of winning the set because players can blow this advantage in few minutes, just to lose the set 4:6. There are many reasons why it happens at the beginner and intermediate level, starting from technical weaknesses and finishing with unconsciousness of mental processes that are under the player’s control. However, we have to pay attention that this situation doesn’t limit only less experienced players. It is the problem also for players competing in Grand Slam tournaments.

Ups and downs usually happen most when there’s a lack of experience. And it can happen during any type of tennis sports you’re practicing, whether that’s squash, traditional tennis or padel. Padel is one of the newer sports that has increased in popularity rapidly over the past few years. We now see more and more padel courts being built throughout the UK and to be honest: we are happy about it. Padel is a fun sport that can be played with teams, which makes the dynamic different from normal tennis games. A standard game of Padel is usually played in doubles. The enclosed court is designed and big enough for four people to play in, but it’s just a bit smaller than a standard tennis court. If you’d like to mix your tennis up with a bit of padel, find your nearest padel club in the UK on padelpadelpadel.com.

Experience is not the only factor that has an impact on the ability to control own performance and show own best abilities. It is not rare to see results like 6/1 0/6 2/6 on WTA Tour or 6/4 6/4 1/6 7/6 on ATP Tour which only confirms that it is more about possessing specific skills and using them than just being on a given level of advancement. Players, who are able to maintain a stable level of performance, drastically increase their chances of winning the match because the opponent will have a really difficult challenge to deal with.

Ups and downs during the match occur because of many factors. We can’t control all of them but we definitely have an impact on many areas and exactly on them we should direct all our focus. Here is what players should do to avoid ups and downs and maintain stable performance over the course of the match:

Be aware of your winning patterns
There are a lot of breaks in a tennis match. After every point, players have 20 seconds to rest and prepare for the next match. They have also 90 seconds after every 2 games and 120 seconds when the set is over. One of the reasons why players have unstable performance is their inability to use breaks properly. In general, players are not conscious of why they are winning and they change working strategy while leading. To perform well for a long period of time, players have to think about what they are doing that they are winning and they have to continue these patterns to increase the lead.

Don’t let emotions play the crucial role
Emotions. Top players don’t allow emotions to dictate what they do and how they play. They prefer to use the brain and logical thinking to analyze what is happening and discover the most effective approach for the next points. If you are angry after an easy unforced mistake or you are too excited after passing an opponent using a tweener, it will definitely have a negative impact on your focus and the quality of the next points. Emotions will occur but you have to control your reactions to them to maintain a high level of performance.

Don’t rush
4 unforced mistakes in a row. Double fault after winning really long-rally. Missing 2 easy returns so the opponent has to just make the serve in to win the game. There are many reasons why players make these mistakes but there is also one common factor that is almost always visible in these situations. Players rush. After they make their mistake, they don’t take possible 20 seconds to analyze the point, calm down and prepare the plan for the next point. They just go to the next corner and start another point with poor quality. If you have the same problem, let’s learn from Rafael Nadal – it doesn’t matter what the score is for the Spaniard, he always goes through his routine. By taking time between the points and games, we increase the chance for correcting underperformance or for continuing high-quality action.

It is not an easy job to maintain good performance over the course of 2 or 3 hours of the tennis match. There are many factors that make this task really difficult to accomplish but every player should understand that there are also areas that players can control and should control. If you want to stay at some solid level for most of your matches, you should be aware of these areas and practice skills that will allow you to use them automatically, every time you compete.

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Avoid ups and downs during the match

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